If Bellator is the second best MMA organization now, there is a huge gap between it and UFC imo

[Philtard]

Do you mean their champions are on par? Surely you don't mean their divisional depth? Depth wise LW/FW Bellator versus UFC isn't close, ditto MW. WW might be the closest but I think current Woodley beats current Rory, despite their previous history, not point mentioning Lawler, Wonderboy, TIll etc. HW

Champion wise, DC and Jones both squash Bader, Ngannou too, the Reaper, and Romero would beat Mousasi. Chandler would lose to Khabib and Ferguson, Freire would lose to Max and Aldo, Darrion would get destroyed by Cejudo.

Course their depth isn't on par. In fact their depth or lack of actually plays in bellator favour which means they can concentrate in building and their guys getting credibility and name recognition. Of course the ufc has more depth but you can hardly keep up anymore and I think it's to their detriment. Didn't see your post but I responded to another guy about the depth of the bellator outfit..

All of the guys you mentioned are still near the peak of their respective divisions. Bellator are doing the building and as the ufc are the monopoly they are can just poach top talent without putting in their work. It is in contrast to the ufc but it's also why some are heading their instead of being lost in the system.

 

[leto1776]

So by your logic that would mean no one gives a f_ _k about tuning in to watch some regional fighter, Steven Graham, main eventing Bellator 217. So how your own logic works against your own point. No regional fighter, who never fought in Bellator should ever be main eventing a Bellator fight card. Fans would much rather tune in to see A.J. McKee vs James Gallagher main eventing than James Gallagher vs Steven Graham. Fans would much rather see Minakov coming back to Bellator to fight Ryan Bader for the Bellator Heavyweight Title than seeing Minakov fighting somewhere lower on the card versus Cheick Kongo. And I am a big Cheick Kongo fan. Any good promoter would have had Daley vs MVP in England, but not Coker. The decisions Coker and his Bellator staff could make to blow the doors off of Bellator, they simply will never make.

There’s absolutely no value to having Gallagher fight McKee coming off a loss. Far better to have him get a win before that fight, so they’re both coming in hot. Obviously Bellator believes enough in Gallagher to think he can headline on his own against a fellow local.

As for Minakov, dude hadn’t fought for over a year, hadn’t fought in Bellator for four years. He has absolutely no business fighting for a title. Most Bellator viewers have forgotten him by now.

The fight with Kongo just proves my point even further. Bader would have murdered him.

 

[RODNEY83]

They would rather see that sure I agree with you. I didn't respond to your post to be combative. You are part right I agree. But then the ufc goes the extreme other way and doesn't look after it's talent and feeds them directly to other contenders, they already fight everyone in their divisions. Have spotty win lose win lose ratios and in turn in my opinion it devalues some of their younger fighters and their orgs belts etc. I do agree that there should be some better match ups but bellator seem to be building.

Guys like minakov at what like 25-1? Should be fighting for the belt I agree. AJ McKee and Gallagher should probably be fighting the opponents they are. Look at Gallagher for instance kid got wrecked by a regional guy and bellator although they have some depth don't have the depth to just throw guys in the bin.

Debating is not being combative. But the things Bellator's decision makers could have done to blow the doors off of Bellator, they simply don't do. Like MVP vs Daley in England with Liam McGeary co-Main Eventing on that card and Linton Vassell on that card and bring in Brett McDermott to fight on that card. Minakov not fighting Kongo instead coming back undefeated and facing the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament winner Ryan Bader for the Bellator Heavyweight Title. James Gallagher not main eventing against some regional fighter, Steven Graham, who had zero wins against any opponent with a winning record. Instead have fans tuning in to see James Gallagher vs A.J. McKee and the build up would have been tremendous and have Charlie Ward or Paul Redmond or Norman Parke co-Main Eventing. So what if Gallagher loses, it's sports. It's not the promoter's job to send the fans home happy by having the hometown kid beating a. "Can". It's the promoter's job to send the fans home entertained be it win or lose. But Bellator will never make those logical decisions under Coker.