Former UFC lightweight contender and Bellator special attraction Roger Huerta (21-4-1) will need to take a hiatus from his role as avenging angel and go from stomping misogynists to battling division standout Eddie Alvarez (20-2) on Oct. 21.
The promotion yesterday announced that "El Matador" would step in for Pat Curran, who upset Huerta back in May en route to capturing the 2010 Bellator Lightweight Tournament by defeating Toby Imada on June 10.
Curran was forced to withdraw from the upcoming contest due to an undisclosed injury.
After staying perfect through 17 consecutive appearances, Huerta dropped back-to-back fights to Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard under the Zuffa banner. Acting, modeling and the pursuit of greener pastures kept the former Sports Illustrated cover model from inking a new UFC deal.
A submission win over Chad Hinton marked his much-ballyhooed Bellator debut, but he would get beaten to the punch by a busier Curran to bow out of the lightweight tournament and what initially seemed like a date with destiny against Alvarez.
Now he gets to fight the Philadelphia native after all; however, it won't be for the promotion's lightweight title and is instead being billed as a three round "Super Fight."
Those were the same circumstances for his last fight in Bellator, when Alvarez took on UFC castaway Josh Neer.
The part-time DREAM competitor made a mockery of "The Dentist's" takedown defense before cruising to a third round submission win, his fifth straight in as many attempts.
Curran remains the division's number one contender and is expected to challenge Alvarez for the 155-pound strap at some point in 2011.
A Huerta win, naturally, would only serve to complicate matters.
Bellator 33 is expected to take place on Oct. 21 at the Kansas City Power & Light District in Missouri and air live via Fox Sports Net.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still-developing fight card.