Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every Thursday, this column will offer insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.
Fast approaching 15 years ago, Scott Coker still recalls his first meeting with Daniel Cormier.
The articulate Cormier impressed Coker during their lunch. The meeting was set up by Bob Cook, who was Coker’s matchmaker at Strikeforce, and marked the start of Cormier’s iconic run in MMA.
“Bob Cook said to me, ‘Coker, this is going to be your next heavyweight champion,’” recalled Coker. “Daniel was a wrestler, and when I asked if he could fight, Cook said, ‘We’ll make him a fighter.’”
Providing a platform for stars to rise is an integral part of Coker’s story -- and success. During his run as founder and CEO of Strikeforce, he helped launch the careers of Cormier, Ronda Rousey, and Tyron Woodley. That process started anew in Bellator when Coker became their president in 2014, shifting away from tournament-based cards and instead focusing on building stars.
“We’ve built from the ground up, just like we did in Strikeforce,” said Coker. “We do that better any other league. We’re star-identifiers and star-builders.”
Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
While Aaron Pico and AJ McKee are firmly entrenched as the present and future of Bellator, Coker is quick not to overlook the vast contributions of Gegard Mousasi. The reigning middleweight champion defends his title this Friday against Austin Vanderford at Bellator 275 in Dublin, Ireland, and Coker has fond memories of Mousasi from the first time he watched him fight.
“It was 2008 and Mousasi was fighting in Japan for DREAM in Japan,” said Coker. “That’s when I first saw him. I watched him knock out Jacaré [Ronaldo Souza].”
Nearly a decade-and-half later, Mousasi remains a headliner for Coker. And Coker continues his modus operandi of acquiring new talent, expanding Bellator’s global footprint, and putting forth cards with top-caliber fights. Last week’s Bellator 274 card was headlined by Logan Storley delivering an emphatic performance against Neiman Gracie, as well as the return of Brennan Ward, who had been out of the fight realm since 2017 while battling a crippling fight against addiction. Ward, who defeated Brandon Bell by TKO at 274, competed on a one-fight deal, but Coker is optimistic that will soon change.
“We’ll meet and see what we can do about a multi-fight contract,” said Coker. “Business is about people, and we have great relationships with our fighters. When we broke off the relationship with Brennan, it didn’t look like there was going to be a good ending.
“We had the Pettis-Horiguchi fight in Connecticut last December, and Brennan drove out. He brought his fiancé, his daughter, and his manager Dave Thomas, and we had a great conversation. I agreed to it, and I think this can be his redemption story. Life is too precious to throw it away. Hopefully he stays on the right track and can continue it.”
Raised for the first nine years of his life in South Korea before moving to the United States, Coker has also maintained a global perspective when it comes to success in martial arts. He is using that approach in Bellator, which has the 275 card in Dublin, followed by events this spring in Paris and London.
“We’re excited about our international schedule,” said Coker. “And we have a lot of robust plans to keep this brand growing.”
Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
For all of the global moment, Coker did express caution about Bellator’s planned trip to Russia this summer. Tentatively scheduled to take place in Moscow, it is intended to be the farewell of the great Fedor Emelianenko. But with the current political climate so tenuous in Russia, there is no guarantee that the event will take place.
“We may have to postpone our Fedor event in Moscow,” said Coker. “We’re monitoring that closely, and we could always move that to Japan or the United States.”
Bellator does have plans for Hawaii in late April, Coker confirmed. He also expects a highly compelling card on Friday at Bellator 275, led by Mousasi and a potentially star-making night for Vanderford. In between fight cards, Coker will resume his never-ending search for the sport’s next star. Star-building is never simple, but there is an art to it, which Coker and his team have mastered.
“We have a formula, and we’re going to keep working it,” said Coker. “We’re building the next core group in Bellator.
“This is a lot of work, but it’s not a job. I love finding these next fighters. You watch them evolve and grow, ultimately becoming these complete mixed martial arts fighters.”
Jon Jones makes more headlines -- for all the wrong reasons
Jon Jones is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. He is also, once again, in the midst of a very difficult position.
Footage of Jones’ arrest from this past September was just released by the Las Vegas Police Department. It is highly uncomfortable to watch. Jones had been brought into police custody after an alleged physical encounter with his then-fiancé, and he makes life miserable for the officers. At one point, Jones even headbutts the top of the police car.
In a tweet on Tuesday that has already been deleted, Jones wrote, “My fiancé left me about two months ago, today she finalized that she won’t be coming back. If you are a Jon Jones hater, have a toast. I feel like sh--”. Getting kicked out of JacksonWink has likely exacerbated Jones’ problems. The gym seemed to always help him, but now he has lost that gym and his fiancé.
Jones has caused his own problems, and this marks a frightening time for him. It is possible he will be known for this tragic downfall, but I still hope that Jones somehow turns his lengthy list of setbacks into an incredible comeback. Whether that means fighting is in his future, or not, his well-being should be the priority.
The Pick ‘Em Section:
Here are my picks for this weekend’s fights, including an upset in the Octagon:
UFC Fight Night main event: Islam Makhachev vs. Bobby Green
Pick: Bobby Green
Bellator 275 main event middleweight title bout: Gegard Mousasi (c) vs. Austin Vanderford
Pick: Gegard Mousasi
ONE Championship: Full Circle middleweight title bout: Reinier de Ridder (c) vs. Kiamrian Abbasov
Pick: Reinier de Ridder
UFC Fight Night middleweight bout: Misha Cirkunov vs. Wellington Turman
Pick: Wellington Turman
Bellator 275 women’s featherweight bout: Sinead Kavanagh vs. Leah McCourt
Pick: Sinead Kavanagh
Last week: 4-1
2022 record: 23-7
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Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
