Bellator 144 Headliner Scrapped Due to Injury

An Eduardo Dantas (17-4) rib injury suffered during training has forced him to withdraw from his Bellator 144 main event match-up against Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Dantas was expected to challenge Galvao for the belt in the Oct. 23 headliner, but those plans fell by the wayside due to his injury.

There had been speculation that Galvao might remain on the card and put his belt on the line in a third match with Joe Warren, whom he won the belt from at Bellator 135 earlier this year. However, Bellator officials on Wednesday scrapped the bout altogether, elevating a middleweight fight between Brandon Halsey (9-0) and Rafael Carvalho (11-1) to main event status.

In lieu of the change, Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) versus Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) has also been promoted to the televised main card on Spike at 9 p.m. ET. The preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

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In addition to the new main event of Bellator 144, a pair of welterweight contests will also be featured on the main card, when “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) meets Dennis “The Menace” Olson (14-9) and Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) returns to face promotional newcomer Charlie Ontiveros (6-3).

Complete Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho Fight Card

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m.)

Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. Dennis Olson (14-9)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. Charlie Ontiveros (6-3)

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 7 p.m. ET)

Bellator 150-Pound Feature Fight: Pete Rogers Jr. (2-2) vs. Marius Enache (2-3)

Bellator Flyweight Feature Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-4) vs. Brandon Polcare (1-0)

Bellator 165-Pound Feature Fight: Keenan Raymond (2-1) vs. Damien Trites (6-6)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Kin Moy (7-2) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (3-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Matt Bessette (15-7) vs. Kevin Roddy (15-15)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Matt Secor (6-2) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Sam Watford (debut) vs. TJ Hepburn (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Ilya Kotau (1-0) vs. Kemran Lachinov (1-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Kevin Haley (3-3) vs. Mike Zichelle (7-3)

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