Usman Nurmagomedov successfully defended his Bellator lightweight championship title by defeating Alexander Shabliy in the main event of Bellator San Diego. This fight marked Nurmagomedov’s return after 11 months, following a win in October 2023 that was nullified due to a failed drug test. Nurmagomedov secured a unanimous decision victory with scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46. In the co-main event, Lorenz Larkin earned a shot at the Bellator welterweight title by beating Levan Chokheli in the first round. Other significant matches saw Aaron Jeffery triumph over Douglas Lima and Sumiko Inaba overcoming Mackenzie Stiller.