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Following UFC’s apparent release of former women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, Bellator MMA president Scott Coker is already moving in to sign the massive Brazilian star.
Coker, who has had a great relationship with Cyborg since working with her under the Strikeforce banner, wasted little time reacting to Dana White’s recent video rant about Cyborg not wanting to rematch Amanda Nunes and subsequent release of the featherweight striker.
“That’s great news,” Coker told MMA Junkie about Cyborg’s UFC release. “I’ll be calling (Cyborg’s manager) Audie (Attar) in the next five minutes.”
I guess one man’s trash really is another man’s treasure. In this case, White’s trash is every promoter’s treasure.
Coker, who has already brought over former UFC fighters like Rory MacDonald, Ryan Bader, Gegard Mousasi, Chael Sonnen, Tito Ortiz, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson and Wanderlei Silva to the Bellator roster over the past few years, has to be the odds-on-favorite to sign Cyborg. After all, the Bellator president is responsible for bringing Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko out of retirement and back on U.S. soil.
Cyborg, 34, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Felicia Spencer last month at UFC 240 and could likely return to action by the end of the year. The legendary Brazilian saw her ridiculous 13-year unbeaten streak ended in just 51 seconds by Nunes last December, but hasn’t really lost much star power as one of the best female fighters of all time.
As far as White’s notion that Cyborg is scared to rematch Nunes and only looking to take easy fights, Coker believes that nothing could be further from the truth.
“I don’t even know what to say about that,” said Coker. “Cyborg isn’t afraid of anybody.”
Stick with Mania for more updates on Cyborg’s next landing spot.