Bellator CEO Scott Coker says he is in talks with Rizin for a December event in Japan that likely features Fedor Emelianenko.
Bellator CEO Scott Coker recently broached the idea of cross-promoting with the UFC. While it likely won’t happen just yet, he says he is now in discussions with Japanese promotion Rizin for a possible venture later in the year.
“There’s nothing confirmed,” Coker said Monday on the Ariel Helwani MMA Show (transcript by MMA Junkie). “As people already know, we’ve been talking to Sakakibara about doing some type of event together. We haven’t decided if it’s going to be a ‘co-pro,’ fight sharing, a Bellator event by itself.
“But I’d love nothing more than to be in Japan sometime in December throwing a big fight there at Saitama Super Arena, where all the big fights happen.”
In line with these plans, Coker already has some opponents in mind for “The Last Emperor.”
“Whether it’s a Japanese fighter or he fights (Quinton) ‘Rampage’ Jackson or Josh Barnett, or whoever, I think it would just be a magical night to see him back in the Bellator cage in Tokyo,” Coker said.
In June, the 42-year-old Fedor signed a multi-fight contract extension with Bellator, which Coker intends to be the Russian legend’s “multi-city, multi-continent farewell tour.”