Darrion Caldwell content fighting for Bellator: I’m not ‘going anywhere’

[Wild]

Darrion Caldwell explains why he’s happy fighting for Bellator MMA for the majority, if not the rest, of his career.

Darrion Caldwell is flashy in the cage and finishes fights. He’s a good talker and, most importantly, has legitimate skills. He’s also only two fights away from the Bellator MMA bantamweight title — a win over Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 159 this weekend will earn him a shot at bantamweight gold against champ Eduardo Dantas. Simply put, Caldwell is a star in the making.

Bellator MMA is fully on board with this reality. The organization is pushing him as the next big thing at bantamweight. The 28-year-old’s upcoming fight serves as the headliner of the event, but he’s already familiar with the spotlight — he fought Joe Warren in his first main event slot last year.

…


Darrion Caldwell content fighting for Bellator: I’m not ‘going anywhere’

 

[TheEmperorRises]

He 'fought' Joe Warren.

Should say 'destroyed'

 

[Punch]

He 'fought' Joe Warren.

Should say 'destroyed'

When he dropped him on his head i started channeling good ol' JR.

"BY GAWD, HE BROKE HIM IN HALF!"

 

[TheEmperorRises]

When he dropped him on his head i started channeling good ol' JR.

"BY GAWD, HE BROKE HIM IN HALF!"

"SOMEBODY STOP THE DAMN MATCH!!"

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Lets see what he says when he has one fight left on his contract and money gets involved.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

Lets see what he says when he has one fight left on his contract and money gets involved.

That situation already came up- he just recently resigned with them.

Darrion Caldwell signs seven-fight contract extension with Bellator

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Like i said, lets see whatbhebsaysbwhen this is over. Will Brooks said the same thing.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

Like i said, lets see whatbhebsaysbwhen this is over. Will Brooks said the same thing.

Will Brooks never said that. He hated being in Bellator and said as much as often as he could.

 

[Wild]

Like i said, lets see whatbhebsaysbwhen this is over. Will Brooks said the same thing.

Will Brooks couldn't wait to get to the UFC. Apparently it's been a dream of his for a while because he bitched and moaned about it for about a year, before Coker told him to pound sand.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Will Brooks couldn't wait to get to the UFC. Apparently it's been a dream of his for a while because he bitched and moaned about it for about a year, before Coker told him to pound sand.

Thats easy to do when you have no competition for him.

 

[Wild]

Thats easy to do when you have no competition for him.

He went running from Bendo.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

Thats easy to do when you have no competition for him.

That 1 on his 20-1 record fights for Bellator. Saad Awad. KO'd him. So he could have started there. Or fought one of the Pitbull brothers. Benson Henderson. Josh Thomson. Marcin Held rematch. Etc etc.

There were fights for him, he'd just already made up his mind that he wanted to leave.

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

As long as Caldwell can make as much as possible with Bellator then I'm all for it.

I don't like the idea of fighters saying that they aren't looking for a better opportunity. My boss knows that I love my job, love working for this company, and I'm not seeking employment elsewhere. He also knows that I will leave if presented with a better offer or if my conditions change in this company. Fighters should be vocal about that as well. Let the promotion know that your loyalty to them is exactly as strong as their loyalty to you. If they drop the ball you won't hesitate to put yourself in a better situation.

 

[Wild]

I would love to see Caldwell vs Straus.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

As long as Caldwell can make as much as possible with Bellator then I'm all for it.

I don't like the idea of fighters saying that they aren't looking for a better opportunity.

I agree, I'm just not sold that fighting in the UFC is a better oppurtunity. I don't think Caldwell is either. Here's from the article-

The thought of fighting top bantamweights like Dominick Cruz, T.J. Dillashaw, Urijah Faber and Aljamain Sterling in the UFC did dawn on Caldwell. But he believes he has everything he needs with Bellator.

"I know I can beat those guys," he said. "And hopefully one day I'll get a chance to see them. Maybe they'll come over to Bellator one day and realize the grass is greener on the other side over here.

"Whether it's the UFC, Bellator, anywhere in the world, there's not a 135-pounder that can beat me."

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

It isn't about the grass actually being greener. You have to negotiate from a position of strength. If Bellator knows that you're not going anywhere then they're not going to volunteer to give you the most amount of money that they're willing to give.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

It isn't about the grass actually being greener. You have to negotiate from a position of strength. If Bellator knows that you're not going anywhere then they're not going to volunteer to give you the most amount of money that they're willing to give.

From a lesser known fighter, I'd say that's true. But he just finished wrecking Joe Warren when this deal was signed- I imagine Bellator realized what they had with him and made him a good deal.