Showtime close to folding Strikeforce

Gold Chain · Post #1 » by **Gold Chain** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 1:48 pm

Thought this deserved a new thread.
Another one (close) to biting the dust.

A story run by AXS TV's "Inside MMA" claims that, according to reliable sources, Showtime is looking to end its broadcasting relationship with Strikeforce, signaling what could be the fast approaching end to the Zuffa-owned promotion as we know it today.

http://www.mmamania.com/2012/10/8/34762 ... inside-mma

Post #2 » by **CPT** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 1:55 pm

Wonderful news if true.

The added talent across all divisions and the possibility of one or more new (women's) divisions would give the UFC a much needed shot in the arm right now.

REDDzone · Post #3 » by **REDDzone** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 1:59 pm

I go back and forth on the women's division thing. I just can' imagine females fighting in the ufc. Not to mention, I'm honestly only really interested in Rousey fights.

Gold Chain · Post #4 » by **Gold Chain** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 2:25 pm

I am more excited about Frank Mir vs Barnett.

Gil Melendez vs UFC 155'rs.

And Dan Cormier against either Jones, (Don't see him ever being able to cut to 205), and the UFC HW division.

Jacare. Rockhold. Gegard Mousasi. Lorenz Larkin. Nate Marquardt @(170). J. Thompson. Noons.
Tons of others I've always wanted to see in the UFC.

Man, this would make for SO many sweet match-ups.

Plus, if Ed Alverez leaves Bellator, you're looking at yet another guy to bring depth.

NZB2323 · Post #5 » by **NZB2323** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 2:30 pm

REDDzone wrote:I go back and forth on the women's division thing. I just can' imagine females fighting in the ufc. Not to mention, I'm honestly only really interested in Rousey fights.

Did you see Kedzie vs. Tate? I'd definitely be interested in Kedzie vs. Kaufman.

The guy I'm most excited about is DC. Maybe Cormier vs. Overeem for a number one contender match? Cormier would never fight against Cain and said that he would fight Jon Jones at 205 if Cain wins...if Cain loses would he drop down to 205? Cain isn't the biggest HW but I don't know if he could make that cut.

Melendez makes the LW division even more stacked...this move should help Zuffa with the recent dip in PPV buys as well as ratings for FX, Fuel, and FOX shows.

REDDzone · Post #6 » by **REDDzone** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 2:33 pm

This begs the question: what happens to strikeforce contracts if strikeforce folds? Would a guy like Barnett be forced to fight in the ufc or retire? Last I heard, it didn't really seem like him ending up in the ufc was at all a foregone conclusion. I'd love to see Barnett vs Bigfoot. Both of those guys are very talented on the ground. Although those two standing for 15 minutes would just be brutal.

Gold chain, Melendez at 155 would be ridic, but don't forget some other good sf lws. Masvidal, Thompson, Healy. Hell, would anyone be opposed to seeing Noons vs a guy like Max Holloway? 155 is insane.

Jacare, Rockhold. Marquardt as you mention. Everyone knows I have wanted to see Mousasi vs Machida forever.

CORMIER! (at heavyweight please).

Gold Chain · Post #7 » by **Gold Chain** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 2:42 pm

Haha, I do want to see Noons and Thompson as well.

Love that fight, Noons/Holloway. There's just so many ideas for fight fans to start throwing out,
and hopefully these ideas get the ears of Shelby and Silva.

Machida vs Mousasi would be insane. Holy hell.

As far as contracts, that is still something that has me thinking.
Why would Showtime all of a sudden be okay with letting Rousey and the boys go?
I know the shows were cancelled and Rockhold is hurt, but I really wonder if Showtime is literally going to be okay with a clean break. Unless of course, they are going to get a very nice lump sum of money from Zuffa to do so.

This closure, if it happens, also makes the ranking a lot easier to gauge.

Also with Viacom ready to give Bellator a full push on Spike, MMA is going to be very competitive again.
(Or at least I hope so

SDM · Post #8 » by **SDM** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 2:47 pm

Best thing for the sport would be a bunch of SF guys going over to Bellator (and to a lesser extent, OneFC or WSOF).

