Bobby Lashley signs multi-year contract with Strikeforce MMA
by Jesse Holland on Dec 10, 2009 11:58 PM EST
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Former WWE star and collegiate wrestling champion Bobby Lashley (4-0) has signed a multi-year agreement with Strikeforce and will make his mixed martial arts debut for the San Jose-based promotion at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday, Jan. 30, against an opponent to be named.
Terms of the contract were not immediately disclosed.
"The Dominator," who also moonlights as a "face" for TNA Wrestling, entered the world of cage fighting back in Dec. 2008 as a co-headliner for South Florida's Mixed Fighting Alliance (MFA). The 6'3" powerhouse needed just 41-seconds to extirpate Joshua Franklin via doctor's stoppage.
Of course comparisons to fellow ex-WWE and amateur wrestler Brock Lesnar quickly followed, as the pasty-faced Goliath needed just four fights to win the UFC heavyweight championship from Randy Couture just a month prior to Lashley's MMA debut.
Those comparisons were quickly eradicated courtesy of Jason Guida at "March Badness" earlier this year.
Most expected the American Top Team-trained fighter in just his second professional fight to steamroll the floundering journeyman.
It didn’t happen.
Despite taking the unanimous decision victory, Lashley looked a bit green against the Ultimate Fighter washout and nearly succumbed to a guillotine choke in the third round of their pay-per-view contest.
His inexperience was clearly evident.
What was also evident was his desire to fight -- and improve. The Junction City, Kansas native took a fight against Mike Cook just two months later, submitting the Strikeforce veteran just 24-seconds into the first round at MFC 21: "Hard Knocks."
His most recent fight came against K-1 attraction Bob Sapp in the main event of "Ultimate Chaos" back on June 27. "The Beast" was put down in the first round via technical knockout and along with the quick win over Mike Cook, helped return some of the optimism to Lashley's future as a viable heavyweight contender.
Prior to MMA, Lashley had a successful amateur background in wrestling, twice winning the NAIA college championship and then winning a pair of U.S. Armed Forces titles.
Lashley could debut alongside Herschel Walker at the BankAtlantic Center -- or against him, depending on how the Jan. 30 card shapes up.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on Bobby Lashley's pending Strikeforce debut as it becomes available.
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Strikeforce is sure out spending $$$
You have to start wondering if Strikeforce can afford all these people…
Lashley isn’t amazing but didn’t Dana mention that he would possibly sign him before?
SO I would assume he cost a decent amount, plus they probably just paid a TON for Hendo (but he deserves it in my opinion)
I was wondering the same thing
I seriously hope SF doesn’t go under I can’t bear to have Dana get all smug about it. That being said who knows how much they’re paying Lashley he’s obviously not doing MMA for the money or else he’d just stay in TNA wrestling. They’re certainly not paying him near as much as Hendo though.
And then God said "Let there be light," to which Chuck Norris replied, "say please."
Yer Dana did say that.
but now that he has signed with SF Dana will change his mind and say that he is terrible.
In the name of the Fedor, the Anderson and the GSP, Amen.
by Spinning Fat Kick on Dec 11, 2009 5:32 AM EST up reply actions
spinning
Ya! He’s now deemed “A terrible fighter, that couldn’t get past a guy I cut, for 15 minutes!”.
Which is partially true, but if Dana could’ve had him he would’ve, and then he would be “A great pickup for the heavyweight division, that’s fresh, but has all the potential in the world!”
Funny how that works.
by daniel worby on Dec 11, 2009 10:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
do you no how much....
they get from having TV rights, if its anything like british tv ( where a 30 sec Advert in a prime time slot costs around 250K) they could easily be gettin a million + per show (especially with american TV where u have adverts every 5 mins)
Every night i would pray to God for a new bike, then i realized God does not work that way, so i stole one and asked him to forgive me
guess they found walker's opponent
would seem like something they would do.. right?
The UFC would have him face Kimbo and promote the event on TNA iMpact! then give interviews to Angle and Hogan in the build up. Bashing promotions works both ways.
