Cris Cyborg- MMA’s Grand Slam champion and the reigning Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion had become a free agent, but in the end, decided to stick with the promotion, and the president Scott Coker detailed how they were able to land a new deal with her.
We’ve been together such a long time: Scott Coker
Having been the Featherweight titleholder since 2020, Cyborg made her fourth and latest title defense against Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279 in April last year and in the summer that followed, she decided to not renew her contract with the promotion and headed to free agency.
There had been rumours that the Brazilian veteran would switch to another promotion, with many calling for a move to PFL and a super showdown with Kayla Harrison there, Cyborg did ultimately decide to return to Bellator.
In the post-fight conference after Bellator 296, Coker elaborated how the new contract with Cyborg came to fruition.
“You know what, it was really interesting,” Coker told reporters. “I don’t want to tell you about the whole process, but we got a phone call from her and her manager, and they said, ‘We have chosen to stay, and we would like to make a deal.’ So within an hour, we made a deal and inked it in the next two hours. So within a three-hour period, we went from waiting to see what was going to happen with her right to match and other offers coming from other leagues to her making a choice to stay with Bellator and continue her fighting career. We’ve been together such a long time. Her first fight with us was in 2009, so we have a long relationship. I just think she felt comfortable, and she saw our commitment to that weight division is strong.” [H/T MMA Junkie]
In an official announcement of the new contract, Cyborg herself worded why she chose not to move to another promotion.
“After receiving multiple offers from several promotions I’m very happy that I was able to come to terms with Bellator and remain the face of their women’s featherweight division,” Cyborg stated. “Scott Coker is a promoter that I’ve worked with and respected for many years. He’s done so much to further women’s MMA and give us a platform to showcase our skills.”
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