Bellator Releases Matt Riddle, Pulls Opponent Nathan Coy from Bellator 109 Card

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Matt Riddle has been released by Bellator MMA just three days prior to his scheduled Bellator 109 showdown with Nathan Coy.

Bellator officials Tuesday announced the move in a press release.

“A welterweight feature fight between Riddle and Coy has been removed from the Nov. 22 card after Riddle [withdrew] from the fight,” the statement read. “After withdrawing from the Nov. 22 fight, the promotion has decided to release Riddle.”

Bellator did not specify why Riddle withdrew from the bout, and Sherdog.com could not immediately reach the welterweight for comment.

Riddle originally signed with Bellator in May and was slated to make his promotional debut opposite Luis Sergio Teotonio da Fonseca Melo Jr. in the Season 9 welterweight tournament. Riddle suffered a rib injury and was forced to withdraw from the booking, announcing his retirement shortly thereafter.

“I’m retiring from MMA today. I cracked my rib, and I can’t fight Sept. 20,” Riddle wrote on Twitter. “Bellator can’t give me a fight this year, so I can’t afford it!”

Riddle and Bellator worked things out three weeks later, and the welterweight was booked to face Coy on Nov. 22. However, that booking also yielded no fruit, as evidenced by today’s announcement.

Bellator 109 takes place Friday at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pa., and is headlined by a middleweight title confrontation between Alexander Shlemenko and Doug Marshall.