"I’m in great shape...I feel 100% you know it’s nice to move my hips and not have any problems...I’ll take my loss as a man. I’m willing to die for my cause, are you?" Tito Ortiz before UFC 106
"I wasn’t able to spar at all...I had bulging disks...I want to see somebody fight with a cracked skull, I came in and stepped in with a cracked skull...why the fuck did you give that fight of the night?...for me not getting Fight of the Night I’m taken aback by it...I gave my heart and soul and to be robbed like that, yeah it is what it is." Tito Ortiz after UFC 106
The UFC would have him face Kimbo and promote the event on TNA iMpact! then give interviews to Angle and Hogan in the build up. Bashing promotions works both ways.
"I’m in great shape...I feel 100% you know it’s nice to move my hips and not have any problems...I’ll take my loss as a man. I’m willing to die for my cause, are you?" Tito Ortiz before UFC 106
"I wasn’t able to spar at all...I had bulging disks...I want to see somebody fight with a cracked skull, I came in and stepped in with a cracked skull...why the fuck did you give that fight of the night?...for me not getting Fight of the Night I’m taken aback by it...I gave my heart and soul and to be robbed like that, yeah it is what it is." Tito Ortiz after UFC 106
relax.
They have been paying Frank Shamrock 500,000 a fight since their first card and have been making good money. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt Lashley makes above 25,000 a fight. Hendo and Lashley will both help them draw good numbers and are smart pickups. EliteXC went under because ProElite bought CageRage, KOTC, ROTR, and ICON in one year and they had dismal gates. Affliction went under because they went into the PPV model too early and tried to compete with the UFC with no tv deal, Strikeforce has smart management and is doing neither of these moves. In fact, they got where they are from their smartness and got many of their fighters from outlasting failing orgs.
Come on
No way in hell Lashley is making 25k per fight.
by Gambling Pat on Dec 11, 2009 12:57 AM EST up reply actions
He's making more
You would vomit if I told you the number
It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
by Jesse Holland on Dec 11, 2009 1:17 AM EST up reply actions
come on Jesse. Fill us in and stop holdng out on us!
$300,000 per fight is my guess!
Great addition. for SF..They should book:
Lashly vs. Tim sylvia!..stylistically its a winnable fight for bobby, against a big name in the sport!
No way they give him Walker. He would steamroll Herschel instead of allowing SF to milk more cash from his name. And Lashley has to be making at least mid-6 figures.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
P Dub
Strongly agree. It doesn’t make any financial sense to sign Walker at his age and lack of experience, just to throw him to the wolves, as I have no doubt he would come up short against Lashley.
And, if there was the slight chance of an upset, then the significance (and expensive sounding pick up) would be all of no use.
by daniel worby on Dec 11, 2009 10:34 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Doesn't matter P.
They are both inexperience fighters and they have been training in MMA for about the same amount of time and it’s a fight that could sell well. Go listen the interview of Coker and you will see that they don’t expect much from Hershel and I doubt that they are thinking to milk him for cash. They give him a shot and then they will see.
gambling pat, bill maher, Jesse
Gambling Pat,
Are you serious? Of course he is making over 25k. I am surprised its sounding apparent that its lots over, but 35k wouldn’t be too much IMO.
Bill Maher,
Very well said. I agree on all points. Very well put.
Jesse,
C’mon you gotta tell us now! Lol are you under strict contract stipulations?
by daniel worby on Dec 11, 2009 10:31 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Nice job by Strikeforce
Getting Bob Lashley is good, I’m sure they need more high profile victims for fedor.
just as I expected!!
whew!! this is great…this will be the reason why SF will sign sylvia and andrei…
i want to see lashley against sylvia then if he wins it will be against bigfoot or werdum
dont get so excited guys coz this is not the 2 huge HW signings that coker is talking about..wat coker meant is the upcoming signing of andre or either gambit/barnett…
this will be huge..imagine andre vs overeem or gambit…that would be fireworks and all it ever meant…
by candyce (formerly known as gaara) on Dec 11, 2009 1:34 AM EST up reply actions
Are you nuts???
Lashley has about as much business fighting Fedor as I do.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
cooool
Lashley. Wow its a good add to sf, tho lashley almost lost in tna recently lmao
I hope he fights a good guy not some walkthrough.
