Bellator's chief of Europe David Green: 'We would dearly love' to put on a show in Amsterdam
Bellator's Head of Europe targets Amsterdam for big-time event, once regulatory issues have been "smoothed out."
David Green says Bellator hopes to go Dutch by taking a huge card to the Netherlands in the not-too-distant future.
The nation’s influence was there for all to see during Bellator’s twin-card event in London this past weekend with a host of big-name Dutch stars in action in the cage and a rowdy, enthusiastic contingent of Dutch fans in the stands, roaring them on.
It left Green suitably impressed and pining for a big-time event in Amsterdam.
“I think we would dearly love to have an event in Amsterdam,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after Bellator London. “We’ve got the fighters and we’ve got the resources to do it.
“I think there’s a few regulatory issues in Amsterdam, and they just need to be smoothed out. We’ve seen events in Rotterdam and stuff, but I think Holland’s got such a history for martial arts and, with the guys we’ve got on the roster, it makes absolute sense to go there. So hopefully, fingers crossed, we’ll work it all out and we’ll be there sooner rather than later.”
Green admitted the regulatory hoops in the city that need to be jumped through may mean the promotion won’t be able to hold an event in Amsterdam until next year. But once the path has been cleared for an MMA show to be staged in the city, he said fans should expect Bellator to go big.
“If we go to Amsterdam (or somewhere in) Holland very soon, it won’t be a toe in the water,” he said. “It’ll be a big move there.”
And Green’s grin turned to a beaming smile when he heard that Dutch veteran Melvin Manhoef would love to end his MMA career on home soil in a legend vs. legend bout with either Wanderlei Silva or Fedor Emelianenko.
“Speak to Mr. Coker; everything’s feasible!” he laughed. “He gets very excited about fights like that, as do we all.
“If anyone’s going to put that sort of card together, it’s him.”
For complete coverage of Bellator Europe 3 and Bellator 223, check out the MMA Events section of the site.