Alexander Shabliy makes bloody mess of Patricky Pitbull, advances to grand prix final

Alexander Shabliy showcased his exceptional skills at Bellator 301 when he emerged victorious against former lightweight champion Patricky Freire in the semifinal of the promotion’s ongoing grand prix.

The electrifying contest served as the main card opener at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, where Shabliy (24-3 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) secured a lopsided (and bloody) unanimous decision over Freire (25-12 MMA, 16-10 BMMA). All three judges scored the fight a clean sweep, at 50-45.

Shabliy came out determined right from the get-go. He delivered punches with pinpoint accuracy and varied his strikes to keep Freire on edge.

Despite his dominance, Shabliy aimed for a finish, constantly challenging Freire. In Round 3, he unleashed a barrage that tested Freire’s resilience. However, “Pitbull” held his ground valiantly.

As the fight went on, Freire’s condition worsened. Blood streamed from below his left eye and from his left ear. Shabliy landed a significant sequence in Round 5, including a wheel kick to the head, but Freire managed to survive till the final bell.

Bellator’s future after the event remains uncertain. If the promotion’s grand prix continues, Shabliy’s next opponent is still in question.

Given lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov recently tested positive for a banned substance, Bellator executive Mike Kogan hinted that the titleholder will rematch Brent Primus.

Irrespective of the tournament’s status, Shabliy extends his winning streak to nine. Notable wins include victories over Tofiq Musayev and Brent Primus, both of whom Shabliy defeated with strikes.

Freire’s recent record stands at 2-4 in his last six outings.

Latest updates from Bellator 301 are as follows:

• Alexander Shabliy def. Patricky Freire via unanimous decision – lightweight grand prix semifinal

• Archie Colgan def. Pieter Buist via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

• Denise Kielholtz def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

• Timur Khizriev def. Justin Gonzales via unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

• Keri Melendez def. Sabriye Sengul via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 2:06

• Matheus Mattos def. Richard Palencia via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:20

• Ramazan Kuramagomedov def. Randall Wallace via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49

• Islam Mamedov def. Killys Mota via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

• Cody Law def. Jefferson Pontes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

• Tim Wilde def. Mike Hamel via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:47

• Yves Landu def. Isao Kobayashi via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 301.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie