Are Bellator’s Pay-Per-View Efforts Cursed? Eddie Alvarez is Out of Main Event with Concussion

The Bellator pay-per-view curse is in full effect, as lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has been forced to withdraw from the Bellator 120 main event.

MMAWeekly.com sources on Saturday confirmed the news first reported by Sherdog.com.

While initial details were scant, MMAWeekly.com sources said that Alvarez apparently suffered a concussion and is in no condition to fight next week. Bellator moved swiftly and has apparently tapped Will Brooks to sub-in against Chandler.

Bellator officials had yet to confirm this situation or any changes at the time of publication, but our sources indicated that Bellator 120 would remain intact as the promotion’s first pay-per-view event.

Unlike when Tito Ortiz had to withdraw on short notice from his main event bout with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson when Bellator first attempted a move to pay-per-view last November, company officials appear ready to move forward despite Alvarez’s withdrawal.

The situation is a precarious one, as it was largely believed, even by Bellator and Spike TV officials, that Alvarez, win or lose, was going to leave the promotion following the fight with Chandler.

“Eddie Alvarez has, win or lose, made the determination that he’s going to move on from this promotion,” Spike TV president Kevin Kay told MMAWeekly.com in late April. “If he wins, he can write his own ticket. If he loses, he’s putting himself in a lot of jeopardy. He’s got a lot at stake.

“You’d have to talk to Eddie about this, but I guess my sense is he’d like to move on.”

Having withdrawn from the fight with Chandler, it looks like the decision on whether or not to move on will remain on the backburner, as Alvarez still owes Bellator a fight since he isn’t able to compete next week.

Bellator and Spike TV officials had no comment at the time of publication, but indicated that a statement was forthcoming. Continue to check MMAWeekly.com for further details as the situation unfolds.