Bellator MMA’s first show of 2019 just took a hit.
ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported on Thursday that reigning middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi has withdrawn from his title defense vs. Rafael Lovato Jr due to a back injury. The bout was set to serve as the co-main event for Bellator 214 on January 26th.
It is not yet known whether or not Lovato Jr (9-0), a prolific jiu-jitsu competitor who’s become one of Bellator’s top middleweights, will remain on the card.
Mousasi (45-6-2) became Bellator’s 185 lbs king last year when he TKO’d Rafael Carvalho in the Bellator 200 main event.