Bellator 61 headliner Eric Prindle scratches with flu-like symptoms, pushed to Bellator 62
by Dann Stupp on Mar 15, 2012 at 2:00 pm ET
Friday's Bellator 61 event has lost a headliner.
Heavyweight Eric Prindle (7-1 MMA, 3-0 BFC) is suffering "flu-like symptoms" following a heavy weight cut is unable to compete in tomorrow's main event with with Thiago Santos (10-1 MMA, 2-0 BFC), sources close to the event today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
MMAjunkie.com reached Alvin Topham, the chairman of Louisiana Boxing & Wrestling Commission, who said he was en route to today's weigh-ins and will make an official decision with Bellator officials once there.
However, Bellator CEO today told our sister site, USAToday.com, the fight is canceled and will be pushed back a week to Bellator 62. A middleweight-tournament bout between Maiquel "Big Rig" Falcao and Norman Paraisy has taken the headlining spot for Bellator 61.
Bellator 61 takes place Friday at the Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier City, La. As with all of Bellator's season-six events, the night's main card airs on MTV2 (and in high-definition on EPIX).
Prindle and Santos, of course, met in the finals of Bellator's season-five heavyweight tourney this past fall, but the bout was ruled a no-contest when Santos inexplicably kicked a downed Prindle in the groin. "Big Monster" contended he was targeting Prindle's backside, but his opponent could not continue after the blow.
The winner of the fight was expected to face Bellator heavyweight champ Cole Konrad in a title fight later this year.
Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for updates on this story.
by Dann Stupp on Mar 15, 2012 at 2:00 pm ET
Friday's Bellator 61 event has lost a headliner.
Heavyweight Eric Prindle (7-1 MMA, 3-0 BFC) is suffering "flu-like symptoms" following a heavy weight cut is unable to compete in tomorrow's main event with with Thiago Santos (10-1 MMA, 2-0 BFC), sources close to the event today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
MMAjunkie.com reached Alvin Topham, the chairman of Louisiana Boxing & Wrestling Commission, who said he was en route to today's weigh-ins and will make an official decision with Bellator officials once there.
However, Bellator CEO today told our sister site, USAToday.com, the fight is canceled and will be pushed back a week to Bellator 62. A middleweight-tournament bout between Maiquel "Big Rig" Falcao and Norman Paraisy has taken the headlining spot for Bellator 61.
Bellator 61 takes place Friday at the Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier City, La. As with all of Bellator's season-six events, the night's main card airs on MTV2 (and in high-definition on EPIX).
Prindle and Santos, of course, met in the finals of Bellator's season-five heavyweight tourney this past fall, but the bout was ruled a no-contest when Santos inexplicably kicked a downed Prindle in the groin. "Big Monster" contended he was targeting Prindle's backside, but his opponent could not continue after the blow.
The winner of the fight was expected to face Bellator heavyweight champ Cole Konrad in a title fight later this year.
Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for updates on this story.