# RUMOUR: Bellator Signs Gina Carano and Marloes Coenen



## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

*Bellator to make 'major fight announcement' tomorrow, as rumors of Carano, Coenen signings surface*

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/8/11/5992789/mma-news-bellator-big-fight-announcement-tomorrow-rumor-gina-carano-signing












> Did Gina Carano opt to go to Bellator instead of the UFC? We could find out on Tuesday.
> 
> Some big news is apparently coming from Bellator on Tuesday, and it could drastically alter the UFC's plans for women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
> 
> ...


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

I doubt carano knocks back the UFC for bellator


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Would make sense for Gina though...test the waters before a Rousey matchup...I dunno, this rumour is picking up speed fast rather than being shot down. Coenen being removed from Invicta is interesting. She claimed she has "huge news" coming soon.


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Changed the original article, as Bloodyelbow are now picking up on the story


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

Hmm I still think carano goes to the ufc, I don't think she's ready to test the waters again because she's giving up acting pretty much for a little while to fight a huge fight.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

Didn't Bellator gut the female divison and say it was a waste of time?


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## GDPofDRB (Apr 18, 2013)

Would be freakin humor


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## prospect (Mar 26, 2014)

It would be nice to see carano fight in bellator first IMO


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## Spite (Jul 7, 2009)

It would be a coup for Bellator to sign Carano from under the UFC's noses. Especially given all the talk about a fight with Rousey.


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

It wouldn't surprise me honestly since Carano has worked for years with Coker and he took care of his fighters well...


But at this point Bellator officials are denying the rumors.

*So it looks like at this point Carano is NOT signing with Bellator.*


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## Joabbuac (Jan 31, 2009)

So does Carano want to get back into mma? I thought she was just interested in a money fight with Ronda


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## TheAuger (Jun 30, 2011)

With Bellator announcing the Melvin Manhoef vs. Doug Marshall today, can we officially call this rumor debunked?


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Who whole Gina Carano signing with them rumor more than likely yes. The idea of Marloes Coenen signing with them probably shouldn't be completely ruled out. However, the announcement in question may just have to do with her next fight in Invicta FC.


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## AlanS (Jun 16, 2009)

Looking online the rumour seems alive and kicking. I can see this happening, and invicta removing marloes from their site could be a hint that they've parted ways. She's been inactive a while now.

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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Like I said the Marloes Coenen joining Bellator rumor could be true. I doubt the Gina Carano rumor is true considering her contract with Zuffa. The likelihood they'll let her go to Bellator unless Gina or her agent specifically requests a release isn't happening.


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## AlanS (Jun 16, 2009)

Didn't Gina's contract with Zuffa end in June? She's a free agent.

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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Not if it's frozen, which Dana White said it was so that date is inaccurate. He said that's also what he did with GSP and Nick Diaz when both retired. That new deal for both of them is new.


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## LL (Mar 12, 2011)

I can't imagine she'd choose Bellator over the UFC, the payday in the UFC is significantly bigger even though they're just bringing her into lose to Ronda.

I've had my doubts that Ronda/Gina would happen, she struggled to make 145, to think she could make 135 seems a little crazy but I don't think she's coming back at all.


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

LL said:


> I can't imagine she'd choose Bellator over the UFC, the payday in the UFC is significantly bigger even though they're just bringing her into lose to Ronda.


We can't be so sure about that... Viacom can offer a much bigger paycheck than Zuffa can... they've put a lot of work in the past year or so with the purchase, recent signings, partnerships, removal of Rebney and signing of Coker...

They have deeper pockets than Zuffa does.... and who knows, Gina may not like the idea of being brought in as a sacrificial lamb in her first fight..... could even feel disrespected by it. Dana doesn't exactly have her best interest at heart there and she's sharp enough to catch that.

I'm interested to see how this plays itself out....


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

She doesn't need cash, if she comes back it will be to fight rousey.


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Kanto, show me where you've seen that Gina's contract is frozen.

