Scott Coker says that a deal with reached with the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulations and the Mohegan Sun Arena to hold events in what Coker has dubbed the “Fightsphere.”
“We’re governed by a group that’s a public company, and of course they will be extremely cautious, as they should, in going back to production not just for Bellator, but also for all their other productions,” Coker told MMA Junkie. “They’re going to have their own protocols and systems in place. We were actually talking to about four or five commissioners around the country and looking at hosting at different venues. But at the end of the day the Mike Mazzulli (president of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation) scenario played out in a really nice bubble. Once we get there, you don’t have to go anywhere. You don’t have to leave the area. Once you’re there, you’re in the fightsphere. It’s a turnkey operation and Mazzulli and the Mohegan Sun have made it very good for us.”
The ”Fightsphere” is going to be a bubble-like environment, similar to what the UFC has done with their events during the pandemic, most notably on “Fight Island.”
Coker says the health and safety for everyone involved in all the upcoming Bellator MMA events is the promotion’s top priority.
“Health and safety is No. 1,” Coker said. “Everybody will be tested and make sure they are not positive before they can even book the flight and get on the plane. Then the same thing when they get to the venue. The Mohegan Sun is working with the tribe and a testing lab there at a university so we get results back quickly. There will be testing going on every day. … We have a plan we are proud of, and we can implement to create a very safe environment for our fighters, our commissioners, our staff, and we’re ready to go.”
Outside of the recently reported five Bellator MMA events through September 11, no other plans have been revealed by the promotion at this time for future cards.
