Shahbulat Shamhalaev

Shahbulat Shamhalaev (; born August 27, 1983) is a Russian retired mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He competed in the featherweight division for the Bellator Fighting Championships. Shahbulat is Muay Thai World Champion and Muay Thai Republic of Dagestan Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career On November 3, 2009, at the M-1 Challenge – 2009 Selections event, Shamhalaev lost to the future UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov via submission (armbar) in the first round.

Before leaving for the United States, he had a record of 9–1–1.

Bellator MMA In 2012, Shamhalaev started training in Team BombSquad with Pat Bennett, Mike Massenzio, John Franchi, Anthony Leone and Kenny Foster.

Shamhalaev faced Cody Bollinger in the opening round of the Bellator Season 7 Featherweight tournament on October 12, 2012, at Bellator 76. He won the fight via TKO in the first round.

Shamhalaev faced Mike Richman in Semifinal Season 7 Featherweight tournament on November 2, 2012, at Bellator 79. He won via brutal KO in the first round.

Shamhalaev eventually faced Rad Martinez in the finals of the Season Seven Featherweight Tournament on February 21, 2013, at Bellator 90. He won the fight via KO in the second round.

Shamhalaev received his title shot against Pat Curran on April 4, 2013, at Bellator 95. He lost the fight via guillotine choke submission in the first round.

Shamhalaev was expected to face Akop Stepanyan in next Featherweight tournament beginning September 13, 2013, at Bellator 99. However, on September 9, it was revealed he was forced to pull out of the tournament due to his ailing father.

Shamhalaev was expected to face Fabricio Guerreiro on May 9, 2014, at Bellator 119. The fight, however, was cancelled when Guerreiro was injured. The bout was rescheduled and took place at Bellator 120 in Southaven, Mississippi. He lost the fight via first round kimura submission.

On August 25, 2014, Shamhalaev was released from Bellator, along with former Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Attila Végh and eleven other fighters.

Post-Bellator On June 1, 2016, over two years since his last MMA fight, Shamhalaev was shot multiple times in Makhachkala, Russia. As of September 2016, he planned to return to MMA after he recovered from his wounds. In December 2016, he announced his retirement from professional career in MMA.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts Bellator Fighting Championships Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Winner

Muay Thai WBL Muay Thai World Champion (Dubai, 2007)

Kickboxing Russian Kick-Boxing Federation Kickboxing Russian National Champion

Sanshou Russian Sanshou Federation Sanshou Russian National Champion

Karate Russian Karate Federation Karate Russian Champion

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Fabricio Guerreiro Submission (kimura) Bellator 120

Southaven, Mississippi, United States Loss

Pat Curran Technical Submission (guillotine choke) Bellator 95

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States For Bellator Featherweight Championship. Win

Rad Martinez KO (punch) Bellator 90

West Valley City, Utah, United States Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Final. Win

Mike Richman KO (punches) Bellator 79

Rama, Ontario, Canada Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Semifinal. Win

Cody Bollinger TKO (punches) Bellator 76

Windsor, Ontario, Canada Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal. Win

Ramazan Sulebanov KO (head kick and punches) WMAC - Finals

Yalta, Crimea, Russia WMAC 2011 Lightweight Tournament Final. Win

Muslim Umaev KO (punches) WMAC - Semifinals

Yalta, Crimea, Russia WMAC 2011 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. Win

Yves Landu Decision (unanimous) M-1 Selection 2011: European Tournament

Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, Russia Draw

Astemir Fakov Draw PSFDC - Pancration SFD Championship 4

Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia Win

Andrii Liezhniev Decision (unanimous) MFT - Battle of Volga 3

Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia Win

Yunus Tagirov Submission (armbar) MFT - Russia's Cup

Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia MFT 2009 Russia's Cup Lightweight Tournament Final. Win

Sheikh Arapkhanov KO (head kick) MFT - Russia's Cup

Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia MFT 2009 Russia's Cup Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. Win

Valery Varankin TKO (retirement) MFT - Russia's Cup

Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia MFT 2009 Russia's Cup Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal. Loss

Khabib Nurmagomedov Submission (armbar) M-1 Challenge: 2009 Selections 9

Saint Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, Russia Win

Radzha Khizriev TKO (punches) M-1 Challenge: 2009 Selections 6

Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, Russia Win

Oma Tashuev Decision (unanimous) MFT - Battle in Zhara

Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia