Bellator considering heavyweight tournament
Scott Coker spoke to mmajunkie.com about the possibility of a heavyweight tournament. While he likes the idea of a tournament, he first wants to crown a champion.
“I think we will have some more fights, see how these guys fare, and then we can talk about something like that.”
Coker mentioned Matt Mitrione, Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo as possible contenders for the heavyweight title.
“I’d like to crown a heavyweight champ in the first part of (2018),” Coker said.
Cody Garbrandt to fight Demetrious Johnson?
Head coach of Team Alpha Male, Justin Buchholz was on the Five Rounds podcast where he stated current bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt could potentially drop down to 125 lbs. and challenge current flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson after a win against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 217.
“For sure, [Cody] can do it right now. He’s real big and strong right now and he’s getting bigger so he’s gotta do it right now if he does go down. For sure, [Demetrious Johnson] is a fight that we would love to have but we’ll just see about getting his body down to 125 [pounds].”
“I’m confident that can happen. That’s nothing. I’ve seen a lot harder things than that. Cody can make that weight and keep his power and put the weight back on and go back to ‘35 at this point in his career, while he’s young. We know the dangers of switching weight classes and whatnot with Roy Jones Jr. and you can see the stuff with B.J. Penn. We know what we’re doing here. Everything’s a science now. You’ve got to be on top of your game so you can get the correct people and set the right systems in place. We can do it old school so that’s why I’m confident with all the new school stuff it’d be even easier.”
“Just to do it because it’s a gangster move. At that point he’d be breaking Anderson Silva’s record so it would be for the people of Brazil. We’ll keep that record intact.”
Grocke’s Point of View: Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see this fight. However, I find it funny that Demetrious Johnson would be interested in taking this fight after potentially breaking the record for the most title defenses in UFC history, but did all he could to dodge Dillashaw prior to the record being broken. Let’s not count out Dillashaw here, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him challenging Mighty Mouse after he beats Garbrandt for the title.
Michael Bisping says he’d fight Daniel Cormier
On his Believe You Me podcast Michael Bisping said he would be happy to fight current light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier after he beats Georges St-Pierre.
“Speaking of guys that think they can take me – which of course when I say this, most people are gonna think he can take me – I was working with Daniel Cormier at the weekend and . . . all he kept talking about all weekend was, ‘Mike, I want to fight you next. I want to fight you.’ On air, off air, at the hotel, constantly. He was like, ‘Mike, I will break you within five minutes.’ Dude, are you crazy? Do you really believe that?
“I don’t know if he’s joking or if he’s serious, but if he is serious, I’ll fight him next even though I said last week I’m gonna retire. I would fight Daniel Cormier because that would be a huge fight. DC is a great guy, he’s hilarious, hell of a fighter and he seems to be targeting a fight with me. So DC, if you’re serious, which I kind of think you are, then yeah, screw it, if only to annoy everyone in the world I will, again, fight somebody who doesn’t fight at middleweight.”
Grocke’s Point of View: I have to hand it to Bisping, aside from Conor McGregor, nobody does a better job at keeping themselves in the headlines than he does. It’s amazing too considering he has masterfully dodged the top competitors in the division while holding out for a big pay day against GSP. If it wasn’t for Germaine de Randamie’s featherweight title reign, Bisping’s would be the worst, at least in my opinion. As to the possibility of Bisping actually fighting Cormier; I find the chances of that happening slim to none.
Fight Announcements
AJ McKee vs. Jeremy Petley is set for Bellator 187
Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem is set for UFC 218
Dominick Cruz vs. Jimmie Rivera is set for UFC 219
Cynthia Calvillo vs. Carla Esparza is set for UFC 219
Liz Carmouche vs. Alexis Davis is set for UFC Fight Night 123
Scott Holtzman vs. Darrell Horcher is set for UFC Fight Night 123
Trevin Giles vs. Antonio Braga Neto is set for UFC Fight Night 123
Alez Perez vs. Carls John de Tomas is set for UFC Fight Night 123
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS NEWS: Bellator tops the UFC in weekend ratings, The Professional Fighters League closes out 2017 with charity event, Ray Borg finally talks about illness
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