UPDATE 4/6/21 3:51PM EDT: Article updated with public statement from Johnny Case.
Alexander Martinez will replace Johnny Case in a matchup against Loik Radzhabov at PFL’s April 23rd event, as announced by the promotion Tuesday.
The fight joins a card that will happen at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.
The change comes after Case was arrested last week and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Case released a statement Tuesday that claims he has withdrawn from the 2021 PFL season altogether. He denied allegations in his post, saying that he will “tell my side of the story when the time is right.”
The at PFL’s April 23rd card was set to be Case’s return to PFL after competing in Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN for two years. Case appeared on a PFL card once in 2018, fighting to a draw against Natan Schulte in a two-round bout.
Martinez, an undefeated lightweight, will be getting his PFL debut in the matchup. He has fought as a pro since 2016, attaining seven wins since then. He picked up his last victory in December, stopping Christopher Ramirez with a guillotine choke.
Here is how PFL’s April 23rd event looks with the new matchup on their prelims.
Main Card (9:00PM EST) (ESPN 2)
Bout 10: Anthony Pettis (24-10) vs. Clay Collard (18-8) (Lightweight)
Bout 9: Natan Schulte (20-3-1) vs. Marcin Held (26-7) (Lightweight)
Bout 8: Movlid Khaybulaev (15-0-1) vs. Jason Soares (14-0) (Featherweight)
Bout 7: Lance Palmer (22-3) vs. Bubba Jenkins (14-4) (Featherweight)
Preliminary Card (5:30PM EST) (ESPN+)
Bout 6: Loik Radzhabov (13-2-1) vs. Alexander Martinez (7-0) (Lightweight)
Bout 5: Joilton Lutterbach (34-8) vs. Raush Manfio (11-3) (Lightweight)
Bout 4: Akhmet Aliev (19-6) vs. Mikhail Odintsov (18-2) (Lightweight)
Bout 3: Jo Sungbin (9-1) vs. Tyler Diamond (11-1) (Featherweight)
Bout 2: Brendan Loughnane (19-3) vs. Sheymon Moraes (11-4) (Featherweight)
Bout 1: Chris Wade (17-6) vs. Anthony Dizy (13-3) (Featherweight)
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