A few weeks ago, the MMA world was beside itself following rumors that Strikeforce was imminently ceasing operations. Though the rumors never came to pass, the fact remains that Strikeforce’s days are very, very numbered. While UFC fans anxiously await…
A few weeks ago, the MMA world was beside itself following rumors that Strikeforce was imminently ceasing operations. Though the rumors never came to pass, the fact remains that Strikeforce’s days are very, very numbered.
While UFC fans anxiously await the day their favorite organization adds some of the top talent still fighting in the California-based promotion…hold on a minute. There are still plenty of questions out there about how this will play out. Zuffa, for a variety of reasons, simply will not be able to (and likely would not want to) just dump about 100 new fighters into the promotion.
So as Scott Coker plans for his fast-approaching unemployment, what should fans be asking? What should media members be asking at UFC post-fight press conferences? What are the biggest uncertainties about the inevitable closing of Strikeforce?
(Let’s just say that Cristiane has a way of “convincing” men to do what she wants. We won’t give away the secret, but it involves a garden hose, a tub of creamed corn, a circus midget, and a LOT of tears.)
Over the past few months, we’ve seen UFC President Dana White pull a 180 on such topics as TRT, fights that “make sense,” and most importantly, women’s MMA. Where less than a year ago, Dana could be quoted as saying that we would “never” see women in the UFC — unless they were informing us what round it is, of course — nowadays, his attitude seems to have shifted in the opposite direction. This could partially be due to the success of such smaller promotions as InvictaFC, but is more a result of Dana’s budding fascination with Ronda Rousey, who he has referred to as “unique,” “a Diaz brother,” and “a f*cking dude trapped in this beautiful body.” We’re not sure how he would consider the second quality to be all that endearing, but needless to say, The Baldfather recently informed Sports Illustrated that WMMA is on its way to the UFC:
It’s absolutely going to happen.
[It] could happen tomorrow, it could happen a year from now.
We’ve just heard word that Scott Coker has hung himself.
(Let’s just say that Cristiane has a way of “convincing” men to do what she wants. We won’t give away the secret, but it involves a garden hose, a tub of creamed corn, a circus midget, and a LOT of tears.)
Over the past few months, we’ve seen UFC President Dana White pull a 180 on such topics as TRT, fights that “make sense,” and most importantly, women’s MMA. Where less than a year ago, Dana could be quoted as saying that we would “never” see women in the UFC – unless they were informing us what round it is, of course — nowadays, his attitude seems to have shifted in the opposite direction. This could partially be due to the success of such smaller promotions as InvictaFC, but is more a result of Dana’s budding fascination with Ronda Rousey, who he has referred to as “unique,” “a Diaz brother,” and “a f*cking dude trapped in this beautiful body.” We’re not sure how he would consider the second quality to be all that endearing, but needless to say, The Baldfather recently informed Sports Illustrated that WMMA is on its way to the UFC:
It’s absolutely going to happen.
[It] could happen tomorrow, it could happen a year from now.
We’ve just heard word that Scott Coker has hung himself.
In all seriousness, this is undoubtedly a great piece of news for female MMA fighters, especially those under the Strikforce banner who could find themselves out of work in under a year’s time. The question now becomes: Just how long will it be until we see DW attempt a power grab on InvictaFC, or tries to sign one of their most popular fighters mere seconds after their contract has expired?
Of course, both Ronda and the opponent everyone wants to see her fight, Cris Cyborg, have been battling over what weight class the fight would be held at, with neither side willing to budge an inch, but something tells us DW will use everything in his power to convince one of the two otherwise.
It’s odd to think that just a couple of years ago, regional promotion Strikeforce was considered a distant competitor to the UFC.Now, it’s a shadow of its former self, having been bought by UFC parent company Zuffa in March 2011. Most of Strikeforce’s …
It’s odd to think that just a couple of years ago, regional promotion Strikeforce was considered a distant competitor to the UFC.
