“We’re not going to interfere in anybody’s contract, because they have a contract with them. But I will say this – if you’re a free agent, you should fight your fights out, because we’re here too. So now, there’s more than one buyer, which is good for the market, which is good for individuals, which is good for the league, which is good for the industry. Not every fighter’s gonna fit with us. But he’s a guy that we’d be interested in talking to, if the time is right.”
-Bellator President Scott Coker talks about his interest in Rory MacDonald and other potential UFC free agents in an interview with MMAJunkie.com.
Penick’s Analysis: The sad irony of this take from Coker is that they’re not letting their own fighters do the same. Lightweight Champ Will Brooks has made it clear he wants out, and he’s spoken out against Bellator on numerous occasions; they’ve in turn sidelined him, have no fight on the horizon for him, and it seems he’s stuck waiting out the expiration of his deal. They’re willing to go after UFC fighters through free agency, but they seem uninterested in allowing their own fighters the same options, and it makes Coker come off as hypocritical with comments like there.
[Photo (c) Joe Camporeale via USA Today Sports]
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