Filed under: StrikeforceHere’s a question for all you problem-solvers out there. Say you’re an MMA organization that has decided to go all-in on a high-profile heavyweight tournament. Say you really, really need this thing to run smoothly, if only to p…
Here’s a question for all you problem-solvers out there. Say you’re an MMA organization that has decided to go all-in on a high-profile heavyweight tournament. Say you really, really need this thing to run smoothly, if only to prove to people that you are capable of making something run smoothly.
Now say one of the biggest favorites from the less star-studded part of the tournament bracket doesn’t have a license to fight in the state where your organization is based. Say that same licensing problem puts him at odds with many of the more reputable state athletic commissions around the U.S.
(Rebney’s thinning patience with Coker showed in this recent Twitter posting.)
By CagePotato contributor S.C. Michaelson
CHICAGO — With the recent announcement from Strikeforce that it will put on a 2011 heavyweight grand prix tournament, the MMA comm…
(Rebney’s thinning patience with Coker showed in this recent Twitter posting.)
By CagePotato contributor S.C. Michaelson
CHICAGO — With the recent announcement from Strikeforce that it will put on a 2011 heavyweight grand prix tournament, the MMA community has been abuzz with excitement and intrigue. Many analysts predict that a successful tournament could be the catalyst to Strikeforce becoming more of a major player in today’s market. However, not everyone is as excited about the prospect of the proposed tournament — enter Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney.
"Tournament schmurnament," spat Rebney. "Hello, does anybody remember what Bellator is? Our whole company is based around tournaments. Hell, we just had a heavyweight tournament last year!"
("Yeah, I’ll take the soki soba, an Asahi, and 25mg of the…uh…you know…the usual." Photo courtesy of ESPN.)
We know what you’re thinking: Strikeforce’s 2011 Heavyweight Tournament isn’t nearly chaotic enough as it is, and it would be …
("Yeah, I’ll take the soki soba, an Asahi, and 25mg of the…uh…you know…the usual." Photo courtesy of ESPN.)
("I’m thinking of a number between 1-20. First person to guess it gets to be Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champion. No shit, we’ll give you a belt and everything." PicProps: Canvas Chronicle)
So, in a nutshell? Strikeforce held a confer…
("I’m thinking of a number between 1-20. First person to guess it gets to be Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champion. No shit, we’ll give you a belt and everything." PicProps: Canvas Chronicle)
Some other oddities in the tournament “rules” revealed yesterday: In the unlikely event of a draw, the promotion will call upon a fourth judge to break the tie. That’s cool, because draws suck. It’s also shitty, because the “fourth judge” will reportedly be appointed by Strikeforce, not an athletic commission and therefore stands to be even less trustworthy than the blind simpletons who normally score MMA fights. Also, in the very likely event that someone can’t continue in the tournament due to injury (or some other reason) a five-person “tournament committee” comprised of Strikeforce officials will handpick a replacement. If you think this concept is obviously rife with major conflicts of interests, well, you’re right. Don’t worry though, it will all sound very official. Kind of like in the ’80s when “Jack Tunney” used to be the “president” of the WWF.
Anyway, after the jump, some meditations on how all the things we told you in the above two paragraphs could potentially make this tournament go all fubar. We have questions, people. Tons of questions.
Strikeforce President, Scott Coker announced today that Alistair Overeem’s Heavyweight Title is not on the line during the eight-man Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. Instead, there will be a separate Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and Tournament Champion. The winner of the tournament will then go on to fight Overeem for the Strikeforce Heavyweight belt, unless the […]
Strikeforce President, Scott Coker announced today that Alistair Overeem’s Heavyweight Title is not on the line during the eight-man Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. Instead, there will be a separate Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and Tournament Champion. The winner of the tournament will then go on to fight Overeem for the Strikeforce Heavyweight belt, unless the winner of the tournament is Overeem. In such case, Coker says:
“If Overeem wins, he’s not just the best MMA or K-1 fighter, he can say he’s the greatest martial arts fighter in the world,”
That is, in a world without Georges St. Pierre, Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva…
("I’m not sure what this has to do with the movie, Mr. Spielberg, but if you say Kate Capshaw auditioned topless, I’m cool with it, too.")
Well, it looks like Scott Coker is still under the impression that the former face of his promotion, Gi…
("I’m not sure what this has to do with the movie, Mr. Spielberg, but if you say Kate Capshaw auditioned topless, I’m cool with it, too.")
Well, it looks like Scott Coker is still under the impression that the former face of his promotion, Gina Carano will be back competing for Strikeforce this year.
While on MMAFighting.com’s The MMA Hour Monday, Coker said that he’s confident that the former Strikeforce female 145-pound standout who hasn’t fought since losing her strap to Cris "Cyborg" Santos 17 months ago in August of 2009 will make her much-anticipated return before the end of 2011 — a lofty claim he made last year as well, that didn’t materialize.
"I believe she’ll be back in the cage this year. From what I know of her, she is a competitor at heart; she’s going to want to fight," Coker told Ariel Helwani. "She’s not going to want to end her career the way it ended. So, I think she’ll be back."