Looks like Bellator has committed a robbery on the UFC and it’s a big one.

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture has signed a deal with Spike TV which will make him a coach on new Bellator’s new reality series, Sports Illustrated first reported on Tuesday.

The series begins shooting and February and will run later in the year. “The Natural” has signed a multi-year deal with Spike TV and will appear in several different projects for the network, with the possibility to venture out into other Viacom owned brand, the article says.

Sports Illustrated indicates that the deal was officially signed in December much to the chagrin of UFC president Dana White, though White tweeted “I love it” Monday afternoon in reaction to the news about Couture signing a deal with Spike.

Details of the reality series remain scarce at this point, though beyond the fact that a number of current stars and rising prospects are expected to be featured.

Couture, one of only two UFC fighters to hold titles in two different weight classes (the other being BJ Penn), coached the inaugural season of the UFC’s reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2005.

The 49-year-old has been retired as a fighter since a decisive knockout loss to a fellow former light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida, at UFC 129 in April 2011.

While Couture is one of the most recognizable stars in UFC history, widely regarded as a pioneer of the sport, it’s worth mentioning that he had a serious contract dispute with the UFC between Oct. 2007 and Aug. 2008,  which was resolved with a lawsuit.

Does this move make Couture a traitor or is he simply taking advantage of a business opportunity he was offered?