Hobart's Josh Shockley gets new Bellator opponent; fight will air on MTV2

To say Josh Shockley's history with the Bellator Fighting Championships has been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement.

Shockley's relationship with the Chicago-based MMA promotion took another interesting turn Friday -- but this one, for once, to his benefit.

Scheduled to face Kalvin Hackney on the preliminary card of Bellator 36 in Shreveport, La., today, a booking first reported by The Times last week, Shockley on Friday found himself with a new opponent: veteran submission artist Toby Imada.

More importantly, though, Shockley's new fight will be part of Bellator's Season 4 lightweight tournament. Instead of fighting an unknown on the non-televised prelims, Shockley gets a TV spot against a big name who has twice fought in Bellator tourney championship bouts.

The winner of the eight-man tournament, the four quarterfinals of which take place Saturday, receives $100,000 and a shot at Bellator's lightweight title.

Ferrid Kheder, Imada's original opponent, couldn't make weight for the fight. Shockley's original bout against Hackney was the only lightweight fight on the prelims, making Bellator's choice for a replacement for Kheder between just those two fighters.

"I'm pumped -- it's a big opportunity for me," Shockley said Friday night. "I had a feeling something was up (with Kheder not making weight). As soon as they announced (I was the replacement), I was very happy. Imada is super tough, but I'll find a way."

Shockley (6-0-1), a Lake Station graduate and Hobart resident, has been out of action since a win over Jeff Green at the Duneland Classic 6 event in Crown Point in September 2009. He was scheduled to make his Bellator debut last April in Chicago, but a knee injury forced him off the card. In August, he was scheduled to fight Mark Miller, again for Bellator, but Miller was forced out with an injury. And in September, he had a spot in Shine Fights' eight-man, one-night lightweight tournament -- but the injury bug bit him again.

Imada (28-15, 4-2 Bellator), MMA's 2009 Submission of the Year winner, will be Shockley's toughest test yet. But Bellator CEO and founder Bjorn Rebney said Shockley is in a great position.

"We've had high hopes for Josh since we signed him," Rebney said. "This is a great opportunity for him. He really doesn't have anything to lose, and that makes him a very dangerous fighter."

Shockley was originally scheduled to make $2,500 to show and a $2,500 bonus to win against Hackney. As a tourney participant, he'll now receive $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win.

If he advances to the semifinals, that purse would increase to $25,000 to show and $25,000 to win his next fight. Hackney, now without Shockley for an opponent, was scratched from the card. But sources close to the fight confirmed to he will be paid both his show money and win bonus.