Bellator General Discussion and Info

Jasen777 · Post #521 » by **Jasen777** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:54 pm

Ben Askren: Bellator Barely Drug Tests Fighters

Apparently when they fight on Indian Reservations, fighters don't get drug tested...

Cammo101 · Post #522 » by **Cammo101** » Mon May 13, 2013 10:53 pm

Jasen777 wrote:Ben Askren: Bellator Barely Drug Tests Fighters

Apparently when they fight on Indian Reservations, fighters don't get drug tested...

Despite claims to the opposite, I like Bellator and root for them to succeed. But man, there seems to be a lot of shady stuff going on over there. These last few weeks have been really bad for Bellator. They can't get out of their own way when it comes to bad press.

Cammo101 · Post #523 » by **Cammo101** » Tue May 14, 2013 8:38 am

And right on queue...

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/13/43 ... r-mma-news

SDM · Post #524 » by **SDM** » Wed May 15, 2013 12:16 pm

I think that's mostly a coincidence. In Season Eight I only see 2/11 events being on reservations. Bellator moved up to Bojanglez Coliseum, USF Sun Dome, basically second-tier regional event centers, all operating under commissions. If Askren hasn't been tested all that often, he likely will be going forward.

Bernman · Post #525 » by **Bernman** » Wed May 22, 2013 7:58 pm

Bellator signed Paul Sass and Rob Sinclair. Those are good signings to prompt a UK TV deal and in general. I think Sinclair was the BAMMA LW champ, and Sass was harshly cut from the UFC with a winning record and at a young age. I thought Sass displayed talent and improvement in the Wiman fight in spite of losing. The stand-up looked pretty fluid and he got the fight to the ground against a wrestler quite easily. Then he got lay and prayed by Castillo in his next fight. He might not have thought that was possible after subbing everyone from the bottom previously.

REDDzone · Post #526 » by **REDDzone** » Sat Jun 1, 2013 11:34 pm

Bellator signs Bubba Jenkins and John Alessio.

I forget anything I once knew about Alessio, but Jenkins is like, one of best wrestlers in the world caliber dude. So that has to be a good get.

Cammo101 · Post #527 » by **Cammo101** » Sun Jun 2, 2013 12:20 am

REDDzone wrote:Bellator signs Bubba Jenkins and John Alessio.

I forget anything I once knew about Alessio, but Jenkins is like, one of best wrestlers in the world caliber dude. So that has to be a good get.

Jenkins is a great signing. Alessio is meh. I know Bellator (rightly) tries to sign few UFC retreads, but they don't often sign the right ones.

SDM · Post #528 » by **SDM** » Tue Jun 4, 2013 3:18 pm

Jenkins is super green. We'll see.

They also signed Rampage to the same kind of deal King Mo has. You'll likely see Rampage on TNA.

Not sure on his next fight(s).

Bernman · Post #529 » by **Bernman** » Tue Jun 4, 2013 5:25 pm

It's a good signing talent and personality wise. I have no idea if it's value without seeing the contract.

Rampage hasn't been the same the last couple years, but I thought he looked half back against Glover. Maybe further recovery from injuries, and TRT, could return him almost back to normal. He's not overly old at 34.

Losing out on Barnett hurt a little. He never seemed that interested.

Their LHW division is coming along. Now they just gotta start using their talent to the fullest instead of holding fighters back so they can protect "stars" like King Mo.

They really need to find a way to lure Khalidov for the MW division. First they lost Lombard, then I think idiotically cut the undefeated Bruno Santos, and now Vasilevsky may be returned to M-1 for good. They desperately require reinforcements to bounce back.

Bernman · Post #530 » by **Bernman** » Tue Jun 4, 2013 9:52 pm

Kongo also signed.

It turns out that Brazilian website which reported a couple days ago was pretty credible. They stated that Bellator had: signed Kongo, Rampage, and he'd debut in November against Roy Jones Jr. So get ready for a Pride style freak fight.

It seems part of Viacom's strategy, at least in the interim, is to get crossovers from other sports and promotions, i.e.: boxing, tna/wrestling, and ufc. It could work I suppose, if it's used for a limited time, and they aren't grossly overpaying.

As for myself, I'd just have played it straight, building up as big of a roster of prospects as possible, to supplement with a few stars like Rampage and Barnett, and select cast-offs like Sass and Fitch to use as measuring sticks and name builders. They had laid the groundwork for that, and their work could have finally paid off now that they had a platform for exposure. I also wouldn't have played hardball with as much talent to keep them flowing in. They have to play some. They can't just let anyone go who wants to, otherwise they'd be a feeder. But if few fighters are willing to sign with you, then it's even worse. We'll have to see over time if they burned too many bridges.

