A pair of relatively unknown middleweights are getting a boost in exposure due to calamity striking Bellator 218.
Norbert Novenyi Jr. (3-0) and Will Lavine (1-1) have been promoted to Friday’s main card at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla., after a pair of bouts were canceled. MMA Fighting confirmed the news with officials following reports by MMAjunkie.
Originally, Mike Shipman, unbeaten in four Bellator appearances, was scheduled to fight Hracho Darpinyan on the main card. That middleweight bout was removed from the lineup when an injury forced Shipman to withdraw and a heavyweight bout between Jeremy Hardy and Rudy Schaffroth was promoted from the preliminaries.