Scott Coker: 'Zuffa is committed to continuing Strikeforce'
by Geno Mrosko on Oct 14, 2011 3:07 PM EDT
in Strikeforce News
Email
Print
When Jason Miller became the first fighter to make the jump from Strikeforce to UFC after the Zuffa buyout back in March, it was explained away by the fact that "Mayhem's" contract had already run out and he simply went where the money was.
But as time went on, moves were made in a far more obvious manner. Nick Diaz, the Strikeforce welterweight champion, was brought over and signed to fight Georges St. Pierre, although that's not happening anymore.
Alistair Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, was yanked around before finding his way to "Sin City" to sign a bout agreement to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 on Dec. 30.
Even Dan Henderson, the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion who has had so many problems with UFC in the past, brought his brand of violence back to the Octagon.
To top it off, UFC President Dana White has made it clear he wants Gilbert Melendez and he'll do whatever it takes to get him. That will make four of the five champions from the San Jose based promotion.
Despite the roster gutting, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker maintains the company line that Zuffa is committed to continuing the organization and that it's all up to Showtime.
"Zuffa is committed to continuing Strikeforce. And really, it's in Showtime's hands. There's dialogue and negotiations going back and forth right now and I'm hopeful that Strikeforce will be renewed and we'll put on some great fights for many years."
If it is, indeed, up to Showtime, the future looks bleak. Ken Hershman, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sports and Event Programming who cut the original deal to bring Strikeforce to the popular cable channel, has left for the greener pastures of HBO.
Does that, in and of itself, signal the end of Strikeforce?
Of course not, but it's certainly yet another bad sign that the boys from San Jose are going bye-bye.
34 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Yeah, sure scott....
Anything you say.
UFC 137 Main Card Predictions:
George St. Pierre def Carlos Condit by UD
BJ Penn def Nick Diaz by 2nd Rd TKO
Matt Mitrione def Cheick Congo by 1st Rd KO
Roy Nelson def Mirko Filipovic by SD
Hatsu Hioki def George Roop by UD
by MMA Boss on Oct 14, 2011 3:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
lol
“Business as usual”
"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick
Dear Scott,
You won’t remember this later, but you’re fucking deluded.
Signed,
A talking donkey
The dude abides.
continuing strikeforce
without shields overeem melendez diaz fedor henderson……in the terrorist voice from the movie taken(good luck)
"No man should ever be compared to me, it would be unfair to hold him to such a high standard only for him to fail."-letter19
he could be right
but zuffa is not committed to keeping it high profile…they may keep it as a minor league type thing
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
And nothing wrong with that, Strikeforce was a great regional promotion in California
"......I'm the best ever. I'm the most brutal and vicious, the most ruthless champion there has ever been. No one can stop me. Lennox is a conqueror? No! He's no Alexander! I'm Alexander! I'm the best ever. I'm Sonny Liston. I'm Jack Dempsey....My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious......." - Mike Tyson
by AintNoSunshine on Oct 14, 2011 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
no, its not a bad idea at all
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
I totally agree
There are a lot of good (not great) fighters that are just a shade below UFC quality, but are exciting to watch. I would be willing more than willing to watch a league with the not-quite-best of MMA.
If they do get rid of Strikeforce, I can see them using Scotty in their efforts over in Japan. He seems to have good connections over there. Probably because of his K-1 days.
'It is what it is.' = worst saying ever
That’s exactly what SF is and has been good not great fighters and it will show when all these guys reem Gil nick hendo all come to ufc and get whooped just like the great Jake shields has
sig bet with Armando Baez , on JDS/Cain , one month
sig bet with The Pride, on rua/hendo, 2 weeks and snowman/can crusher
by TheDragon on Oct 14, 2011 10:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Business as usual
Right Scotty?
I pick guys with tramp stamps over experienced champions because that’s just how I roll. However, I have seen the errors of my ways and I have now learned to not underestimate the beast that is the great Frankie "The Answer" Edgar who has overcame every adversity he has faced. Frankie solidified his status as a true champion as he tooled my false idol in Gray "can’t finish a guy" Maynard and sent him back to the fight team "I just got knocked the f’ out" aka "Xtreme Couture" along with Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin. I will now start to train UFC so that I can fight like the best Lightweight, Frankie Edgar.
Strikeforce is still around?
1-0 Sig bets
One month sig bet with TheDragon on Cain vs. JDS
Cain Train ftw
What's a Strikeforce?
I pick guys with tramp stamps over experienced champions because that’s just how I roll. However, I have seen the errors of my ways and I have now learned to not underestimate the beast that is the great Frankie "The Answer" Edgar who has overcame every adversity he has faced. Frankie solidified his status as a true champion as he tooled my false idol in Gray "can’t finish a guy" Maynard and sent him back to the fight team "I just got knocked the f’ out" aka "Xtreme Couture" along with Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin. I will now start to train UFC so that I can fight like the best Lightweight, Frankie Edgar.
It was the minor leagues of the UFC but maybe now it's just a tax write-off.
The best things they had going for them was the Lightweight and Heavyweight divisions but they then fired the Russian guy and the Kickboxer got promoted to the UFC.
