Here's five names I'm looking out for, and only one is former UFC.
Ben Askren
He technically never lost his belt, and he recently got into a Twitter feud with Rory, potentially setting up a future fight. Few things holding this signing back though. For starters, his contract with OneFC. Bellator has co-promoted fights in the past, but co-promoting a fighter not on your roster who could potentially wreck your champion would be a stupid move. Also, Coker said he wasn't interested because he doesn't believe Askren wants anything more than 1 more fight, and he wants to sign fighters who are a long term investment.
Galore Bofando
I think we all remember that highlight reel KO, he landed in his UFC debut, but if you don't here it is-
View: https://youtu.be/PM4dAE0uIJ8
- He's still young, and he fights out of London, which is an emerging market for Bellator. They're having Bellator 200, one of there biggest cards of the year, in London and not in the states, which I think says something about long term plans. Galore would be a great addition to the roster.
Ariane Lipski
View: https://youtu.be/1e0SiAp5SgE
I mean, just look at her. Ronda proved that a) if you can fight and b) if you're a pretty girl, people will talk. Ariane is prettier and fights with a style that would have people talking. They call her 'the Violence Queen'. That's marketable as fuck. Askren might headline a big show or two, Ariane might be the face of the whole company for the next few years of signed and promoted right.
Vitaly Minakov
View: https://youtu.be/g8rb72A2XLY
Like Askren, he was a champion for them who left without ever losing his title in the cage. Forget signing any HW the UFC might cut loose- sign this guy back, let him fight the winner of the Grand Prix, and let fans debate who has the better champion. Imagine Volkov beats Miocic, then Bellator resigns Minakov. I guarantee they'd mention it every 10 minutes how their champion best the reigning UFC champion. And they'd be right to do it- their biggest fight is against the perception that the UFC has the better guys. Signing Minakov would be a great blow to that argument.
Kron Gracie
View: https://youtu.be/nAZBMRk1Eig
They have Neiman Gracie, and Khonry Gracie (Royce's son) signed already. But if I had to put money in which guy would be the one to win a major title and get people talking about and fearing the Gracie name again, hands down it's Rickson's son, Kron. He trains with the Diaz brothers, so his boxing is improving everyday. His cardio hasn't been an issue, and doesn't look to be (again- he trains with the Diaz brothers, who are cardio machines). And his jiu jitsu is lethal. He f'n submitted Shinya Aoki in a straight jiu jitsu match. Whatever money they were thinking about floating Hendo or Chuck Liddell's way should be bagged up and thrown at Kron's doorstep.
