Pat Curran injures knee, withdraws from Justin Lawrence bout at Bellator 145

Former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran has withdrawn from his Bellator 145 bout opposite former The Ultimate Fighter contestant Justin Lawrence. According to a press release issued Tuesday by Bellator, Curran sustained a knee injury that caused him to be removed from the bout.

Lawrence will still appear on the card, but now faces late replacement Emmanuel Sanchez.

Curran vs. Lawrence was scheduled to take place on the event's main card airing on Spike TV. Bellator's release states the Sanchez vs. Lawrence bout will remain there.

Curran, 28, snapped a two-fight losing streak by besting Sanchez at Bellator 139 in June via unanimous decision. His professional record stands at 21-7.

Lawrence, 25, is 8-2 in MMA with his most recent win coming in June at Bellator 138 via first-round TKO. That bout marked his Bellator debut.

Sanchez, 25, fights out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His record stands at 11-2. He's 3-1 in Bellator with his only loss coming to Curran. He most recently competed at Bellator 143 in September where he defeated Henry Corrales via unanimous decision.

Bellator 145 takes place Nov. 6th at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. The event is headlined by a featherweight title clash between champion Patricio Freire and Daniel Straus.