Eric Prindle can’t seem to catch a break.
Prindle, the Bellator Season 5 heavyweight tournament winner, has been forced out of this Friday’s championship match-up against Cole Konrad at Bellator 65, due to a broken right hand suffered during a “freak accident” in a recent sparring session.
“Basically I was trying something new and it didn’t work out, so now I’ve got to rest and train as much as I can because I’ve got a big test in front of me,” Prindle explained to MMAFighting.com.
The title tilt has been rescheduled to headline Bellator 70 on May 25, 2012 .
For Prindle (7-1), the announcement marks yet another setback in a inexplicably tumultuous six-month period that started last November, after the 35-year-old incurred a soccer kick to the testicles from fellow heavyweight finalist Thiago Santos in a bout that would eventually be ruled a ‘no contest.’
Following a painful recovery period, Prindle’s rematch with Santos was delayed once again when he was found to have “flu-like symptoms” in the days prior to Bellator 61. Simultaneously, Santos was struggling through a difficult weight cut, thus promotional officials felt it best to postpone the fight.
However just a week later, plans would again fall apart when Santos tipped the scales 12 pounds overweight. The bout was ultimately called off, with Prindle being declared the winner.
Yet even after having four fights rescheduled in a very short timespan, the former soldier refuses to get down on himself.
“I try to always look at everything in a good way,” Prindle resolutely said.
“I think it was a blessing in disguise. This way the big guys can fight for the last fight of the season. Just another reason why we’ve got to make it the best fight possible.”