Scott Coker Says There is A Long List of Free Agents That Want to Face Fedor
Interview with Scott Coker above
Scott Coker announced Fedor Emelianenko’s next fight in Russia early on Friday before Bellator 261. After the event, questions were asked about who the legendary heavyweight could be sharing the main event with and the name’s that came up, were all ones that would draw the interest of longtime MMA fans.
During the post-event press conference, Coker told the media about a few heavyweights being discussed. Coker said, “There is a long laundry list here of people that have raised their hands to come fight Fedor in Russia. I’m sure you guys know all of the names that have been thrown out there. So, we’re gonna evaluate it and then I’m going to talk to Fedor [Emelianenko] tomorrow morning and see what he’s thinking.”
Coker already believes he knows Emelianenko’s response. He knows he will want Coker and Bellator to choose his opponent but Coker said all the free agents were already reaching out. The names that were mentioned were; Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos, and Josh Barnett. Coker said Barnett was already texting him the same day of the announcement, and Barnett doubled down on social media saying the October dates and location, “works for me.”
Works for me. https://t.co/FmwvyUoNxx
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) June 25, 2021
Coker added, “Like I said, there’s a long list of people that have their hands raised to come fight the greatest heavyweight of all time and, why not? If I was one of those guys I’d be raising my hand too.”
Coker said managers of the above-mentioned free agents already reached out but Barnett seems most interested. Both men fought in the Pride Fighting Championships era of MMA and oddly enough, it is a fight fans never got to see. It almost happened in 2009 at the now-defunct Affliction MMA promotion, but never panned out since Barnett was denied his license.
Maybe that’s the one to make, for old times sake. What do you think?
