Company president Scott Coker announced Thursday that an injury has forced middleweight contender Melvin Manhoef out of his upcoming headlining bout opposite Chidi Njokuani at the WinStar World Resort and Casino in Thackerville, Okla., on Nov. 30. As a result, John Salter will step in as Manhoef’s replacement to fight Njokuani.
This will be a quick turnaround for Salter, who recently saw a seven-fight win streak snapped at Bellator 205 in September when he was submitted in the third round by Rafael Lovato. Prior to that loss, Salter was unbeaten in five Bellator appearances, with all of those wins coming by way of knockout or submission.