Matt Riddle Removed From November 22ndFight Card, Released From Bellator

Newport Beach, CA. (November 19, 2013) – A welterweight feature fight between Matt Riddle and Nathan Coy has been removed from the November 22^nd card after Riddle has withdrawn from the fight. Originally scheduled to compete in the Season 9 Welterweight Tournament, Riddle suffered a rib injury and was removed from the tournament due to the injury. After withdrawing from the November 22^nd fight, the promotion has decided to release Riddle.

“Matt was a guy we had high hopes for coming into Bellator,” Bellator Director of Communications Anthony Mazzuca said. “After Matt suffered his rib injury and withdrew from our tournament, we went back to the drawing board and got Matt another fight on November 22^nd. Unfortunately, Matt very recently informed us he would not be fighting on November 22^nd from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and at that point we decided to release Matt from Bellator. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

The full card for Bellator MMA on November 22^nd is below:

MAIN CARD:Bellator Middleweight World Title: Doug Marshall (18-6) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (48-7)
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Final: Will Brooks (12-1) vs. Tiger Sarnavskiy (25-1)
Bellator Welterweight Tournament Final: Ron Keslar (11-3) vs. Rick Hawn (17-2)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Patrick Cenoble (9-2-1) vs. Terry Etim (15-5)

PRELIMINARY CARD:Heavyweight Feature Fight: Keith Bell (5-2-1) vs. Blagoi Ivanov (8-0)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Saul Almeida (13-4) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (15-1)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Ahsan Abdullah (5-3) vs. Mike Bannon (4-1)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Bubba Jenkins (4-1) vs. Ian Rammel (5-5)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Brett Glass (2-0) vs. Brent Primus (3-0)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Lester Caslow (10-8) vs. Jay Haas (11-12)

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/BellatorMMA          

Bellator Returns to Atlantic City’s Revel Friday, November 15th Live on Spike TV

Newport Beach, CA.  (October 21, 2013) – Bellator MMA will return to Atlantic City’s Revel on Friday, November 15^th live on Spike TV as Alexander Shlemenko will put his title on the line against Season 8 Bellator Middleweight Tournament winner Doug “The Rhino” Marshall. The night will also showcase the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final as Patricio Pitbull and Justin Wilcox will square off for a $100,000 prize and a guaranteed title shot, as well as a full card of the east coast’s top talent. 
The event will broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. EST on Spike TV. The preliminary card will be streamed exclusively live and free on Spike.com starting at 6:00 p.m. EST. Tickets for the event can be purchased at Ticketmaster or by visiting Bellator.com with tickets starting at just $35.

After having to put his title shot on hold due to a hand injury, Marshall is eager to get back in the cage and put on a another heart-stopping performance in front of the Atlantic City crowd from Revel on Friday, November 15th.

“I’m super excited about this fight,” Marshall said. “I was bummed when I had to watch Brett Cooper take my spot because of my injury, but after watching the fight I was able to see that there is no way Shlemenko can beat me. The only thing Shlemenko has is that he is tough. There is no doubt in my mind that I am the most powerful middleweight in the division. As soon as Shlemenko feels my fist on the side of his face he will be sleeping on the mat. Winning this fight is a no brainer for me."

New Jersey favorite Tom DeBlass will return to the Bellator cage and face MMA veteran Jason Lambert. After finishing Carlos Brooks in his Bellator debut at Revel last April, DeBlass is anxious to get back under the bright lights and improve his 8-2 professional record. The preliminary card will feature a full card of local talent, including four New Jersey natives.

“We were witness to an incredible night of fights during our first visit to Revel and I expect nothing but the same on November 15^th,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Atlantic City has become a second home for Bellator and Revel is in store for another huge night of fights.”

The full card is listed below.

MAIN CARD: 

Bellator Middleweight World Title Fight: Alexander Shlemenko (48-7) vs. Doug “The Rhino” Marshall (18-6)
 

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final: Patricio Pitbull (20-2) vs. Justin Wilcox (13-5)

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Marcos Galvao (14-6-1) vs. Tom McKenna (7-3)
 

Welterweight Feature Fight: Nah’Shon Burrell (9-3) vs. Dante Rivera (15-7)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 
 

Welterweight Feature Fight: Chip Moraza-Pollard (7-4) vs. Sam Oropeza (8-2)
 

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Jason Lambert (26-12) vs. Tom DeBlass (8-2)
 

Featherweight Feature Fight: Kevin Roddy (13-14-1) vs. Will Martinez (6-2-1)
 

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Najim Wali (3-2) vs. Liam McGeary (6-0)
 

Lightweight Feature Fight: Anthony Morrison (17-10) vs. Kenny Foster (10-7)
 

Featherweight Feature Fight: Dan Matala (debut) vs. Ryan Cafaro (debut)
 

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Sergio da Silva (1-4) vs. Rob Sullivan (2-1)

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA