Bellator MMA forecasts ‘Storm’ at Memphis’ FedExForum on Oct. 21, when Alexander Shlemenko returns to face Kendall Grove

Bobby Lashley looks to solidify himself as top Bellator heavyweight against Josh Appelt On Friday, Oct. 21, Bellator MMA will come to FedExForum when the Scott Coker-led promotion presents a card headlined by the return of former middleweight champion Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (53-9), who meets Kendall Grove (23-15) in middleweight action. Main card action kicks off LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 8 p.m. local time. Additional main card and undercard bouts will be announced shortly. In addition, the always-exciting former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (14-2) meets Josh Appelt (12-5) in heavyweight action, during the card’s co-main event. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Sept. 2 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the FedExForum Box Office. An exclusive FedExForum presale is available on Thursday, Sept. 1 until 10 p.m. to all Memphis Grizzlies’ MVP Season Ticket Holders, Grizzlies’ e-news subscribers, recipients of FedExForum Event Alert e-mail communications, or by connection with FedExForum and the Grizzlies on their social sites (Limit eight tickets per order.) A former Bellator MMA Middleweight Champion, the “Storm” has kept busy, racking up a pair of wins already in 2016, adding to his seemingly endless resume of victories since turning pro in 2004. A natural born finisher, Shlemenko’s success in MMA has also translated to coaching, as he’s played a pivotal role in the ascension of current Bellator MMA welterweight kingpin Andrey Koreshkov. In addition, due to Shlemenko's recent suspension, Bellator officials have enlisted the services of The Mohegan Department of Athletic Regulation to administer drug tests before and after Shlemenko's fight against Grove. The former middleweight champion is presently licensed with the Mohegan commission. Fixated on getting another shot a Bellator’s middleweight title, Grove has strung together two emphatic stoppage wins since losing his bid to attain gold at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: 3” on SPIKE, the Maui, Hawaii, native has also been competing professionally for longer than a decade, racking up wins and a plethora of finishes along the way. An experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and Muay Thai practitioner, Shlemenko will need to be on his A-game when the two square off in the main event on Oct. 21. Lashley is a must-see mixed martial artist, as well as professional wrestler, and will make his first appearance inside the Bellator cage in 2016 during the co-main event at FedExForum. “The Dominator” will be looking to run his current winning streak to eight fights, and five-straight finishes. With the heavyweight belt recently vacated, there’s an argument that can be made that the Aurora, Colo., native is the big man to beat in Bellator MMA’s heavyweight weight class. Appelt was set to make his fifth appearance under the direction of Bellator MMA against Sergei Kharitonov at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” but after the 35-year-old Russian withdrew due to illness, Appelt was forced to wait. Now, “The Juggernaut” is once again set to return, and again, the 33-year-old California native will have his hands full. With ten stoppages in 12 victories, Appelt will look to use his striking ability to nullify the strong wrestling pedigree of Lashley. Updated “Bellator MMA: Shlemenko vs. Grove” Main Card: Middleweight Main Event: Alexander Shlemenko (53-9) vs. Kendall Grove (23-15) Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Bobby Lashley (14-2) vs. Josh Appelt (12-5)   About Bellator MMA Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms. About Spike: Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.