Bellator Signs Ex-Eagle Fighting Championships Title Holder Gadzhi Rabadanov

Bellator MMA has signed former Eagle Fighting Championships lightweight king Gadzhi Rabadanov to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.

Sherdog.com confirmed the deal with a promotion official following an initial report from MMAFighting.com. A date for Rabadanov’s Bellator debut was not revealed.

Rabadanov claimed the interim belt with a victory over Joao Paulo de Moura e Silva when the promotion was still known as Gorilla Fighting Championships. He was elevated to undisputed champion before dropping the title to Mehdi Dakaev in a five-round decision at Eagle Fighting Championship 30 this past December.

The Dagestani competed once for Professional Fighters League during the 2019 season, earning a unanimous verdict over Steven Siler in a featherweight matchup. Rabadanov missed the featherweight mark for two ensuing PFL appearances, however, and has since moved to 155 pounds. He enters his Bellator debut having won eight of his last nine professional outings, a run that also includes a stint in Fight Nights Global.