ZUFFA PURCHASES STRIKEFORCE

Ultimate Fighting Championship executives today said that Showtime will retain control over the broadcast and look of Strikeforce events.

But there is one big difference that fans immediately will notice when the recently purchased promotion next goes on air: the use of elbows on the ground.

UFC co-owner and executive Lorenzo Fertitta said the Strikeforce fighters now will compete under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which allow the strikes.

Strikeforce currently forbids elbows on the ground. Officials claim they cause cuts that unfairly alter the course of a fight. Some MMA fans liked the rule while others said it neutered the action inside the cage.

Other than that significant rule change, though, UFC executives said everything will stay the same in the promotion, including the six-sided (hexagonal) Strikeforce cage and announcing teams, who are employed by Showtime.

Of course, the UFC will have suggestions for Showtime, though Fertitta said the two parties haven't met since the sale was completed this past Saturday.

"To make it real clear, Showtime controls the production, which includes the announcers; it includes how the show is broadcast – all those different things," Fertitta said. "I'm sure that we'll give our input, and whether or not they take our input is entirely up to them."

Showtime executives haven't commented on the Strikeforce buyout. The premium-cable channel entered into a five-year agreement with the California-based promotion in February 2009 to broadcast up to 16 events per calendar year. The deal came in the wake of the 2008 collapse of ProElite Inc., which had previously partnered with Showtime for EliteXC events.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker considered selling his promotion to the revamped ProElite before taking an offer from the UFC.

Both Fertitta and UFC president Dana White stressed that things will continue to be "business as usual" for their recent acquisition, though they admitted there are still several unknowns about how Strikeforce will coexist with its parent company and whether there will be crossover between the promotions.

There are, however, several small changes that Zuffa LLC is targeting, and those things first will be addressed when Strikeforce's next event, "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," takes place April 9 at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego.

"There's a lot of things we can do – back of the house, in-house – to help them out and make it a better experience for the fighters and the fans," White said. "But Showtime runs the production."

Scott Coker: "This is a historical day for the sport of MMA."
- "Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment wanted to get back to their core business (hockey). I wanted to stick around in MMA."
- "We have around 140 fighters under contract in Strikeforce."
- "HWGP delay had more to do with finding the right location for the fight. This deal had nothing to do with it."
- "I think fans are eventually going to get to see the fights they want to see."
- "We had booking approval for guys with non-exclusive contracts."
- "Fedor fights for Strikeforce. Fedor fights on Showtime. I can't get into the specifics."

- Dana White: "Right now, we're looking to run Strikeforce on Showtime. Business as usual."
- "I'll never say never to anything, but right now Strikeforce will continue to run on Showtime. Showtime runs the production for Strikeforce. There's things we can do to help out, but they're running production."
- "There's always going to be competition. We're just looking to expand and grow the business. We need more fighters."
- "I wouldn't count anything out with regards to fighters crossing over. As of now, we're keeping things separate, but it's a work in progress."
- "There are a lot of people who aren't big fans of mine, but we can still do business." (Re: Barnett, Daley)
- "All you have to do is have some money and some big balls to get into the MMA business."
- "My thoughts on women MMA is the same. That's Scott's deal, not mine."
- "We're open to the idea of the HWGP final being on PPV."
- "We have the largest MMA video library in the world."
- "A fighter's union is up to the fighters. The problem is that this isn't a team sport. Guys at the top might not want to kick money down to the guys at the bottom."
- White dodges a question about multiple champions in each weight class.

- Lorenzo Fertitta: "It's a positive for the fighters to work for Zuffa. We have vast resources and will honor contracts."
- "There are plenty of promoters around the world for fighters."
- "We haven't had a chance to meet with Showtime yet. Strikeforce still has a contract for 16 fights with Showtime. If Showtime is interest in something beyond that, we're interested."
- "So far, we have not been able to do a deal with a network that makes sense for us."
- "Strikeforce will continue to use the hexagon. Strike WILL ADOPT the Unified Rules. Elbows on the ground will be allowed in Strikeforce."
- "Showtime contracts runs through 2014. Showtime controls production which includes announcers, etc. We'll offer input, but that's all."
- "We put this together in short order, and we don't have all the answers yet."
- "It's important for fighters to remain professional. We're honoring our side of contracts."
- "There's a lot of "unfinished business" over in Strikeforce with regards to matchups."
- "We're not worried about opening ourselves up to anti-trust suits. There are 1000s of other promotions."
- "Scott does not have an equity stake in Zuffa."
- "We started talks in mid-December."

Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem was among the many people caught completely by surprise by this weekend's big announcement regarding the sale of his employer to its biggest industry rival.

Overeem told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour that he was completely shocked by news that Zuffa had purchased Strikeforce, but said he has reason to be excited about what this means for the future.

"I was shocked when I read it, but I'm very excited," Overeem told Helwani. "It's a very big upset in the MMA world, and the fighting world in general. But yeah, my first thought was, I'm excited. ... It was a very big surprise to me and to everybody. The gentlemen did a very good job of keeping the big secret. I didn't see it coming. I didn't see it coming at all."

Overeem, who called in to The MMA Hour from his training camp in Thailand, said he is still preparing to face Fabricio Werdum in the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix in June, and as far as he knows, "[E]verything is still on."

As for whether the sale will turn out to be a positive or negative for MMA fighters and fans, Overeem sounded an optimistic tone.

"It depends. I'm a positive guy. I see things through a positive lens. It can be really, really the best thing [that] ever happened to the sport, if it's used positive, and I see that happening. If it's used negative, then it's going to be a downfall. But I don't see that happening. I see this as a good thing, a good development, so I see the sport growing.

"We're going to have to wait and see how it works out," Overeem continued. "The fans are going to get to see the fights that are most appealing to them. I think this is what the sport needs to grow, because the sport has grown rapidly, but it's still not there yet. It still needs to grow bigger. I think [UFC president] Dana [White] wants this and I know I want this as well. We want the fights to be worldwide known. We want everybody worldwide to talk about these fights, like in the old days with Muhammad Ali and [Mike] Tyson, and we're not there yet. To get there, there's still some work to be done and I think Dana's working on that."

Overeem seemed surprise to learn that Strikeforce would now adopt the unified rules of MMA, including elbow strikes to the head of a grounded opponent, which he referred to as, "a good thing, I guess."

As for when or if fans might get to see him against some of the UFC's big names, Overeem said his only focus at the moment is on the Strikeforce GP, where he's still awaiting his first-round match-up with Fabricio Werdum.

"For me, I'm a fighter. I want to show the fans exciting fights. I want to go for the knockout. For me, I'm tied down in the Strikeforce Grand Prix. That is my objective for the moment. This is my time to show that I'm number one in this tournament. All the politics talk, I'm not a head of an MMA organization. I know leading a business like that has a lot of responsibilities, a lot of headache, so I can't answer that question for you. ...I'm happy that I'm not in their shoes. I'm happy that I have the simple life of a fighter."

And for anyone who doubts that Overeem's focus is still on winning the tournament, he offered a succinct response to Werdum's claim that he'll look to attack the champ's other arm in their rematch this June.

"He'll be unable to do that when he's sleeping on the mat with his face down," said Overeem.

Strikeforce fighters have done a lot of reflecting in the past 48 hours.

Following the UFC's buyout of its promotional home, they have a lot of optimism about the potential upside of being aligned with the world's biggest fight promotion.

However, questions remain about the long-term future of the California-based promotion, and some fighters and industry professionals are concerned about the ultimate fate of a company that until very recently was the only credible competition to the UFC.

But most fighters agree that their job remains the same, regardless of who signs the checks. Their job is to put on a good show.

"As a fighter, that's the great thing about it," former Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "You don't worry about the business side of it all. You worry about going out there and performing."

According to UFC president Dana White, Strikeforce will continue to operate as a separate entity from the UFC. They'll make a few changes in the look of the event and how the shows are run backstage. There will not be meddling in the matchmaking process or the acquisition of talent, and fighters will serve out the remainder of their contracts under the Strikeforce banner.

"It is literally business as usual," White told MMAFighting.com.

Several fighters said the additional marketing muscle brought by the UFC could be a boon for Strikeforce, which had often struggled to separate itself from the Las Vegas-based promotion among casual fans of the sport.

