Injury to James Thompson Derails 'Bellator: Unfinished
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Injury to James Thompson derails ‘Bellator: Unfinished Business’ heavyweight rematch, Dan Charles steps up against Bobby ‘The Dominator’ Lashley on short notice SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 11, 2015) – While Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock are prepared to take care their “Unfinished Business” on June 19, Bobby Lashley and James Thompson’s score will need to be settled somewhere down the line. Thompson has been forced off the main card due to an undisclosed injury suffered during training and as a result, Dan Charles (9-2) has agreed to fill-in on short notice against “The Dominator.” The fight will still take place on the main portion of the Spike-televised card. Charles, will be making his fourth appearance for the Scott Coker-led promotion, last competing in the main event of 2014’s “Monster Energy Cup.” After dropping two fights, “The Man” has bounced back to with two straight wins to earn a shot against a heavyweight title contender the likes of Lashley. The 29-year-old Phoenix, Ariz. Native has ended seven of his nine victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards. A 6-foot-3 wrestling standout, Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (12-2) started training in the grappling arts at age 12 and would go on to win several titles including three National Championships at Missouri Valley College, an NAIA National Championship, a CISM World Championship Silver Medal and two Armed Forces Wrestling Championships during his time in the U.S. Army. In addition to a professional wrestling career with stints in the WWE, ECW and TNA, Lashley began his MMA career in 2008, and he’s built an impressive career mark that includes Bellator MMA submission wins over Karl Etherington and Josh Burns. “Bellator: Unfinished Business” – Friday, June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo. Main Card (9 p.m. ET) Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15-2) Bellator Featherweight Title Fight: Champ Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Daniel Weichel (35-8) Bellator Featured Heavyweight Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. Dan Charles (9-2) Bellator Featured Featherweight Fight: Daniel Straus (22-6) vs. Henry Corrales (12-0) Bellator Featured Lightweight Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4) Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET) Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Dan O’Connor (5-4) vs. Miles McDonald (0-1) Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Justin Lawrence (7-2) vs. Sean Wilson (34-25) Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Eric Irvin (9-3) vs. Hugh Pulley (4-2) Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Rashard Lovelace (debut) vs. Demagio Smith (1-1) Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Kain Royer (1-1) vs. Enrique Watson (1-0) Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Siscoe (0-1) vs. Garrett Mueller (1-0) Bellator Welterweight Dark Prelim: Adam Cella (6-3) vs. Kyle Kurtz (3-0) Bellator Welterweight Dark Prelim: Steve Mann (10-1) vs. Justin Guthrie (17-8) Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Garrett Gross (6-3) vs. Chris Heatherly (8-3) About Bellator MMA Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms. About Spike: Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind- the-scenes information and photos. About Scottrade Center: Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this season, Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events. Scottrade Center is consistently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as one of the top grossing arenas in the country..