Negotiations are a major part of sports, even though it occurs behind the scenes. While fans see all the action that goes down on game or fight night, the discussions between executives, agents, and lawyers that help to create those events are often overlooked. Bellator MMA‘s CEO Bjorn Rebney has proven himself very keen at negotiating, and the recent situation with current free agent Ben Askren points is just the latest example of such.
Ben Askren is the 12-0 free agent who also currently holds Bellator’s welterweight title. After defeating Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 97 in July, he made it very clear that he intends to head towards the UFC. This meant he was willing to sit out the 12-month Bellator matching period if needed. Unlike other fighters, Askren has other sports ventures which can bring in suitable income during his time away from the cage.
However, recently Rebney made a very interesting proposition to the Ultimate Fighting Championship that has raised a lot of eyebrows. According to multiple reports, Rebney has agreed to waive Bellator’s matching rights under Askren’s deal if the UFC signs the former Olympic wrestler and gives him an immediate title shot against welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre. A bold move for sure, but it’s one that could potentially pay off for not only Askren, but for Bellator and other Bellator fighters as well.
Obviously this situation could pay off very big for Akren. St. Pierre is due to defend his title against Johny Hendricks next month at UFC 167. If the Canadian can get past Hendricks, that would leave him atop a division that is nearly devoid of challengers. Looking at many outlets’ top ten or top 15 rankings, the only three names in the UFC that come up who have neither been defeated by the champion nor suffered a recent loss are Rory MacDonald, Dong Hyun Kim, and Matt Brown. Brown faces Carlos Condit in December at UFC on Fox 9, so his schedule is booked. Rory MacDonald will be facing Robby Lawler at UFC 167, but even if he wins, he has expressed reluctance to face his mentor in the Octagon. Dong Hyun Kim is coming off of a major win, but he wouldn’t be considered a legitimate challenger without one more victory over a top ten opponent on his ledger. Enter Ben Askren.
Askren has an ability to talk up a bout that is reminiscent of Nick Diaz. Diaz came into the UFC from Strikeforce with an opportunity to fight GSP right out the gate, mostly because had no problem calling out the champ in a way that created interest in the fight. Akren can do the same thing, and with the UFC’s promotional strength, this fight between two champions could easily be sold to fans in a similar fashion.
And think back a few months to when the UFC and Bellator got into a bidding war over former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. While everything has been patched up now, that situation led to Alvarez and Bellator facing off in court over the matching rights situation. The UFC offered Eddie a very lucrative deal that included pay-per-view points and increased fight sums that Alvarez felt Bellator could not match. However, with Bellator stepping into the world of PPV, the promotion was able to convince its former champion to come back into the fold. Still, Bellator was left with a very black eye in the minds of both fans of the sport and fighters coming up with potential to be stars.
Two of these potential stars, Michael Chandler and Pat Curran, should be very interested in how this situation plays out. While Chandler has recently signed an extension with Bellator , if he can hold onto his belt until the end of that deal (including another defeat of the aforementioned Alvarez), then there is no doubt that fans would be calling for him to move to the UFC. Curran has been a growing name within the promotion as well, and he too could become a bigger star if he continues winning. If the UFC comes calling for both of these fighters, it wouldn’t be too shocking for Rebney to take the same stance. A win for a former Bellator champion over a current UFC champion would speak volumes for the promotion and its legitimacy. A defeat would save Viacom money in a bidding war. Either way, it’s a win for the second largest promotion in the sport, and a way for the promotion to restore some favor in the eyes of its fighters.
The business side of mixed martial arts rears its head from time to time as the sport continues to grow. Ben Askren’s quest to become the best welterweight in the world may partly play out in the cage, but the backstage machinations that would put him into the position to attain the title is yet another example of an area that fans don’t see too often. However, this is a situation to monitor which could lead to an important outcome for both Askren and the promotions vying for his services.
