SAN JOSE, Calif. – Bellator President Scott Coker is interested in signing featherweight Yair Rodriguez. That is, of course, assuming Rodriguez is a free agent.

UFC President Dana White announced on Thursday that he has released the 25-year-old Mexican fighter. As of Friday, though, Coker raised questions about Rodriguez’s (10-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) availability while admitting that Bellator had already reached out to him.

“My guys are talking to him, from what I understand,” Coker told MMAjunkie following Bellator 199 weigh-ins. “To say he’s a free agent, we’d just like to see the documentation. Where’s your release letter? If he’s truly free and clear, then we can have a serious conversation. Let’s make sure that we dot our I’s and cross out T’s.”

“Just because they say you’re fired, legally I don’t think that means you’re fired,” Coker continued. “When you get that letter, that means you’re released. So let’s see what happens with that.”

According to White, Rodriguez had turned down two fights: first against Ricardo Lamas and most recently against Zabit Magomedsharipov. White’s announcement that Rodriguez has been released came two days after White declared a fight between Rodriguez and Magomedsharipov was set for UFC 227 in August.

However, Rodriguez tweeted that was “#FakeNews,” which seemingly antagonized White, who fired back at Rodriguez on Twitter after breaking the news of his release.

Looking at the situation from afar, Coker said it’s possible the situation is just a case of emotions running high.

“It could’ve been an emotional outburst and they say, ‘Hey, we want you back.’ You never know,” Coker said, before adding, “There must be more to it than we know. But that’s their business, and we’ll let them deal with it.”

Rodriguez, who’s No. 15 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA featherweight rankings, has been one of the UFC’s most prized prospects. “El Pantera” was on a roll with six consecutive wins to open his UFC career, which included a dominant second-round TKO finish of former champ B.J. Penn in UFC Fight Night 103’s main event in January 2017. Four months later, though, Frankie Edgar dismantled Rodriguez at UFC 211, which resulted in a humbling doctor’s stoppage TKO loss. Rodriguez hasn’t fought since that May 2017 defeat because of an injury.

If Rodriguez really is available, Coker is prepared to get serious.

“He’s a tough kid,” he said. “I will say this: Anybody that’s a free agent that is a top-10 (fighter) or top contender, we’re going to have a conversation with everybody – any weight class. If you’re the guy, and you’re a free agent, we’re going to have a conversation.”

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