Helen Harper Bout Nixed, Sinead Kavanagh-Ilina Kallionidou Added to Bellator 169

Bellator MMA's Irish debut has lost a fight and gained a fight.

Monday, the promotion announced that its Dec. 16 Bellator 169 card in Dublin would no longer feature a bout between “Ultimate Fighter 23” alum Helen Harper and Brazilian Bruna Vargas, citing an injury to Vargas, who had previously replaced her countrywoman Bruna Ellen, who also suffered an injury in training. With no strawweight fighter on deck to fill in against Harper, the bout was nixed. England's Harper will be paid her show money, per Bellator.

To fill the card spot, the promotion has assembled a women's featherweight bout, pitting Ireland's Sinead Kavanagh against Greece's Elina Kallionidou.

The 3-0 Kavanagh was originally scheduled to compete on the undercard from 3Arena in Dublin, promoted by the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts, against Eeva Siiskonen, but was promoted from the BAMMA 27 undercard. Kallinidou, who only turned 18 in November, has already put together a 5-0 mark in MMA since turning pro in December 2014.

Bellator 169 will feature a five-fight main card, headlined by “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal battling Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii at heavyweight.