UFC, etc.

[NASEDO]

They'll eventually merge.

 

[KBA]

I was thinking it was gonna be a merger or something to eliminate SF. I see how this benefits the UFC $$$ wise, but I don't see how it benefits the fans. Dana can't bring over anyone unless their contract is expired, so we won't be seeing their top fighters vs the UFC top fighters, kind of lame imo. I would have thought maybe SF would be turned into like a minor league system for the UFC, but it's "business as usual"

I think, while we may not see it immediately, this is the first big step in eliminating the Strikeforce brand. We saw it with WEC, and how the UFC would run commercials for events, and we'll be seeing that now with Strikeforce. It's on its way out.

 

[NASEDO]

If they did merge, thats alot of fighters for one company. And alot of events/PPV's that would take place I assume, it really changes things. The monoply aspect sucks for the fighters, such as Daley, Barnett or even Hendo, who Dana had words with. It really leaves the fighters no choice but to Kiss and lick Dana's Balls.

 

[KBA]

Daley shouldn't be included in that sentence. He's a piece of crap.

 

[daikkenaurora]

Wow, according to MMAFighting, UFC just bought Strikeforce!

HAHAHA thats one way to have Fedor. well this was sort of a surprise. Strikeforce was getting alot of the UFC fighters that got cut so all teh UFC did was buy them back. Should be interesting come the fighters contract renewal.

hello to all the people who hated the UFC and said Strikeforce was better

 

[Devil_666]

hello to all the people who hated the UFC and said Strikeforce was better

You mean the same idiots who said Strikefarce would overtake the UFC?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..

 

[TOE]

let's do this!

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Anyone watch Bellator last night. Some pretty good fights.

 

[Devil_666]

I keep forgetting they have weekly events.

 

[316what]

Razor Rob took a beating.

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Razor Rob took a beating.

Yeah that was a great fight. It was back and forth and then blam!!!

 

[316what]

The "free" fight after it was a damn bloodfest.

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Yeah i liked that they did that as well. Threw in the extra fight for the fans. If Zuffa had not purchased Strikeforce, I think Bellator would have easily risen above them this year. I mean they have a small tournament every season...Strikeforce cant figure out there tournament over a period of several months. There really lucky to have the financial backing now.

Regardless, you guys gotta remember Bellator on Saturdays man, remember this Saturday it starts ealier due to the UFC on Saturday. If I remember correctly Bellator starts a 7 eastern and 6 central. Not sure about the west coast.

 

[Devil_666]

UFC STRIKEFORCE BUYOUT TIDBITS

• Zuffa bumper/intro title screen will be added to all SF shows starting with the April 1 Challengers card.
  
• SF will adopt the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts so elbow strikes on the ground will now be legal.
  
• Strikeforce’s cage will remain hexagonal.
  
• Showtime is in charge of production/announcers. Zuffa has no say so in that. Which sucks because that's two areas that are absolutely horrendous when it comes to SF.
  
• Strikeforce events will continue to air on Showtime, as the promotion is under contract for 16 more events, a deal which reportedly extends to 2014.
  
• Dana White & Scott Coker both said talks for the sale began last year, mid December.
  
• Scott Coker did NOT want to sell but had no choice when Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (the money behind SF) wanted out.
  
• The rumored sale price was $40 Million, with half of that just to repay debts SF incurred (estimate is over 20 Million in debt).
  
• The M-1 Leeches still have a contract with Showtime for Fedor to appear on that network in Strikeforce events. Both M-1 and Dana White said in separate interviews that Fedor's contract would be honored. But I think it's obvious, once that existing contract is up it's bye bye co-promotion for those M-1 hacks.

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Well according to news now it looks like Dana wants to try and go PPV for the finals of the HW tourney.

 

[daikkenaurora]

UFC STRIKEFORCE BUYOUT TIDBITS

• Zuffa bumper/intro title screen will be added to all SF shows starting with the April 1 Challengers card.
  
