Bellator boss Scott Coker says New York event likely for 2017

Bellator initially pushed to have a light heavyweight title fight between champ Liam McGeary and Phil Davis at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Scheduling problems nixed that opportunity, but Bellator President Scott Coker said the promotion hasn’t given up on the Empire State. “A couple” of dates are on hold, he told MMAjunkie during a media teleconference.

“As far as the fight, we want to bring the right fight there, and if we could have put it together, this fight would have been one of the big fights on the (New York) card,” Coker said. “We’re going to wait and when we do it, we’ll do it right. There’s no timetable, whether it happens in first quarter of next year.”

The long-anticipated meeting between McGeary (11-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA), who’s been sidelined due to injury, and Davis (16-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) was moved to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., which already has hosted several Bellator events. The fight headlines Bellator 163 on Nov. 4 with main card bouts airing on Spike and prelims on MMAjunkie.

Coker said he remains in contact with “both venues” in New York, meaning that Madison Square Garden in New York City is also a possibility for an event. In March, MMA was legalized, opening a much sought-after market for promoters.

The industry-leading UFC is the first major MMA promotion to hold a professional event in the state since the legalization with UFC 206 on Nov. 12, while WSOF is planning a blowout show for Dec. 31. Both are set for Madison Square Garden.

“I think we’ll probably go to the City first,” Coker said. “There’s some great talent on the roster; I think timing is going to be an issue of when these guys are available.”

Whenever Bellator decides to make its first incursion into New York, it must stack the card with talent to win notice in the country’s No. 1 media market. The good news, Coker said, is that there’s been a dearth of MMA, so fans are likely to be more appreciative.

“New York has been waiting for 15, 20 years for an MMA show,” said Coker, referring to an infamous ban in 1997 that threatened UFC 7 . “Viacom is based out of New York City, and we’re going to do it right. All the executives are going to come to the show, and it will be a big showcase for all the properties, and we’re planting the flag for New York City.”

McGeary, currently the No. 10 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light heavyweight rankings, hopes he’s a part of the show when that happens. The British fighter is a longtime resident of Brooklyn and said it would be a dream to compete on his adopted home turf.

For more on Bellator 163, check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.