Now, it’s a shadow of its former self, having been bought by UFC parent company Zuffa in March 2011. Most of Strikeforce’s best talent has been swallowed up by its bigger brother and injuries have killed off the remainder of the promotion’s 2012 events.
More than anyone else, the fighters in this league suffer the most.
Most of Strikeforce’s remaining stars (Gilbert Melendez, Luke Rockhold, Ronaldo Souza) fight twice a year, and that’s if they’re lucky. Heck, the promotion still doesn’t have anything lined up for their vacant light heavyweight title.
Even worse, Strikeforce’s female fighters are so desperate for events that they’re relegated to seeking out “talent sharing” options with Invicta FC and other regional promotions.
So with all that trouble and all that talent suffering in limbo, is there even a point to Strikeforce’s continued existence? Does it have anything valuable to offer to the MMA world?
Yes. Strikeforce can be saved.
As pointless, mismanaged and publicly weak as it appears, there is a value in Strikeforce that can be mined for the future. But it’ll take some huge steps to get there—steps that may seem crazy.
Step 1: Get Strikeforce Away From Showtime
Although much of the blame sits on the UFC for Strikeforce’s woes, an equal amount has to fall on cable network Showtime.
As reported by Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer (via Bloody Elbow), some Strikeforce fighters have contract stipulations that prevent them from jumping ship to the UFC. In essence, it’s a rumored blacklist that’s reserved for Strikeforce’s biggest stars.
Showtime Sports president denied to MMA Fighting‘s MMA Hour that such a list actually exists, but regardless of whether he’s telling the truth, the truth is just as problematic as the possible lie. No matter what, Strikeforce will suffer in a petty tug-of-war between Zuffa and Showtime as long as valuable talent remains in the mix.
To begin the healing, Showtime has to pull the plug on Strikeforce, or at least be compensated well enough to let the promotion go. Considering how far the UFC took their grudge with Spike TV, one would hope that cooler heads might prevail in that negotiation.
Step 2: Revive Strikeforce as an All-Women’s MMA Promotion
One thing that’s always set Strikeforce apart from the rest of the American MMA scene was its dedication to hosting female fighters.
Even when the women’s roster was little more than an excuse to serve up overmatched victims to former featherweight champion Gina Carano, the San Jose-based company put women’s MMA in the spotlight in a way that no one else really could.
If Zuffa and the UFC want to wrangle value out of Strikeforce at a minimum risk, they need to eliminate the men’s division altogether, absorb the best fighters there, and open up the women’s roster to at least three weight classes.
Invicta FC can run a semi-popular calendar of events with little more than good wishes and packing tape. Since that much is possible on such a small budget, it’s fair to say Zuffa wouldn’t be investing a ton of money on an all-women’s league.
Plus, it kills several birds with one stone.
Ronda Rousey gets to stay at the top of a well-known MMA promotion, it gives women’s MMA more time to evolve as a marketable product (before eventually getting absorbed into the UFC), and Zuffa can stick Strikeforce events on FX or FUEL TV to fill their lengthy calendar.
Step 3: Actually Start Giving a Crap About Strikeforce
One of the biggest problems facing Strikeforce is that it’s vastly under-promoted.
When your own champions lament the amount of empty seats at weigh-ins and press conferences, that’s a problem all around. Maybe getting Dana White to hype Strikeforce events is stretching the UFC president a bit too thin, but you need to have someone in the trenches getting things done.
That someone isn’t Scott Coker. As a figurehead, he’s harmless and dutiful—as a promoter, he’s more boring than Ben Askren’s fights.
If Strikeforce as an all-women’s league would have any chance to succeed, Zuffa would have to actually make a concerned effort to sell the brand to viewers. Invicta FC and their legion of mid-level talent can generate 200,000 viewers an event, so doing at least 500,000 with Rousey, Miesha Tate or Cyborg Santos in title fights on free TV can’t be much harder.
