Injured Rizzo Withdraws from Nov. 5 ProElite Bout Against Sylvia

Brazilian heavyweight Pedro Rizzo has been forced to pull out of a planned November bout with fellow UFC veteran Tim Sylvia after suffering an injury in training.

Rizzo, 37, was in the Netherlands working with three-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion Peter Aerts when the accident took place.

“Unfortunately, I got injured training here in Holland, had a partial tear in the triceps tendon of my left arm,” Rizzo (Pictured, file photo) wrote Monday on Twitter. “I would like to apologize to ProElite and especially to Tim Sylvia because I can’t be in the ring on Nov. 5 to face him. I think I am in the prime of my condition and I’m really very frustrated with what happened. I hope to recover as quickly as possible to get back, because my happiness is still in the ring!”

The Rizzo-Sylvia matchup was set to headline the reformed ProElite promotion’s second offering, which takes place Nov. 5 at the I Wireless Center in Moline, Ill. Also slated for the bill is another ex-UFC heavyweight champ, Andrei Arlovski, who takes on 300-fight veteran Travis Fulton.

Rizzo last fought in July 2010, when he recorded a first-round stoppage of Ken Shamrock in Sydney, Australia. Since being knocked out by Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel in back-to-back bouts, “The Rock” has won three straight, halting Shamrock and Gary Goodridge, and taking a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson.

Gleidson Venga contributed to this report.