Bellator Moves to Sign Rory MacDonald

[Jon Stark]

Rory's nose is never the same and this will effect his fighting ability. He will never be champion in the UFC.

 

[jmadtx]

ufc should try to keep him and he needs new camp

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

As good of a camp as tristar is, I think Rory could benefit from a switch. His striking is almost too technically sound, as in he's almost gun-shy bc he's looking for that perfect, clean opening as opposed to an aggressive, forward moving style that creates openings. I'd also like to see him try MW where he'd have a speed advantage.

 

[Jon Stark]

The UFC will probably re-sign Rory. Rory should obviously consider Bellator to maximize his pay-out. Rory's a highly skilled guy and his fights are usually awesome. Don't see a reason not to keep him.

Dat nose doe. Look how franklins career played out after silva stole his soul and shattered dat nose. He contended but we all knew his days of being champ were numbered. Why not go to Bellator get a belt there and come back once Robbie has regressed? This could have a secondary effect of GSP taking some WW fights.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Why not? Rory is top 5.

No shame in losing a war against Robbie and get decisioned by Wonderboy. I think he beats everybody else at WW.

 

[InfinityLens]

UFC has never lost anyone they wanted to keep to Coker's Retirement Home for Wayward Fighters. If you are languishing in the Bellator Circus, it is because the big leauges didn't want you. I believe they want Rory like they wanted Gilbert and Sterling. And Viacom is not going to let Coker spend big money on a guy whose drawing power is entirely based on him fighting elite UFC competition. He is not a star or draw on his own. Why let go your champion and elite LW go and then sign Rory? Is it because UFC already built Rory up and Coker can't make a star on his own without the UFC brand? Sad.

They would be better off signing Dan Severn to fight Tank Abbott. That is what Bellator is about now.

You mean like Davis who had the option of staying but left? Or Bendo who they lost the bid for? You guys are funny, damn Zuffa Zom....

...what the hell do we call you now?

 

[KeeSmyth]

I don't don't see why he wouldn't consider a lucrative 4 fight deal with Bellator, fight there top guys and re-enter free agency in 2 years

 

[KeeSmyth]

You mean like Davis who had the option of staying but left? Or Bendo who they lost the bid for? You guys are funny, damn Zuffa Zom....

...what the hell do we call you now?

If Bellator offers some ridiculous offer UFC won't match, but if the offer is within reason UFC will match all day long when it comes to a talent like Rory

If Coker wants Rory he going have to significantly overpay and who knows if Rory will even draw them any big audiences

 

[mime]

If Bellator offers some ridiculous offer UFC won't match, but if the offer is within reason UFC will match all day long when it comes to a talent like Rory

If Coker wants Rory he going have to significantly overpay and who knows if Rory will even draw them any big audiences

I wonder who makes these decisions now for the UFC, I know Lorenzo had a big hand in it before, is it all Dana White now or does he need to run it by some conglomerate board of people? This will be interesting to see how the UFC handles this...im very interested.

 

[KeeSmyth]

I wonder who makes these decisions now for the UFC, I know Lorenzo had a big hand in it before, is it all Dana White now or does he need to run it by some conglomerate board of people? This will be interesting to see how the UFC handles this...im very interested.

Dana and Joe Silva i think will be the guys who decide with Dana having final say

 

[mime]

Dana and Joe Silva i think will be the guys who decide with Dana having final say

interesting, so this has been addressed already? the new owners are giving them full autonomy? dana is very emotional i can see him getting pissed and saying somehting like "good luck with bellator....ya goof"

 

[Exi]

Heal up, and enjoy the new family life while negotiating the best deal for himself.

Fight a bit less. and with the fewer media obligations if he goes with Bellator.

Get paid well at Bellator as a center piece talent.

Become the champ.

Go back to UFC for a lucrative champ vs champ fight.

 

[bad seed]

Oh, okay and after that, Lima... And... Zzzzz

cross-promotion superfight with Askren.

 

[ReadWrite]

It doesn't look as if the UFC tried too hard, as folks here said it should, to retain MacDonald.

I think he could return, and a break would actually do him some good. Fighters return to the UFC all the time.

The landscape in a few years could be very different.

It just feels weird for Rory to leave right after his nemesis got smoked, lost the belt, and he has a win over the current champion!

 

[Rogerdraven]

Who's he gonna fight? Can Bellator stop wasting money on the freakshow fights and sign some legitimate talent? They do things like this but let guys like Brooks walk.

Coker gonna Coker.

What? Nothing you said made any sense. You just called Rory a freakshow? He is a top 5 guy in the ufc and Belltor just signed him (apparently), which is exactly what you said they should do in signing legitimate talent. So you are legit talent in the ufc but if you sign with someone else you magically turn into a freakshow?

 

[Rogerdraven]

Oh, okay and after that, Lima... And... Zzzzz

Why don't we see if Rory can even beat Koreshkov before worrying about anything else. All the morons on here said Benson Henderson was going to walk through him easily and he got destroyed. I know it's shocking but there are great fighters outside of the ufc.