Season 8 Middleweight Tournament winner Doug Marshall (18-6) has suffered a broken hand, which will force him out of his scheduled title shot at Bellator 98. Bellator Middleweight champion Alexander Shelmenko (47-7) will remain in the main event defending against season 8’s runner up Brett Cooper (19-8).
Marshall defeated Andreas Spang, Saltan Alieva, and Brett Cooper on his way to winning the season 8 Middleweight tournament; while Cooper defeated Norman Park and Dan Cramer to make it to the tournament finals.
Cooper who was scheduled to take on Andreas Spang in the season 9 Middleweight tournament will be replaced by Justin Torrey (7-0). The quarterfinal of Dan Cramer vs. Perry Filkins, has also changed as Cramer has withdrawn and is replaced by Jeremy Kimball.
The 7 fight Bellator 98 undercard will see at Heavyweight Josh Diekmann (12-5) vs. Parker Porter (5-3), at Light Heavyweight Mike Mucitelli (5-0) vs. Jeff Nadr (5-5), at Middleweight Brennan Ward (6-1) vs. Dave Vitkay (12-12-1), at Lightweight Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (10-4) vs. Derek Anderson (9-0), also at Lightweight Andrew Calandrelli (6-30 vs. Ryan Quinn (7-4-1), at Featherweight Matt Bessett (11-4) vs. Nick Piedmont (8-3-1), and last but not least at Featherweight Glenn Allaire (3-1) vs. Rico DiSciullo (0-0).
Bellator 98 takes place on September 7th, at the Mohgan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
