Tag: Bellator News

PRIDE legend Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic is set to rematch Roy Nelson at this Saturday’s (Feb. 16, 2019) Bellator 216 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The knockout striker was originally scheduled to fight ‘Big Country’ last year, but a knee injury knocked him out at the last minute. Somehow he recovered amazingly quickly for a 44-year-old competitor to finish Roque Martinez at September’s RIZIN 13. The rapid recovery lead to a minor uproar from Cro Cop’s steroid critics online.

That talk was only furthered when a photograph surfaced of Cro Cop this week looking especially jacked and shredded. Immediately, many jumped to accuse Filopovic of using performance enhancers. But in an interview with MMA Fighting (quotes via MMA Mania), Cro Cop attributed his rapid recovery to something else. It’s his daily commitment to recovery, he claims, and he fought Martinez before he was healed:

“You know how people are, so many stupid comments. This, that … I’m a very dedicated man. I spent five, six hours rehabilitation process every day. I managed to recover. After six, seven weeks I start to jog again. I had a fight also. Leg wasn’t recovered enough. But anyway I accepted the fight. I am recovered now.”

Nelson Isn’t Buying

Nelson addressed the situation himself, adding that Cro Cop had almost magical recovery powers. He suggested his doctors should come work for the National Football League (NFL):

“When he pulled out of my fight, he had a fight, he had knee surgery, he had rehab, and he was able to come back in three or four months. I think his docs need to come over here for the NFL and some of these guys that get messed-up knees, they could be back in a week.”

His words didn’t affect Cro Cop, however, who knew Nelson has to hype their fight somewhat:

“There is no relationship, we are not friends, but there is no bad blood. We are just fighters. He needs to say something, he needs to attract attention. I understand it. I don’t think Roy Nelson is a bad person. Just business.”

Cro Cop and Nelson first fought in the UFC in 2011. “Big Country” won the fight via TKO.

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Recently, MMA legend Wanderlei Silva raised concerns when he described several concussion-like symptoms presumably as a result of fighting. Bellator President Scott Coker won’t put Silva back into the cage as a result.

Coker detailed Bellator’s safety-first stance in an interview with MMA Fighting (quotes via MMA Mania) in an interview before this weekend’s Bellator 215 and 216. The longtime MMA exec said if Silva had concussion issues, he just couldn’t put him back in the cage:

“Our objective is fighter’s safety first. If he’s injured or has concussion issues, we’re not gonna put him in the cage again, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Coker noted that if Silva truly wanted to fight again, he would have to get cleared by a renowned facility:

“If Wanderlei does want to come back, he’s got to get a complete clearance from the Cleveland Clinic, we’ll send him there and make sure he’s alright.”

Coker expounded on ‘The Axe Murderer’s’ resume in MMA, noting that he had nothing left to prove. The Bellator leader knows he fights for the love of fighting, yet his health must come first:

“I’m a fan of Wanderlei Silva. What else can he do? He’s a legend,” Coker said. “He doesn’t need to fight anymore to keep his legacy going. He fights because he wants to fight. But if he has serious issues, then he should take care of that because that’s forever and that’s something we can’t support.”

Silva has been out of action since losing to Chael Sonnen. He has teased a rematch with retired UFC vet Vitor Belfort, but that appears on the fence at best right now. Perhaps what Coker says is true, as Silva has nothing to prove but much to lose.

The post Scott Coker Won’t Put Wanderlei Silva Back In Cage appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Bellator has one of its biggest possible fights set. According to a report from ESPN, lightweight champion Michael Chandler meets Patricio Freire in a champ vs. champ superfight at May 11’s Bellator 221.

Ariel Helwani reported Freire will move up from 145 pounds to challenge Chandler at the event from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The bout has not yet been officially announced by the promotion. It is expected to be in the coming days, however.

With the announcement, Bellator will have their next superfight amid a growing trend in mixed martial arts. Such bouts have been all the rage in the UFC over the past couple years. Bellator staged a champ vs. champ fight when Rory MacDonald moved up to middleweight to take on champ Gegard Mousasi last year. Ryan Bader recently became the promotion’s first simultaneous two-division champ by knocking out Fedor Emelianenko on Jan. 26.

As for the Chandler vs. Freire feud, the war of words has been brewing for years. It began when Chandler knocked out Patricio’s brother Patricky in 2016. Patricio scaled the cage and got in Chandler’s face during his celebration to call him out. The two began a long battle on social media. Yet the fighter was never booked until now. Chandler recently won back his lightweight title from Brent Primus in December. Freire defended his featherweight title in November.

Bellator 221 is slated to be a massive event for MMA’s second son. In addition to Chandler vs. Freire, Douglas Lima will face the winner of this weekend’s welterweight grudge match between Michael “Venom” Page and Paul Daley at Bellator 216 this weekend. Bellator 221 will also reportedly feature the return of former WWE star Jake Hager, who made his MMA debut at Bellator 214.

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