Baha: Coker is a pig f—–. Coker: That’s silly
Afghanistan born fighter Siyar Bahadurzad recently had colorful words to share about Scott Coker and Strikeforce. He called Scott Coker…
Afghanistan born fighter Siyar Bahadurzad recently had colorful words to share about Scott Coker and Strikeforce. He called Scott Coker a “pig f—–“, matchmaker Rich Chou a “f—“, and generally suggested that Strikeforce officials “roll up my contract and stick it up ur a–es.” Bahadurzad said he signed a contract to fight for Strikeforce in April of 2010, and has yet to be offered a fight with the organization. He said repeated attempts to contact Strikeforce about the situation have been ignored.
Ariel Helwani then sought comment from Scott Coker
Ariel Helwani: Wanted to get your take on a situation that’s been brewing with a fighter by the name of Siyar Baha. He’s been saying something things about Strikeforce, now saying that the reason he hasn’t fought for Strikeforce is because he’s of Afghani descent. How do you respond to this?
Scott Coker: That’s comical. I mean the reality was that .. I still don’t know (that) his visa has been finished yet. It has been a little tougher because, you know, the country and everything to try to get a visa but I don’t think the visa has been completed, so once he gets through his process of getting his visa together then you know we’re have another conversation with him but it’s silly to say it’s based on this or that. I mean, the reality is, you’re a Golden Glory fighter, he should act like a Golden Glory fighter and, you know, get your paperwork done, get what you got to do, and then we’ll put you in the cage and test you out. But in the mean time, you know, talking the way he did, it just was very silly to me.
Finally Helwani in turn interviewed Bahadurzad:
“It’s pretty frustrating, because [it ‘s] a year of my career when I’m in top shape. Look at my last three fights. They’ve been knockouts or technical knockouts. I feel that my reign is coming right now. I’m 26 years old. I’m growing every day. I’m better today than yesterday and I’m sure that tomorrow I’ll be better than today. They are making me wait for so long [in] my prime, and this is a very expensive year for me. I’m an athlete. I cannot fight until I’m 60 years old. I have to fight right now, [in] my prime, to get as much belts and as much glory as possible and make a lot of money. They have me waiting and waiting and waiting.”
“Actually, I really think…that this comes because I am an Afghan. I have an Afghan nationality, and people do not want me to be the champion in the United States. And trust me, that will happen. If I get my foot in the United States and I fight for the organizations, I will become the champion some day. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when I will become the champion.”
“It’s tough for them to market me in America and promote me in America because most people think that every Afghan is a terrorist, but it’s not true. What I’m fighting for, me personally, Siyar Bahadurzada, is not for the Afghan government. I’m fighting for those little kids who are like me when I was back in the war. I want to bring smiles to those children. Those children look up to me. I’m a very famous person in Afghanistan. Almost everybody knows me in Afghanistan, and they look up to me. I want to give those children hope.”
” Knowing the consequences, I felt so bad even being disrespected like that, knowing the consequence that I might never fight for Strikeforce or any other American organization [for] doing so, because they think I’m unprofessional. But I’m not the person being unprofessional here. I have been treated unprofessionally for the last one and a half year[s]. When you feel your prime is here and nobody gives a damn about your prime or your career, then you feel disrespected.”
“I just want a date or a release from my contract. That’s it.”