Rad Martinez
After food poisoning fell Bellator Season Seven Featherweight finalist Shahbulat Shamhalaev (11-1-1), the promotion had hoped to rebook his bout with fellow finalist Rad Martinez (14-2) for this Friday’s Bellator 84 show but now it appears that both fighters will meet next year at a Season Eight event.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney explained the reasoning behind the rescheduling during a conference call.
Martinez is the primary care provider for his severely brain damaged father, who was injured following a car accident, and because of this has family obligations that prevent him from competing this Friday.
“I spoke too soon at the show last Friday,” Rebney said. “Rad is saddled with responsibilities that are admirable. None of us can probably understand the depth and the level of what he’s got to deal with. Post-fight, I talked to Rad and got he and his brother on the phone. We just sat down and talked for a while. Literally, Rad is not in a position to be able to fight – not because he’s not ready, not because he’s not in incredible shape, not because he didn’t prepare but simply because he’s got to take care of his dad.
“Between his brother Levi and Rad, that is an epic requirement, an epic responsibility. Their tending to him is an admirable on a level that’s hard to talk about, and Levi was going to be out of town, and there literally is nobody else that can care for his father the way his dad needs to be taken care of, so he’s not going to be able to make it this Friday.”
(Quote via MMAjunkie.com)
Bellator’s Season Eight kicks off on January 17 for twelve weeks with it’s new broadcast partner Spike TV. Rebney did not offer a date for the featherweight final.