Scott Coker reacts to Dillon Danis fighting KSI while still being on contract with Bellator
Scott Coker may have just begun attracting more top-tier MMA talent to Bellator following his reaction to Dillon Danis' upcoming boxing match with KSI.
The BJJ practitioner is currently under contract for Bellator, but the promotion's CEO stated that he had allowed Danis to crossover into the world of boxing. Danis has not fought in MMA since Bellator 222 in 2019, and Coker recently claimed to have offered him several opportunities to fight since then.
Scott Coker appeared in front of the media following this weekend's Bellator 289 card and said this about Dillon Danis vs. KSI:
"Dillon wants to go take this boxing fight, and I said, 'Goodluck, you're gonna have your hands full.' He is still under contract, and we've been trying to get him to fight for a long time. But he saw an opportunity with KSI, and so I wished him luck. It's a good deal for him, I don't want to hold him back and be that promoter."
Watch the video below from 9:30:
Unlike Dana White and the UFC, Scott Coker has allowed contracted fighters to participate in different combat sports. The UFC is known for holding fighters hostage to their contracts, such as Georges St-Pierre. The Canadian had been retired for over three years but could not compete in an exhibition boxing match against Oscar De La Hoya due to his UFC contract. The proposed boxing match was scheduled to take place in 2021, but St-Pierre's contract expired only in 2022, which prevented him from being able to fight.
Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz have also spoken out against the restrictions that signing a UFC contract entails. Both 'The Predator' and the Stockton native have appeared eager to crossover into the world of boxing. Diaz is now a free agent and can do as he pleases. However, Ngannou is still under contract until the end of the year.
Scott Coker says Fedor Emelianenko is the heavyweight GOAT, ahead of his final fight in February 2023
Fedor Emelianenko is one of the oldest fighters in MMA history. With a career spanning over two decades and a record of 40-6, the Russian-born fighter is one of the greatest to ever set foot in the cage.
According to Scott Coker, he is the greatest heavyweight of all time. Having been involved in MMA since 1985, the Bellator CEO has witnessed the greatness of Emelianenko from the beginning. At the Bellator 289 post-fight press conference yesterday, Coker said this about 'The Last Emperor':
"To see him come full circle, and now he's gonna put the gloves down... This guy's had such a long run in MMA, to me he's the greatest heavyweight of all time."
Fedor Emelianenko will take on Ryan Bader in his final fight at Bellator on CBS.