Believe it or not, Strikeforce is worth saving. Even on life support, it can hang on as a worthy niche success—it all just depends on Zuffa and the UFC bothering to make the effort.
[McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.]
If you subscribe to UFC magazine, it probably didn’t escape your notice that Ronda Rousey adorned the cover of the serial publication’s August issue.The edition was the first half of a two-part Olympic theme the UFC conjured up for …
If you subscribe to UFC magazine, it probably didn’t escape your notice that Ronda Rousey adorned the cover of the serial publication’s August issue.
The edition was the first half of a two-part Olympic theme the UFC conjured up for its product, with Rousey featured on the August cover and Dan Henderson—another former USA Olympian—featured on the September publication.
Though Rousey‘s cover shot has been in circulation for a few months now, here’s your chance to get just a little bit more Ronda.
The behind the scenes video (hat tip to Fighthub for the post) features Rousey waxing philosophical, leading cameras around the room, frolicking on training equipment (though the frolicking is more child-climbing-a-tree than sexual, so temper your expectations) and, of course, picking people up and tossing them to the mat.
And, keep in mind that the shoot was for an Olympic themed issue of UFC magazine, so naturally, Rousey does sport an oversized, unbuttoned “USA” emblazoned coat.
Rousey‘s cover-girl status is very much emblematic of her rising star in the sport of mixed martial arts. Consider that she has now been featured on a magazine for a promotion she is not in, and one with no female fighters.
Also consider that that accolade seems to be little more than a drop in the bucket of the publicity she’s enjoyed this year.
And with each victory in the Strikeforce cage, and each branding initiative outside it, the Rousey image continues to figure more prominently into today’s MMA scene.
If Shannon Knapp is to be believed, Invicta FC events have attracted up to 200,000 online viewers, curious to discover whether the fledgling promotion can satisfy their lust for MMA. Some have expressed scepticism at the numbers being reported, but the…
If Shannon Knapp is to be believed, Invicta FC events have attracted up to 200,000 online viewers, curious to discover whether the fledgling promotion can satisfy their lust for MMA.
Some have expressed scepticism at the numbers being reported, but there is no doubt that the safe haven for female mixed martial artists has elicited interest from the hardcore fans.
Despite the sustained interest, one must question whether Invicta FC constitutes a viable business venture for its owners.
There has yet been no indication that the promotion is struggling financially. Fighters are paid on time and, based on everything we hear, they are happy with how the organisation has treated them thus far.
Indeed, following the Twitter feeds of Invicta’s stars leads one to believe that they are one big, happy family. It is utterly refreshing, yet it may be equally unsustainable.
Shannon Knapp etal. are artfully straddling the line between business and charity.
On the Co-Main Event podcastearlier this week, Ben Fowlkes pointed out that the reason why Invicta FC shows boast so many fights is because Shannon Knapp can’t say no whenever one of her athletes asks for a fight.
While that might be commendable, it isn’t necessarily the best approach to business.
The problem is that no one has determined Invicta’s ultimate destination: Charitable organisation or business organisation? There is no wrong choice, but it is one that is practically zero-sum.
Succeeding in business often means making difficult decisions, particularly when resources are so scarce.
I wrote an article a couple of months ago, querying whether it would be in Zuffa’s best interests to purchase Invicta FC. On reflection, it may in fact be in everyone’s best interests.
Dana White wants to grow the female side of the sport for a number of reasons, but his recently developed crush on Ronda Rousey is likely high on the list.
In order to get the most out of WMMA’s most bankable star, she needs to be matched up with someone who can hang in there longer than the cumulative length of my love life.
Zuffa could run Invicta FC in much the same way that they ran the WEC—with the goal of developing a section of the sport that is often overlooked and providing opportunities for athletes who deserve to be more appreciated.
I feel quite certain that Shannon Knapp would jump at the opportunity to work alongside the UFC, with their considerable resources at her disposal.
