Scott Coker: Bellator NYC is the ‘best MMA PPV that’s been offered in 2017’
Bellator CEO Scott Coker is mighty proud of his company’s upcoming pay-per-view event in New York City this June.
With the absence of their foremost superstars such as Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey, the UFC has only put up one considerably massive fight card for 2017 so far, and that was UFC 211. Rival Bellator, meanwhile, is slated to hold its first New York City event this June, marking the second pay-per-view event in the company’s history.
Bellator NYC will be headlined by a grudge match between former UFC veterans Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva. It will also include the postponed heavyweight bout between MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko and Matt Mitrione, as well as two other title fights.
On paper, the event is already showing a ton of promise, and CEO Scott Coker is rightfully proud of it. In a recent interview with ESPN.com, Coker is banking on this card to be a major success story for 2017, in terms of ranking pay-per-view fights.
"The PPV business is tough and there's a lot of competition in the marketplace,” Coker said. “There's boxing fights around us, wrestling events, other MMA shows. But honestly, I think this is the best MMA PPV that's been offered in 2017. I'm a fight fan and always buy the big fights; I haven't bought one of them this year. But this PPV, the way we've stacked it from top to bottom, is the best offering this year."
The two co-headliners will be featuring three fighters who are 40 years of age, while Mitrione is 38 years old. This puts them at a higher risk to injury, which can lead to possible fight cancellations or changes. Coker, however, does not seem too bothered by it.
"This is a sport where you could be 21 years old and still have the same risks. Look at the fights that have fallen off this year. Let's be honest. Age doesn't have anything to do with it,” Coker said. “It has to do with the fact that accidents happen all the time and people get injured."
Bellator’s New York City card will take place on June 24th at Madison Square Garden.