Benson Henderson will no longer be fighting on the Bellator Japan card. He has been replaced by Sidney Outlaw who will face Michael Chandler at the Saitama Super Arena on December 29th.
The news was announced by Rizin on Twitter:
🔸BELLATOR JAPAN 対戦カード変更のお知らせ🔸
※ベンソン・ヘンダーソン選手、怪我による欠場の為マイケル・チャンドラー @MikeChandlerMMA
🆚
シドニー・アウトロー @ImDaOutlaw📅12/29(日) 12:00開始
📍さいたまスーパーアリーナ
🎟https://t.co/zZzWCnZvOD#RIZIN #RIZINFF #BELLATOR pic.twitter.com/UTyboKIEir— RIZIN FF OFFICIAL (@rizin_PR) December 5, 2019
Outlaw (14-3) is clearly not as big a name as the former WEC and UFC lightweight champion he replaces. But the American comes into this contest on the back of a nine fight winning streak.
Chandler (19-5) won’t get the chance to avenge his 2016 split decision loss to Henderson. Instead the former Bellator lightweight champion finds himself matched with a young, hungry contender in Tokyo.
As previously announced Bellator Japan will be headlined by a heavyweight fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Quinton Jackson, two fighters who made their name competing in the country during the Pride era.
Bellator Japan, Tokyo, December 29th
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Quinton Jackson (Heavyweight)
Benson Henderson vs. Sidney Outlaw (Catchweight)
Lorenz Larkin vs. Keita Nakamura (Welterweight)
Ilara Joanne vs. Kana Watanabe (Flyweight)
Goiti Yamaguchi vs. Daron Cruickshank (Lightweight)
Kanna Asakura vs. Jayme Hinshaw (Super Atomweight)
Andy Nguyen vs. Ai Shimizu (Super Atomweight)
Ryuichiro Sumimura vs. Jon Tuck (Welterweight)
Haruo Ochi vs. Jared Brooks (Catchweight)
Yusuke Yachi vs. Hiroto Uesako (Lightweight)
Kanna Asakura vs. Jayme Hinshaw (Super Atomweight)
Kickboxing: Ren Hiramoto vs. Takahiro Ashida (Catchweight)
Shoma Shibisai vs. Sergei Shemetov (Heavyweight)
