Bellator MMA has pulled Chael Sonnen from competing at an upcoming event of his own grappling promotion company Submission Underground. News came out after it was announced that the former UFC veteran was stepping in as a late replacement for Sunday’s Submission Underground 3.
MMA Fighting first reported the news on Tuesday, three days after Sonnen was forced to submit to Tito Ortiz in the first round of their main event fight at Bellator 170. However, no reason for his removal has been specified by the promotion.
Sonnen was slated to face leg lock specialist Gary Tonon as a last-minute substitute for UFC welterweight Hector Lombard, who was forced to pull out of the match in preparation for his February 19th fight against Johny Hendricks.