Zuffa, Parent Company of Ultimate Fighting Championship, Purchases Strikeforce
Mixed martial arts enthusiast and skilled interviewer Ariel Helwani interviews UFC President Dana White to uncover news that sends shock waves through the MMA world.
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According to the interview this deal happened in less than six months. Despite Helwani's skilled probing questions Dana White consistently says that this would be business as usual. This mean Strikeforce President Scott Coker, who White has verbally sparred with multiple times in the past, would remain president and run his business as before.
The brands would not be co-promoted, there would not be fighters moving between organizations for 'super' fights. All fighter contracts would remain in place, and White noted that there wouldn't be a chance of quick cross-over replacements if fighters got injured.
Full interview can be found at MMAFighting.com (http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/12/zuffa-purchases-strikeforce/).
What do you guys think?
Matt Phillips
3/12/2011 1:09pm,
Still trying to chase down confirmation on this, but I have it on very good authority that this is the case.
I'll post more when I know more.
God damn those greedy bastards...
bobyclumsyninja
3/12/2011 1:11pm,
yeah, at least now we can say zuffa has the best Heavyweights hehe.
Matt Phillips
3/12/2011 1:11pm,
http://www.mmafighting.com/
See interview with Dana
bobyclumsyninja
3/12/2011 1:12pm,
Following their WWE pattern. Buy or force out of business all competition.
Now they (the fighters) are really gonna need a fighter's union...cos there's nowhere to run to, to get paid properly.
hapkido_keith
3/12/2011 1:14pm,
The Octopus stretches its tentacles...
Shawarma
3/12/2011 1:16pm,
Unhappy. SF heavyweight tournament's not likely to continue now, and that was the most exciting thing to happen to HW MMA for years, and now the UFC has no viable competitors for the American MMA market and can do whatever the **** they want with their fighters, as Bob points out.
Still, maybe this will give us the chance to see some interesting UFC matchups. I hope the UFC brings people like Kharitonov, Rogers, Silva and Overeem over so the lame "My heavyweights can beat up your heavyweights!" fanboy discussion can be resolved.
Doubt that Fedor will be brought over. Think Dana's pissed at him.
Shawarma
3/12/2011 1:19pm,
Oh shitfuck, I just remembered: What will become of the women's division once the UFC decides to absorb SF entirely? I like women's MMA, but the UFC seems adamant not to let them fight.
This is potentially disasterous for them.
hapkido_keith
3/12/2011 1:22pm,
Doubt that Fedor will be brought over. Think Dana's pissed at him.
Think back to all the beef between Dana and Tito Ortiz, yet Dana brought Tito back to coach his flag-ship TV program when he knew he could cash in on the rivalry with Liddell. Fedor is still a big enough draw to make money for Zuffa. Dana won't hesitate to exploit that.
Rudenoodle
3/12/2011 1:24pm,
I believe the two companies are to be kept separate not merged into one.
Shawarma
3/12/2011 1:25pm,
Tito didn't give Dana grief at the negotiation table like Fedor has been doing.
Shawarma
3/12/2011 1:26pm,
I believe the two companies are to be kept separate not merged into one.
Which doesn't really make sense to me. By running SF as a seperate company, the UFC essentially competes with itself. I predict they will close it down shortly.
bobyclumsyninja
3/12/2011 1:28pm,
Which doesn't really make sense to me. By running SF as a seperate company, the UFC essentially competes with itself. I predict they will close it down shortly.
This^^^^^ is what I fear.
My understanding of the Tito thing was, they didn't want him taking all that mouthy starpower to Strikeforce.
DKJr
3/12/2011 1:42pm,
I'll state it again in this thread, but in my opinion the buyout is intended as a sort of "farm system" for the UFC to develop, market, and bring in poster boys. They'll do what they did with the WEC by broadcasting on different days. I'm interested to see if they'll transfer over some sponsors from Strikeforce.
Conde Koma
3/12/2011 1:57pm,
it's all up to bellator now.
if they do keep strikeforce as a separate entity, i'm thinking they'll have to keep the women's fights as well. who knows? maybe in a few years time when they decide to absorb strikeforce like wec, they'll take on the women's divisions as well.
Tranquil Suit
3/12/2011 2:46pm,
Speechless, I'm totally effigy speechless. The implications of this are enormous. I gotta sleep this one over.
Looking back, I was a bit surprised then, how Dana/Zuffa suddenly stopped countering the Strikeforce shows and how Dana was giving neutral, even positive comments on the Heavyweight GP. It makes sense now.