• SF will adopt the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts so elbow strikes on the ground will now be legal.
  
• Strikeforce’s cage will remain hexagonal.
  
• Showtime is in charge of production/announcers. Zuffa has no say so in that. Which sucks because that's two areas that are absolutely horrendous when it comes to SF.
  
• Strikeforce events will continue to air on Showtime, as the promotion is under contract for 16 more events, a deal which reportedly extends to 2014.
  
• Dana White & Scott Coker both said talks for the sale began last year, mid December.
  
• Scott Coker did NOT want to sell but had no choice when Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (the money behind SF) wanted out.
  
• The rumored sale price was $40 Million, with half of that just to repay debts SF incurred (estimate is over 20 Million in debt).
  
• The M-1 Leeches still have a contract with Showtime for Fedor to appear on that network in Strikeforce events. Both M-1 and Dana White said in separate interviews that Fedor's contract would be honored. But I think it's obvious, once that existing contract is up it's bye bye co-promotion for those M-1 hacks.

damn... would have been great to change the announcers. maybe they will add like Ariel Helwani to the cast.

so strikeforce would have gone extinct. good job Coker the Hutt

 

[Devil_666]

Well according to news now it looks like Dana wants to try and go PPV for the finals of the HW tourney.

Heard that too, he said it's a possibility.

damn... would have been great to change the announcers.

Yeah it sucks. But apparently that's just how it works with Showtime AND HBO (Dana mentioned that was a sticking point with a deal with HBO in the past; they wanted to handle all the production and announcing and the UFC wanted to handle that themselves).

In case some people still don't understand: Gus Johnson is a Strikeforce announcer because Showtime made him one. SF had no say in the matter. BS.

so strikeforce would have gone extinct. good job Coker the Hutt

Yup. That's why some people are calling it a Fire Sale because it looks like SVSE wanted out, and without them backing SF financially SF was finished. And when they shopped the franchise around the only serious offer came from Zuffa. ProElite (former owners of EliteXC) were mentioned as possible buyers but even Coker said they were never taken seriously (lol!?).

So if the UFC didn't snatch up SF, then they'd be in the same position that DREAM and Sengoku are currently in: on-hold, indefinitely. Waiting for someone to give them enough money to have an event.

The interesting thing to me is, neither Showtime nor M-1 Global inquired about purchasing Strikeforce. It was just ProElite and Zuffa.

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Yeah I think after the SF contracts are up, I think SF will be gone. After listening to the conference call and listening to the MMA Junkie insiders by what they said it just doesnt make sense that they run 2 different organizations. Eventually they will probably be absorbed and the others will be let go from the sound of it.

 

[KBA]

I really hope if UFC ever gets a TV deal of their own, they sort out the contract, so they can choose their own commentators. Would be a travesty to have SF caliber commentating on the big show.

 

[Devil_666]

Yeah I think after the SF contracts are up, I think SF will be gone. After listening to the conference call and listening to the MMA Junkie insiders by what they said it just doesnt make sense that they run 2 different organizations. Eventually they will probably be absorbed and the others will be let go from the sound of it.

Agreed. I think that's what they'll end up doing. But it all depends on Showtime and if they extend that relationship past the current contract in place. Without that TV deal, the SF brand will be buried. but if Showtime extends that contract, I think it's possible that SF will continue on. Even as just a triple AAA show for up and coming fighters/fighters who get cut from the UFC.

I really hope if UFC ever gets a TV deal of their own, they sort out the contract, so they can choose their own commentators. Would be a travesty to have SF caliber commentating on the big show.

That's what killed the HBO deal, so I think the UFC is firm on that. And thank God because Jim Lampley would've been one of the appointed HBO announcers and as much as I like him for Boxing telecasts, this dude has openly admitted ON AIR during Boxing events that he doesn't like MMA and that he thinks it's a joke. Now imagine someone like that announcing for MMA.