Former UFC light heavyweight contender Ryan Bader’s Bellator MMA debut was supposed to be against Muhammed Lawal. That fight will no longer be happening, as King Mo was forced to withdraw due to injury, so Bader will instead be facing reigning champion Phil Davis on the Spike-televised portion of Bellator’s first show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Davis announced the news on The MMA Hour on Monday.
Bader (22-5) signed with Bellator MMA in free agency, following a 20-fight UFC career. While close on multiple occasions, he never received a title shot, but now the TUF 8 winner gets an unexpectedly early one in his first Bellator fight.