Scott Coker Says Bellator 180 Is The Biggest MMA Event This Year
In just a few short weeks, the Bellator MMA promotion returns to pay-per-view with a loaded card that features some of the biggest names in the sport right now.
According to Bellator MMA President Scott Coker, this show is going to be the biggest MMA event of 2017.
"This is not something we're going to go in and out of,” Coker said to ESPN. “This is something we're committed to. The company is committed to doing PPV fights. The PPV business is tough and there's a lot of competition in the marketplace. 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."
This is the promotion's second offering on pay-per-view, as Bellator 120 took place on May 17 of 2014 with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and King Mo in the main event.
The first Bellator MMA pay-per-view did approximately 100,000 buys, while Coker expects a much higher buy rate the second time around.
"When you say expectations, it's something I think we're going to feel. To me, any [buy rate] in the mid-200,000’s would be respectable. And anything in the 300,000’s would be considered a big hit,” says Coker.
Bellator 180 takes place on Saturday, June 24 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
