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In the world of mixed martial arts, surprises are nothing new. However, the latest twist in the saga of Ryan Bader vs. Linton Vassell 2 has left fight fans in shock and disappointment. Scheduled as the heavyweight title fight on the main card of Bellator 300 this Saturday in San Diego, the highly anticipated rematch between Bader and Vassell will have to wait.
News of this unexpected turn of events broke when Mike Heck, a reputable source in the MMA community, confirmed with promotion officials that Vassell had been forced to withdraw from the bout. While the reasons behind Vassell's withdrawal remain shrouded in mystery, one thing is certain: fight fans will have to wait a little longer to see these two warriors collide once more.
The disappointment doesn't end there, as Bellator officials have also confirmed that Ryan Bader will not remain on the card, with no plans to seek out a replacement opponent on such short notice. This decision, undoubtedly disappointing for fans and fighters alike, was nonetheless made with careful consideration.
In response to the unfortunate turn of events, Ryan Bader took to Instagram to express his sentiments, saying,
This was supposed to be the second meeting between the two fighters, with Bader having previously defeated Vassell via second-round TKO at Bellator 186 in November 2017. Since that time, both fighters had transitioned to the heavyweight division.
Ryan Bader successfully defended the heavyweight title three consecutive times, most recently securing a knockout win against the legendary Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 290 this past February. On the other hand, Linton Vassell's heavyweight journey experienced a rocky start, with a loss to Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 218, but he had been on an impressive five-fight win streak, including a first-round knockout in a rematch with Moldavsky at Bellator 292.
Despite the unfortunate cancellation of the Bader vs. Vassell rematch, Bellator 300 still promises a night of thrilling action with three title matches on the card. The main event will see lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defending his title against Brent Primus, while featherweight champion Cris Cyborg puts her belt on the line against Cat Zingano. In addition, flyweight champion Liz Carmouche will defend her championship against Ilima-Lei Macfarlane.
Although Bader vs. Vassell 2 won't grace the cage this weekend, Bellator 300 remains a must-watch event for MMA enthusiasts.