Nick Newell is a badass MMA fighter who happens to have 1 hand ... and Bellator signed him to a fight deal -- incredible story, right??
No, not if you ask Newell ... who tells TMZ Sports the shiny new contract doesn't mean a damn thing if he doesn't punch someone and get a W.
Nick -- who at 33 years old recently signed a 1 fight deal with Bellator -- is weeks away from his debut against Corey Browning (CB once beat Kimbo's son, Kevin Ferguson aka "Baby Slice") at Bellator 225 .