Lashley Receives New Opponent for March 25 Titan FC

Former pro-wrestling star Bobby Lashley will no longer meet James Jack in the main event of Titan Fighting Championship 17 on March 25, the Kansas-based promotion has announced. Instead, Lashley will square off against Bellator veteran John Ott (Pictured).

According to a release issued by Titan on Wednesday, the promotion was forced to make the change when Jack became unreachable.

“We had an agreement with Jack to fight Lashley, but he’s essentially gone M.I.A.,” TFC head Joe Kelly stated. “James missed several scheduled media shoots and was no longer returning our calls. It became abundantly clear that James had no intention of showing up to fight Bobby on March 25, so we had to make a change.”

Though typically a middleweight or 205-pounder, the Missouri-based Ott will compete as a heavyweight against the muscular, 245-pound Lashley. Most recently besting Brian Imes in August at Bellator 26, Ott has finished over half of his career victims by knockout or submission.

A former NAIA champion, Lashley transitioned from amateur to professional wrestling after his collegiate career came to a close. Known for his raw power and wrestling prowess, the American Top Team Altitude product comes off the first loss of his nascent MMA career. After five straight victories in organizations such as Strikeforce and the Maximum Fighting Championship, Lashley was upset by underdog Chad Griggs at Strikeforce “Houston” in August. Lashley has not competed since.

TFC 17 takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and will air live in North America on HDNet. In addition to the main event, the show will feature the return of “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni, who locks horns with local talent Nick Nolte. Also scheduled to compete is “Ultimate Fighter 10” alum Abe Wagner, who looks to carry the momentum of his January knockout of Tim Sylvia into a heavyweight showdown with Strikeforce vet Aaron Rosa.