Shlemenko (photo via Bellator.com)

By FCF Staff

With former middleweight champ Hector Lombard now with the UFC, Bellator will determine its new champion on February 7th, when Alexander Shlemenko takes on Maiquel Falcao. The bout will be hosted by the Arena at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia.

Shlemenko (46-7) won his second Bellator tournament in 2011 and his coming off a unanimous decision win over Anthony Ruiz, while competing for a League S-70 Event in Russia on August 11th. Prior to that the accomplished striker stopped Ikuhisa Minowa under the Super Fight League banner in April.

“It was a long path for me,” Shlemenko was quoted saying in a press release from the promotion. “It doesn’t matter whom I will face to get my title, Falcao, or anyone else. I will smash my opponent, and win the title, because I have my country behind me. I’m fighting for the honor of Russia, and I’m glad that the audience on Spike TV in and on Russia 2 will be able to watch my fight live!”

Falcao (31-4) is coming off a tourney victory this past spring, by defeating Norman Paraisy, Vyaschlev Vasilevsky and most recently Andreas Spang.

“I’ve had my sights set on the Bellator Middleweight Title for a long time,” Falcao said. “Bellator is my home, and nothing would make me happier to see my championship banner hanging in the rafters, and beating Shlemenko for the title.”

The February 7th card will also feature the opening round of Bellator’s next featherweight tournament.