Carwin, Kongo and Lashley possible Alternates considered by Coker

[ThunderL1ps]

Ayala isn't really a good fit in the tournament, IMO.

Jack Swagger? Why?!?! That's something a casual fan would think of.

Justin Wren deserves an alternate spot more than those two.

If this heavyweight tournament was about "most deserving" half the participants wouldn't be in it due to their inactivity at heavyweight.

Wren is not someone I'd think people would want to look at on their television. He sure is hell not someone Bellator would want as a champion. No marketability whatsoever.

Why don't you care for Ayala? People make a big fuss over his KO of Kharivonov.

I mentioned Swagger as an alternate because of his cross-over appeal. With my promoter hat on, I'm thinking "something for everyone" type mentality, plus the opportunity to slide someone like that into the tournament in the event he does well and a fighter pulls out. He will bring ratings if promoted properly --- at least for his first bout. No idea how he will perform in MMA.

 

[flyingscissorsheelhook]

I thought Carwin had a Rizin contract

 

[ProBoxingInsidr]

Kongo not in the tournament is a joke. Winningest heavyweight in Bellator right now.

i asked a prominent Bellator heavyweight the other day why Kongo wasnt in it. his response....."Bellator doesnt like Kongo."

 

[TheBrownRanger]

If this heavyweight tournament was about "most deserving" half the participants wouldn't be in it due to their inactivity at heavyweight.

Wren is not someone I'd think people would want to look at on their television. He sure is hell not someone Bellator would want as a champion. No marketability whatsoever.

Why don't you care for Ayala? People make a big fuss over his KO of Kharivonov.

I mentioned Swagger as an alternate because of his cross-over appeal. With my promoter hat on, I'm thinking "something for everyone" type mentality, plus the opportunity to slide someone like that into the tournament in the event he does well and a fighter pulls out. He will bring ratings if promoted properly --- at least for his first bout. No idea how he will perform in MMA.

Wren has a bit of a following because of his Pygmy thing. It makes him more marketable than Ayala. The Ayala KO was more than a year ago so everyone is kinda over it now. Besides that, he doesn't have much to offer. I don't think Bellator would want Ayala doing that to someone like Fedor anyways.

I could see your point about Swagger being in, but it's way too soon. I think Tyrell Fortune being in is more likely.

 

[Roukas]

I'd love to see Kongo vs Lashley

Sick of seeing lashley against no name fighters lol

 

[skylolow]

Well when you have the most wins at HW in Bellator not in your HW tournament I'm not counting on Coker making a very good choice here.

Also nice to see one of the people under consideration isn't even signed with the promotion and hasn't fought in what will be 7 years. Hmmmm, if I as Kongo I think I'd tell Coker to go take a hike at this point.

 

[Go Go Plata]

Well when you have your most wins at HW in Bellator not in your HW tournament I'm not counting on Coker making a very good choice here.

Also nice to see one of the people under consideration isn't even signed with the promotion and hasn't fought in what will be 7 years. Hmmmm, if I as Kongo I think I'd tell Coker to go take a hike at this point.

Good riddance. Kongo really stinks up the place.

 

[Jawth]

These three plus Wren should have been a part of it instead of the four LHWs.

 

[MMALOPEZ]

These three plus Wren should have been a part of it instead of the four LHWs.

I agree! I would have preferred Wren, Sergei and Kongo over sonnen, king mo and Bader

 

[Loriquero]

HW MMA outside UFC top five is just.... sad.
Minakov not fighting against that top five makes it worse

 

[juanM3]

People are really upset that Kongo isn't in there?

And Bellator loves Kongo. At least they keep using him in main or co-main events. Yet then a few minutes in and the fight is awful already, the commentators are always like "yep, this is a Cheick Kongo fight...".

 

[tfcfights]

Kongo is a snooze fest and lashley and Sergei have other obligations

I would love if carwin got in and Sergei over chael and bader

Mitrione vs rampage
Nelson vs carwin
Sergei vs king mo
Fedor vs mir

Fedor vs cro cop getting Brandon Vera would of been nice or cro cop fedor 2

Ratings wise fedor mir rampage sonnen will be big ratings and really rampage sonnen and fedor will be big ratings. Coker fixed the brackets for rampage or fedor having a shot a the final instead of Kongo boring us all maybe we will get a magical fedor run to the final

 

[Erocthadon]

Heavyweight alternates for a heavyweight tournament filled with middleweights and light heavyweights

 

[GSP_37]

I like the idea of Rory as HW alternate. I wanna see what happens when 170 lber faces HW/LHW.

 

[Tweak896]

Lets do Rory vs Carwin for alternate spot. Would be awesome lol.

 

[Chezlesturcs]

http://data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD Dada5000

 

[Andy Capp]

Bellator has yet to determine any alternates for the tournament, though president Scott Coker told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto the promotion is considering several names, including Shane Carwin, Cheick Kongo and Bobby Lashley.

Bellator’s heavyweight championship has been vacant since May 2016, when the promotion stripped then-champ Vitaly Minakov of the belt for failing to defend the title.

The tentative plan is to hold the title fight in December.

MMAjunkie.com

The fact that they haven't determined them before they may be needed casts a shadow on the legitimacy of the matchups imo. But then I don't trust Bellator anyway.

 

[Ibm]

Carwin is one scary ass guy. One punch on any one of these guys and its over.