A preliminary card bout between Erin Toughill (10-2-1) and Marlos Coenen (16-3) – one likely to determine a No. 1 contender for champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos – has been scrapped from the Nov. 7 “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” card.
Toughill pulled off the bout for an undisclosed medical reason, her camp confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). The removal was first reported by MMAWeekly.com.
The event takes place at the Sears Centre near Chicago.
Toughill’s lawyer, Raffi Nahabedian, told MMAjunkie.com that the fighter’s
doctors wouldn’t permit her to compete at the show and that the matter wasn’t
weight-related.
Strikeforce officials weren’t immediately available for clarification for the reason or to say whether Coenen will remain on the card or if the fight will be shifted to a future event.
Although the night’s main card kicks off Strikeforce’s new deal with CBS, Toughill vs. Coenen was slated for the night’s un-aired preliminary card. However, Strikeforce spokesperson Mike Afromowitz called the matchup a “reserve fight” at the time of the booking and said that Toughill vs. Coenen would be the first bout shown via delay if time permitted.
Toughill returned in November 2008 from a two-year break from competition. She’s gone 3-0 since the comeback and most recently defeated Emily Thompson via unanimous decision at a May Palace Fighting Championships event. Toughill, who last year was featured alongside Gina Carano on NBC’s “American Gladiators” reincarnation, now owns a four-fight win streak with nine wins in her past 10 fights. The 32-year-old also amassed a 7-3-1 professional boxing record from 2000 to 2006.
Coenen, 28, was introduced as Strikeforce’s newest acquisition in a post-fight press conference following Santos’ title victory over Carano in August. The Dutch fighter is a nine-year veteran of the sport, and 14 of her 16 wins have come by stoppage, including 11 by submission.
For the latest on “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers,” stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Erin Toughill)
(UPDATED: At 2:45 p.m. ET on 10/29/09 to include clarification on Toughill’s status from lawyer Raffi Nahabedian.)
