For better or worse, Bellator’s first pay-per-view carried on as scheduled, if not with the original main event scheduled. After the loss of the rubber match between Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler, the promotional outfit soldiered on by banking on the name of former Ultimate Fighting Championship start, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The skeptics, including yours truly, voiced reservations about the legitimacy of the card; the event was a shaky PPV event, even with Alvarez v. Chandler as the centerpiece. Still, Bellator is looking to finally step out of the shadow of the UFC and plant their flag in the MMA world as a world-renowned promotional company. The actual numbers will not be known until a later date, but in looking back, one does have to wonder if the entity’s brain trust is concerned with the outcomes.
Although the PPV show hosted some solid bouts, the fact remains that the two fights that will be remembered the most were won by faded MMA stars once involved with the UFC. This fact presents a conundrum for the promotional outfit as, like it or not, Bellator has to continue to showcase Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, even though it is completely obvious that both are well past their expiration date. Read more...
BELLATOR'S FIRST PPV: FULL ARTICLE
