Bellator 33 Post-Fight: Eddie Alvarez and Bjorn Rebney Say Strikeforce Is Protecting Gilbert Melendez

During the Bellator 33 post-fight presser, Bellator CEO, Bjorn Rebney addressed the issues surrounding the potential super-fight between Bellator Champ, Eddie Alvarez and Strikeforce Champ, Gilbert Melendez. Scott Coker has said that the major talking point was their TV deals, but Rebney says, that's not a problem, and the ball is really on Strikeforce's court:

"There aren’t promotional issues. There aren’t any barriers. There aren’t any hurdles... What television network is it going to be on? We’ll do it on Showtime. Where will the fight happen? Well, let’s do it in San Jose. The answers to the questions are very simple. There’s no reason that fight shouldn’t happen but for the fact that the promoter of Gilbert Melendez doesn’t want it to occur."

Eddie Alvarez who is fresh of a dominating victory over Roger Huerta says that Scott Coker is trying to protect his champion:

"Scott Coker doesn’t want it to happen. He’s trying to obviously protect his champion. I guess he has every right to. He has a business to run. whatever... I want to be number one in the world, and the only way to do that is to fight people like Gilbert [Melendez]. If we can get our hands on him and the contracts work out, then that’s what we’ll do. Until then, it’s just talk. The paper’s gotta be signed. Let’s make it happen."

Bellator 33 coverage