Shortly after making the decision to pack up and leave his longtime home in the UFC in favor of Bellator mixed martial arts (MMA), former UFC 170-pound title challenger Rory MacDonald was introduced to the public for the first time as a Bellator MMA competitor and he wasted no time to take a few jabs at his former employers.
During the press event the 27-year-old welterweight stud, courtesy of MMA Fighting, stated that Bellator’s production of their shows was a key factor in his decision to sign with them:
“The production of the show, it just stands out right away,” MacDonald said. “The big screens, the entrances. They do it bigger. They do it right here. It’s a fight show here.
They want to promote a fighter, they want to build it. It’s not generic where everyone is wearing the same thing. We get to be our own individual self, promote ourselves.
Where I was before, everyone is wearing the same uniforms now, we’re all walking out of the same, boring dressing room or the gate. It’s boring. People are tired of that.”
![057_Robbie_Lawler_vs_Rory_MacDonald.0.0[1]](http://cdn.lowkickmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/057_Robbie_Lawler_vs_Rory_MacDonald.0.01.jpg)
‘The Red King’ says that negotiations with Bellator and the UFC have been ongoing for quite sometime now, however, now that he is with Bellator he is ready to takeover the sport with his new promotion:
“It’s been a long time in the making,” MacDonald said. “I’ve had a lot to consider probably over a year. We’ve been in talks with Bellator for a long time now. It’s gone back and forth with the UFC. We’ve put a great deal together.
We’re gonna build a great business together. Bellator believes in me; I believe in the company. We’re gonna take it to the next level. We’re gonna take over.
We’re gonna take Bellator into Canada and we’re gonna do it big,” MacDonald said. “We’re gonna reinvigorate that market. Those fans are gonna get a proper fight show again.
The tide is turning,” he said. “For me, that title fight against Robbie was an eye-opener. It was like, OK we got to the show where you wanted to go, it didn’t work out, but now it’s time to start making some money.”
MacDonald also took aim at the UFC’s recent partnership with Reebok for their fighter’s exclusive apparel, something the young Canadian says made him feel like a ‘robot’ looking the same as his fellow combatants:
“You walk into that cage like every single other person out there on the roster,” MacDonald said. “You’re basically like a robot walking into the cage with the same jersey on, there’s no difference between this guy and that guy.
It’s boring, I find it. It’s very plain. I understand where they’re trying to go with it, but that’s just not fight sport.
There’s no personality there.”
You can check out highlights from MacDonald and Bellator President Scott Coker’s press conference here:
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