Bellator President Scott Coker talks Eddie Alvarez, scaling back events, Gina Carano rumors, and more

Bellator President Scott Coker has been rather quiet since taking over the promotion back in June, but he took the time to speak with Bloody Elbow's John Nash for a few minutes on some of the hot-button issues surrounding Bellator. The more notable topics have been transcribed and published here, most notably the current situation with Eddie Alvarez's contract.

...On the number of events:

Nash: Are you going to go to 12-15 shows per year? Is that the plan, like, one per month?

Coker: "I don't think you can be an effective live event promoter if you're doing these shows week to week to week. So what we're going to do is take a step back and put on 12 big shows next year and then we're going to put together 3 or 4 big tent pole events."

...On the future of Bellator on PPV:

Nash: So will that be kind of like your PPV or some sort of big event?

Coker: The difference is that we will be in the Spike TV model.

Nash: You're not planning on more PPVs?

Coker: I would say that the option would be open, but I would like to have those 100+ million household potential eyeballs on our product.

...On Eddie Alvarez:

Nash: Any truth to the rumors that Eddie Alvarez is going to be released?

Coker: I know that the lawyers are working on it as we speak.

Nash; Do you know what the hang up is?

Coker: That was something that I kinda walked into -- it was an issue way before I was around, so I know that's an ongoing thing. But they're trying to have some kind of resolution.

Nash: So right now it's all up to the lawyers? Is this something that you're for - letting Eddie go? Would you like to retain him?

Coker: I will say this: I think that, for me, you know, in talking to Eddie - I had one conversation with Eddie and he had, I want to say so much emotional baggage from the past regime. He had a really rough time. To me however it works out is how it's meant to be, and then we're just going to keep moving forward, with or without.

...On discussions with Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg:

Nash: There's always rumors floating around that you're going after Gina Carano or Cyborg. Any truth to those rumors?

Coker: I've not had any conversations with Cyborg. I know that we had one quick conversation with Gina's people, but that was it ... it didn't have any substance.

There's still much more to come from Scott Coker's in-depth interview with Nash, along with additional quotes from today's appearance on The MMA Hour, so be sure to check back for more news and notes throughout the day and into tomorrow.