Alexander Shlemenko says Bellator 120 loss to Ortiz was 'a very good experience'

Stone-faced Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko didn’t have much to say about his loss in a light heavyweight bout against Tito Ortiz, but he believes there is a silver lining to the experience.

“I have nothing to say,” Shlemenko said via an interpreter after getting choked unconscious by the UFC Hall of Famer at this past Saturday’s Bellator 120 event. “It’s just too bad, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to win this fight.

“Congratulations to Tito for this win, and it was a very, very good experience for me.”

Shlemenko (50-8 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) scored early against Ortiz (17-11-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) with several of his patented body shots, but he looked like a fish out of water when he was taken to the mat. Ortiz managed to secure an arm-triangle choke from top position and squeezed until the Russian went unconscious, prompting the referee to wave off the bout midway through the first round.

It was Shlemenko’s first loss in three years and 13 fights. From its inception, many MMA observers wrote off the matchup as a sideshow attraction because of the weight disparity between the fighters.

Shlemenko first called to fight Ortiz just over one month prior to Bellator’s inaugural pay-per-view by posting a video online. Ortiz, who was forced to withdraw from his promotional debut due to a neck injury, quickly accepted the bout.

Despite Ortiz’s underdog status, Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney believed the fight was more competitive than it was thought to be.

“I love the fact that Alexander came to our office and begged us to make it,” he said. “I love the fact that Tito Ortiz … took it without a moment’s hesitation. I loved the fight.”

Ortiz earned his first victory in three years after a trio of UFC losses preceded his retirement from MMA. He signed with the Viacom-owned promotion this past fall for a PPV meeting with former training partner Quinton Jackson, but was forced to withdraw after suffering his middleweight injury.

Rebney said he would try to convince the 39-year-old fighter to compete in a Bellator tournament, though three fights in three months might be a tough task for the injury-prone fighter.

As for what happens now with Shlemenko, Rebney is confident that opportunities abound in the champion’s natural weight division.

“Alexander is our middleweight champion, and a small middleweight at that,” Rebney said. “He will be back defending that title. There’s potential to make a series of great fights for him for this organization, some of which would be on free TV and some of which may be pay-per-view.”

Shlemenko, meanwhile, thanked his fans for their support. Despite his loss, he might also thank Ortiz for raising his profile in the sport.

For complete coverage of Bellator 120, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of the site.