Kent Kauppinen’s massive upset win over Alessio Sakara at Bellator 211 has paid off in a big way, with the British middleweight being rewarded with a multi-fight deal by the organization.

Bellator confirmed the signing to MMA Fighting.

Kauppinen (11-4-0) went into the main event clash with the UFC veteran on a two-fight skid. As if the odds weren’t enough to overcome, he also had to deal with the partisan Italian crowd who cheered Sakara on at the Genoa event.

A little over one-minute into the contest, Kauppinen caught “Legionarius” with a crisp left hand that separated his from his senses.

@KauppinenKent shocks the Italian faithful after his big KO of Alessio Sakara#Bellator211 pic.twitter.com/1qxldKpATl — Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 1, 2018

“The Hammerhorn” went into the Genoa main event on the back of a defeat in his promotional debut after suffering a second-round submission loss to Water Gahadza at Bellator 200. Ahead of his Bellator debut, he was submitted by fellow newly-signed Bellator middleweight, Fabian Edwards, in the dying embers of the first round of their clash, after dropping the blue-chip prospect with a right hand.