Jay Hieron Picks Bellator Over the UFC, Signs for Season 4 Welterweight Tournament
by Anton Tabuena on Nov 16, 2010 7:44 AM EST
in Bellator News
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Months ago, Jay Hieron said "I finally got my release from SF...Y'all know what I'm about to do!". Well I guess we all didn't, cause the #15 ranked welterweight didn't sign with the UFC. Instead, he picked Bellator and signed an exclusive contract for their season 4 welterweight tournament. Hieron talked about his decision:
"It’s just a great fit for me. At this point in my career, I want to stay as active as possible, and the tournament format allows me to do that. It’s a great organization, and it’s just the perfect fit."
He joins season 4 welterweight participants, Dan Hornbuckle, Steve Carl, Rick Hawn, Chris Lozano, Brent Weedman, and Jim Wallhead, who are all set to compete for a shot at newly crowned welterweight champ, Ben Askren. One slot is still open, possibly for recently dethroned champion, Lyman Good.
Hieron hasn't fought since being buried in the undercard of Strikeforce: Miami back in January. He's been frustrated with Strikeforce for not being active enough, and for being passed for the title shot that most pundits feel like he has more than deserved. Those could have been major factors for choosing Bellator, since politics won't be getting in the way this time. He'd most likely be the favorite going in the tourney, but as we all know, that's no guarantee he takes it. Just ask Roger Huerta.
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Guess that means Bellator is folding soon.
When a ball goes into a net, it only means something because we decide it means something. When somebody punches somebody in the face it always means something.
by lowellthehammer on Nov 16, 2010 7:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I was coming here to say the same thing.
I hope it does not pan out that way. I hope Bellator keeps running shows and that Jay has a nice run. But the way Jay’s luck has been running the last couple of years, you just know Bellator is going under before he makes his debut and then Rebney will tie him up as an asset in bankruptcy court for another six to twelve months after that.
I’m having a tough time seeing the benefits for his career here regardless. If he keeps winning he’s stuck in a second tier promotion for the duration of his prime years; if he loses he is devalued and loses any bargaining power he might have with the UFC.
Who’s his agent anyways?
When a ball goes into a net, it only means something because we decide it means something. When somebody punches somebody in the face it always means something.
by lowellthehammer on Nov 16, 2010 8:49 AM EST up reply actions
It is possible that the offer for Bellator was just….better.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 16, 2010 8:52 AM EST up reply actions
Entirely possible. The UFC didn’t need him and he was negotiating from a position of weakness with them, while Bellator does need him and he was obviously in more of a position of strength there. I hope Jay made what was fair, regardless, and I hope that Bellator isn’t overpaying without some kind of a plan.
"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."
Knowing Jays luck, everything will probably go fine through the season, he will win his shot at the title and then Bellator will close down before the fight happens. THEN – while Bellator is in bankruptcy Strikeforce will buy all of their contracts and instead of his next fight being a title shot, Coker will stick him right back on the undercard.
by treyjackson on Nov 16, 2010 2:52 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Pretty much. Jay is a very very nice guy but
Jay Hieron brings the Plagues of Egypt upon every place he goes to.
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by SheepleBuster on Nov 16, 2010 8:45 AM EST up reply actions
Huarta's Way.
i can’t see him past Askren , and he would be something of the past , wrong decision .
Active?
Nah, he wants fast cash.
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by Damon O. on Nov 16, 2010 8:01 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Interesting. With all the rumours of Bellator doing badly, this is interesting timing. Perhaps he sees it as a win-win situation for him, if Bellator folds he can go to the UFC, and he’s still gonna get paid handsomely by Bellator for as long as they stick around
"The men who get on best with women are those that get on best without them" Lee Christmas
if Bellator folds he can go to the UFC
I hope he is not thinking that.
If/when Bellator goes under, the fighters under contract to them are likely to get tied up in the bankruptcy proceedings as assets. Jay got lucky with the IFL, who released all their fighters before folding. I don’t see Rebney showing the same kind of compassion for his fighters. I see him doing the same thing EliteXC did and trying to sell their contracts to the highest bidder.
The way Hieron’s luck goes Bellator will fold and they will sell his contract to Strikeforce and he will be right back in the same situation he was in before.
Wonder if he just couldn’t get an offer he was happy with from the UFC? He’s probably more valuable to smaller promotions in need of a known name ranked fighter than the UFC is in need of another mid-card welterweight.
That’s what I’m thinking likely happened – Bellator just offered a better starting price than the UFC, and he decided to opt for that.
Yea if you look at the rankings the UFC really has welterweight locked up pretty tightly, they may want him but they don’t need him. Bellator needs all the name guys they can get. His bargaining position outside the UFC is way better at this point. I just hope it doesn’t bite him in the ass due to Bellator’s issues.
