UNCASVILLE, Conn. – When Bellator MMA released long-disgruntled lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, many fans viewed at a wise public-relations move by new company president Scott Coker.

The former Strikeforce CEO, though, said that wasn’t necessarily the case.

This past month, after Alvarez’s long legal battle with Bellator and former chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney, the promotion announced it had unconditionally released the fighter. Alvarez (25-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) then quickly signed to fight lightweight contender Donald Cerrone (24-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC) later this month at UFC 178.

Following Friday’s Bellator 123 event in Connecticut, MMAjunkie asked Coker if it was a PR move meant to satisfy fans.

“No,” he said emphatically. “No, no, no.”

As Alvarez’s frustrations became public over the past few years, Bellator received no shortage of criticism. Why, they wondered, would the organization work legal jiu-jitsu on a fighter who clearly wanted to leave? As Alvarez took his gripes public, the fan criticism quickly followed.

But, according to Coker, that’s not the sole reason the company decided to part ways with him. Instead, he just didn’t think the fighter was going to be a good fit in the company because of the previous issues.

“I sat down with Eddie face-to-face one week after I came in, and we had a good conversation with (Alvarez’s manager) Glenn Robinson, Eddie and myself,” said Coker, who was named Bellator president in June. “We had a great conversation, but it was clear to me at that time that there was going to be a problem.”

Alvarez, who’s ranked No. 5 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, was one of Bellator’s most prominent stars, and he was the centerpiece of the organization’s deep and competitive 155-pound weight class. But Coker felt the relationship would have been awfully difficult to salvage, and it ultimately prompted their decision to release him, he said.

“He had so much emotional damage from the last regime, and I just don’t think he was going to be a good fit,” Coker said. “So from that point on, I said OK, let’s move forward.

“It took some time for the lawyers to work things out, but Eddie is doing his own thing. I wish him luck. We’re doing our own thing and moving in a different direction.”

For more on UFC 178 and Bellator’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.