Former UFC lightweight Kurt ‘Batman’ Pellegrino (16-7) made his debut with the Bellator Fighting Championships on Saturday night in Atlantic City, coming off of a semi-imposed retirement after being cut from the UFC last spring.

Pellegrino debuted on the main card of Bellator 59 in New Jersey against Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire.

In a continuing effort to scout and sign the world’s best talent, Bellator Fighting Championships has signed highly-touted Russian striker Vyacheslav Vasilevsky.

Vasilevsky joins Bellator after an incredibly successful career in Russia where “Slava” compiled a dominating 15-1 record. Currently riding a 14-fight win streak, the 23-year-old prodigy will be fighting at middleweight in the Bellator cage. The two-time Sambo World Champion and K-Dojo product has had success at light heavyweight but feels at home at 185 pounds and immediately adds more world-class depth to the Bellator middleweight roster.