'Pitbull' Freire vs. Derek Campos is new Bellator 167 main event after Pat Curran injury

An injury to former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran has led to a chain reaction of changes to Bellator 167.

Patricky "Pitbull" Freire vs. Derek Campos at lightweight was announced as the new main event in Thackerville, Okla. on Dec. 3 after Curran had to pull out of his original main event against John Teixeira due to an undisclosed injury.

Teixeira will remain on the card and face Justin Lawrence.

Freire (16-8) will look to shake off a knockout loss to Michael Chandler at Bellator 157 in a bout to fill the vacant lightweight title. Prior to the Chandler fight, the hard-hitting Freire had won three of his past for bouts. Campos (17-6) brings a two-fight win streak, with victories over Djamil Chan and Melvin Guillard, into the bout.

Nova Uniao's Teixeira (18-1-2) has won four straight, including all three of his Bellator contests, and is unbeaten in his last eight at 7-0-1. Lawrence, a former RFA featherweight champ, is 2-1 in Bellator and coming off a knockout win over Isao Kobayashi at Bellator 157.

Bellator also announced the MMA debut of three-time NCAA wrestling All-American Jarod Trice, who will meet Brandon Lee (4-1) on the evening's preliminary card. The former Central Michigan standout will compete at light heavyweight.