Matt Mitrione withdraws from Bellator 172 due to illness

18, Bellator MMA will host its 172nd event from the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

Bellator officials announced Saturday afternoon that Matt Mitrione has fallen ill and had to be removed from his fight with all-time great former Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. Emelianenko's most recent victory was a highly controversial majority decision win over Fabio Maldonado in June of 2016, after many  believed the Russian clearly lost that fight.

Mitrione, a former UFC contender and Ultimate Fighter contestant, left the promotion after losing two straight previous year and signed with Bellator. Mitrione, meanwhile, has picked up two straight wins inside the Bellator cage following his departure from the UFC.

Bellator 172 marks the first time Emelianenko has fought on American soil for over five years, as the Russian legend last set foot in the USA under Scott Coker's Strikeforce banner in 2011. He stopped Carl Seumanutafa in his promotional debut, before topping another UFC veteran in Oli Thompson at Bellator 158 in July.

The lightweight bout pitting former STRIKEFORCE champion Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) against former Bellator world title challenger Patricky "Pitbull" (16-8) will now serve as the card's main event. Spike TV, the network who is hosting this card is just a tad upset right now.