Houston Alexander is now scheduled to fight Strikeforce veteran Virgil Zwicker in a 215-pound catchweight bout at Bellator 129, as Alexander’s original opponent, James Thompson, has withdrawn due to injury. Bellator officials announced the switch on Sunday.
Zwicker (12-4), a knockout artist with over a decade of experience in the game, has split his two career Bellator appearances. The 32-year-old finished Nick Moghadden via first-round TKO in his promotional debut, but succumbed to a 67-second rear-naked choke at the hands of upcoming title challenger Linton Vassell in his follow-up effort.
Alexander (16-10, 2 NC) is perhaps best known for his brief 2007 stint in the UFC, during which he knocked out Keith Jardine and Alessio Sakara in back-to-back fights before losing his next four Octagon appearances. The 42-year-old Alexander has undergone somewhat of a career resurgence of late, winning three of his last four fights, all of which he finished via KO/TKO.
Bellator 129 takes place October 17, 2014 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. An updated fight card can be seen below.
Main Card (Spike TV)
Paul Bradley vs. Josh Neer
Houston Alexander vs. Virgil Zwicker
Andre Santos vs. James Terry
Joe Vedepo vs. Davin Clark
Preliminary Card
Chris Lane vs. John DeVall
Eric Howser vs. Tim Bazer
Michael McBride vs. TBD
Martin Trey Brown vs. Bryan Corley
Holly Lawson vs. Jozette Cotton
Brian Green vs. Anthony Smith
Marcos Marquez vs. Victor Moreno
Mike Estus vs. Ryan Shell