The anticipated trilogy bout between Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez will have to wait.
Alvarez, Bellator’s current lightweight champion, withdrew from the organization’s May 17 pay-per-view card with a head injury, the promotion announced on a conference call Saturday.
Chandler will face Season 9 Lightweight Tournament winner Will Brooks instead with the interim title on the line. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney announced the card, Bellator 120, will remain a PPV event despite the injury to Alvarez. It is the organization’s first foray into the PPV market.
It’s unknown how long Alvarez will be out out action, but Chandler wished him the best in his recovery.
“This has been a crazy few days with a wide range of emotion, but with Will now in the picture, I know we are going to have fireworks on May 17th,” Chandler said in a press release. “I wish Eddie the best, and I’m looking forward to finishing our trilogy, but now I’m focused on the task at hand.”
Alvarez (25-3) edged Chandler (12-1) with a controversial split decision win to regain the Bellator lightweight title on Nov. 2, one year after Chandler submitted Alvarez at Bellator 58 to win the 155-pound belt. Chandler and Alvarez are considered by many to be the two best mixed martial artists not currently in the UFC, irrespective of weight class.
That Nov. 2 event was originally scheduled to be Bellator’s PPV debut headlined by a light-heavyweight bout featuring former UFC champions Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. However, when Ortiz suffered a neck injury and was pulled from the card, the event was moved to free TV.
Jackson and Ortiz will be featured on the May 17 card, but not against one another. Jackson is set to face Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in a grudge match that will serve as the new main event, while Ortiz meets middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko in a 205-pound bout.
“Injuries are part of MMA, but so are great opportunities, as we move forward with an incredible, must see night of fights this Saturday on pay-per-view,” Rebney said. “This is a great card for MMA fans with huge value highlighted as Rampage Jackson is finally getting the opportunity to battle King Mo for a shot at the world title, one of the most exciting young phenoms in MMA, Will Brooks getting a title shot against Michael Chandler, and of course Tito Ortiz in a crazy fight against Alexander Shlemenko. I can’t wait for this night of fights on May 17th.”
Here is a look at the current lineup for Bellator 120:
MAIN CARD
— Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal
— Michael Chandler vs Will Brooks
— Alexander Shlemenko vs Tito Ortiz
— Blagoi Ivanov vs Alexander Volkov
— Rickey Rainey vs Michael Page
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Cheick Kongo vs Eric Smith
— Shahbulat Shamhalaev vs Fabricio Guerreiro
— Goiti Yamauchi vs Mike Richman
— Zach Underwood vs Austin Lyons
— Justin Fraziervs Mike Wessel
— Ben Brewer vs Andy Uhrich
— Anthony Lemon vs Codie
— Cortez Phelia vs Brain Hall
