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Bellator fighter Derek Anderson has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Cedric Doumbe at the upcoming Bellator Paris event due to a gruesome foot injury sustained while riding his bike.
Anderson, who was looking forward to facing Doumbe on May 17 at the Accor Arena in Paris, shared the unfortunate news on social media along with a photo of his injured foot. PFL officials have also confirmed his withdrawal from the fight.
In his social media post, Anderson expressed his regret, saying,
"Love you all. Hit and run. I’m so sorry I couldn’t make this fight happen. You have no idea. I will not be getting another bike."
With Anderson out of the fight, Bellator is now actively searching for a replacement opponent to face Doumbe at the Bellator Paris card in May.
This setback is particularly disappointing for Anderson, who was eager to make his return to the cage after a hiatus of nearly three years since his last fight against Michael “Venom” Page in 2021. His only scheduled bout in 2022 was also canceled for undisclosed reasons.
As for Doumbe, this turn of events means waiting for a new opponent. Doumbe, a former GLORY kickboxing champion, made a strong impression in his debut with PFL, securing a quick knockout victory. However, he faced a setback in his next MMA bout due to a toe injury that led to a stoppage.