MMA: Understanding the UFC’s Purpose for Keeping Strikeforce Alive

What does the future truly hold for Strikeforce? It has been 13 months since UFC-parent Zuffa purchased the Strikeforce promotion. Right away, speculation ran rampant throughout the sport on exactly what the fate of Strikeforce would be.The fire sale t…

What does the future truly hold for Strikeforce? It has been 13 months since UFC-parent Zuffa purchased the Strikeforce promotion. Right away, speculation ran rampant throughout the sport on exactly what the fate of Strikeforce would be.

The fire sale that ensued in the months following aided in the speculation. Names like Alistair Overeem, Antonio Silva, Cung Le, Nick Diaz and Fabricio Werdum were swiped almost immediately.

In December 2011, Dana White announced that a new deal had been struck between Strikeforce and Showtime to keep programming on the network through 2012.

On Thursday, Cagepotato.com published an article showing the junior varsity-like effort that is the Strikeforce website. This certainly doesn’t resemble an organization with plans for the future.

Plus, where has Scott Coker been? Was he in witness protection or something?

Ever since the Strikeforce sale commenced, I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around why Zuffa has kept them around. Finally it hit me; Strikeforce is a test-tube organization for women’s mixed martial arts.

Dana White has said numerous times in the past that women’s MMA does not have a deep enough talent pool to bring it into the UFC. Yet he has expressed that the WMMA does possess some talented fighters, most notably with the Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey fight. 

For many of the major moves that the UFC has taken, there has been some sort of testing ground on the big stage. When the featherweight and bantamweight divisions were added, WEC was used as a testing ground to see if bringing these smaller guys to the UFC was sustainable. 

WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber, presented by the UFC after the Zuffa/WEC acquisition, was the first WEC event shown on pay-per-view. PRIDE already boasted some of the best fighters in the world when they were purchased by Zuffa. Even then, the promotion wasn’t immediately dissolved in the UFC.

Shutting down Strikeforce would essentially end women’s mixed martial arts on the larger stage. 

Currently, though the talent pool does appear to lack the ability to sustain several women’s weight classes, there does appear to be some top talent available and fighters such as Tate and Rousey possess marketing potential. 

The Strikeforce brand allows Dana White the ability to monitor and evaluate the sustainability of WMMA without affecting his number one priority, which is protecting the UFC brand. 

The fight between Tate and Rousey gave White a glimpse into the marketability of a card headlined by a WMMA fight.

The next few months will give us a better look into the future of Strikeforce. Strikeforce will finalize their heavyweight grand prix and Rousey will most likely make her first title defense.  

If this is the last calendar year for Strikeforce, the question then becomes, can the UFC launch a successful women’s division? Then again, would they want to?

 

Follow Walt J. as he gives his no-holds-barred opinions on the NFL, MMA and other sports topics on his blog, Area49sports.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @area49sports or like him on Facebook at Area49sports.

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Tito Ortiz: ‘Boxing Had Ali, Pro-Wrestling Had Hogan and MMA Has Tito Ortiz’

Love him or hate him, Tito Ortiz has forever etched his name in MMA history.The former UFC light heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the final time on July 7, which should serve as the end of an era.For years, Ortiz, Randy Couture and C…

Love him or hate him, Tito Ortiz has forever etched his name in MMA history.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the final time on July 7, which should serve as the end of an era.

For years, Ortiz, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell have been seen as the modern day pioneers of the UFC. With Couture and Liddell already enjoying post-UFC endeavors, Ortiz will be the last of the three to finally hang up the gloves.

He recently spoke with GroundandPoundTV about his final fight in the UFC and how he hopes to remembered. 

“This year, my last fight in the UFC, yep, my last fight in the UFC, I want to take it seriously and make sure I get the most out of it. I’m fighting Forrest Griffin. I won the first one, and he won the second one, so we’re gonna do it for a trilogy, and I’m gonna get my hand raised.”

The Ortiz and Griffin rivalry began back in April 2006. Ortiz returned after over a year’s hiatus and earned a split decision over the Season 1 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Griffin would return the favor nearly a year later at UFC 106, where he also won by split decision.

Ortiz hopes to end his career in spectacular fashion, but after everything he’s done in the sport, he feels that he really doesn’t have anything left to prove.

“There’s nothing I need to prove in the UFC anymore. I’m the longest light heavyweight champion in history. Jon Jones may beat that, and if he does beat it, he’s a good guy and I would like him to beat the record, but I don’t think he will. I’ve done everything underneath the sun in Mixed Martial Arts.

I’ve been an ambassador of the sport to bringing it across the world, and I’ve fought the most consecutive bouts in the UFC. I’ve been competing longer than any UFC fighter, and it’s time to say enough’s enough, and I’m ready for it. I’m ready to go onto other things in my life in the business stuff.”

Ortiz has always been a controversial figure in the sport, but it’s hard to disagree with him going down as an all-time great.

Along with Couture, Liddell, Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, Ortiz deserves a healthy portion of the credit for the UFC growing into what it is today.

