French Middleweight Paraisy Signs on with Bellator

France's Norman Paraisy (left) has a new home with Bellator. | Photo: Colin Foster

Sherdog.com confirmed Wednesday with a source close to the negotiations that Bellator has signed “Ultimate Fighter 11” alum Norman Paraisy. MMAJunkie.com initially reported the signing on Wednesday morning.

No debut date has been set for Paraisy as of yet, but Sherdog.com has confirmed that Paraisy will compete at middleweight.

The 25-year-old Frenchman has fought for Bellator once before, suffering his only loss to-date inside the Chicago-based promotion's circular cage in 2009. Following that loss to former UFC champion Dave Menne, Paraisy has gone 5-0-1, fighting four times in 2011.

Paraisy's 2010 stint on “TUF 11” was a short one, as he failed to earn a spot in the fighter house. Paraisy fell to James Hammortree by technical knockout in his qualifier bout, as the Frenchman could not answer the bell for the second round of the contest.

After fighting Michele Verginelli to a draw in April, the ABS Team representative earned likely the biggest win of his five-year career one month later when he took home a unanimous decision over former Pride Fighting Championships standout Paulo Filho on the Brazilian's home turf.

Most recently, Paraisy earned a technical knockout over Jack Mason at Cage Warriors 43 in July, stunning his foe with a flying knee and finishing the job with elbows late in the third round.