Maybe he just realizes he cant compete on the UFC level and feels he will get better opportunities fighting lesser fighters
Stick with Strikeforce? Did he actually fight in Strikeforce?
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by VeeisAnimated on Nov 16, 2010 8:26 AM EST up reply actions
The idea that Hieron couldn’t compete in the UFC is pretty laughable.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 16, 2010 8:52 AM EST up reply actions
He absolutely could compete in the UFC; he’d be stuck in the pack behind the elite (Fitch, Kos, Shields, GSP), though. He’s primarily a wrestler – though he’s pretty well rounded – and all those guys are just better wrestling than he is. He could hang, probably be a solid mid-tier gatekeeper, and I’d love to see him against Chris Lytle, Matt Brown, Ricardo Almeida… But he’d never challenge for the title.
"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."
I think Jay could put the hurt on Shields
and I’d love to see him get a crack at Fitch too. He’s got the wrestling to neutralize their smothering control games and his striking is way better than either.
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by Nate Wilcox on Nov 16, 2010 10:27 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed
He was destroyed by GSP in under 2 minutes, back when GSP was on that 4 year run of finishing everyone aside from Mayhem and Karo.
He is an entertaining fighter, and he would have taken Nick Diaz pretty handily in SF, but there are too many UFC WWs he would have essentially no chance against.
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by The American Ronin on Nov 16, 2010 11:35 AM EST up reply actions
I think Ben Askren would struggle against JH
Honestly hope bellator doesn’t fold and some of the great names/prospects are stuck in the mud ala elite xc
"Big guys, small gloves...somebody's gonna fall..." (Gabriel Gonzaga)
by Kenwoo on Nov 16, 2010 8:39 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I understand his decision BUT!
I’d be really worried if I were Jay Hieron about signing with them. I’m sure they gave him a little more money then the UFC would have. But with the financial situation and tv situation very much up in the air with Bellator. And plus the fact if he perhaps loses in a early fight in the tournament. I’d be very worried if I were him that he’d be right back in a similar situation that he was. If not maybe worse. I guess time will tell, and I really hope it works out for Jay, he’s an awesome fighter.
Looks like Hieron went for one of the 'small promotions' which 'fuck fighters' according to D.W.
Go big red!
Strange move for jay
They must have offered him a way better offer then Zuffa was prepared to give. Still don’t think its the greatest move for him but well see. This to me would be like George Clooney leaving ER to do General Hospital instead of that crappy Batman movie with the rubber nipples.
In OTher words, a lateral career move.
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by hobbie on Nov 16, 2010 9:09 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Hopefully this means that plans for season 4 are a lot more concrete than they appear to teh outside world.
I mean it may be a better deal
But why sign with a company with no TV deal?
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I think Jay just wants some gold around his waist. He will probably be making more money (not per fight) but as a whole with more fights than he would have with the UFC. I also think he would much rather fight Bellator MW’s rather than the UFC’s.
(against championship contenders, he would get worked in the UFC)
I'm Don Frye and your not. - Don Frye
by MrTechnique420 on Nov 16, 2010 9:50 AM EST up reply actions
WW’s*
I'm Don Frye and your not. - Don Frye
by MrTechnique420 on Nov 16, 2010 9:59 AM EST up reply actions
Who you ask?
one of the guys who got wrecked by GSP.
I'm Don Frye and your not. - Don Frye
by MrTechnique420 on Nov 16, 2010 9:57 AM EST up reply actions
Who?
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
Unintelligent Defense, I bring Cricket bats to fist fights.
Who is Jay Hieron?
who is he?
Nothing but RESPECT for Matt "The Terror" Serra
http://gotmma.org/ - Korean MMA blog
The guy who would have kicked
Nick’s ass at WW were he allowed to fight him…
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
-Mark Twain
"If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you know I'm lying..."
-Bruce Lee
by The American Ronin on Nov 16, 2010 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
His free agency was completely botched. He probably took a pay cut from his last SF purse. Complete waste of a year.
What is the money in the tournament again? $30,000 if you win the first round $50,000 if you win the second and $100,000 if you win the third or some thing like that. SF would probably pay him more than $30,000 per fight. but I’m not sure about 50,000 and I am positive they wouldn’t pay him $100,000 a fight. But if he wins or they just decide not to cut him then he is completely F’d. What the number is after the tournament who knows.
Bellator totally over paid for Huerta and have tried a few times to get Coker to use him so that SF would have to pay that money rather than Bellator. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same thing here.
Jay probably believes he can make a run at the title with Bellator
and make a name for himself which he knows he can’t do in the UFC.
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