Alex Reid is set to make his MMA return and #WHOATV were informed by Bellator President Scott Coker that the promotion was indeed in talks with Reid to join the Bellator London show which takes part at the 02 Arena on Saturday 16th July 2016.
So in typical #WHOATV fashion here is five fights to make for Alex Reid’s Bellator debut;
Tom “Kong” Watson
Well let’s be honest it would be hard for both the fighters and promotion to have the first fight recreated both in terms of traction and atmosphere. But the rematch certainly has a story to be sold and given Bellator’s direction with rematches you certainly couldn’t rule this one out. Watson hasn’t competed since his last UFC appearance back in August 2015 but has been staying active, albeit preferring to stay under the radar so it’s difficult to understand if he is still keen on a return to the cage. It’s likely that Bellator have a big wallet which could certainly make a Watson Vs Reid rematch a viable option to both fighters which is probably more of a factor to Watson who would arguably have a lot more to lose than Reid if this fight was matched up. Will this match live up to the hype of the original one? Probably not is the honest answer but you could definitely argue that it would be a huge addition to the card.
Be sure to relive the Tom Watson Vs Alex Reid fight from BAMMA 4 in the video below;
Eugene Fadiora
Fadiora may not be a well known established name on the #UKMMA scene, but the Middleweight has been building up a steady record since 2008 with notable wins over some big UK names such as Bradley Scott, Danny Mitchell & Matt Inman. Fadiora signed with Bellator in late 2013 and has a 1-1 record under their banner and would be a huge test for a returning Reid and a real question as to whether or not Reid is cut out to hang with a fellow European looking to make an impact on the International scene. Fadiora has been out of action since his last fight at Bellator 118 and so like Reid would have to overcome ring rust if this fight was put on which would definitely put both men on a more even scale and make for an intriguing bout.
Bola “Cashflow” Omoyele
Bola is a well known name on the UK scene and is in a tricky situation at the moment in that he cant seem to get a fight, be it cancellations/injuries etc, etc. Step forward Alex Reid who will arguably be willing to step into the cage with anyone. Omoyele offers Reid an opponent who is a well known name but also not one of the top 10 guys who is likely to prove too much of a one sided mismatch for a returning Reid, and that’s not intended to be disrespectful to Bola. A win for Omoyele over Reid would on a big platform like Bellator would definitely give “Cashflow” some negotiating tactics when it comes to approaching European promotions such as BAMMA, Cage Warriors etc which is where we should be seeing Omoyele perform more on a consistent basis.
Leeroy Barnes
This fight would definitely spark some interest based purely on how vocal both men are alone but in my opinion would also be a big test for both guys. Barnes is really focused at the moment and has managed to change his lifestyle around and give 110% focus to his MMA career which is something which has shown in his recent performances, albeit against names he should be putting away. Reid offers Barnes the platform which gets Barnes back into the spotlight and the options to move on to bigger things afterwards. For Reid he gets the opportunity at putting a halt to Barnes revival but I would definitely stack the odds in favour of Barnes right now. Barnes has another bout which is due to be announced soon but I suspect if an offer came in to fight for Bellator he would jump at the chance, even if Reid isn’t his first choice of opponent for moving on his career.
Jack “Hammer” Marshman
Marshman is arguably one of the best Middleweights in Europe at the moment and is on a nice four fight win streak which includes victories over Omoyele, Mills & Redfearn. So you could argue that a bout with Reid would probably not be in his best interests, although the platform to fight for Bellator and get some big exposure could be a deal breaker for the Welshman. Marshman at the moment is due to fight on the Cage Warriors Wales show on 4th June and given his ties with both Cage Warriors and Pain Pit it’s unlikely that he would remove himself from that show but I think throwing his name in the mix to be the man to welcome Alex Reid back to the cage would do him no harm. It would also give him the opportunity at staying on with the promotion and fighting on an International platform which is definitely something he will be aspiring to do.