Scott Coker: Fedor Emelianenko coming back, but Bellator not interested

Fedor basically bankrupted every org he fought for after pride. He earned those big pay days, and they needed him to have any hope of competing against the UFC. Sadly they could never get the numbers to help offset his massive pay. He got massive revenue splits, and also took an additional percentage as co-owner of m-1, which co-promoted all of his fights.

Bellator relies on tv audience, that aren't necessarily hard core MMA fans, just casual viewers. Fedor dosen't have that name value, among casual viewers that even a Tito has. He really needs a PPV partner, because he does have name value among fight fans, who will pay to watch him.
 
sverre054 said:
Fedor basically bankrupted every org he fought for after pride. He earned those big pay days, and they needed him to have any hope of competing against the UFC. Sadly they could never get the numbers to help offset his massive pay. He got massive revenue splits, and also took an additional percentage as co-owner of m-1, which co-promoted all of his fights.

Bellator relies on tv audience, that aren't necessarily hard core MMA fans, just casual viewers. Fedor dosen't have that name value, among casual viewers that even a Tito has. He really needs a PPV partner, because he does have name value among fight fans, who will pay to watch him.
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that is revisionist history at its best.

Barnett killed affliction, not fedor. They had a weak business model for a long term promotion but the shows they did put on were fantastic.

Strikeforce went off the rails because they broke the bank with the heavyweight grand prix. Overeem ditched the tourny after a weird fight with werdum and dana couldnt get along with the showtime suits.

Pride went under because they were riddled with corruption from within and they lost too much money trying to expand to the usa.

Affliction:
Examples of killing orgs are: Barnett sabotaging affliction's main event and making them cancel the event.

Elite XC
Kimbo laying an egg on the biggest stage of his career.
 
I wouldn't even blame Barnett for Affliction's demise. With the way they were paying guys they were sure to go out of business sooner or later. Guys on the undercard were earning more than current UFC main eventers earn now.
 
Coker learned his lesson with the idiotic M-1 deal they made in Strikeforce where they never made a dime off Fedor cards.

The truth is Fedor is not a draw, and the majority of casuals won't even know his name. He didn't produce a ROI despite being handsomely paid in previous organization. His last American PPV at the zenith of his career produced what? 50k buys?
 
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Bellator cant pay him and make it work. Viacom could come up with the money but without PPv to pay fedor they'd have to come out of pocket and it just doesnt make financial sense for them.

And the only big fights that would generate huge ratings are vs Kimbo and Lashley and who wants to see that?
 
Baba Ghanoush said:
Coker learned his lesson with the idiotic M-1 deal they made in Strikeforce where they never made a dime off Fedor cards.

The truth is Fedor is not a draw, and the majority of casuals won't even know his name. He didn't produce a ROI despite being handsomely paid in previous organization. His last American PPV at the zenith of his career produced what? 50k buys?
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100k against Sylvia for Affliction. Prior to that, 30k vs Coleman at Pride 32, then 13k vs Lindland for Bodog. Even Franklin/Okami, a UK show aired live at lunchtime in the States (UFC 72), doubled his Affliction ratings, and that card was also damaged by injuries.
 
So basically Fedor is not marketable and never has been
 
Francis Rossi said:
100k against Sylvia for Affliction. Prior to that, 30k vs Coleman at Pride 32, then 13k vs Lindland for Bodog. Even Franklin/Okami, a UK show aired live at lunchtime in the States (UFC 72), doubled his Affliction ratings, and that card was also damaged by injuries.
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It's not legit to compare Affliction and UFC cards as if the only thing that matters is who is one them. Affliction was a startup, the UFC has been going for over a decade and is so big that Yahoo Sports has a section "UFC" instead of "MMA".
 
Translation: He wants to go the UFC and we have no real way of recouping the money it'd cost to book him to fight smaller names.
 
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