Jay Silva replaces Paulo Filho in Thursday’s Bellator 18 “super fight” with Hector Lombard

Another opportunity has passed by former World Extreme Cagefighting champion and one-time highly ranked middleweight Paulo Filho.

Although Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney this past week spoke with MMAjunkie.com and denied reports of Filho’s scratch from Thursday’s Bellator 18 event and said last-minute plans could salvage the fight, the efforts came up short.

MMAjunkie.com has confirmed with multiple sources, including Rebney, that former UFC fighter Jay Silva replaced Filho and meets Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard in the event’s non-title headliner.


Another opportunity has passed by former World Extreme Cagefighting champion and one-time highly ranked middleweight Paulo Filho.

Although Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney this past week spoke with MMAjunkie.com and denied reports of Filho’s scratch from Thursday’s Bellator 18 event and said last-minute plans could salvage the fight, the efforts came up short.

MMAjunkie.com has confirmed with multiple sources, including Rebney, that former UFC fighter Jay Silva replaced Filho and meets Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard in the event’s non-title headliner.