Bellator MMA has been on an upward trajectory ever since its new owners at Viacom/Spike TV handed Scott Coker the reigns in 2014, but things have really picked up in the past year on the strength of marquee free-agent signings and highly-rated “tentpole” events.
And according to Coker, fight fans should only expect more of that winning one-two punch going forward. Bellator is planning an increase to eight big shows this year, with the chance to hit one per month within the next 2-3 years, and will continue to doggedly pursue the sport’s top talents to feature on these cards.
“If you look at the fighters we signed last year and the fighters we’ll get this year, I believe we’ll have an 80 to 90 percent success rate with the fighters we wanted to sign who we feel would move the needle for us,” Coker said. “Any fighter we feel can add value to this roster, we’re going to go out there and do our best to sign him.”
In hopes of finding the next crop of future champions in a more competitive market, Coker has really tapped into the collegiate wrestling circuit, signing All-Americans like Jarod Trice, Joey Davis and Tyrell Fortune, as well as the soon-to-debut 20-year-old Aaron Pico — arguably the most-anticipated blue chipper in MMA today.
Read More: MMA In 2017 Part V: Bellator Not Stopping Free Agency Push, Upping Tentpole Events & New Territories