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Welterweight grand prix alternate Lorenz Larkin minces no words when it comes to Erick Silva’s withdrawal from their fight at Bellator 207.

“Erick just wanted an easier fight in Bellator,” Larkin (19-7 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) told MMAjunkie in advance of Friday’s event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Larkin said he heard from his manager that Silva (20-9 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) suffered multiple tears of his rib cartilage, contradicting Silva’s Instagram post that a single fissure in his left rib was the culprit of his injury.

Silva said: “I suffered a fissure in the left rib cartilage and by medical orders and my team had to leave the card.”

Larkin, though, is skeptical.

“I’ve had rib cartilage tear, but not multiple,” he said. “I don’t see how that’s possible. One cartilage tear is bad enough, but multiple (tears), unless you got jumped in the street – it just doesn’t make sense to me.”

On the heels of the withdrawal, Bellator has booked Larkin opposite Ion Pascu (18-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) for the Paramount and DAZN-streamed main card of Bellator 207. Larkin does take solace in the fact that he has a fight. It could have turned out much worse. Still, he can’t help but wonder what might have been had he fought the former UFC star.

The two fought in the UFC at the same time, and Larkin always wondered how he’d fare against Silva.

“I’ve seen the good Silva, and I’ve seen the bad Silva,” he said. “I’ve seen the Silva that was juicing – or whatever he got popped with, because Silva had two different bodies. When he was doing good, he had one type of body. And when he was doing bad, he had another type of body. So I was just ready to fight him and welcome him to the organization.”

To be clear, Silva has never failed a drug test as a professional. Even while subject to random testing via the UFC’s anti-doping partner, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, he never came up positive for a banned substance. But like many who’ve scrutinized the bodies of athletes pre- and post-USADA, Larkin has failed Silva on the eye test.

“I’ve fought guys in my career that were juicing, and my thing is, bring it,” he said. “That’s what I was ready for. I was more than willing to welcome him with open arms.”

Larkin will soldier on despite Silva’s withdrawal. There’s still a chance he can get into the welterweight grand prix, which he said is to date the best assortment of talent seen in the sport.

I feel like I’m in a good position,” he said. “The percentage of guys not making it through camp is really high these days, so I feel like I’ve got a good opportunity to get in there. It’s a historic tournament, and you mix that up with the best eight in the whole division. So, I’m pumped.”

For more on Bellator 207, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.