Food Poisoning Postpones Shahbulat Shamhalaev-Rad Martinez Tournament Final at Bellator 83

---

Shahbulat Shamhalaev ate something that did not agree with him.

Suffering from food poisoning, the 29-year-old Russian was forced to exit his bout with Rad Martinez in the Bellator Fighting Championships Season 7 featherweight tournament final at Bellator 83 on Friday at Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

“He’s been throwing up most of the day,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “He was throwing up in the locker room. The commission saw him, and, of course, it’s incumbent upon them to look out for the safety of the fighters.”

The Martinez-Shamhalaev final was immediately rescheduled for Bellator 84, scheduled for Dec. 14 at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind.

Leone Upends Former Champion Makovsky

World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Anthony Leone upset former Bellator champion Zach Makovsky by split decision in a bantamweight showcase. All three judges scored it 29-28: William Mason and Cardo Urso for Leone, Michael Barry for Makovsky.

Leone (12-5, 2-2 Bellator) was superior in the scrambles and in the clinch, perhaps catching Makovsky -- who wrestled collegiately at Drexel University -- by surprise. The stage was set early, as Leone answered a single-leg takedown in the first round by immediately returning to an upright position. From there, he sapped Makovsky’s spirit in the clinch, mixing in combinations when the chance arose.

Makovsky (14-4, 6-2 Bellator) struck for a pair of takedowns in round two but failed to capitalize on them, as his relentless foe either rose to his feet or moved into top position. The third round was clearly Leone’s, as he scrambled on top after a failed guillotine choke attempt, twice passing the Makovsky guard into side control.

“I feel amazing,” Leone said. “I love the judges tonight.”

Eye Chokes Gurgel Unconscious

Strong Style Fight Team representative Jessica Eye rendered Bellator women’s 115-pound champion Zoila Frausto Gurgel unconscious with a standing arm-triangle choke 58 seconds into the first round of their featured matchup. The non-title bout was contested at 125 pounds.

“I’m prepared because of my camp,” Eye said. “This is a long time coming.”

The Ring of Combat veteran met Gurgel in the center of the cage and clobbered her with a pair of right hands -- one standing, the other on the ground -- during their initial exchange. Eye (9-1, 4-0 Bellator) moved immediately to the clinch as the wobbled champion rose to her feet, cinching the choke against the cage. After a brief struggle, Gurgel (12-2, 6-1 Bellator) went limp, and the fight, along with her seven-fight winning streak, was done.

“I was kind of like an anaconda; I just kept getting tighter and tighter,” Eye said. “I didn’t want to let go until someone told me to.”

‘Ultimate Fighter’ Alum Rivera Notches Decision; Horcher Stays Undefeated

In preliminary action, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 alum Jimmie Rivera captured a unanimous verdict from Jesse Brock, earning 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 marks from the cageside judges; Blackman MMA prospect Darrell Horcher kept his perfect professional record intact with a unanimous nod over Chris Liguori, sweeping the scorecards by identical 29-28 scores; UFC castaway Mike Wessel defeated Belarusian heavyweight Alexei Kudin by unanimous decision, taking 29-28 verdicts on all three scorecards; Terrell Hobbs submitted Brylan Van Artsdalen with a rear-naked choke 3:07 into the first round of their featherweight tilt; Philadelphia-based Tuan Pham handed Matthew Lozano his first career loss with a unanimous decision in their catchweight affair, securing 29-28 scores from all three judges; and Claudio Ledesma picked up his fourth win in five outings with a unanimous nod over David Harris at 135 pounds: 30-27, 30-27 and 30-27.