Jasen777 · Post #531 » by **Jasen777** » Thu Jun 6, 2013 1:33 am

Rampage is going to fight at heavywieght appearently.

SDM · Post #532 » by **SDM** » Thu Jun 6, 2013 2:21 am

Gets even weirder.

"I've always been a big Hulk Hogan fan. I was The Ultimate Warrior for two years in a row for Halloween. I used to bench press my friends. I can't wait to get into pro wrestling. This deal I just signed allows me to be a big kid all year round. I get to train for fights, train for pro wrestling and give you guys backstage passes to all this crazy stuff. I'm just enjoying it. I can't wait to get out there and show TNA what's up. I talked to Mo. It only makes sense. Me and Mo were thinking about teaming up and being tag team partners in TNA. We didn't see eye to eye in the past and I thought I'd have to put a whoopin' on Mo. I can only take him for a short period of time but who knows, we might be best friends one day."

He's debuting during tomorrow night's TNA event.

Bernman · Post #533 » by **Bernman** » Thu Jun 6, 2013 2:47 am

I think Rampage is a WAY better fit for pro wrestling than Mo.

Bjorn conned Dixie Carter just so he could get King Mo into the Bellator fold. Mo has a rather genuine, mellow, unless he's perturbed about something, personality.

Whereas Rampage is loud, often clowning around, and has major acting experience. I think he sells himself to a pro wrestling promoter. Actually, I think he could be popular in WWE if he got the opportunity.

That's why I think this marriage works much better for both parties, Bellator and TNA. It could be absolutely huge for Bellator if Rampage is a TNA standout and continues to do movies where he'd get on Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Fallon again, this time getting his new MMA org mainstream recognition.

cowboyronnie · Post #534 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu Jun 6, 2013 8:08 pm

Rampage has always wanted to do pro wrestling, talked about it before even entering Pride. Like, while he was doing KOTC and that Japanese kickboxing.

Gibby · Post #535 » by **Gibby** » Thu Jun 6, 2013 11:26 pm

Rampage at heavyweight? Dude won't have to train at all now

SDM · Post #536 » by **SDM** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:08 pm

Starting September 13th, Bellator is back on Friday nights.

Great news for me!

El Hardee · Post #537 » by **El Hardee** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:37 pm

I heard Bellator doesnt test for steroids, that really makes iffy on some of the retreads from the UFC if they start getting on a win streak in Bellator.

Bernman · Post #538 » by **Bernman** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 5:32 pm

El Hardee wrote:I heard Bellator doesnt test for steroids, that really makes iffy on some of the retreads from the UFC if they start getting on a win streak in Bellator.

That's not true. Typically an organization doesn't test, it's the commissions that make the choice. The organization only has leeway on the jurisdictions they compete under. And I haven't seen compelling evidence that Bellator avoids places that drug test. They choose locations on the basis of what will generate them the most revenue it seems. They used to go to indian casinos heavily because they'd get a site fee whereas they'd have to pay at arenas. Now they go to more arenas because they can fill them better from the increased exposure they get on Spike. I don't think testing of Bellator's fighters is much different than it was for Strikeforce's. I've seen some samples from fighters themselves, albeit small, to verify that. Outside UFC these days (they used to be the same as all the others until they got rich), testing in the major orgs is inconsistent, but it does take place. There is much less deterrence, but it's not devoid of it. Utah tested several fighters before Bellator 90. Maybe that's why King Mo lost.

El Hardee · Post #539 » by **El Hardee** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:23 pm

When Rich Hale made his Bellator run he would come train with us in AZ and he was freakish strong we ALL new it had to be roids, my partner now who is 3-0 in Bellator has yet to submit to a drug test.

Jasen777 · Post #540 » by **Jasen777** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:29 pm

Bellator takes huge rating hit in move to Wednesday

The latest bit of evidence comes in the form of Bellator ratings. Bellator in its first season on Spike TV averaged 809,000 viewers, airing directly after TNA Impact on Thursday nights at 10 p.m.

On Wednesday night, it had its first show on Spike TV that didn't have a pro wrestling lead-in. The show headlined by "King" Mo Lawal against Seth Petruzelli did a 0.4 rating and 480,000 viewers from 8-10 p.m.

The debut of Fightmaster, Bellator's new reality show starring coaches Frank Shamrock, Randy Couture, Joe Warren and Greg Jackson, did 432,000 viewers from 10-11 p.m. Neither show cracked the top 100 in the 18-49 demographic for Wednesday.