Zuffa Buys Strikeforce

Zuffa has purchased Strikeforce and will continue to operate as two brands.

20 Minute Dana White Interview here:

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/12/zuffa-purchases-strikeforce/?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk2%7C49781

It's in my opinion that they will honor the current contracts in place and then eventually eliminate that brand.

Holly sh......

That is a huge bit of news.

The marginal fighters are shaking in their shoes.

Strikeforce was just starting to build a foundation and was gaining momentum, Zuffa will bully that market for years to come.

The good news is maybe we'll finally get a HW unification.

Ali wrote:Strikeforce was just starting to build a foundation and was gaining momentum, Zuffa will bully that market for years to come.

The good news is maybe we'll finally get a HW unification.

That has to be bad news for Fedor. His road back to the top just got a whole lot tougher.

Norm1023 wrote:

Ali wrote:Strikeforce was just starting to build a foundation and was gaining momentum, Zuffa will bully that market for years to come.

The good news is maybe we'll finally get a HW unification.

That has to be bad news for Fedor. His road back to the top just got a whole lot tougher.

Depends on whether Zuffa keep any of the Strikeforce staff involved. Plus there is alot of legendary fights from the UFC roster that aren't too much for Fedor right now.

Couture vs Fedor

Rematches with Cro Cop and Big Nog.

I still hope we get to see Fedor vs Hendo though.

Do they need to make a Cruiserweight division?

Norm1023 wrote:Do they need to make a Cruiserweight division?

Maybe, but as Valesquez proved technique and speed can overcome the big guys.

This sucks balls. I really hope zuffa doesnt make strikeforce boring. Because right now strikeforce is much more exciting.

Soonermark890 wrote:This sucks balls. I really hope zuffa doesnt make strikeforce boring. Because right now strikeforce is much more exciting.

Sadly, I envision Zuffa eliminating the Strikeforce brand once contracts start to expire. This will also end the relationship with Showtime/CBS... which means free fights on Showtime will now be on PPV. (similar to the WEC situation). All of those top lightweight fights that we were watching on WEC are going to PPV.

Like that Miguel Torres fight. That should not have been on PPV.

This could be the UFC's path onto network tv, they might try and build a relationship with the Showtime brass to work their way to CBS.

Ali wrote:This could be the UFC's path onto network tv, they might try and build a relationship with the Showtime brass to work their way to CBS.

Won't happen. There's no money on Network TV and the UFC is ONLY about money. The only reason combat sports would go to network TV in today's age is for advertising exposure. The UFC doesn't need that exposure anymore.

Don't expect to see the UFC on CBS or network television period.

shdavistx wrote:

Ali wrote:This could be the UFC's path onto network tv, they might try and build a relationship with the Showtime brass to work their way to CBS.

Won't happen. There's no money on Network TV and the UFC is ONLY about money. The only reason combat sports would go to network TV in today's age is for advertising exposure. The UFC doesn't need that exposure anymore.

Don't expect to see the UFC on CBS or network television period.

I ain't talking about a permanent move, just the odd card here and there to gain exposure.

Some details.

-Scott Coker has signed a deal and will still be the face of Strikeforce, much like Reed Harris

-Showtime still has control of production. Lorenzo might be the one who deals with Showtime.

-Strikeforce fighters will remain Strikeforce fighters. UFC fighters that are cut may end up in Strikeforce.

-Zuffa will honor contracts with fighters and Showtime.

-Showtime is happy with the ratings and will remain for the time being.

-There will not be any superfights or co-pro's for the time being.

-DW feels the Pride deal was a bigger purchase then Strikeforce.

-For time being all Strikeforce employs will continue as business as usual, with growth help and international help from Zuffa.

-Coker is the key in road maybe to doing UFC in Japan.

-Zuffa plans on going to Japan, China, Korea, and India

-Strikeforce has two years left on their Showtime contract.

-Once SF contracts are finished Zuffa/UFC can sign those fighters.

-Josh Barnett, Frank Shamrock, Dan Henderson, and Paul Daley all have contracts and they will be honored.

-DW will not have direct control over operations with SF. You may see Joe Silva and Lorenzo Ferttita, but it will be headed by Scott Coker.

-Scott Coker is excited about the deal.

-Showtime could possibly end contract since Zuffa purchase, but there are no indication of that happening.

White does not have a good relationship with Showtime. Him and Ken Hershman do not get along.