Cammo101 · Post #9 » by **Cammo101** » Tue Oct 9, 2012 9:15 pm

Now is the perfect time to fold up Strikeforce and bring everyone over to the UFC. Then use a revamped Strikeforce as an all female MMA org.

REDDzone · Post #10 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:43 pm

Welp, this wasn't true. Should have known they wouldn't do it, it would have made too much sense.

They announced today that the November card is canceled, but they will be back in 2013!

lol

GetBuLLish · Post #11 » by **GetBuLLish** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:12 pm

REDDzone wrote:I go back and forth on the women's division thing. I just can' imagine females fighting in the ufc. Not to mention, I'm honestly only really interested in Rousey fights.

I will absolutely and unequivocally hate it if the UFC has female fighters. I'll probably watch much less UFC if they do.

What other major sports league has females? NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS...none of them have females. If UFC wants to really become mainstream, signing females is just not the way to go.

SDM · Post #12 » by **SDM** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:14 pm

Women just aren't fun to watch in physical male-dominated sports. It's an inferior product.

But who knows, maybe in thirty years and if they keep shoving enough 125 fights down our throats, we might crave women's MMA.

REDDzone · Post #13 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:16 pm

SDM wrote:But who knows, maybe in thirty years and if they keep shoving enough 125 fights down our throats, we might crave women's MMA.

You aren't a true mma fan, why don't you just go watch spuke tv?

Post #14 » by **LittleOzzy** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:26 pm

I would support a women's division in the UFC if they kept the fights to the free TV events.

I think it would take away from the PPV buys, but as part of an event on Fox I'm fine with that.

Blame Rasho · Post #15 » by **Blame Rasho** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:58 pm

The signs were already there, and if you notice Showtime sport programing... They have Espinoza running everything and has shifted the majority of the budget to boxing with the influx of 4 fight boxing events. I mean the guy was the lawyer for GBP... so it was bound to happen.

Blame Rasho · Post #16 » by **Blame Rasho** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:59 pm

Gold Chain wrote:Haha, I do want to see Noons and Thompson as well.
Love that fight, Noons/Holloway. There's just so many ideas for fight fans to start throwing out,
and hopefully these ideas get the ears of Shelby and Silva.

Machida vs Mousasi would be insane. Holy hell.

As far as contracts, that is still something that has me thinking.
Why would Showtime all of a sudden be okay with letting Rousey and the boys go?
I know the shows were cancelled and Rockhold is hurt, but I really wonder if Showtime is literally going to be okay with a clean break. Unless of course, they are going to get a very nice lump sum of money from Zuffa to do so.

This closure, if it happens, also makes the ranking a lot easier to gauge.

Also with Viacom ready to give Bellator a full push on Spike, MMA is going to be very competitive again.
(Or at least I hope so

Stephen Espinoza, best known in boxing circles as the longtime lead attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, has been hired as executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports, the network announced Monday.

Taking the job means Espinoza will become one of the most powerful people in boxing as he will decide which fights Showtime will buy. Espinoza will oversee an annual boxing budget in the $20 million neighborhood.

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/72 ... ime-sports

That is why...

Oh and there is an interesting tidbit..

Mike (Queens)

Just how much dud ShowTime raise their boxing budget once Espinoza ca,e not office? With the fights they are making, and the prices they are paying, it seems to rival HBO's budget now. Is that true?
Dan Rafael
(1:07 PM)

My understanding is that in addition to getting more overall money it also re-arranged its own sports department budget, shifting some of the money it had for MMA, its NASCAR show and other sports stuff to give boxing a larger percentage. Right now, Showtime is spending like crazy on fights and if I add it up with the rough costs I believe the cards are costing, they are spending about the same or even maybe more than HBO is right now.

FYI... HBO boxing budget for fighters pay is around 55/60 million... so they are really changing it up.

Cammo101 · Post #17 » by **Cammo101** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 7:14 am

I'm against a women's division in the UFC, but I am very much in favor of Strikeforce becoming an all women's promotion.