With Cal Ellenor facing a serious illness, Roman Salazar has stepped up to face James Gallagher in the Bellator: Dublin main event next week.
Ex-UFC bantamweight Roman Salazar is stepping up to keep James Gallagher on the Bellator: Dublin card. Salazar’s involvement was first reported by MMA Fighting. He steps in on a little over a week’s notice to face Gallagher in place of Cal Ellenor, who withdrew due to medical issues. Specifically, a gap in his frontal lobe, the start of what could develop into a more serious brain illness.
Ellenor, who revealed the news on social media, is effectively forced to retire as a result.
Saazar (13-9 (1)), who competed in the UFC from 2014 to 2015, went 0-2 in that promotion, with a third fight ending in a No Contest due to an accidental eye poke. Since then, he has gone 4-5 in the regional scene, and last fought in July, a loss to Mario Israel at LFA 72.
However, Salazar now has a huge opportunity get make it back to the big leagues, albeit on short notice, and in hostile territory. A member of SBG Ireland alongside Conor McGregor, James Gallagher has been primed as one of Bellator’s rising stars. A 9-1, he enters Bellator: Dublin on a two-fight win streak.
Due to the short-notice nature of the bout, the fight is now a 140lb catchweight.
The Bellator: Dublin card is part of a double header with Bellator 227, and takes place Friday, September 27, 2019 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