UFC not going to keep Strikeforce. Soon as the TV contract ends with Showtime, they will dissolve it, like the other companies they bought out.

I don't see Showtime thrilled at building fighters up on Strikeforce only to have them get dissolved into UFC.

I think Strikeforce after HW tournament going to go to shit until either Showtime ends the contract or it expires.

If you watch the interview you'll hear Dana say sometimes you need to put personal feelings aside for the good of business. He was actually really respectful in the interview and made alot of smart valid points.

Showtime have a deal with Strikeforce for two years, to me that's a long time to wait to dissolve a company.

WTF,WTF,WTF!!! The GP must have really scared Dana.

This is not a good thing if you want to see MMA thrive. You need competing for company to stay honest and continue to put out a good product. Even in league sports team owners are competing with each other. This be like the Yankees buying all the competing teams.

This is like when promoter gets an out-put deal from a network instead competing for time slots by offering the best match ups.

MMA is now just UFC and don't know how that is good. I was reading the local MMA scene is floundering in the UK except when UFC does a show there. MMA in Japan which use to be a hotspot for the sport is close to being dead

This is like when WWE bought it's competitor WCW. Any pro wrestling fan will say this is when WWE went to shit. Because no longer had competitive competion

Dana has a huge ego and wants to succeed at everything so just because he bought out Strikeforce it doesn't mean he wont try to make the UFC as good as it can be.

freakzilla wrote:Dana has a huge ego and wants to succeed at everything so just because he bought out Strikeforce it doesn't mean he wont try to make the UFC as good as it can be.

It doesn't matter. Having competition is good for sport of MMA. Having Strikeforce and it's Showtime-CBS affiliation was good for MMA.

Strikeforce now is just a dummy originization until contract ends. Showtime does not like White and niether does HBO. Because he wants to control everything, from announcing crew to entire content to what fights are to be shown, with network having zero say in it.

That might fly with Spike which needs UFC, but Showtime does not need UFC. That is why deal with HBO never got made.

White wants make the UFC like the NFL or NBA. But its not even the same thing. NFL and NBA is a league made up of billion dollar owners. Each team is in originization competing with other originizations in the league. And each team got got TV deals in their local market and built in fan bases.

Look at WEC now being thrown in UFC. Fights use to be able to see on Versus, now got pay for them on PPVs. Just going to mean more PPVs.

I see your point Grant but there will always be other companies around to compete with. Bellator right now is doing well and has just moved to MTV2, plus it does tournaments which is something the UFC seems reluctant to do latelt.

Yeah, and if Bellator starts getting any kind real success, UFC just buy them out to, or run them out business.

I just hate the whole thing. I was liking Strikeforce and the product they put out. As others have said, it didn't cater to grappling, which I find boring as fuck. And why never liked anything UFC put out as a whole.

I also think this going to discourage other networks from investing in any other MMA org like Bellator because they figure UFC just do same thing to them.

Strikeforce was doing good on Showtime. It was investirors that were blowing it, and UFC bought it only because another group, former Elite-X was interested in purchasing Strikeforce.

Ali wrote:Strikeforce was just starting to build a foundation and was gaining momentum, Zuffa will bully that market for years to come.

The good news is maybe we'll finally get a HW unification.

Not just HW, but Gilbert Melendez is ranked in the top 5 in every poll, top 3 in some and as high as 1(Bas Rutten's poll) in some polls. Would have been cool if Gilbert could have fought Pettis and then unified those titles with the UFC.
Also Nick is a top 5 WW in every ranking. Jacare is a top 10 MW in every ranking. Would be nice to get those guys in there with the UFC elites.

Ali wrote:I see your point Grant but there will always be other companies around to compete with. Bellator right now is doing well and has just moved to MTV2, plus it does tournaments which is something the UFC seems reluctant to do latelt.

Thank God for HDNet. They still air Shark Fights, MFC, DREAM and other organizations.

Following sale to UFC, Strikeforce grand prix could mark pay-per-view debut

Strikeforce never made it to pay-per-view on its own, but that could change under its new ownership.

UFC president Dana White today said the finals of the eight-man Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix might be worth a $44.95 price tag.

"Yeah, I think so," White today said when asked about the possibility of putting the planned event on pay-per-view.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/22831/following-sale-to-ufc-strikeforce-grand-prix-could-mark-pay-per-view-debut.mma

Just what I expected White to do. More PPVs