With just hours to go before tonight’s Titan Fighting Championships card in Tampa, Florida, there’s been a late change to the lineup. Originally, ex-UFC lightweight Mike Ricci was to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida for the vacant lightweight belt, but Ricci failed to make weight on Thursday and the bout was changed to a three-round, non-title affair. However, Ricci informed his Twitter followers that Yoshida withdrew from the bout today:
Yoshida has backed out of the fight. Says “he doesn’t feel right” Sorry to all of my fans. I wanted nothing more than to fight tonight.
— Mike Ricci (@MikeyRicci) October 31, 2014
Taking their spot in the main event is the original co-main event of Miguel Torres and Desmond Green, news that was confirmed by Titan FC CEO Jeff Aronson to The MMA Report’s Jason Floyd:
With Ricci-Yoshida scratched, Desmond Green vs. Miguel Torres will now headline tonight’s Titan FC 31 http://t.co/thxxgDogfK
— Jason Floyd (@Jason_Floyd) October 31, 2014
Titan FC COO Lex McMahon later spoke with MMA Fighting and revealed that they’ve since released him from the promotion:
“Then this morning, hours before the bout, Yoshida informed Titan FC that he is now refusing to fight.”
“Consequently, Yoshida’s promotional agreement with Titan FC has been terminated. Fortunately the Titan FC 31 card is stacked with amazing talent. Miguel Torres will now fight Desmond Green in the main event and Sirwan Kakai (10-2) vs. Joe Barajas (10-0) will move to the televised card and in a fantastic bantamweight bout.”
This fight will take place at featherweight, where Green competed regularly in Bellator’s tournaments, and where Torres is trying to re-ignite his career after his downfall in the UFC and subsequent release.
Bloody Elbow will have a live discussion post and a rundown of tonight’s event later this evening. The night’s main card airs on CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.
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