Derek Anderson had to withdraw from his upcoming fight against Cedric Doumbe at the Bellator Paris card due to a severe foot injury he suffered while riding his bike.
Derek Anderson was on cloud nine. He’d just secured a bout with Cedric Doumbe at the much-anticipated Bellator Paris event. But then, disaster.
A gruesome foot injury, the result of a bike ride gone wrong, sidelined him. The fight with Doumbe, slated for May 17 at Accor Arena in Paris, was off the table.
Anderson broke the news on social media. He posted a pretty gnarly pic of his foot. PFL officials chimed in on Tuesday, confirming his withdrawal from the fight.
“Love you all,” Anderson wrote. “Hit and run.” He expressed his regret, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t make this fight happen. You have no idea.” He ended with a resolution, “I will not be getting another bike.”
PFL is in a bit of a pickle now. They’ve yet to find a new opponent for Doumbe. But they’re on the hunt, “actively seeking replacement” for the Bellator Paris card in May.
This is a real bummer for Anderson. He was gearing up for his first appearance in almost three years. His last fight was a loss to Michael “Venom” Page in 2021. A scheduled bout in 2022? Also scrapped. The reasons? Still a mystery.
Doumbe’s in limbo now. Waiting for a new opponent, with a chance to be the co-main event at the Bellator card in Paris. He’s a former GLORY kickboxing champ who made a splash with a lightning-quick knockout in his PFL debut. But then, a toe injury led to his first professional loss in MMA in his next fight.