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The Strikeforce Event Discussion Thread


David

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Because Zuffa want to force Showtime to ditch Strikeforce (so their big names can join UFC) and not the opposite.

I never said anything about big names though, I asked why Zuffa don't get some of the younger guys under contract and put them on Strikeforce. If anyone shines they can move up to the UFC, meaning they've already had some television coverage and the like.

 

Makes sense.

 

 

It makes sense for Zuffa but why would any television company want to pay for a feeder league?

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It makes sense for Zuffa but why would any television company want to pay for a feeder league?

Every league except the UFC is a feeder league pretty much. If Strikeforce is binned altogether but the channel want to continue screening MMA it'll have to look at a smaller company to work with, won't it?

 

Why not work with Zuffa, and get some of the lower level UFC guys on the shows, helping to build guys that maybe aren't quite up to the level of appearing on a UFC PPV yet? There'll be some exciting prospects who'll come through, guaranteed.

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Jorge Masvidal and Lorenz Larkin are the latest to pull out of the Strikeforce card in January...it's getting to the point now where i think it's pretty obvious that these guys are pulling out to save their potential UFC careers. The UFC are now giving guys the green light to move over and im guessing some of the Strikeforce aren't willing to risk any hiccups in a final Strikeforce fight. As a fan it sucks as it's a bit of a shit on the Strikeforce brand, not that it really matters and i understand the logic but it woulda been nice to see the 'Champions' card to go ahead.

 

Tim Kennedy talks the situation:

 

"Well, I don't know (if the injuries are real). Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. It's pathetic and convenient for every single marquee fighter in all of Strikeforce, that we all know to be going over to the UFC, are pulling out of their fights, two weeks before the final card. It's like, are you guys fighters, or are you just a bunch of little vaginas?"

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Makes sense. A guy like Derek Brunson, who I've never heard of before, having watched Strikeforce very sporadically, is getting the opportunity of a lifetime, debuting on the main card of the UFC's big year-end PPV against a name opponent like Chris Leben. Should Brunson win and win impressively, he's made a major statement in the UFC's middleweight division.So, basically, I think Kennedy's wrong in his view. Intelligence is being confused for cowardice. Anything can happen in MMA, and fighting in SF when there's opportunity in UFC is a nothing to gain, everything to lose situation. The fighters aren't being pussies at all. Should Kennedy lose on the final SF event, he could wind up in the minor leagues and end up nowhere near an Octagon.

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i think it's more to do with them saying they are injured, bottom line is they signed to fight on this card, dropping out and leaving an opponent without a fight is a pretty shitty thing to do...all they had to do was say 'no' when they were first asked to fight. Maybe there are legit. injuries involved but i still think there's some dodgy shit going on.

 

 

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The view of White on Strikeforce;

 

The recent announcement that Strikeforce's Jan. 12 card in Oklahoma City would be its final one on Showtime came as little surprise to most.

 

In some ways, it was one of the industry's worst-kept secrets

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well this is a week away, Strikeforce have finalised the card and it is as follows:

 

Main Card

-Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170lb Title)

-Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring

-Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino

-Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle

-Ronaldo Jacare Souza vs. Ed Herman

 

Prelims

-Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith

-Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith

-KJ Noons vs. Ryan Couture

-Pat Healy vs. Kurt Holobaugh

 

Un-aired Prelims

-Jorge Gurgel vs. Adriano Martins

-Estevan Payan vs. Michael Bravo

 

it went from being the best card in Strikeforce history to being a rag-tag, scraped together affair that doesn't really give the promotion the swansong it deserves. However, what is left is one of the most interesting fight cards in some time, because what you basically have is guys fighting for a place on the UFC roster. I'm assuming the UFC are gonna take some of the guys win or lose, but others probably need a win to get there...some of the debutants have a massive chance here to sneak in the back door of the UFC at the expense of a Strikeforce regular, it could make for some great fights, conversely it could lead to people trying to fight safe, but we'll have to see how it goes...

