A knee injury has forced Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) out of Bellator 49 and his opening-round welterweight-tournament bout with Ben Saunders (10-3-2 MMA, 1-0 BFC).

Hawn announced the news via Twitter.

Bellator officials haven't confirmed the injury or a possible replacement for the eight-man tournament, which kicks off Sept. 10 at Caesars Atlantic City in New Jersey.

According to Hawn, the injury will sideline him at least "a few months." (The Bellator tourney wraps in December.)

Hawn was set to compete in his second Bellator tourney. The fighter, a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic judo team, was a runner-up in Bellator's season-four tournament and lost to Jay Hieron in the finals. The close split-decision defeat followed an 11-0 start to his career, which included seven knockout wins and earlier tourney victories over Jim Wallhead and Lyman Good.

Bellator's tourney winners earn guaranteed title shots. A victory over Hieron would have earned him a shot at current welterweight champ Ben Askren.


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