Alexander Shlemenko
Russian middleweight Alexander ‘Storm’ Shlemenko (45-7) has suffered a broken collar bone and a dislocated thumb after a motor vehicle accident in Russia this past Wednesday.
According to Sherdog.com, Shlemenko was a passenger in a vehicle which was hit by a drunk driver. The Russian was taken to hospital where he had casts placed on his shoulder and thumb. Shlemenko is expected to be out for months while he heals and completes physiotherapy for his return.
Shlemenko is coming off a TKO finish of Japanese fighter Ikuhisa MInoawa last weekend in India as part of the Super Fight League 2 event. The win was the ‘Storm’s’ eighth straight victory.
The Russian also won his way back into Bellator title contention by winning the Season Five middleweight tournament, earning a possible rematch with the promotions current champ Hector Lombard.
Possible, only because Lombard and Bellator are currently in contract negotiations that have not gone well. Lombard is set to become a free agent in a couple of weeks which will likely take him out of the Bellator picture.
If that happens, Shlemenko will face the Season Six middleweight tournament winner once the Russian has healed up. This according to promotion CEO Bjorn Rebney who confirmed one possible future for the 185-lbs title with MMAjunkie.com Friday night.
“If we decide not to re-sign Hector, Alexander would fight the winner of this middleweight tournament, yes,” Rebney said.