Alexandr Shabliy advances in the Bellator Grand Prix with quick win over Tofiq Musayev.
Bellator 292 hosted the first two fights of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix, with the first between Tofiq Musayev and Alexandr Shabliy. The two lightweights had to follow two huge knockouts to start the show, which gave fans pretty high expectations for how this opening-round fight would go.
Alexander Shabliy is heading into the semi-finals of the #BellatorLWGP!
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 11, 2023
📺 #Bellator292 | LIVE NOW | 🇺🇸 @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/udxcGzZtkx
The first round opened up with Musayev and Shabliy feeling one another out, takin their time to engage. Neither man pushed the action much until the final few seconds, where a small flury took place. The round ends with the fans paying more attention to former Strikerforce legend Cung Le
Round two was much of the same, with both men taking their time, though the two men did engage in a clinch against the cage wall.
Shabliy would land a huge kick to the solerplexes of Musayev. Shabliy's foot would drag down Musayev's abdomen, however, and graze his groin. This caused an injury that put Musayev to the ground. Due to it being a legal strike, referee Jason Herzog tried to get Musayev to reengage, but was unable to.
Here's the full audio from Jason Herzog explaining his decision in the co-main event of #Bellator292. pic.twitter.com/4wI9gicqKG
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) March 11, 2023
This caused Herzog to end the fight, awarding the win to Shabliy.