MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[_DCdoctr_]

Randy better think long and hard before signing that Bellator contract.





BP

[trustkill]

Randy Couture Signs Partnership with Spike, Will Coach on New Bellator Reality Series | MMAWeekly.com

Randy Couture has signed a new deal to keep him involved in mixed martial arts, but what may or may not come as a surprise, is the company he signed the deal with.

Spike TV officials on Tuesday morning sent out a release confirming a new partnership between the network and the former UFC champion, although they didn’t yet announce the scope of the partnership.

The crux of the deal, however, is Couture’s involvement as a coach on the upcoming Bellator MMA reality series that begins filming in February.

The partnership, according to a report by Sports Illustrated and confirmed by MMAWeekly.com sources, is a multi-year agreement that involves multiple projects. The Bellator coaching stint is just the launching pad.

Seeing as how Spike TV and Bellator MMA are properties under the Viacom umbrella, Couture’s involvement will likely heavily revolve around Bellator, but may include many other opportunities.

Viacom is a multi-billion-dollar media company that includes BET Networks, MTV Networks, and Paramount Pictures, among other interests.

MMAWeekly.com’s sources said Couture’s position as one of the first two coaches on Bellator’s new reality series on Spike TV is set, and further indicated that his opposing coach is likely to be another pioneering figure in mixed martial arts.

Official details of Couture’s new partnership with Spike will be revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 5, during a media conference call.

UFC president Dana White, when asked about the possibility of his company being a monopoly, along with citing a Federal investigation that determined it is not, has often noted that part of Bellator’s ownership includes Viacom, and that Viacom is sitting on billions of dollars that the UFC isn’t.

It now seems that Viacom is ready to start utilizing some of that money and it’s position in the entertainment industry to build Bellator into a viable competitor.

MMAWeekly.com’s sources said Couture’s position as one of the first two coaches on Bellator’s new reality series on Spike TV is set, and further indicated that his opposing coach is likely to be another pioneering figure in mixed martial arts.

Can't wait to find out who it is.

[Kimbo> Rampage]

Randy sure seems thankful for everything the UFC has done for him.

Originally Posted by _DCdoctr_

Randy better think long and hard before signing that Bellator contract.




BP

lol

[_DCdoctr_]

Originally Posted by trustkill

Randy Couture Signs Partnership with Spike, Will Coach on New Bellator Reality Series | MMAWeekly.com







Can't wait to find out who it is.

Well the Iceman, of course. Wouldn't that complete the shat sandwich for Dana?





BP

[trustkill]

Originally Posted by _DCdoctr_

Well the Iceman, of course. Wouldn't that complete the shat sandwich for Dana?





BP

Ha. Yea that's not likely to happen, but Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz were suggested and I think they're leading candidates. Fedor is the dark horse.

Oh wait, I just figured out who it's gonna be--Steven Seagal. Bam!!!

Seagal and Couture started beefing in December, same time when the deal was signed:

http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/201...e-oh-it-is-on/

[Kimbo> Rampage]

Originally Posted by _DCdoctr_

Well the Iceman, of course. Wouldn't that complete the shat sandwich for Dana?





BP

liddell and dana have always been close. Dana and Randy have been odd.

Originally Posted by trustkill

Ha. Yea that's not likely to happen, but Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz were suggested and I think they're leading candidates. Fedor is the dark horse.

Oh wait, I just figured out who it's gonna be--Steven Seagal. Bam!!!

Seagal and Couture started beefing in December, same time when the deal was signed:

Steven Seagal calls out Randy Couture, and Couture responds … oh it is on | Off the Bench

Segal already kicked his ass, in a movie... and has his pupil machida ko him with a kick he invented.

What more would he have to prove.

[MIZjitsZOU]

I like this move. Can't wait to find out who will coach against him. Love me some Bellator!

[optimusjoel]

The key difference between Viacom and every other MMA org. is that Viacom was working very closely with the UFC for many years. We may actually have 2 major orgs. within the next decade.

[AnchorPunch]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but isn't it suggesting that Randy signed with Spike and that there's potentially more in that contract than just the Bellator series?

The way I see it, Randy needs media exposure as he's (seemingly) seriously pursuing his Hollywood career. Right now, the UFC isn't positioned to expand his public image, so Spike is a better fit. Maybe I'm a jerk, but that doesn't seem disloyal at all to me.

[YukonJordan]

WTF Hosers.

Randy doesn't owe the UFC anything at this point, he helped build the UFC to where it is and was reportedly well paid for that. Dana can complain that he's paid Randy x millions of dollars over the years but he received his money's worth from Couture just by beating the most unmarketable heavyweight champion of the modern era when he smoked Sylvia.

This is a situation that is good for everybody except maybe the UFC. Randy gets a gig that he wants to do that is paying him what he feels is worth the job. We as fans get a coach on Bellator that is smart and entertaining. The fighters he will be training certainly get a beacon of knowledge and wisdom to draw from. And finally the sport gets an ambassador that is well spoken and well received outside of MMA media.