Strikeforce Cancels Show After Gilbert Melendez Suffers Injury

[No More Sorrow]

The injury bug has now claimed Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, which has led to the promotion canceling Saturday night’s event that was scheduled to air on Showtime from Sacramento.

According to Strikeforce officials, Melendez suffered a training injury that forced him out of his bout with Pat Healy this Saturday night, and Showtime officials opted not to air the remaining portion of the card without the main event in tact.


“When Showtime informed us that it would not be airing the event, we made the difficult decision to cancel Saturday’s card in Sacramento,” Strikeforce CEO Coker said in a press release issued late Sunday night.


“Without a television partner, we simply could not move forward with this event. We wish Gilbert a speedy recovery and will work diligently and quickly to reschedule the fighters affected by this news on upcoming cards.”


The cancellation of the card marks the second Zuffa owned show scrapped in the past month due to injuries.


UFC 151 was cancelled prior to its scheduled Sept 1 date when Dan Henderson suffered an injury, and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones did not accept a late notice replacement fight against Chael Sonnen.


It appears in this case with Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez suffering the injury, there was no secondary option for the promotion to plug in as a new main event.

Of course this would happen. There's a UFC show that is this Saturday night also, but still. Melendez/Healy was a quality fight.

 

[Troy]

Without Showtime there was no point running the show so fair enough that they decided to cancel it. Crazy that this injury run is spreading over to Strikeforce now.

 

[Slim]

That is insane man. Another show out. Injuries are taking over once again.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Yeah injuries have never been worse than this. I could live with the Mir injury, but this injury is causing Zuffa to cancel ANOTHER show and lose more money. It won't be anything close to what they lost for UFC 151, but still not good.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Also, Melendez tweeted this picture. It's his separated shoulder which is what caused him to pull from the fight. Looks pretty nasty.

 

[Slim]

Yeah that thing is pretty nasty looking.

This def has to be the worst month for UFC and for Zuffa. UFC had to cancel their first show EVER whereas Zuffa had to eliminate 2 shows in one month. Something that hasn't happened before. Its just crazy.

 

[The Cork]

Too many shows, this was bound to happen.