Two separate tournament winners are set to collide at Bellator 88 as Alexander Shlemenko battles Maiquel Falcao for the vacant middleweight title. The title was vacated by then champion Hector Lombard after he left to sign a multi-fight deal with the UFC. Shlemenko won the season five middleweight tournament, while Falcao won the season six tournament. Bellator 88 takes place on February 7th at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia with the aforementioned fighters headlining.