1-0 Sig bets
One month sig bet with TheDragon on Cain vs. JDS
Cain Train ftw
by Armando Baez on Oct 14, 2011 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Keeping Strikeforce around as a feeder league
is great for the sport. Strikeforce is not about the champions. There are good fights on every card and even on the Challenger’s series. Strikeforce is a quality product and I do hope it does well.
by Jon Estrada Sr. on Oct 14, 2011 3:18 PM EDT reply actions
It's not bad
I think they should get off Shotime though, move it to the Versus channel, and it does a lot better
I pick guys with tramp stamps over experienced champions because that’s just how I roll. However, I have seen the errors of my ways and I have now learned to not underestimate the beast that is the great Frankie "The Answer" Edgar who has overcame every adversity he has faced. Frankie solidified his status as a true champion as he tooled my false idol in Gray "can’t finish a guy" Maynard and sent him back to the fight team "I just got knocked the f’ out" aka "Xtreme Couture" along with Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin. I will now start to train UFC so that I can fight like the best Lightweight, Frankie Edgar.
He's committed to whatever Zuffa tells him he's committed to
I pick guys with tramp stamps over experienced champions because that’s just how I roll. However, I have seen the errors of my ways and I have now learned to not underestimate the beast that is the great Frankie "The Answer" Edgar who has overcame every adversity he has faced. Frankie solidified his status as a true champion as he tooled my false idol in Gray "can’t finish a guy" Maynard and sent him back to the fight team "I just got knocked the f’ out" aka "Xtreme Couture" along with Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin. I will now start to train UFC so that I can fight like the best Lightweight, Frankie Edgar.
Me neither
He’s just being a company man. But I do hope they keep them around and just move them to the Versus channel or something
I pick guys with tramp stamps over experienced champions because that’s just how I roll. However, I have seen the errors of my ways and I have now learned to not underestimate the beast that is the great Frankie "The Answer" Edgar who has overcame every adversity he has faced. Frankie solidified his status as a true champion as he tooled my false idol in Gray "can’t finish a guy" Maynard and sent him back to the fight team "I just got knocked the f’ out" aka "Xtreme Couture" along with Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin. I will now start to train UFC so that I can fight like the best Lightweight, Frankie Edgar.
I think that the UFC moving all those guys is them sticking it to Showtime. That way they can either renegotiate or have Showtime terminate the contract with Strikeforce early. Thing of the ratings drop on Showtime without those “big” names. So after the UFC bends Showtime over, THEN it will be “business as usual”.
by JV. on Oct 14, 2011 3:46 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
scott coker:
“Zuffa instructed me to say this, and I did, because they’re the ones that pay my salary”
by ~Peregrine on Oct 14, 2011 4:20 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
i've missed old scotty
i wouldn’t mind him taking over white’s job if white were to be ousted from being the talker because of his past. or, at some point he can’t keep up with the year round ufc rodeo, in that case, i think coker would be great
Radiohead
http://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=tFTLxkMmY4M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxRMxBTjWw
Why would dana be ousted?
He’s best friends with the fertitta’s and owns like 10% of zuffa, or something like that. Dana has helped make the ufc what it is, he’s not going anywhere.
UFC 137 Main Card Predictions:
George St. Pierre def Carlos Condit by UD
BJ Penn def Nick Diaz by 2nd Rd TKO
Matt Mitrione def Cheick Congo by 1st Rd KO
Roy Nelson def Mirko Filipovic by SD
Hatsu Hioki def George Roop by UD
by MMA Boss on Oct 14, 2011 5:27 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Put it on HBO. Showtime sucks
"It’s Mark Pavelich calling from the Maximum Fighting Championship,
I’ve just received notice that Drew Fickett or you, I don’t care which one of you fuckers did it, has signed a contract to fight in Strikeforce this fucking weekend. I’m going to get on a fucking plane soon and go where you’re at and choke you the fuck out. I’m telling you right now, I’ve had enough of your fucking shit. First of all, I’ve sent you the fucking pictures and secondly, I placed Drew Fickett in a fight fucking months ago and five weeks prior to my main event of my fucking fight card. You’re going to give me a fucking call tomorrow or I swear I’ll get on a fucking plane and go right where you’re at right now. You’re pissing me off, I’ve been nothing but professional to you motherfuckers and you’re doing this kind of bullshit, alright? Call me back, I’m fucking pissed."
by Swedish Chef smerdy herdy verdy on Oct 14, 2011 4:38 PM EDT reply actions
Not buying it
Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon... with nail polish. These amateurs...
He's always been very classy regarding Strikeforce though
Up until the moment they signed Fedor, White never said a bad thing about them and always says that’s how a small league should be worked.
by Jon Estrada Sr. on Oct 14, 2011 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions
The only reason I could see for keeping SF around would be the womens division
Thats about it all the top talent are being snatched to the UFC so its pretty damn pointless to keep around except for the females.
If you dont like drugs then dont do them.....give them to me!
UFC said they needed fighters
Yep…that is why they bought SF. SF will be the minor leagues. UFC the majors. Who has a problem with that?
Not me, but I don't see Showtime wanting to resign.
Since UFC is taking most the top guys.
by Hank_Mardukas on Oct 14, 2011 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Only thing Strikeforce is good for these days is their Challengers event.
These events are the true events for the MMA farm system. At least for Zuffa.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on MMAmania.com
Related FanShots on MMAmania.com
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
