Jimmy Smith on Bellator 300 – “It was like a funeral that brought all the friends together”
Former Bellator MMA commentator Jimmy Smith provided his thoughts on rumors that the promotion may no longer continue to promote shows.
“I went to Bellator 300 and it was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life,” Smith said in an Instagram live video. “It was weird. Very, very strange. The only analogy I can think of is that it was like a funeral that brought all the friends together.”
Smith talked about many of the former Bellator MMA executives and fighters who were in the building in San Diego on Saturday night for what could have been the promotion’s final show.
For several weeks now it has been speculated that Bellator MMA may be purchased by PFL MMA. Viacom, who owns Bellator MMA, allegedly wants to get out of the fight business.
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Bellator president Scott Coker has even addressed the uncertainty of Bellator’s future stating, “We’ll see where the future goes as far as if a deal is gonna happen or not gonna happen. These things take time, and until the time gets solidified it’s just speculation.”
The frontman for the second largest mixed martial arts promotion in the U.S. continued to discuss the situation.
“Keep in mind: I don’t own Bellator,” Coker said. “Bellator is not my company to own or to sell or to keep or to merge. It’s owned by Viacom, and they have a process that they do, and they’re doing what they need to do. It’s not something I own to sell or not sell. …
“It’s hard for me to really comment on (the situation) because it’s completely different. Now, there are some feelings that feel the same, but at the end of the day it’s not my company.”