“There’s a few people that don’t give me the respect that I think I deserve, but there’s a lot of fans who give me a lot of respect. Of course the people who follow me on Twitter @TitoOrtiz, and you can just hear them, the way they talk about me. ‘I’m a legend, I’m an icon of the sport.’ Boxing had Muhammad Ali, professional wrestling had Hulk Hogan and Mixed Martial Arts has Tito Ortiz.” 

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UFC on Fuel 2 Results: What’s Next for Paulo Thiago?

In February 2009, Paulo Thiago was making his UFC debut. Despite being 10-0 at the time and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt, Thiago was coming into the fight as an underdog against former TUF competiter Josh Koscheck. Although he wa…

In February 2009, Paulo Thiago was making his UFC debut. 

Despite being 10-0 at the time and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt, Thiago was coming into the fight as an underdog against former TUF competiter Josh Koscheck

Although he was supposed to be the inferior striker, Thiago ended up knocking out Koscheck in the first round of their fight. 

Fast forward three years, and it’s Thiago on the receiving end of a knockout from a debuting UFC fighter. 

At last night’s UFC on Fuel 2, Thiago was not only knocked out by Siyar Bahadurzada; it only took 42 seconds for Bahadurzada to knock him unconscious.

Thiago has now gone 3-4 in his last seven fights after starting his career 11-0.

While Thiago has had wins against lower-level welterweights, his losses have come to top contenders like Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann.

While Thiago could have been talked about as one of the upper-tier welterweights in the division, he is now looking to stay relevant and climb back up the division.  

With the quick KO loss sinking in, Thiago should take some time off and try to figure out what he needs to do to change his game. 

Of course last night’s loss could have simply been Thiago just getting caught. As quick as it came, it was the first loss by stoppage in his career. 

But Thiago is in danger of possibly getting cut if he does not put together multiple wins. 

What’s next for Thiago? Maybe a rematch with Jon Fitch, who is also coming off of a quick KO loss, could push him back up the division. 

If that’s shooting too high, then a matchup with fellow losers from last night, Papy Abedi or DeMarques Johnson, could be in order for Thiago. 

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Dana White Calls Public’s Request for PED Testing "Impossible," but MMA Needs It

During the post-fight conference for Saturday’s UFC on FUEL TV 2, UFC president Dana White expressed his frustration with the public’s calls for more drug testing.
The battle that I have to get these guys to get their f—— bout agreemen…

During the post-fight conference for Saturday’s UFC on FUEL TV 2, UFC president Dana White expressed his frustration with the public’s calls for more drug testing.

The battle that I have to get these guys to get their f—— bout agreements back and show up for press is un f—— believable. The fact that I have to make personal phone calls to tell guys to talk to the f—— press. Now I’m going to start making personal phone calls to go show up for random drug tests?

The general public and the media need to grasp some f—— concept of reality, okay? The reality of us doing all the f—— things that we’re doing, when we already have the gold standard in drug testing, and then trying to chase 375 guys all over the world to randomly test them too? It’s impossible.

White is right about one thing—drug testing all of his fighters in the way much of the public is asking for could prove overwhelming, especially when the UFC does work hard to maintain this “gold standard in drug testing.”

However, he can hardly call it impossible.

The problem lies with the UFC as a self-regulating promotion company. With the UFC’s push for global expansion, the organization must deal with numerous national regulations. Moreover, these regulations in the U.S. vary from state to state, forcing even more complications upon an already complicated matter.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner explained the honest problem with a promoter working as regulator in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Ben Fowlkes.

You don’t want a promoter self-regulating. For us, what we’ve been doing is trying to grow the sport. But when I’m in charge, I still work for the promoter, so there’s an inherent conflict and we’re the first to admit that. But you can’t grow the sport unless you do that to start with.

For the UFC to begin their promotion with a strong consideration of drug use and its protocol, as Ratner speaks to here, was a sensible move for the organization. But this year alone has seen a huge growth in popularity and excitement from countries who have or will receive a UFC event soon and from some of the biggest planned events in UFC history.

This self-regulation has reached a breaking point.

The most recent PED debacle—the discovery of Alistair Overeem’s elevated testosterone level after random testing by the NSAC that destroyed UFC 146—has outraged the public and brought criticism about the use of PEDs. It has unveiled the overwhelming fear from fans and fighters about the presence of PEDs in the sport. More importantly, this also reveals the weaknesses in the UFC’s infrastructure as a growing organization.

Even if the UFC follows state regulations when hosting fights in the U.S., the states themselves are victim to the same broken system.

While Overeem fell to the NSAC’s random testing for levels of testosterone to epitestosterone higher than 6:1, that’s still more lenient than the World Anti-Doping Administration’s 4:1 limit. And on a separate but related note, the California State Athletic Commission approved an amendment allowing the use of many banned substances by fighters, including testosterone and marijuana, so long as they are prescribed for medical use (via SI.com).

Each of these as separate cases are not necessarily harmful. What is unsettling, however, is that so many regulatory boards are moving in so many different directions in response to so many different questions regarding drug use.

It’s enough to have any independent board of regulation throw their hands in the air. The end result is already confusing and is likely headed toward a bureaucratic mess.

