Over the last few years, Bellator has become quite a respectable promotion in the mixed martial arts landscape, signing some of the biggest free agents on the market and developing young fighters under the leadership of Scott Coker, who took over as the promotion’s president in 2014.
And while the level of talent in the promotion likely still plays second fiddle to that of UFC, Coker acknowledges that improvements have been made and he expects this to continue in the years to come:
“The roster looks a lot different than it was three years ago,” Coker told MMAjunkie. “I think that we put on some great fights in the last three years, but in the last 18 months… Rory MacDonald’s fight with Douglas Lima was one of my favorite fights of all-time in this company.
“We’ve had just had so many great fights, I think in the last 18 months, and it’s just gonna continue on.”
In terms of high profile free agent signings, MacDonald certainly stands out as one, although Bellator has also brought in top names like Ryan Bader and Gegard Mousasi in recent memory. In addition to those signings, however, Bellator is also home to a plethora of young fighters who could transform into big names.
Because of that, Coker is not only excited to see what the future holds, but he admits that he’s ‘very proud’ of the roster that he’s helped build:
“If you look at the roster now, it’s something I’m very proud of,” Coker continued. “But, give us another 18 months – not 18 months. Maybe another year, that’s when you’ll see Aaron Pico really flourish out. A.J. McKee, James Gallagher, the Fortunes (Tyrell and Tyree).
“These are the future of the company, and I think you’re gonna see them really blossom in the next year.”
Do you expect Bellator to continue to flourish in the coming years?
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