Bellator 219 has a new main event: Saad Awad vs Brandon Girtz

Bellator 219 was scheduled to be an epic Welterweight clash between former champion Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) and former No. 1 contender Lorenz Larkin (20-7, 1 NC). You know the saying, though: “Fight card subject to change.”

Larkin has withdrawn from the main event with an undisclosed injury, according to MMA Fighting. As a result, Koreshkov has been rescheduled to face Michael Jasper (13-4). Meanwhile, the shake-up has caused two new fights to join the Temecula, Calif.,-based card.

Bellator 219’s new main event will be a Lightweight scrap between Saad Awad (23-10) and Brandon Girtz (15-8). Both are coming off defeats in their last appearance, although Awad had been on a four fight win streak before facing Benson Henderson at Bellator 208. Girtz, on the other hand, has struggled, losing four of his last five overall, although his trilogy fight with Derek Campos was an instant classic.

The other new bout for the card at Pechanga Resort and Casino will be former Featherweight champion Daniel Straus (25-8), who is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak against Shane Kruchten (12-4), who got bodied by Aaron Pico more than one year ago. They, too, will fight at Lightweight.

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