With White, fighters and fans frustrated with the system in place (though all for very different reasons), it may be time to welcome a new board of international regulation. I recently argued that the newly-formed International Mixed Martial Arts Federation—a Swedish organization who aims to enforce the safety of MMA on a worldwide scale—could make the sport stronger in its support for the development of fighters.

Given this latest cry of distress over PED regulation, it may have more to offer as a governing body as well.

While the UFC doesn’t appear to be letting go of its job as regulator and the IMMAF hasn’t spoken to any future policies about the issue of PED use, reaction to these latest events will measure how the sport will own up to regulation. If the IMMAF wants to develop MMA on a global scale through a focus on regulation and safety, it cannot miss this chance to address the regulation of PEDs. And if the UFC really does want to hand over such regulation, it has the chance—not to mention expected political pressure—to work with the IMMAF on a solution.

Without taking advantage of this moment, the UFC may miss a great opportunity to move on as a promoter while further committing to a responsible global existence of MMA.

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Dana White Is Right to Deny Mark Hunt a Title Shot

Everyone loves a warrior. With an iron jaw, dynamite hands and a 265-pound frame, Mark Hunt certainly fits the bill.I am not against the Samoan in his run for the title. I jumped for joy when Hunt knocked out Chris Tuchscherer, and was equally thrilled…

Everyone loves a warrior. With an iron jaw, dynamite hands and a 265-pound frame, Mark Hunt certainly fits the bill.

I am not against the Samoan in his run for the title. I jumped for joy when Hunt knocked out Chris Tuchscherer, and was equally thrilled by the highlight-reel destruction of Chieck Kongo. Dana White hit the nail on the head today: we MMA fans are suckers for a comeback.

That being said, level-headed commentators should not suggest that Hunt has much to offer the UFC’s upper-echelon fighters. Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos and Fabrico Werdum all have the right tools to give Hunt an exceptionally difficult time in the Octagon. Likewise, adoring fans shouldn’t forget that Hunt’s submission loss to the relatively unmemorable Sean McCorkle happened only three fights ago.

If we are to argue that Hunt has changed his game drastically since that time, which bout do we point towards? Neither Tuchscherer, Rothwell or Kongo can be described as title contenders, and no one has tested Hunt’s questionable ground game as of late— the division’s elite will hardly fail to exploit this weakness.

At this stage, Hunt’s chances of winning the belt are irrelevant; we shouldn’t see him in a title fight. MMA has entered a crucial stage in its development, courting the mainstream and attracting fans from a broad range of backgrounds. As the sport’s fanbase shifts, so do expectations.

Mainstream spectators are not likely to understand MMA’s lack of linear competitive structure. Few things could make the sport seem less legitimate than watching a freak-show bout between the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and a UFC newcomer who, until recently, would have been lucky to enter a heavyweight top-20 list.

If the Samoan wants a title shot, Stephan Struve is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Assuming that Hunt can hang with the Dutchman’s ground skills and add another scalp to his belt, then—and only then—will he become an eligible contender.

White made the right decision in slowing Hunt’s advance. While we love our favorite fighters and are inclined to lead with our hearts, on this occasion we should keep our heads in the equation, too.

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UFC News: BJ Penn ‘Can’t See the Scenario’ Where He Would Take Another Fight

Looks like one UFC legend wasn’t blowing smoke when he said he was retiring as a mixed martial artist after a tough loss last year. “I haven’t made any plans to come back and fight again, Dana White has actually called me a couple time…

Looks like one UFC legend wasn’t blowing smoke when he said he was retiring as a mixed martial artist after a tough loss last year. 

“I haven’t made any plans to come back and fight again, Dana White has actually called me a couple times and talked to me, it’s just something that’s not in my future right now,” BJ Penn said at the UFC on Fuel TV 2 post fight presser. 

“The UFC is the best athletes in the world, but I don’t know. In a perfect world, I can’t even see the scenario right now this moment. It’s just something that if I feel it, I feel it, and if not we’ll just sit back and watch all the other guys kick butt in the Octagon.”

“The Prodigy,” a former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion, announced his retirement after dropping a decision to fellow jiu-jitsu ace Nick Diaz at UFC 137 in October. 

“This is probably the last time you’re ever going to see me in here. I want to perform at the top level. That’s it,” Penn said immediately after the loss.

“I’ve got a daughter, another daughter on the way, I don’t want to go home looking like this. I’m done.”

While Penn said he has been casually training at a new gym he is opening in Oahu, Hawaii, he is more focused now on teaching his students there and spending quality time with his family. 

“I’m opening the UFC gym, the B.J. Penn/UFC gym in Oahu. I’ve been doing that and I’ve been watching my gym at home. I’ve just been kind of teaching and training, I like it,” Penn explained.

“Just go to the gym when I feel like training I train, and if not I watch my daughters.”

Penn is just 1-3-1 in his past five fights, with his sole victory coming over fellow UFC legend Matt Hughes in a rubber match at UFC 123. 

After losing to a contender like Diaz at welterweight and given the plethora of title hopefuls that exist at lightweight, perhaps Penn picked the right time to walk way from the Octagon.

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