Should Bellator have said anything about Gilbert Melendez?

[shonuf]

What do you think?

I see some people saying it makes them look the the big losers now since Gil re-signed with the UFC.

 

[Go Go Plata]

Those people are idiots. Bellator established themselves as a big player by vying for Gilbert. They showed other fighters that there's an option and that they have negotiating power. Also, Bellator most likely made UFC pay 2-3x more for Gil than they would have in the first place.

Gil has the best contract in MMA, Bellator created PR for itself and is projecting themselves as being on the same level as the UFC, and the UFC ends up paying more for a guy they tried lowballing.

 

[Kingz]

Of course, some people will try to make Bellator look bad out of this. It's the law.

I don't see how him signing an offer sheet pending a match stays secret. Especially since Gil was front and center about it himself since it being public puts more pressure on Zuffa to consider matching. I don't see how they are losers about it. I doubt they had their whole summer planned out or anything.

If anything, Bellator successfully showed why their presence and ambition as a number 2 org is actually a good thing. If everybody just stood to serve up talent to the UFC...Gil would have made significantly less scratch with no PPV kick. Also, it forces their hand to give him a title shot and he immediately deserved after the split vs. Bendo instead of further wasting his time with high risk no reward bouts, and since they are paying him that much...they have to promote him better so now he is on TUF.

 

[Bluesbreaker]

^ Pretty much what I think, Go Go Plata.

What Bellator did was good for the sport. Even though they didn't end up with Gil, it forced the heavy-handed tyrants to rethink the contract and shows they might go after top fighters again if there are contract disputes.

 

[thetaylor22]

It doesn't make them look good or bad really. I'm happy for Gilbert. He's making way more money now, got a coaching gig on TUF and a title shot.

 

[emperor]

I don't see how it's bad for Bellator at all. Good for Gil, but doesn't really affect Bellator.

 

[VIP1349]

At the end of the day its good for fighters but to try to spin this as anything but a loss for Bellator is foolish. They went after a big name and reported it on their site and didn't get him. So in the end they don't get a top shelf guy, and had a chance to have three amazing Lightweights under their roster.

Now they have the chance to not get Gil, lose Eddie if he wins, and if he wins? Chandler will have lost a ton of luster.

Its not really a huge blow now but they had a chance to look like a real threat and UFC took that chance away. Now if they lose Eddie to the UFC as well, off of a PPV?

They will be branded the D-Leagues and lose any real ability to call themselves anything but.

Isn't really the worst thing to happen to them, but Gil signing would have been a huge deal. Now they are an Eddie win and signing with the UFC from losing all their credibility.

 

[DizzyYeahYeah]

They made a lot of noise and fighters can now negotiate with Bellator without being blackballed.

Anybody that thinks it makes Bellator look bad are dumb.

 

[shonuf]

At the end of the day its good for fighters but to try to spin this as anything but a loss for Bellator is foolish. They went after a big name and reported it on their site and didn't get him. So in the end they don't get a top shelf guy, and had a chance to have three amazing Lightweights under their roster.

Now they have the chance to not get Gil, lose Eddie if he wins, and if he wins? Chandler will have lost a ton of luster.

Its not really a huge blow now but they had a chance to look like a real threat and UFC took that chance away. Now if they lose Eddie to the UFC as well, off of a PPV?

They will be branded the D-Leagues and lose any real ability to call themselves anything but.

Isn't really the worst thing to happen to them, but Gil signing would have been a huge deal. Now they are an Eddie win and signing with the UFC from losing all their credibility.

That's a good point about losing Eddie. That will hurt for sure. We'll see if they can start making stars now. That's one thing that hasn't really happened yet from the Spike deal. I think people are starting to know Chandler. If he beats Eddie he may be the first real star to come out of the new deal.

 

[CC27]

How does Bellator look like losers?

Just like the UFC with eddie, they offered him a deal, the other or matched it. HOw can anyone blame Bellator for trying to sign Gil? UFC just matched.

IF anything to be perfectly honest this probably just helped Eddie Alvarez out a ton especially if he wins.

With no Gil, if Eddie beats Chandler again then Bellator has to throw everything they've got at signing him. With the deal Gil got if Eddie wins and is a free agent Bellator will throw everything they saved on Askren and Gil into signing Eddie.

And if they do that no way UFC will match it.

 

[Furious George]

I don't think trying to be competitive makes you look bad, more that it shows that you are still in the game and vying for the current contenders.

Makes them look good after signing dinosaurs like 'Page.

 

[goldenaxe]

Hey its part of business if a fighter is a free agent and your interested you offer them a deal.

It actually makes bellator look more legit they gave melendez a good offer and ufc outbid it.

Bellator didnt open up the checkbook when fitch and okami so it shows they only want guys they feel they can promote.

 

[Arkain2K]

I fully expect other fighters to call up Bellator in the future to find out how much they are worth instead of automatically excepting a lowball offer from Zuffa.

 

[goldenaxe]

I fully expect other fighters to call up Bellator in the future to find out how much they are worth instead of automatically excepting a lowball offer from Zuffa.

It wont work for most fighters Just top 5 guys probaly or big ppv sellers

 

[Damian Bartlett]

I fail to see how it makes Bellator look bad. Everybody knew if UFC matched, then Gil stays? But it drew publicity to Bellator from fans AND fighters, which can only be a good thing.

Sooner or later someone will call up Bjorn and jump ship. Someone frustrated at falling at the final hurdle, someone who feels theyre higher ranked than Dana does or someone simply wanting more money. I honestly expected Hendo to leave when he was lowballed, but I can see someone like Nate Diaz eventually losing his shit and walking.

 

[Lethal_Striker]

If Eddie wins and is able to walk away afterwards then Chandler wouldn't even be able to fight for the vacant title since he just lost his last 2 fights. So you would end up with Dave Jansen vs. another tournament winner for their vacant title.

 

[PIT FIGHTER]

Anyone accusing Bellator as being a "big loser" coming out of this is a dumbass.

Also, you're acting like Bellator controls what news comes out by wondering whether or not they should have made the contract offer public. Regardless of what Bellator did or did not do, the story would have been put out there.

 

[MrKilroyT]

Can't fault Bellator for trying to get an exciting top ten LW... esp w/ Eddie's contract situation up in the air.

Bellator doesn't look bad or good here. I mean I guess they could have offered him a ridiculous contract but that's how other organizations have killed themselves.

Gil is the real winner here. He gets a title shot and TUF $$$$.

 

[Amerikuracana]

That's a good point about losing Eddie. That will hurt for sure. We'll see if they can start making stars now. That's one thing that hasn't really happened yet from the Spike deal. I think people are starting to know Chandler. If he beats Eddie he may be the first real star to come out of the new deal.

It seemed like they were better at building stars BEFORE they were on Spike. If they would have signed Okami (who I think is near the end like Fitch, which people will see) the first guy to beat him would have been a "star," and the same with signing Fitch.. But they missed those boats.


As for the thread topic, Bellator did lose. They lost the only real thing these orgs have, a top 5 fighter. This is sports, having the best is what makes you the best, as confused as they get about that sometimes. Bellator should have re-signed Askren if possible, Okami, Fitch, and made a harder push at Khalidov..

 

[Amerikuracana]

If Eddie wins and is able to walk away afterwards then Chandler wouldn't even be able to fight for the vacant title since he just lost his last 2 fights. So you would end up with Dave Jansen vs. another tournament winner for their vacant title.

Jansen v Brooks is a very good LW fight.