For a second time, Matt Riddle's brief but strange journey with Bellator MMA has come to an end.

Riddle's planned debut against welterweight veteran Nathan Coy has been removed from Friday night's Bellator 109 fight card, promotion officials announced Tuesday.

Subsequently, Riddle has been released from the promotion.

"Matt was a guy we had high hopes for coming into Bellator," said Bellator Director of Communications Anthony Mazzuca in a statement. "After Matt suffered his rib injury and withdrew from our tournament, we went back to the drawing board and got Matt another fight on November 22nd.

"Unfortunately, Matt very recently informed us he would not be fighting on November 22nd from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and at that point we decided to release Matt from Bellator. We wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Riddle inked a multi-fight deal with Texas-based Legacy FC this past March after his UFC run met an inglorious end due to a pair of failed drug tests for marijuana.

Bellator MMA quickly scooped up Riddle's contract and slotted him to compete in season nine's welterweight tournament, however his tourney debut never came to fruition, as Riddle withdrew due to a cracked rib in September then abruptly announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, citing several grievances with the UFC, Bellator, and the general system in place in MMA.

Riddle reneged on that promise less than a month later, though, announcing his intention return to the sport and fight November 22 at Bellator 109 in his home state of Pennsylvania.

Riddle, 27, is now once again a free agent, having last competed on February 16, 2013. He carries a professional record of 7-3 with two no contests, all which he earned in the UFC.