Curran tops Shamhalaev to keep Bellator featherweight crown

Atlantic City, N.J. (The Phanatic Magazine) – Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran defended his title by besting Shahbulat Shamhalaev with a guillotine choke in the first round at the Revel Resort in Atlantic City on Thursday night.

“Thanks for Shahbulat and taking the fight on short notice," Curran said. "This was a big opportunity for him and I thank him for stepping up to the fight."

Doug Marshall overwhelmed Brett Cooper with a first round TKO to win the Bellator middleweight tournament championship, while Frodo Khasbulaev earned the lightweight tournament title with a unanimous decision victory over Mike Richman, winning all three rounds on all three scorecards (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Marshall and Khasbulaev each earned a $100,000 tournament prize and a guaranteed title shot. 


"When I entered this tournament I was the dark horse and now I am $100,000 richer and I have a title shot coming," Marshall said. "I am really looking forward to the fight against (middleweight champion) Alexander (Shlemenko). Thank you very much for this opportunity.”


Khasbulaev will now face highly-regarded lightweight kingpin Michael Chandler, a former All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri.


In a welterweight feature fight Rick Hawn knocked out former UFC star Karo Parisyan via strikes in the second round.

“Thank you Karo for taking this fight and it has been a long time coming," Hawn said.  "I respect him as a fighter and this wasn’t an easy fight. I am happy to get the win and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”

“I don’t want to make any excuses," Parisyan countered. "This is the fourth time Bellator has given me a shot. I felt obligated to take the fight, but I felt like I was in the right place to take it. He is a great competitor and I respect him as an athlete. Hopefully I will be back and I can prove myself one more time.”


In other matches welterweight Lyman Good defeated Dante Rivera via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27,30-27); in a catchweight bout at 173 pounds Sam Oropeza topped Shedrick Goodridge via TKO (strikes) in round 2; Tom DeBlass beat Carlos Brooks via doctor stoppage in the second round of another catchweight encounter at 188.

 Lightweight Phillipe Nover won a unanimous decision over Darrell Horcher (29-28,30-27,30-27);  Jimmie Rivera earned a 140-pound catchweight win beating Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28,29-28); featherweight Will Martinez KO'd Brent Hess in the first round; Kevin Roddy used an armbar to stop Brylan Van Artsdalen in another featherweight bout and light heavyweight Liam McGeary destroyed Anton Talamantes with elbows and punches just 1:18 into the fight.