"If anything, it will help out Strikeforce," said one-time welterweight contender K.J. Noons. "The UFC are a good company. I don't think it's a negative. I think it's a positive."

Then there's the possibility of UFC fighters joining the ranks of Strikeforce, White said, which would deepen the ranks of all its divisions.

A ticket to the big show is the biggest carrot for most Strikeforce fighters. There are bigger potential upsides in fight purses, sponsorships and performance bonuses. There is stiffer competition, bigger crowds and the pride that comes from working for the biggest and most well-known MMA company.

No longer do they need to explain what Strikeforce is to the average passerby.

"It excites me," said Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, who recently earned the biggest victory of his career by upsetting Fedor Emelianenko in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix. "The UFC is the No. 1 event on earth. The best fighters in the world are there. I would love to fight there.

"I'd love to fight Brock Lesnar and send him back to pro wrestling because I don't accept the fact that [he's] ranked No. 2. It's not personal; I don't know Brock. It's just professional."

But for those who have already fought in the UFC, the buyout raises concerns about the bargaining power of those who've left the big show for other opportunities. Dan Henderson did so more than a year ago amid much fanfare to sign a lucrative contract with Strikeforce. After an unsuccessful bid for the promotion's middleweight belt, he won the light-heavyweight title earlier this month by knocking out Rafael Cavalcante at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson." He has one fight left on his current contract and expected to begin negotiations for a new one when news of the sale broke.

"I don't know if it's the greatest thing to have everything under one roof again like it was when they took over PRIDE," Henderson said. "It's just a concern. Hopefully things work out right. Obviously, I'm concerned for myself and future contracts, and also about other fighters, as well. It's tough for these guys to get paid well, especially if there's no competition."

That's a concern echoed by those tasked with overseeing the careers of those who step in the cage. With the gap between regional shows and the big leagues now greater than ever, some fear that it may be tougher over the long term for many fighters to make a living.

Some, in fact, are upset with Strikeforce for ceding its independence.

"(Strikeforce CEO) Scott Coker did what would be in his and his family's best financial interest," said Cesar Gracie, who manages welterweight champion Nick Diaz. "At the end of the day, he makes a few million bucks, and he's a happy camper.

"Is it going to be good for the fighters? We're going to wait and see."

Right now, that's the asterisk beside the comments of most affected by the buyout. Many questions remain about the direction Strikeforce will take in the next year. The promotion has events scheduled for April 9 and June 18 and has approximately three years remaining on its TV deal with Showtime. But the often-contentious relationship between the UFC and Showtime has raised questions of whether that deal will hold. So far there has been no comment on the game-changing deal from the premium cable channel or Strikeforce officials.

White said there's a need for more Strikeforce events and that the promotion has developed a following that's valuable as the UFC continues to expand across the globe.

The fighters can all agree on another thing: They need the work.

"I fight for my family," Silva said. "I love to fight and I need to fight, so I'll fight any place and anybody."

payneNglory1 wrote:
"But even still, I got to see and experience a lot of amazing things in my life even because of that. I could sit back and cry about it and really think what a horrible way this turned out, but my life has been really awesome. I've done a lot of awesome things and I've been a part of amazing moments of time and got to fight in amazing places and see amazing things and fight amazing fighters and I would never trade that in. The thing is, every step you take is forever. I'm going to do what I've got to do and I'll try to do the best I can to avoid mistakes of the past and use those experiences to be better at everything I try to do in life."

