https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2011/02/lightweight-ferrid-kheder-added-to-bellator-season-four-tourney-meets-toby-imada
Lightweight Ferrid Kheder added to Bellator season-four tourney, meets Toby Imada
February 10, 2011 12:30 pm ET
Decorated judoka and MMA veteran Ferrid Kheder (18-6 MMA, 0-0 BFC) will get a second chance to fight Toby Imada (28-15 MMA, 4-2 BFC) when he makes his Bellator debut in the first round of the promotion's season-four lightweight tournament.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after an initial release announced Kheder's signing.
The eight-man tourney kicks off next month and airs live on MTV2 as part of a 12-week season, thought a date for Kheder vs. Imada has yet to be determined.
Kheder was supposed to meet Imada in Bellator's season-two tourney before he was forced to withdraw with appendicitis that later required surgery. Rebney guaranteed him a spot in the promotion's next 155-pound tournament.
"He had a nightmare for anybody: an appendectomy," said Rebney. "We promised him that his spot would be secure. We're honoring that promise."
Kheder, though, will not get an easy go of it.
"It's an awful tough field that he'll have to fight his way through," Rebney said. "But he's in it, and he's fighting Toby in the first fight. He's got a very, very tough fight on his hands."
For Imada, it's his third crack at a tournament belt after falling short in Bellator's season one and two competitions.
For Kheder, it's his first professional appearance since a highly controversial fight with UFC veteran Hermes Franca. The two met in Costa Rica for the upstart Xtreme Vale Tudo promotion and fought three rounds to a decision. But despite the fact that all three judges scored the fight in favor of Franca – not to mention that fact that Franca was initially announced as the winner – it was Kheder who was ultimately declared the victor.
After a massive uproar that began online with Franca's pleas and later heated up with video of the controversial bout, the fight was changed to a no contest.
While many fans might see Kheder's signing as yet another snub of Franca, Rebney said Kheder had already been "locked in" to Bellator's season-four tournament.
And though spots for the lightweight competition are now filled, Rebney said the door is open to Franca for a non-title opportunity.
"We've got 25 events this year, and 27 minimum next year, so there's going to be a lot of opportunity for good quality fighters to get busy in Bellator," he said. "Absolutely, he'd be one of the guys on the list."
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