Usman Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight Bellator title with a unanimous decision win against Alexander Shabliy in California.
The 26-year-old was making his return to the cage after being banned for six months by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for failing a drug test in October 2023.
Despite the failed test, Nurmagomedov was not stripped of his lightweight title and Shabliy, 31, proved a difficult opponent during the second defence of his crown.
Shabliy defended well and did not allow Nurmagomedov any easy openings in what proved to be a tactical, if unspectacular, battle.
Nurmagomedov secured a takedown in the fourth round when he caught Shabliy with a head kick.
Shabily fell behind with the judges’ scoring and his reluctance to engage ultimately cost him, with the judges scoring 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 in Nurmagomedov’s favour.
The win extended Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten record to 18 fights, with zero defeats and one no contest.
“To be honest, this guy is so tough,” Nurmagomedov said in his post-fight interview.
“Alexander Shabliy I think is one of the best lightweights right now in the world. It was a very tough fight for me.”
The defeat ended Shabliy’s nine-fight winning streak and was his first loss since 2016.