There has been a great deal of speculation about the fates of Strikeforce fighters like Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett, both of whom left the UFC amid some acrimony. Dan Henderson commented to MMA Weekly: "It's a little shocking. I had no idea," Henderson told MMAWeekly.com on Saturday. "I know there were rumors six months ago, but I was pretty shocked. I don't know what to feel about it. I don't necessarily think, it might not be the best thing for the sport. But then again, you're going to start being able to see all these match-ups that everyone wants to see. Who knows?" ... "I had no plans of leaving, but I don't know what this is going to do those plans, but I have one fight left on my deal and we'll see what happens," Henderson stated. ... "Of course," Henderson answered when prompted about fighting for White and the UFC again. "I've never said anything bad about them. I always appreciated everything they've done for me and for the sport. It's just I was paid more money to go elsewhere, and that's what I did. Dana's the type that needs to talk a little smack if he doesn't get his way, but I've got no hard feelings about anything." For his part Josh Barnett talked to Sherdog: "Things have changed," said the former UFC champion, "This is major and great things can come from it and I just want to be a part of that, and the way I can best do that is be the best fighter I can be." ... "I'm not here to make this a personal vendetta or judgment with [Dana], especially in terms of business," said Barnett. "I know what I've got to do and I know what his position is in terms of being the president of the UFC, and that he has excelled at. He's done a great job." ... "If he hates me, he hates me; but if he sees the value in what I bring to the table as a fighter I think that will speak for itself," he said. "But you know what? I don't hate Dana and I do business, and I'll go out there and do the absolute best that I can do and if he happens to be my employer ... literally, if Dana White has an office that I have to write into every day, because that's the person I report to for my business, well that's what I'll do." ... "There is a part of me that absolutely wishes that things between myself and the UFC had worked out differently," stated Barnett. "I was 23, 24-years-old at the time and I took advice from where I took it and I tried to do what I thought was the best thing at the time, but this guy that is sitting here talking to you now would tell that kid [that] he was a moron. "But even still, I got to see and experience a lot of amazing things in my life even because of that. I could sit back and cry about it and really think what a horrible way this turned out, but my life has been really awesome. I've done a lot of awesome things and I've been a part of amazing moments of time and got to fight in amazing places and see amazing things and fight amazing fighters and I would never trade that in. The thing is, every step you take is forever. I'm going to do what I've got to do and I'll try to do the best I can to avoid mistakes of the past and use those experiences to be better at everything I try to do in life." ]There has been a great deal of speculation about the fates of Strikeforce fighters like Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett, both of whom left the UFC amid some acrimony. Dan Henderson commented to MMA Weekly: "It's a little shocking. I had no idea," Henderson told MMAWeekly.com on Saturday. "I know there were rumors six months ago, but I was pretty shocked. I don't know what to feel about it. I don't necessarily think, it might not be the best thing for the sport. But then again, you're going to start being able to see all these match-ups that everyone wants to see. Who knows?" ... "I had no plans of leaving, but I don't know what this is going to do those plans, but I have one fight left on my deal and we'll see what happens," Henderson stated. ... "Of course," Henderson answered when prompted about fighting for White and the UFC again. "I've never said anything bad about them. I always appreciated everything they've done for me and for the sport. It's just I was paid more money to go elsewhere, and that's what I did. Dana's the type that needs to talk a little smack if he doesn't get his way, but I've got no hard feelings about anything." For his part Josh Barnett talked to Sherdog: "Things have changed," said the former UFC champion, "This is major and great things can come from it and I just want to be a part of that, and the way I can best do that is be the best fighter I can be." ... "I'm not here to make this a personal vendetta or judgment with [Dana], especially in terms of business," said Barnett. "I know what I've got to do and I know what his position is in terms of being the president of the UFC, and that he has excelled at. He's done a great job." ... "If he hates me, he hates me; but if he sees the value in what I bring to the table as a fighter I think that will speak for itself," he said. "But you know what? I don't hate Dana and I do business, and I'll go out there and do the absolute best that I can do and if he happens to be my employer ... literally, if Dana White has an office that I have to write into every day, because that's the person I report to for my business, well that's what I'll do." ... "There is a part of me that absolutely wishes that things between myself and the UFC had worked out differently," stated Barnett. "I was 23, 24-years-old at the time and I took advice from where I took it and I tried to do what I thought was the best thing at the time, but this guy that is sitting here talking to you now would tell that kid [that] he was a moron. "But even still, I got to see and experience a lot of amazing things in my life even because of that. I could sit back and cry about it and really think what a horrible way this turned out, but my life has been really awesome. I've done a lot of awesome things and I've been a part of amazing moments of time and got to fight in amazing places and see amazing things and fight amazing fighters and I would never trade that in. The thing is, every step you take is forever. I'm going to do what I've got to do and I'll try to do the best I can to avoid mistakes of the past and use those experiences to be better at everything I try to do in life."

redmeanie77 wrote: