Former Bellator heavyweight Blagoi Ivanov signs with WSOF

Blagoi Ivanov

Former Bellator MMA heavyweight tournament finalist Blagoi Ivanov has signed with WSOF.

Company president Ray Sefo confirmed with the signing with MMAjunkie.

According to Sefo, Ivanov (11-1) has signed a multi-fight deal with the Las Vegas-based promotion. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. A debut date and opponent haven’t been finalized.

Ivanov, a 28-year-old Bulgarian sambo world champion, made his Bellator debut in 2011 and racked up a some submission and knockout wins. However, his career was put on hold in early 2012 after a bar incident in which he was stabbed in the heart.

Blagoi Ivanov

Miraculously, Ivanov survived a medically induced coma and multiple surgeries after the life-threatening injury. After a few months, he regained his ability to speak and left the hospital, determined to make a return to the cage.

Nineteen months after the stabbing, he accomplished the feat.

After a few warmup fights that resulted in back-to-back submission wins in late 2013, Ivanov entered Bellator’s Season 10 heavyweight tournament and defeated Rich Hale and UFC vet Lavar Johnson to make it to the final. However, despite being a small favorite, Ivanov suffered a second-round submission loss to Alexander Volkov in May.

The defeat, which marks his most recent appearance, was Ivanov’s first and only defeat in a seven-year pro career. Overall, he’s posted nine stoppages in 11 career wins.

For more on WSOF’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.