Coker On Nelson’s Retirement: ‘It Might Be That Time’

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Roy Nelson has carved out a pretty remarkable career in mixed martial arts (MMA), considering his approach to combat sports consisted of being fat and throwing a heavy right hand. That was enough to win him the IFL heavyweight title, as well as the TUF 10 glass trophy.

But then MMA evolved and “Big Country” did not.

That’s why Bellator MMA head cheese, Scott Coker, thinks it might be time for the heavyweight hurter, who turned 43 back in June, to considering calling it quits after losing four straight and seven of his last 10.

“I think that I go back and talk to my team about that. You know, I think Roy brought it and did his best today,” Coker told MMA Junkie. “It didn’t work out, but we’ll evaluate that. I think that it might be that time. I’m not sure, but that’s something that only Roy can decide. But as far as what I said on Wednesday, it’s definitely a possibility.”

Nelson (23-18) headlined the Bellator 231 event last weekend inside Mohegan Sun, falling to fellow UFC import, Frank Mir, by way of unanimous decision. Mir also turned away the portly power puncher at UFC 130 back in May 2011.

I think the most troubling part of Nelson’s decline is that it happened against his fellow aging statesmen, like Sergei Kharitonov and Mirko Filipovic, so we can’t even blame lopsided matchmaking or the promotion’s new blood.

As of this writing, Nelson had nothing to say but “thank you” after his loss.