How bout
Lashley vs bigfoot
by Phenomenal Angel on Dec 11, 2009 12:45 AM EST via mobile reply actions
id love to see
him vs hendo….but not now….maybe a year down the line after lashley has had some experience….i cant imagine the draw that would be ratings wise….lashley is still so raw…him and bigfoot would be a great fight…
him and bigfoot would be a great first fight for him…bigfoot is a good strikeforce name and would be a credible opponent for lashley….and if he has a good showing then someone else…..then werdum…then hendo and then fedor….
lashley is a guy who has so much raw talent and ability but he doesnt have the brock factor where he could win a belt after just 2 or 3 fights….but building him up fighting bigfoot and werdum….he could step into a catch weight with hendo and after that face fedor….
hendo is top 3 in strikeforce along with fedor and gayhard….i still think a lhw hendo would destroy a hw bigfoot and werdum…..so bringing lashley along slowly getting 3 solid contenders before he faces fedor is a smart move….cause as of right now i think hendo would destroy him
jake shields is the highest ranked fighter to have never fought i highly ranked fighter...i cant wait till hendo signs to strikeforce and murders that talentless waste of flesh..
i know i should have put an "a" instead of an "i" between the words "fought" and "highly" above..but i aint changing it, cause thats how gangsta i am
Hendo fight would be good
But at a catch weight? What does Lashley usually way in at come fight time? I’m assuming he’s over 250 at least cause he’s so big. I dunno about him fighting Bigfoot either for his first fight. Bigfoot would destroy him I think
I like the idea of him and Hendo. But Hendo has to win a title in MW or LHW, he’ll easily beat Shields but the Gegard fight wouldn’t go down so easy
Lashleys for real.
He’s not at brocks level but he has all the potention and is improving rapidly. Great sign. I’d love to see him vs big foot, but walker? No way! Isn’t walker LHW?
by DrewMoney$$$ on Dec 11, 2009 1:06 AM EST via mobile reply actions
no hell!
walker will be pitted against randleman…
by candyce (formerly known as gaara) on Dec 11, 2009 1:40 AM EST reply actions
i don't think any of their new additions will be fighting each other anytime soon
i think they will feed hendo a big name bcasue he can handle himslef, but lashley and walker will be fighting cans of some sort. they need to biuld a fan base for them and winning will do that.
by Conan the Barbarian on Dec 11, 2009 2:32 AM EST reply actions
This is the guy who they will use to as some what of a bar..
To see if Fedor can handle someone of Brock Lesners strength. That is the only real reason why I can see them having brought in Lashley. I think that if Fedor is to ever go to UFC for a superfight with Brock Lesner he will want to see how he does with a strong, athletic, massive fighter who has a solid wrestling background.
Hopefully Lashley will be able to continue to get better. I would actually like to see Lashley fight Big Foot Silva first as his debut opponent.
"only reason they brought in Lasley"???
If you think SF is only bringing in Lashley to test Fedor then your mistaken. I’m sure they plan to eventually match the 2 up but don’t fool yourself. Lashley will bring ratings. Dana alreay wanted to sign him. This and Hendo within a week is great press for SF, not to mention the guy looks like a machine. He will bring fans and he will be a contender. You want this guy fighting on your card with or without Fedor.
by DrewMoney$$$ on Dec 11, 2009 1:10 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Lashley said he wanted to ease into it
Doesnt want to fast track like Lesnar did. But in a few years he will be hard to stop. The guy is jacked. Also Strikeforce better not go too big too fast or they will fall.
Strikeforce only puts on a four or five cards a year with their best fighters so as long as they can stack those they should do ok.
The UFC has so many shows a year and even though they put on at least 12-15 great cards a year peaple seem to judge them by their current cards and the last two the casual fans here were complaining and for some reason thinking the UFC is going down hill but thats far from the truth, trust me if SF or any one else put on thoat many cards a year even though they can’t because they don’t have enough fighters there would be more sh^tty cards than good cards. SF is playing it smart and making sure their best fighters can fight when putting on a card and the funny thing is if the UFC only put on the amount of cards they did the fans here would be screaming and crying.
true. I enjoy the amount of UFC cards its better than watching 4 a year.
And to have Strikeforce added to that it makes for some non-stop mma fights. I think both orgs can co-exist as the majority of fans are not going to pick 1 over the other. I personally just like to watch fights. Dana White is such a hot head he just wants to destroy them.
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