Scott Coker: Bellator, free agent Luke Rockhold in discussions to see if there’s ‘a fit’
LOS ANGELES – A reunion between Scott Coker and Luke Rockhold could come to fruition.
Officially a free agent no longer with the UFC, Rockhold (16-6) recently revealed he intends on pursuing further combat sports opportunities.
Wednesday, Coker told MMA Junkie he’s been in touch with Rockhold’s manager Dave Martin, of MAG Sports, about the possibility of working together. Coker added Rockhold plans to attend Bellator 290 on Saturday.
“We’ve talked to Dave Martin and I think he’s going to come to the fight. We’ll probably have a conversation or two,” Coker said after a Bellator 290 news conference. “We just haven’t sat down and had a real conversation yet. We’ve been busy with this event, but we will at some point, to see if there’s something that could work or if there’s a fit.”
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Rockhold, 38, returned from a near-three-year layoff in August when he lost a Fight of the Night bonus-earning bout against Paulo Costa. The defeat was his third in four fights since he lost the UFC middleweight title to Michael Bisping in 2016.
In the lead-up to his final UFC bout, Rockhold vented a handful of frustrations, particularly with fighter compensation and benefits. He indicated retirement possible, if not likely, following the fight. However, after he received his official UFC release, Rockhold indicated a fire lit beneath him.