 

* Marquadt/Saffiedine is a massive oppurtunity for the Belgian, him pulling this off probably means the difference between him entering the promotion as a main card 'Strikeforce Champion' or entering the UFC on the prelims, to enter as Champion would be a massive bargaining chip. Marquadt himself has another chance to prove he's a wrecking machine at 170. I get the feeling Marquadt's gonna be right in the UFC title picture come the end of 2013.

 

* Cormier/Staring: i'm a little concerned about Cormier going into this, all we've heard about recently is the talk of Cormier possibly going to 205 to fight Jon Jones, now the talk is of him fighting Frank Mir on Fox, not one piece of media has focused on the fact that he's fighting Dion Staring next week. I don't think Cormier is the kind of athlete to take his eye of the ball but this a potential banana peel no doubt.

 

I've never seen Staring fight but judging by his record he's a granite tough Dutchman who's currently training with the Blackzilians, this one could be interesting.

 

* Barnett/Guelmino: Josh Barnett is probably in a position where he needs to win impressively here to have any chance of entering the UFC, he's like Strikeforce's red-headed step child at this point, you gotta know Dana White doesn't really want to deal with him but he has to prove that Dana has no other option but to sign him, big fight for Barnett. Guelmino finds himself in a similar position as Staring, again i've never seen him fight but i don't think you'd wanna spill this man's pint:

 

20091114032312_nandor.JPG

 

* Mousasi/Kyle: this is one of the few proper Strikeforce fights remaining, i'd say both guys are a lock to move over. Mousasi is one of MMA's great enigma's, so much talent yet a seeming lack of effort, it's time for him to start delivering again. Mike Kyle is always fun win or lose, i see the UFC taking him on for that reason. I'll be rooting for the Mousasi.

 

* Jacare/Herman the lone UFC vs. Strikeforce fight on the card, not quite sure of the point of this exercise but i like the matchup. I can't see Jacare having much trouble dispatching of Herman. Jacare is gonna be a great addition to the UFC middleweight division.

 

Of the prelims, you have to think Healy, Couture (first father/son combo in the UFC), Noons, Kennedy & Gracie are guaranteed UFC slots barring they come through unscathed.

 

Quite note again on Pat Healy, he's gotta feel hard done by, to go from headlining the show in a well deserved world title fight, to propping up the prelims against an undefeated guy who's never fought in the promotion, talk about a no-win. Poor fucker.

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The problem with Barnett is that he could feasibly beat 99% of the current heavyweight division in the UFC. As much as White won't want him in the promotion, he certainly doesn't want him anywhere near the strap. That would be his worst nightmare.

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well this is a week away, Strikeforce have finalised the card and it is as follows:

 

Main Card

-Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170lb Title)

-Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring

-Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino

-Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle

-Ronaldo Jacare Souza vs. Ed Herman

 

Prelims

-Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith

-Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith

-KJ Noons vs. Ryan Couture

-Pat Healy vs. Kurt Holobaugh

 

Un-aired Prelims

-Jorge Gurgel vs. Adriano Martins

-Estevan Payan vs. Michael Bravo

You know, despite being skullfucked and left on the side of the road, this card still looks a bit better than most Strikeforce offerings on paper. Marquardt, Cormier, Barnett, Mousasi, Kyle, Jacare, Herman on loan, and Kennedy and Healy hanging around on the prelims, still looking decent really. Says something about the quality of SF's roster though that a "UFC reject" (not really accurate but they did scrap him) who's had one fight in the organisation headlines their final event as the champion.

 

Also, looking forward to seeing Ryan Couture fight, I've been watching him for a while now and he could be an interesting addition to UFC's LW division if they bring him along right.

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they have too bring him in surely, Couture cut his teeth on a pretty big stage in Strikeforce and he's done alright for himself...he's started knocking off some name opponents recently too. The UFC debut would be a sweet little story.

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