It looks like Bellator MMA has their sights set on another top UFC star who is about to become a free agent.
UFC Welterweight contender Rory MacDonald has made it clear that he is going to purposely let his UFC contract expire after his next fight, which is the last on his existing contract. As MacDonald explained last month, he plans on testing the free agent market after his next fight in June.
According to Bellator MMA President Scott Coker, if MacDonald becomes available, Bellator is definitely interested. Coker told MMAJunkie.com the following:
“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.”
MacDonald makes his last contracted Octagon appearance at UFC Fight Night 89, where he fights rising contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in the main event in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on June 19, 2016.