Bellator ‘Bad Guy’ no fan of MSG — or NYC
Bellator made its debut in Manhattan on Tuesday to promote its June 24 mixed martial arts card at Madison Square Garden. And though its introductory press conference might have lacked the overall fanfare and hype of UFC 205, Chael Sonnen did his part to stir things up in a big way.
Sonnen, the self-proclaimed “Bad Guy” will face Wanderlei Silva in the co-main event and wasn’t pleased Silva didn’t attend the presser in person, opting to be seen on a live feed from Brazil.
“It looks like he found a bathroom as a backdrop in the men’s shelter bathroom he’s living in in Rio and got somebody to point a cell phone at his face,” Sonnen said.
Silva’s response was “Suck my b---s.”
Later in a solo-fighter pose, Sonnen said: “Feast your eyes and fantasize ladies and gentlemen because on June 24 the king of pay-per-view is coming to your decrepit building in this concrete city to take your money and go back to Oregon still undefeated and still undisputed.”
Sonnen, of West Linn, Ore., is actually 29-15-1 and coming off a loss to Tito Ortiz at Bellator 170 in January. Silva is 35-12-1 with one no contest. The light heavyweights will meet in one half of a double main event that also includes MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) making his Bellator debut against former Giants defensive end Matt Mitrione (11-5).
The pay-per-view offering will also include two world championship bouts, with Douglas Lima (28-6) defending his Bellator welterweight title against Lorenz Larkin (18-5, 1 NC) and lightweight champ Michael Chandler (16-3) defending against Brent Primus (7-0). Tickets starting at $60 go on sale Friday, but presales are available at Bellator.com on Wednesday.
“This is going to be one of the biggest events in MMA history. I’m ready to make it one of the best fights of my career,” Silva said.
Bellator, owned by New Yorkbased Viacom, has been looking to stage a card in New York since the state legislature legalized MMA in the spring of 2016. Since then the UFC has held two events: UFC 205 at the Garden and UFC 208 at Barclays Center. Bellator president Scott Coker said he wanted to wait until he could build a card suitable for a debut at the Garden.
“This is an iconic moment for the MMA business,” Coker said. “We wanted to come when we had an amazing fight card from top to bottom that the fans are going to love and is worthy of being in New York at Madison Square Garden.”
Sonnen wasn’t exactly playing homage at the chance to fight at the Garden.
“Why this is a big deal when you’ve got a city decorated in concrete is beyond me,” he said. “If you have a building as old as MSG in my hometown, we’ll tear it down. While everybody is happy to be in New York, New York is happy to have me.”
Coker isn’t sure how many Bellator events per year will be held in New York, but plans to use venues upstate as well.
“I think we’ll be come back once or twice a year and do something massive at the Garden,” he said.