MFC 37 Barnett-Rama title fight canceled; promoter and manager point fingers

Friday’s planned “MFC 37: True Grit” championship headliner between Chris Barnett (7-1) and Smealinho Rama (6-0) has been canceled.

The fighters were slated to fight for the vacant heavyweight title at the event, which airs on AXS TV from Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

MFC officials announced that Barnett failed a pre-fight medical after an eye exam found “three holes in a retina.” According to the announcement, a trio of doctors concluded that Barnett risks serious eye damage, including possible blindness, if he fights.

Rama will be paid his show purse and will get a shot at the vacant belt at MFC’s next event, according to MFC President Mark Pavelich, who blamed Barnett’s manager in the official announcement.

“It’s an absolute shame that it came down to this, and it didn’t have to go this way for Rama at all,” Pavelich stated. “Had Barnett’s manager, Mickey Dubberly, been more professional and more on top of things, we would have been notified at least two weeks ago that there was an issue with the medicals. Instead we find out one day before he’s scheduled to leave.

“With proper notice we could have found a suitable replacement and had the title fight, but because of irresponsible management, Rama and the MFC fans have been robbed of that opportunity.”

Dubberly, though, denied the timing of the events.

“Chris Barnett signed with the MFC on Feb. 20, and his fight was scheduled for May 10,” he wrote in an email to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “The MFC did not send out what medicals were needed until April 24, which only gives the fighter 12 days to obtain all his medicals from when his flight leaves – actually only eight business days since most doctor offices are closed on the weekend. To obtain blood work, an eye exam, physical, a MRI and an EKG in eight days is very difficult. So how could they of been notified two weeks ago when they sent us the medical info on April 24?”

Ultimately, he said, his fighter’s safety comes first.

“As a manager, the fighter’s safety comes first, and we will not put our fighters in a situation to fight injured for any promotion,” he wrote. “Mark Pavelich should be more professional and send out medicals ahead of schedule instead of waiting till the last minute. Instead of pointing the finger to take the responsibility off himself, he needs to be on top of things and send out the medical requirements in a timely fashion. Mark Pavelich had the fight booked 80 days in advance but did not send out the medical requirements until 12 days before the fighter leaves.”

Regardless, with the switch, bantamweights Ryan Benoit (6-1) and Anthony Birchak (9-1) will now headline the card. Additionally, middleweights Allen Hope (7-10) and Paul Grandbois (5-5) have been promoted from the prelims to the televised main card.

The latest MFC 37 card now includes:

MAIN CARD (AXS TV, 10 p.m. ET)

• Ryan Benoit vs. Anthony Birchak
• Luke Harris vs. Jason Zentgraf
• Mukai Maromo vs. Kurt Southern
• Sam Alvey vs. Jay Silva
• Paul Grandbois vs. Allen Hope
• Peter Neufeld vs. Garret Nybakken

PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised, 8:30 p.m. ET)

• Marcus Hicks vs. Jared McComb
• Maged Hammo vs. Allan Munroe
• Chris Treadwell vs. Mike Treadwell

For the latest on MFC 37, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Chris Barnett)