Alvarez vs. Cerrone

This is the official discussion thread for Alvarez vs. Cerrone. Let's see what you've got.

This one would certainly qualify as the rumored Mega co-main event announcement to bolster what I would call one of the top 5 greatest cards in UFC history, no question. 

Although, I have a bad feeling Sherdog leaking news of the ongoing negotiations could make Viacom want to retain Alvarez's services. Hopefully it works out.

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 12:42 AM ET *

Scotty Coker will make Uncle Dana happy.

Seems strange that Coker wouldn't bank on his last fight for a great champion vs. champion Bellator headliner, it's not as if Bellator has anyone with anything close to Alvarez' star power there and Eddie has no problem finishing out his contract. Very strange, but you won't find me complaining, I'll take Alvarez vs. Cerrone over Alvarez vs. Brooks any day of the week.

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 12:46 AM ET *

Because Scotty Coker is still loyal to Dana. White knows the dudes from Spike and don't think he didn't discuss with Viacom that Coker was better for them than Bjorn.

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 12:49 AM ET *

This is nothing but a wild rumor at this point. Coker would be ******** to just give Alvarez up before his final fight on the current contract is complete. Alvarez is a name. If this does come into fruition, **** the UFC for moving this from Toronto.

PLEASE FIGHT GODS I PRAY TO YOU, MAKE THIS FIGHT HAPPEN!!!!

MY BODY IS READY!

This actually might be the best thing for Bellator. If they don't feel like they could resign Alvarez might as well let him go right now and promote Brooks to LW champion.

It would be disastrous for Bellator to have Alvarez to beat Brooks after beating Chandler, then just run off to the UFC. Now Bellator can just move forward with Brooks without Alvarez ruining him first.

@unbeknownst, I thought about that too, though it's not like Eddie leaving without beating Brooks adds him credibility. Either way people will say Eddie would beat him anyway. But think how big it would be for them if Brooks actually beat Eddie. Worth the chance.

Plus, at this point I think Coker's ditched Bjorn's "our champions can beat UFC champions" theme and is going with the "we're not competing against the UFC but will put some pretty rad fights on for you guys" theme he had at Strikeforce, so having Brooks lose to Eddie wouldn't be too damaging.

All in all, a promotion's legacy fight can happen on any given card. Pettis/Bendo made the last WEC card a milestone in MMA and the organization's legacy, I think it would be smarter the open the window for Eddie's farewell fight to be a memorable send-off rather than him just phasing into the UFC (if it had been known that his second fight vs. Chandler was his last it would've been perfect but it wasn't).

Not that it makes any difference, just think that wasting the last fight on your most bankable star's contract is worth much more tha anything Brooks will even mount to (from a star power POV) at Bellator so by "protecting" Brooks they wouldn't gain a lot, imo.

I think this is more about building a trust lane with the UFC than anything else, Dana wants to shut everyone up by selling 1,000,000 PPVs on a card and I'm pretty sure he wants Jones to be the one to do it because like him or not he's becoming the face of the sport. I have a feeling the minute they set Jones/Gus they knew that was the headliner they stack behind to silence the "PPV is dying" talks and "GSP and Anderson are gone, you have no more 1,000,000 PPV stars left" talks so they hit Coker up for a solid. Wild imaginary guess-work? Could be.

The person we need to thank for a stacked UFC 178 is Gustafsson, for giving the sport's biggest star a beating and making their rematch a marketing milestone :)

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 2:08 AM ET *

I think it's short sighted to think by not having Brooks try to beat Alvarez that it'll be held over his head. Brooks can go on a long reign as Bellator LW champion and people will give him credit for that and may start assuming that he would of beaten Alvarez had they fought.

This isn't the end of Bellator, like it was for WEC. It's a new beginning for all. Right now I think most MMA fans associate Bellator with the Alvarez dispute. If Alvarez fought again for Bellator the leading headline would always be, "Is this Alvarez' last fight for Bellator?" Now with a new beginning for all involved, they can can control the headline and make it all positive.

I still think that this is best thing for us fans, the UFC, Alvarez, and Bellator.

Brooks can go on the same reign and gain the same credibility (or belief that he can beat Alvarez) whether he loses to him now or not since he's young in his career and if he starts taking names they'll say "he was young then, it's not the same fighter". Still think that one last Alvarez fight would be the right way to go, but I see your point and you may be right, just not totally on board myself because in my opinion, win or lose, it's these fights that build stars not how many wins they have on their records. The best way to build Brooks would be to have him fight as many bigger names as possible, they most likely won't get another chance to give him someone as big as Alvarez in Bellator any time soon.

A hard fought loss in a bloody war to Alverez would build up his name and star power much more than 10 Bellator title defenses.

As for the "not the end of Bellator", you're right, but it would be Alverez' last fight and it would generate much more eyes than Brooks' first defense. Now if that fight turns out to be a memorable one, it swings a ****load of momentum Bellator's way even though Alverez is leaving, that's just the way it goes, the fight goes down in bellator history and solidifies the promotion's name. That kind of momentum and passing of the torch is the perfect scenario for the new beginning. Again, my opinion on the matter only, you may very we'll be seeing the situation better than I am.

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 2:28 AM ET *

Dear BasedGod please let this be real...

@unbeknownst, whether it's the right move or not, it lookד like Bellator are doing is from the reasons you stated (not building up Brooks per say, just not having their sole LW champ walk away with the belt):

1. Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  2m

   Coker has been here before. He washed his hands of Shields when he was SF champ. The plan at 1 time was to do same. Get ahead of the game.

   • Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  4m

     Sources told me last night if this leaks, Bellator might delay the process. They are ready to part ways but unclear what they'll do now.

     • Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  5m

       No one in the UFC will comment on it on or off the record because he's still under contract and that's a no-no. However …

       • Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  6m

         So if the new regime parts ways now after over a year of drama, it sends the msg that they are fighter friendly and not like the old regime.

         • Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  7m

           Alvarez only has one fight left on his deal, so if he wins that fight he can walk away with the belt. Not ideal. …

           • Ariel Helwani ‏@arielhelwani  8m

             I'm told, as of last night, Alvarez is still contacted to Bellator. There is, however, a push in the company to cut ties with him now.

             
             
             
             * Read from bottom to top :)

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 10:52 AM ET *

holy crap! when did this happen??? awesome!

:)

* Edited at 07.31.2014, 11:29 AM ET *

Epic fight! Dayum.. I think Alvarez nicks it.

Thanks Dana. lol