LaFlare off Strikeforce Challengers 16; High-Mulhern Promoted

The unbeaten LaFlare (Pictured; file photo) underwent hand surgery last fall and was not cleared by his physician to participate in his bout with Travis Bush, Sherdog.com learned Sunday from Keith Trimble, LaFlare’s trainer at Bellmore Kickboxing Academy in Bellmore, N.Y.

“The doctor just wants to be safe and give it another month,” Trimble told Sherdog.com. “We’re hoping he will be fighting in July or August, at the latest.”

LaFlare was himself a replacement for fellow Strikeforce newcomer Yuri Villefort, who was scratched last week with a knee injury. Villefort’s brother, Danillo Villefort, also recently withdrew from his main-card middleweight tilt with Antwain Britt due to an undisclosed injury. It is unknown at this time whether Strikeforce will seek a replacement for LaFlare.

With the scratching of the Britt-Villefort contest, a preliminary welterweight matchup between UFC veteran Jason High and King of the Cage champion Quinn Mulhern has been bumped up to the Showtime-televised main card. High announced the news via Twitter on Saturday.

Set to take place Friday at ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., Strikeforce Challengers 16 will be headed by a clash of rising 155-pounders Caros Fodor and James Terry. An additional lightweight bout will see Ryan Couture face off against Matt Ricehouse, and heavyweights Lorenz Larkin and Gian Villante will also collide. A 135-pound women’s matchup between strikers Germaine de Randamie and Julia Budd rounds out the televised portion of the bill.