Bellator signs Russian lightweight Gadzhi Rabadanov to multi-fight deal

Bellator has added another Russian talent to its roster.

Officials told MMA Fighting on Tuesday that the promotion has signed Eagle Fighting Championship standout Gadzhi Rabadanov (15-4-2) to compete in its lightweight division. The contract is a multi-year, multi-fight deal.

Rabadanov has been making waves in his native Russia, most recently competing for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s promotion EFC (formerly known as Gorilla Fighting Championship). He is coming off of a unanimous decision win over Valery Gritsutin at EFC 33 in February.

Watch that fight below:

Rabadanov is a former EFC lightweight champion, having won an interim title and been elevated to undisputed status before dropping that title to Mehdi Dakaev last December. Overall, he is unbeaten in eight of his past nine fights, including several appearances for Russia’s Fight Nights Global (now AMC Fight Nights) promotion.

North American MMA fans may recognize Rabadanov from the 2019 PFL season, where he competed as a featherweight. Rabadanov won his lone fight for the league, defeating veteran Steven Silver by unanimous decision, but failed to make the 145-pound limit (with one-pound allowance) for his next two bouts. He has since moved up to the 155-pound division.

A debut date and opponent for Rabadanov is still to be determined.