Christian Edwards receives medical clearance for heart, canceled fight rebooked for Bellator 261
With a clean bill of health, Christian Edwards is ready to give his return to the cage another go.
Six days after his fight against Ben Parrish was canceled after the Bellator 259 official weigh-ins, the bout is back on the books. The light heavyweight duo has been rebooked for Bellator 261, promotion officials told MMA Junkie on Wednesday.
Bellator 261 takes place June 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Edwards’ (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) removal after this past Friday’s weigh-ins came as a surprise to many, including Edwards himself. After he stepped on the scale and came in light at 202 pounds, Edwards was denied medical clearance from The Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation due to heartbeat irregularities.
In a series of Instagram posts and stories following his removal, Edwards said the issue was a first – and likely an error. Sure enough, less than a week later, Edwards has been cleared and rebooked to fight Parrish (4-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).
“Like (I’ve not) done this more than once lol these doctors are funny man,” Edwards wrote on Instagram on Saturday, in response to a tweet by reporter Mike Pendleton. “Just some funny motherf*ckers bro lol.”
Edwards, 22, is a training partner of former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and one of two Mata Leon JacksonWink scholarship recipients in Bellator. He’s finished three of his four pro fights inside the distance.
With the addition, the Bellator 261 lineup includes:
Timothy Johnson vs. Valentin Moldavsky – for the interim heavyweight title
Kyra Batara vs. Lena Ovchynnikova
Isaiah Hokit vs. Aaron Hughes
Myles Jury vs. Sidney Outlaw
Keoni Diggs vs. Daniel Weichel
Christian Edwards vs. Ben Parrish
