Bellator‘s first Philadelphia show is already shaping up to be a great celebration of Pennsylvania and New Jersey mixed martial arts. After announcing Eddie Alvarez vs Roger Huerta as the main event on Monday, Bellator adds another local champion to the card. Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good will defend his strap for the first time against Missouri wrestling sensation Ben Askren.
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Yesterday I talked about why this October’s Bellator is different from other shows going on down here in Philly. Today I’m going to talk about the challenge in promoting this show.

As we mentioned yesterday, Eddie Alvarez will fight in Philly for the first time in October against Roger Huerta. This fight could mark the beginning of a paradigm shift on local mixed martial arts events.

The great thing about this Bellator fight is that Eddie Alvarez is worth at the very least 7,000 tickets in Philadelphia. The Liacourus Center, where Bellator 33 will be held, seats 10,000 for basketball, so I think the final seat tally will be in the ballpark of about 10,750 (don’t quote me on the number). So that leaves just short of 4,000 tickets to be sold on the strength of the other fighters on the card. A big show in Philly at The Arena, for example, sells 1,500 seats (that’s including giveaway tickets). So the local promoter will have to sell almost twice as many seats to fill the building. I know that’s some Numerology type math where 2+2=whatever the hell I want. But I hope you follow my logic.
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I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the quality of fight cards in the Philly/Atlantic City game recently and for some reason I’ve had an impossible time expressing in words my thoughts. Some of that is because the path of least resistance in that sort of post would stomp on toes of promoters and matchmakers that I like and respect. Part of it is that its tough to tell the story without giving a wide open look into the business side of a sport that I may not entirely have the privledge of knowing or exposing.

Over the last ten months, I’ve been incredibly fortunate that almost to a man, every promoter in the region has welcomed me to their show, more often than not with seats at the commission table, and a very honest and trusting view of how they do business.
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After weeks of speculation, MMA Junkie has confirmed that Bellator 33 will happen in Philadelphia. The hot mustard on that awesome sandwich is the main event: Philadelphia’s own Eddie Alvarez faces internet sensation, and notorious football hater Roger Huerta in a three round non-title fight.

Expect some familiar faces on the undercard. Bellator has traditionally booked local fighters on all their undercards. Expect to hear some updates here as we get closer to fight night. Which, by the way is October 21 at the Liacouras Center on North Broad St in Center City Philadelphia.

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I spoke with Fran Evans of Locked in the Cage, and he confirmed for me that Bo Coleman and Brian Jackson will get a do-over from their aborted main event from August 21st. This time the dance is at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia on December 3rd for Locked in the Cage 6.

Fran and I discussed the circumstances which lead to the main event being abandoned after two rounds.
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For months the war of words between IFL and ROC veteran Brendan Barrett and Randy Smith finally has a venue to be turned physical. Lou Neglia and Brendan both confirmed yesterday that Barrett/Smith will finally go down at Ring of Combat 32 at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
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Had the chance to speak with Lou Neglia this afternoon about a couple match-ups on his October show. I asked Lou how the Kim Couture (1-3) and Munah Holland (MMA debut) fight came together. It started, as Lou says, when both girls’ management teams called Lou looking for fights. Lou put them together because he likes the styles clash. He said on the phone:

If it stays on its feet, Munah wins. If it goes to the ground, Couture wins. Its a good styles fight.

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