Scott Coker details how Cris Cyborg’s new Bellator deal came to fruition
Bellator President Scott Coker recently recalled how Cris Cyborg’s new Bellator contract came to be.
Cyborg, the reigning Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion, had been a free agent. Many wondered if she would make the move to PFL in order to fight Kayla Harrison. Ultimately, Cyborg decided to stick around with Bellator.
Scott Coker On Cris Cyborg’s New Deal
Speaking to reporters following Bellator 296, Coker discussed closing the deal with Cyborg, and his opinion on why the 145-pound titleholder chose to stay (h/t MMAJunkie.com).
“You know what, it was really interesting,” Coker said. “I don’t want to tell you about the whole process, but we got a phone call from her and her manager, and they said, ‘We have chosen to stay, and we would like to make a deal.’ So within an hour, we made a deal and inked it in the next two hours. So within a three-hour period, we went from waiting to see what was going to happen with her right to match and other offers coming from other leagues to her making a choice to stay with Bellator and continue her fighting career. We’ve been together such a long time. Her first fight with us was in 2009, so we have a long relationship. I just think she felt comfortable, and she saw our commitment to that weight division is strong.”
“After receiving multiple offers from several promotions I’m very happy that I was able to come to terms with Bellator and remain the face of their women’s featherweight division,” said Cyborg. “Scott Coker is a promoter that I’ve worked with and respected for many years. He’s done so much to further women’s MMA and give us a platform to showcase our skills.”
Cyborg went on to say that the top female featherweights compete under the Bellator banner. She said this was also a key factor in her decision to remain a Bellator fighter. Cyborg’s next title defense isn’t known at this time, but she has long expressed interest in a showdown with Cat Zingano.
