In the days leading up to Bellator’s historic Bellator 200 event, which takes place Friday in London, we’re counting down 10 of the biggest moments in the promotion’s history. Today, we look at one of the company’s love of wrestlers.



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Scott Coker knows something about taking a chance on former wrestlers with zero MMA experience.

In 2009 Coker, then the CEO of Strikeforce, took a chance on a two-time Olympic wrestler and former NCAA Division I All-American from Oklahoma State University named Daniel Cormier. “DC,” who had never competed in MMA, went went 11-0 with Strikeforce. Today he is the reigning UFC light-heavyweight champ and soon to fight for the heavyweight belt.

When Coker took over as Bellator president in 2014, it didn’t come as a surprise when he signed 18-year-old wrestling phenom by the name of Aaron Pico to the promotion (via Twitter):

What did raise eyebrows was the fact that Coker signed the young man knowing his focus at the time was making the 2016 Olympic wrestling team.

Pico fell short of that goal. He then shifted his attention to MMA. Pico suffered a 24-second submission loss in his highly publicized debut fight, but since that June 2017 contest, Pico (3-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) has three straight first-round knockout wins. Each of those stoppages has been of the highlight-reel variety (via <a href=" Pico isn’t the only fighter Coker has signed to Bellator with a wrestling background. Since the veteran promoter joined the promotion, he has inked a handful of wrestlers with little or no MMA experience. The most noteworthy of those signings are Ed Ruth, Tyrell Fortune, Jarod Trice and Joey Davis. Ruth was the first big splash Coker made after he signed Pico. Ruth, a four-time All-American and three-time national champion at Penn State, was working on making the 2016 Olympic wrestling team when he signed with Bellator in May 2015. Ruth came up short in his bid for the Olympics and then began his MMA career in November 2016. He won his first four fights by knockout. In his most recent bout, Ruth (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) defeated the much more experienced Ion Pascu by decision (via YouTube):

Like Ruth, Fortune was looking to make the 2016 Olympic team when he signed with the promotion in August 2015. Fortune, an NCAA Division II champion at Grand Canyon University, also missed the cut for the Olympic squad. He made his Bellator debut on the same card as Ruth, Bellator 163. Fortune (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) is now unbeaten in his promising MMA career.

Trice signed with the promotion in May 2016. A three-time All-American at Central Michigan University, Trice also won national titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman during his wrestling days. Three fights into his MMA career, Trice (3-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) remains unbeaten (via YouTube):

Davis was the next high-profile wrestler to ink a Bellator deal. Davis, a four-time Division II NCAA champion, put together a perfect 131-0 record with Notre Dame College in Ohio.

Davis was unbeaten in five amateur MMA fights. Since he joined Bellator in June 2016, Davis (3-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) has put together a pro record of 3-0 with two first-round knockout wins (via Twitter):

Of this group, Pico and Ruth have shown the most promise. They’ve also shown the most confidence.

Before his Bellator 199 knockout win over Lee Morrison, Pico laid out his career goals.

“I’m making really big, drastic leaps with my MMA. … My whole focus six days a week is to become the best fighter in the world,” Pico told MMAjunkie.

As for Ruth, he told MMAjunkie before his Bellator 196 win over Pascu that he wants to build upon each victory.

“I always want my opponents to keep going up in skill, and that’s what I look forward to,” Ruth said. “I’m not just here just for the money, just for the fame, just for any of that. I’m here for the experience. I’m here to actually become a warrior.”

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