Amosov withdraws from Bellator 281 to defend Ukraine, interim title bout set

Yaroslav Amosov will not defend the Bellator welterweight championship in May.

Amosov withdrew from his title fight against Michael Page to actively defend his home country of Ukraine from Russia's ongoing invasion, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Page will now face Logan Storley for the interim welterweight belt in the Bellator 281 main event on May 13 in London.

Amosov was seeking his first successful title defense since capturing the belt last June with a dominant win over Douglas Lima. The 28-year-old is undefeated as a professional at 26-0.

Page will have to wait a bit longer for his first crack at the undisputed welterweight title. The Englishman is riding a six-fight winning streak, including a narrow victory over Lima in October.

Storley steps in on the heels of a thrilling performance last month against Neiman Gracie, earning a unanimous decision nod in the Bellator 274 main event. Storley is 8-1 in Bellator, with his only pro loss coming against Amosov.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Under martial law in Ukraine, able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.