Bellator goes after free agents as it digs in as alternative to UFC
The sale of the UFC last year for $4 billion to Beverly Hills talent agency WME-IMG has been followed by some financial belt-tightening that has trimmed executives and left fighters more vulnerable to a bidding-war exit.
Viacom-owned Bellator, which staged a card that company President Scott Coker said would become the most successful in its history Saturday night at the Forum, is positioned to scoop up the free agents who emerge.
In August, the competition warmed significantly when former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald signed with Bellator following a main-event loss to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in June.
MacDonald has said he’s capable of pursuing two belts in Bellator, and has been pointed to a showdown against unbeaten Michael “MVP” Page.
“We picked up 100 percent of the guys we went after last year. It’s a commitment by Spike TV and Viacom,” Coker said. “I can’t speak for [the current UFC] business philosophy. There’s been more free agents in the past six months than there were in the year before that.
“And we’re committed to getting more — there’s five or six really good free agents. We’re negotiating with two or three right now. We’ve received the mandate from the top down that if they’re free agents and you think you can move a deal, go get them.”
Viacom’s Spike TV, which televised Saturday’s card, headlined by retiring Southland light-heavyweight Tito Ortiz versus former UFC two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen, was a pivotal player in the surge of mixed martial arts to mainstream consciousness.
Just over a decade ago, after Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar’s epic bout in “The Ultimate Fighter,” a Spike executive and UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta struck a multi-year deal to televise the sport, igniting widespread interest among the popular 18-39 demographic.
“If it wasn’t for that commitment … who knows where MMA would be today?” Coker wondered.
The UFC ultimately left Spike TV for Fox riches and is now awaiting another massive television deal as Spike and Bellator have found there’s sufficient room for a UFC alternative.
Coker is believed to be strongly pursuing No. 4-ranked UFC light-heavyweight Ryan Bader and Riverside’s rising welterweight Lorenz Larkin.
He said his strategy is rooted not only in the willingness to pounce on the free agents, but to boost his cards with the name recognition of distinguished veterans whose better days are clearly behind them.
Ortiz, the UFC light-heavyweight champion more than a decade ago, is 41 and the recently signed Sonnen, 39, is coming off a string of suspensions for banned substances.
Former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is expected to have a Bellator fight this year, as is former Pride standout Wanderlei Silva.
Next month, Bellator will stage another main event of older fighters, Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC product Matt Mitrione. UFC 1 winner Royce Gracie is still on the roster.
“I always feel like the roster should be built from the ground up, but then you can have the purchase of free agents from the top down. That’s how you make the roster the best,” Coker said.
He scoured Olympic wrestling competition and has begun to land those fighters who could have strong prospects in MMA.
“We’re going after the fighters before they’re even recognized by the other organizations,” Coker said. “We’re tapping in early, putting them on developmental programs, letting them grow. These guys are really good.”
While Coker promised a return to Southern California this year after staging an August card at Honda Center, he said the 2017 plans are ambitious because Viacom has never before so strongly backed Bellator.
“We did 24 fights last year, we’re planning for 27 this year,” he said. “Viacom is a worldwide media company, so we’ll continue expanding with worldwide fights in Latin America, Argentina, Brazil. We’ll do more fights in the U.K. because Viacom owns Channel 5. We’re going to Budapest. We’ll get more into the kickboxing business in Europe.
“Plus, we’re going after every free agent we can go after.”
Twitter: @latimespugmire
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