The promotion may well be built for the long haul, but longevity does not necessarily equate to success. Shannon Knapp might soon have to decide whether she wants Invicta FC to flourish or merely exist.
Dana White is already making the wrong moves with women’s MMA.For the last few weeks, the UFC president has been openly hinting that he’s close to making a superfight between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, arguably one of the biggest possi…
Dana White is already making the wrong moves with women’s MMA.
For the last few weeks, the UFC president has been openly hinting that he’s close to making a superfight between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, arguably one of the biggest possible bouts in mixed martial arts right now.
Even better, it could possibly headline a UFC card, according to statements made during a keynote speech at a recent television industry summit (relayed by publicist Amy Pfister):
While not committing to it, @danawhite just said @RondaRousey vs. Cris Cyborg could/should be a main event on UFC pay per view. #CTAM
But as attractive as a “champion vs. former champion” match between the world’s two best female fighters may look on paper, it’s the wrong one to make.
As Ronda Rousey herself stated in the aftermath of Cyborg’s positive test for anabolic steroids, the fairest way for this fight to take place is if it happens at the 135-pound bantamweight limit.
More than anything else, the idea is that Cyborg may have been using banned substances for most of her career, and the weight cut will force her to shed some of her advantageous muscle mass. Cyborg’s also had difficulty in the past just trimming down to 145 pounds, so a 135-pound cut may even bring her usual aggressiveness down a notch.
Either way, that fight shouldn’t be happening.
During her reign as the Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion, Cyborg destroyed her entire division in one-sided fights that made every opponent look utterly outclassed. As a result, the 145-pound women’s roster is a wasteland, with no marketable fights to be made outside of Invicta FC and small regional shows.
Considering how long Cyborg’s been suspected of doping, it’s not something that should be rewarded with a starring role in a high-profile UFC or Strikeforce main event.
Moreover, this is exactly the kind of shortsighted matchmaking that’s been plaguing the UFC for the last year. It’s little more than a quick “dream fight” cash-in that kills the luster of the losing fighter—and forgive me for saying so, but that fighter’s going to be Rousey.
Even with the weight cut, Cyborg is too strong, too fast and too aggressive to lose to “Rowdy” in a five-round fight.
Cyborg’s stand-up is light years beyond anything that Rousey has shown in any of her fights. That’s a problem right off the bat, and the former featherweight champion’s sheer strength won’t let her fall prey to an armbar as easily as Sarah Kaufman or many other women have.
Even assuming that Cyborg hasn’t been on performance-enhancing drugs for most of her career, the insane muscle build that’s already etched into her frame hints at a mauling waiting to happen. If I were a betting man, I would put money on Rousey getting beaten worse than Gina Carano.
But none of that needs to happen.
Instead of a matchup between Rousey and Cyborg, Dana White should be thinking of the bigger picture. He should be trying to promote a more diverse stack of fights designed to set up a proper title mix for the female bantamweights.
Why not have Rousey rematch Miesha Tate, and set up another main card fight that same night with Sara McMann?
Rousey and Tate already have a huge rivalry that’s tailor-made for the UFC promotional wagon, and McMann’s status as an Olympic silver medalist practically markets itself.
Just sign Shayna Baszler to the same card, pack in the story of her close split-decision loss to McMann at Invicta FC 2 and you’ve got a deep, multi-angled storyline to set up for weeks with UFC Primetime and a “Countdown” show.
That’s the right way to bring women’s MMA into the spotlight and set up an immediate title contender for the bantamweight belt.
Dana White and the UFC have been playing fast and loose with their main event talent and already paid the ultimate price once for weighing entire cards on a single fight. Doing the same thing with Ronda Rousey’s future will be equally damaging for them and women’s MMA.
[McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.]
It’s odd to think that just a couple of years ago, regional promotion Strikeforce was considered a distant competitor to the UFC.