Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

[aholbert32]

Just announced:

- Melendez is staying with for the time being. Dana says Melendez is happy with it.

- 8 cards a year with prelims on Showtime Extreme

- Challengers Series is gone.

- Commentators will stay the same.

- HW division will be closed down after the HWGP final. Means Barnett and Cormier will be in the UFC by 2012.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

I'm sure that Melendez likes fighting for Strikeforce, but I have a hard time believing that he doesn't covet the likely increased salary and high level of competition that he'd see in the UFC. Strikeforce will definitely need to bring in some more guys to make that a viable division.

It makes sense that they're eliminating the heavyweights, their really weren't enough guys to keep it going. Werdum is already scheduled to fight Big Country so that was one down as it is. Barnett and Cormier should definitely be a lock, but I'd also like to see them bring over Bigfoot and Kharitonov as well. I doubt we get all four, but the division can't be stacked enough as far as I'm concerned.

The women should get their chance to shine. I'm reading about Tate, Cyborg, and Rousey all the time lately. A lot of people don't like watching the chicks go at it, but they've put on some pretty entertaining fights over the years in my opinion. I'd never want to see them in UFC, but it doesn't hurt to let them thrive in Strikeforce.

Good news, glad to see that it will still be around.

[redsrule]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

Great news for the heavyweight division, I think Cormier could be a champion.
Total heavyweights would be about 6 or 7 gone over though? Cormier, Barnett, Bigfoot, Kharitonov, Griggs, Walker for a freakshow fight?

[aholbert32]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

I promise you they made it worth it to Melendz with a big raise.

[aholbert32]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

Great news for the heavyweight division, I think Cormier could be a champion.
Total heavyweights would be about 6 or 7 gone over though? Cormier, Barnett, Bigfoot, Kharitonov, Griggs, Walker for a freakshow fight?

Dont think Griggs, Kharitonov or Walker are coming over. Kharitonov is associated with M1. Doubt Dana would do another freakshow fight after Toney.

[redsrule]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

Dont think Griggs, Kharitonov or Walker are coming over. Kharitonov is associated with M1. Doubt Dana would do another freakshow fight after Toney.

I hope the first two are. Griggs has looked good there, and Kharitonov has as well.
Also I bet he did give Melendez a nice raise.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

I view this announcement as a mixed bag. More quality MMA is always a good thing but I want to see the top Striikeforce guys come over to the UFC.

Melendez needs to be brought over right away after his next match. I was hoping to see a Cerrone (if he beats Diaz) vs. Melendez number 1 contender's match.

White said Strikforce shouldn't be viewed as a B league but it is viewed this way and it won't change. Nobody is itching to see Jones or Silva heading to Strikeforce to fight some of their guys but pretty much every UFC fans wants the top Strikeforce guys to head over to the UFC. Considering the brands have the same owners it's silly to hold guys back in Strikeforce and rob the fans of matches they want to see.

Here is a list of guys I want to see move over to the UFC:

Melendez
Cormier
Barnett
Mousasi
OSP
Masvidal
Silva
Griggs
Del Rosario
Cavalcante
King Mo
Jardine
Rockhold
Woodley
Mein
Couture
Noons

With the removal of the Challengers Series, it's going to be impossible for the fighters to stay active. The guys will only be fighting once or twice a year. Strikeforce fighters also miss out on fight night bonuses and reduced sponsorship money.

I would rather see Strikeforce be a league for women's mma, prospects, and fighters that have been cut from the UFC.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

OK this is just stupid IMO, to keep Gil in SF. What good is that? Dana prides himself on getting "the fights that fans want to see, unlike boxing". Well Dana, this is just plain dumb. Fans want to see how Gil would fare against the world's best, and the world's best are not in SF.

If you wanna keep SF open, by all means, but use it as a minor league. Why oh why would you keep one of the best fighters in the world over there, held hostage?

Christ. You don't want SF viewed as a B league? WTF? If Dana really said that, he can slap himself in his face.

[TheShizNo1]

Man.....no change to commentators? O well, gives me something to complain about.

I'd also like to see the women fights. The last couple I've seen have actually been entertaining. I just wish one of em would have some KO power.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

The logic I'm not really understanding from Dana's perspective is that he doesn't want people to look at SF as a B league.

He doesn't want SF to be viewed like "oh well they're not good enough to be in the UFC, so that's why they're in SF".

It really doesn't have to be like that at all. SF should be a farm system for young prospects, or for guys coming in from other promotions as a trial before they go into the UFC.

Instead we just get a clouded league with some UFC talent but that talent is unable to be tested against actual UFC fighters.

[Errors Occurred]

Re: Strikeforce reups with Showtime for 2012

It's always great to have more mma to watch but to shut down the heavyweights is just kinda crazy why not just let all the up and comers fight on strikeforce and after they show them self's to be good they move on over to ufc?