BAMMA 7: 'Judo' Jim Wallhead vs Frank Trigg booked for Sept. 10 with Tom Watson hurt

In the old days you needed the Empire State Building and a couple of biplanes to take down "Kong." Nowadays all you need is a bad back.

Tom Watson was forced to withdraw from his title defense at BAMMA 7 against Frank Trigg, paving the way for former Bellator welterweight tournament participant Jim Wallhead to step up and face "Twinkle Toes" in a non-title bout at BAMMA 7 on September 10 from the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.

"Judo" Jim, who trains alongside MMA veterans Paul "Semtex" Daley and Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy, saw his eight-fight win streak come to an end at the hands of Rick Hawn at Bellator 35.

Not that it's going to matter to him on fight night.

"I'm really grateful BAMMA have given me this chance to fight on such a big card against a high level athlete like Frank Trigg," Wallhead said. "It's a test that I'm looking forward to but I hope he doesn't think I'm just a late replacement who is there for a quick payday, I'm there to get back to where I belong, at the top, above people like him."

Watson expects to make his return at BAMMA 8 this December and released the following statement concerning his injury and subsequent withdrawal.

"It is with massive regret that I have to postpone my fight with Frank Trigg. As you may or may not know, I recently suffered a back injury. Unfortunately, after several sessions with multiple doctors, I have been informed that I will not be cleared to fight. Two different doctors have said that they cannot clear me to fight in September, meaning that not only would I fail my medical, but also that BAMMA would be putting my health at risk, something they are not willing to do"

BAMMA 7 will feature a championship bout between lightweight champion Rob Sinclair and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Leonardo Santos as well as a 155-pound scrap pitting Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 8 winner Efrain Escudero against UCMMA Lightweight Champion Tim Radcliffe.

For more BAMMA 7 news and notes click here.