The trilogy will have to wait a little longer to be completed.
Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has suffered a concussion in training and won’t be able to put his title on the line against former champion Michael Chandler at Bellator 120 on May 17, sources close to the situation told MMAFighting.com. Sherdog first reported the news of Alvarez withdrawal.
Alvarez vs. Chandler 3 was set to headline Bellator’s another attempt to do their first pay-per-view show, and there is no word yet if the card will remain on pay-per-view.
“Spike’s only concern right now is the health and well being of one of our top fighters,” Spike president Kevin Kay said to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani.
Alvarez (25-3) battled with Chandler (12-1) for the first time in November of 2011, when he lost the 155-pound title by submission on the fourth round. One year later, Alvarez claimed back the championship with a split decision victory in a rematch with Chandler. The fight that was supposed to air on pay-per-view but was moved to Spike TV after the cancellation of Quinton Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz.
Bellator 120 takes place at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss., and features the light heavyweight tournament final between “Rampage” and Muhammed Lawal, and middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko moves up to 205 pounds to face off against Ortiz.