Dana himself said back in June that he had a week to get things sorted with her, or else her contract runs out with Zuffa...hence she's free to fight wherever.

The time ran out, there's no time period for her contract to be frozen at, it ran out.


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## LL (Mar 12, 2011)

_RIVAL_ said:


> We can't be so sure about that... Viacom can offer a much bigger paycheck than Zuffa can... they've put a lot of work in the past year or so with the purchase, recent signings, partnerships, removal of Rebney and signing of Coker...
> 
> They have deeper pockets than Zuffa does.... and who knows, Gina may not like the idea of being brought in as a sacrificial lamb in her first fight..... could even feel disrespected by it. Dana doesn't exactly have her best interest at heart there and she's sharp enough to catch that.
> 
> I'm interested to see how this plays itself out....


I agree with the Dana part, clearly all he wants is to bring her in to make money off her and get Ronda an easy win, she hasn't fought in five years and Ronda is the most active champ in the UFC along with Mighty Mouse so clearly Gina is being brought in to lose and she may very well and should feel disrespected by that.

But at the same time, yes, Viacom owns Bellator but that doesn't mean all of Viacom's money is going to it, Bellator doesn't even have a Women's division and is she really going to stay if she does sign? She left the sport for five years, her athletic prime is pretty much done and the majority of the best female fighters are either in the UFC or Invicta which has a partnership with them, you can't have a two person division.


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

LL said:


> I agree with the Dana part, clearly all he wants is to bring her in to make money off her and get Ronda an easy win, she hasn't fought in five years and Ronda is the most active champ in the UFC along with Mighty Mouse so clearly Gina is being brought in to lose and she may very well and should feel disrespected by that.
> 
> But at the same time, yes, Viacom owns Bellator but that doesn't mean all of Viacom's money is going to it, Bellator doesn't even have a Women's division and is she really going to stay if she does sign? She left the sport for five years, her athletic prime is pretty much done and the majority of the best female fighters are either in the UFC or Invicta which has a partnership with them, you can't have a two person division.


The majority of the most known female fighters are in Invicta. They are considered the best because they are the most known.

There are a lot of local organizations that host WMMA. And Coker knows how to put this together. Viacom is gonna dump money into Bellator. They know that it is a literal cash cow. They know that MMA is booming and they can go into direct competition with the UFC with Coker behind the wheel. Scott knows how to build stars. Look what he did with Rhonda Rousey, Gina Carano, and Cyborg.... and they are still major stars to this day.

Believe that if they bring WMMA into Bellator it will most definatly not be a two woman division. 

That being said. I doubt that Carano signs at this point.... if she does sign all that tells us is that she's serious about competing again, and that she trusts Coker with her carreer much more than she trusts Dana with it.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah, Gina has worked with Scott Coker before whereas she's never worked with Dana White. She knows what to expect with Coker. Anyways the only contenders though at present for her are Coenen and Budd.


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Invicta's 145 division is thin I can see it dissolving as a lot of 145 fighters are going up to 155lbs in Invicta...interesting, I'm sure Coker is pursuing more 145 fighters as he won't build a division off of two women.

I think Bellator are making an excellent move here


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

CupCake said:


> Invicta's 145 division is thin I can see it dissolving as a lot of 145 fighters are going up to 155lbs in Invicta...interesting, I'm sure Coker is pursuing more 145 fighters as he won't build a division off of two women.
> 
> I think Bellator are making an excellent move here


They are I agree... and IMO Bellator is actually a better fit for Gina.. it's her natural weight cut.

Forcing herself to go down to a divison she's never fought at after 5 years inactive to fight the most active, and dominant champion WMMA has seen since her and Cyborg is pretty much carreer suicide.

If she has half a mind to compete and be fair to herself at this point it would be to test the waters at 145 and go from there..


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Actually Gina Carano did compete at bantamweight but that was EARLY in her career. Also featherweight is her natural weight and she should go that route. Coker does have an advantage in that he worked with Gina before.


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