Former boxing and MMA world champion Elena “Babydoll” Reid has been sidelined with multiple knee injuries and has withdrawn from the upcoming Bellator 115-pound women’s tournament. Reid confirmed details of the injuries exclusively with MMARising.com today and the talented striker will be sidelined for at least eight months.
Reid suffered a torn MCL and ruptured ACL in the weeks leading up to her April SNMMA title defence, but opted to fight on and was ultimately defeated by last-minute replacement opponent Catia “Cat Woman” Vitoria.
Reid (4-1-0 MMA; 19-6-6 Boxing) had expected to face Alyx “Miss Luck” Hess in the April SNMMA title fight, but Hess was removed from the card for falsifying bloodwork. Reid instead faced then-unbeaten Muay Thai standout Vitoria and appeared to be a step off throughout the fight. She was ultimately defeated by third-round stoppage from punches on the ground. The loss was Reid’s first as a mixed martial artist and she had previously knocked out all four of her opponents.
Never one to make excuses, Reid honoured an existing contract and fought again in boxing on June 5th. Sporting a knee brace, Reid fought valiantly but dropped a one-sided decision to France’s Nadya Hokmi in a battle for the vacant WBF Women’s Super Flyweight Championship. The former WIBA and IFBA Boxing Champion is now 0-3-1 in her last four boxing matches, as she splits her time between boxing and mixed martial arts.
The injuries to Reid’s left knee will require surgery, which will sideline the Arizona native for at least eight months and will prevent her from competing in the Bellator 115-pound women’s tournament in August. Reid had confirmed in early April that she was set to take part.
To date, Bellator has confirmed that Megumi Fujii, Rosi Sexton, Lisa Ward and Jessica Pene will all participate in the tournament. Jessica Aguilar is also expected to compete, while Angela Magana, Lynn Alvarez and Aisling Daly are among the other rumoured participants. Bellator plans to announce many of the remaining names in the coming days and weeks.
While Reid will no longer be featured in the Bellator tournament, she will now have time to rest and recover from her injuries and will return to competition at 100% in 2011.
[…] star Rosi Sexton, submission ace Lisa Ward and undefeated divisional standout Jessica Pene. As first reported by MMARising.com yesterday, Elena “Babydoll” Reid, originally scheduled to be part of […]