Gilbert Melendez, 'Strikeforce: Melendez vs Healy' card cancelled

Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:43 pm

MMAjunkie.com - The circumstances are slightly different, but fans no doubt will be wondering if this really can be happening again. Just a month after the UFC was forced to cancel a card for the first time in the Zuffa era, now the cancellation bug has bitten Strikeforce. The promotion's Saturday show in Sacramento, Calif., "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy," has been scrapped following an injury to lightweight champion and headliner Gilbert Melendez.

Promotion officials late Sunday night announced the event's cancellation.

"Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy" was scheduled for Saturday at Power Balance Pavillion in Sacramento. The event was to air live on Showtime and Showtime Extreme. In the main event, Melendez (21-2 MMA, 11-1 SF) was to meet Pat Healy (28-16 MMA, 6-1 SF), putting his lightweight belt on the line.

Strikeforce officials in a statement said the decision to cancel the event was made when Showtime decided to not air the card without Melendez on it.

"When Showtime informed us that it would not be airing the event, we made the difficult decision to cancel Saturday's card in Sacramento," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated. "Without a television partner, we simply could not move forward with this event. We wish Gilbert a speedy recovery and will work diligently and quickly to reschedule the fighters affected by this news on upcoming cards."

The UFC this past month elected to cancel the UFC 151 pay-per-view scheduled for Sept. 1 in Las Vegas when Dan Henderson pulled out of his light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones and Jones didn't accept a fight against Chael Sonnen.

Also on the main card, former champ Josh Thomson was set to meet Caros Fodor, Jorge Santiago was to face Quinn Mulhern and Isaac Vallie-Flagg was booked to fight Adriano Martins.

That leaves Strikeforce's next show now on Nov. 3 in Oklahoma City – though that event also is awaiting a new main event after Frank Mir had to pull out of a heavyweight bout against Daniel Cormier.

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