Didn't watch last week’s Bellator 138? That’s a shame because despite its marquee “fight”, the promotion produced an excellent show; the kind of which should successfully generate a horde of new fans. Often scoffed at by the sports more hardcore fans, Bellator MMA has improved considerably under Scott Coker’s new management. The question however is simple: Can this organisation overcome its circus label, and rise to challenge the might of the UFC?
A veteran fight promoter whose successes with the now-defunct Strikeforce saw the organisation match the UFC in terms of popularity for a short time, Scott Coker knows exactly how to put on a headline-grabbing show. Since replacing Bjorn Rebney after his abrupt removal by parent company Viacom early last year, Coker has overseen the production of numerous cards thus far, and has sent shockwaves rippling throughout the MMA community on more than one occasion with some outrageous matchmaking.
Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar, Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice. Four fighters who’d struggle to make a UFC Fight Pass prelim card these days have all generated a significant amount of buzz for the promotion with their headline appearances. From a purist’s standpoint it’s frustrating to see, but from an entertainment perspective it’s genius; what these decrepit warriors may now lack in ability, they almost certainly make up for in recognisability. These fighters, with arguably the exception of Slice, are established household names, and have been instrumental to Bellator’s recent ratings triumphs.
I know what you’re thinking: grab a load of old has-been, UFC rejects and throw them onto prime time television...not hard is it? No, it’s not difficult, but you’re missing the point. This isn't TNA. The company isn't poaching old talent from elsewhere, aimlessly inserting them into their product and hoping for the best. This is far more intricate than that. These men are here to help thrust the brand into the spotlight, and yes of course...make a few extra bucks in the process. While the headline act draws the audience in, the rest of the card works to ensure the acclaim, resulting in an experience that draws interest from the casual viewers, while also winning over hardcore naysayers. Bellator 138, more than any previous Coker-produced event, was the epitome of this strategy.
Who cares about the ridiculous lip-synced, Road Warrior-led, children-heavy Shamrock entrance? Who cares about the fact that the fight was clearly as staged as the action you see inside a WWE ring? Who honestly cares that Kimbo Slice shaved his chest hair to accentuate his sagging 41-year old pecs?
No one cares. No one should.
Yes this was the show’s main event, but the card was really all about building and establishing the organisation’s franchise stars. Stars like reigning featherweight champion Patrício ‘Pitbull’ Freire, the wild former champ Daniel Straus and gritty former lightweight kingpin Michael Chandler; the kind of fighters who are usually entrusted to headline Bellator’s events, but have arguably benefited even more so due to their participation on such a high-profile card.
The UFC’s stars are already firmly established, its pay-per-view business model guaranteed to succeed month after month. Bellator hasn't yet established itself to that level, it might never get there, but it's use of free-to-view cards is offering viewers a low-cost glimpse at an alternative product, a product with plenty of promise, and one that might grow even further in the coming months with the UFC and Reebok’s universally unpopular uniform deal almost certain to drive some of its stars into free agency.
The point I'm trying to make is this: Things are definitely looking up for Bellator. They've got the mind of Scott Coker steering the ship, they've got a host of legends ready, and willing, to throw down for the sake of cheap publicity, they have a crop of hungry fighters determined to prove that they're the best in the world, and on top of all that they’re almost guaranteed to benefit from a bold new business direction from the industry’s premier organisation.
To hardened, veteran fight fans they might never be able to compete with mixed martial arts biggest entity, but their unique mix of the outrageous and the legitimate should see them offer an entertaining alternative to those who do actually like a little cheese with their prizefighting.
What do you think of Bellator? Abomination, excellent alternative, or the future number one MMA organisation? Leave your views in the comments section below!
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