Strikeforce 5/19: Barnett vs. Cormier, Melendez v. Thomson

[Bernman]

That's what Front Row Brian, a well connected MMA insider on Twitter, said he's hearing.

[K1NG]

Wow, I never even thought of that as a possibility. I'm all for that.

[cowboyronnie]

Strong, creative move by Zuffa, if the case.

Great fight too. Wow.

[REDDzone]

damnnnnnnnnnnn homie

[Gold Chain]

So, this is a step back for Pettis, no?

If I'm him, I say f'k no.

He's like one fight away from a Henderson rematch for the UFC title.

Unless of course he gets to come back after the fight and not have a possible loss in Strikeforce count against his UFC run.

Not a fan if I am a Pettis fan.

[Gold Chain]

BJ Penn's name is being thrown in the hat as well.

Another Cesar Grace student right after his prior beating at the hand's of their gym's ace.

http://bjpenn.com/mmanews/2012/03/12/qu ... 16772.html

[Bernman]

So, this is a step back for Pettis, no?

If I'm him, I say f'k no.

He's like one fight away from a Henderson rematch for the UFC title.

Unless of course he gets to come back after the fight and not have a possible loss in Strikeforce count against his UFC run.

Not a fan if I am a Pettis fan.

Yeah, I don't know what happens if he wins. He stays in Strikeforce to defend the title against solid but not great lay and prayers like Healy and Thomson? Even if he gets to call himself champ, vacate, and then fight for the UFC belt next, I don't think the risk/reward is worth it. There is a sizable contingent who is always going to disregard wins outside the UFC. His win over Henderson is still widely disregarded on Bendo's perceived improvement in the short time afterward or people flat out make up events from the fight to make it sound fluky when that was far from the case.

How could people rationalize the relevance of a Maynard win? He fights in the UFC where he has beaten Miller and Diaz, the other two fighters vying for #1 contender. Pettis couldn't be denied the shot as a result after that win. And it would be in an organization where he just established himself, instead of an entirely new one, against one of their veterans. The last time he was involved in that scenario it resulted in the only fight in his career most thought he lost.

I think part of the problem with these no-win match-ups is that Pettis' manager sucks. First Stephens, then Lauzon who he looked better against than anybody, now Melendez. When Pettis' manager tried to make the argument on MMA Hour (I think that was the show) that Pettis deserved the UFC title shot he just kept repeating "Anthony believes he deserves this". He sounded like a total amateur. And before the Lauzon fight I relayed to him via email an interview opportunity with ESPN Milwaukee, which would have been a huge interview for Anthony as far as promoting the fight, and his manager never responded.

[REDDzone]

Oh wait, this **** is in STRIKEFORCE?

F that man. No need to stick Anthony in a dead organization.

[Bernman]

Oh wait, this **** is in STRIKEFORCE?

F that man. No need to stick Anthony in a dead organization.

Showtime wouldn't have re-signed Strikeforce if Melendez and their other stars weren't tied to the organization for a while.

[REDDzone]

Dana was quoting as saying "F*ck Strikeforce" like a week ago.

I'd be shocked if strikeforce was re-upped after the current contract, and wasn't that only a 1-2 year deal (I think 2)? Again, I just don't want Anthony in a dead/dying organization with like 3 good lightweights.

edit: Who knows, maybe Zuffa is on a Ronda high and wants to build strikeforce? But nah, I can see them stopping bringing their stars over from sf, but I can't see a potential bigtime star like Pettis being moved out of the ufc., just because of how marketable he is. I don't see BJ either tbh, I think they use him to try to set up a Hawaii card sometime in the future.

[Bernman]

So for those 1-2 years Gilbert will be in Strikeforce. If this fight happens, that's where it will take place.

I'm hoping the source is Gilbert's camp and they're just trying to pressure Pettis into accepting the fight lest risk him looking like a chicken.

[REDDzone]

I misunderstood, I thought you were saying you were cool with it because showtime re-upped the deal. I don't think we disagree on anything. The original source was Caesar Gracie from my understanding. Says Gil will fight in May and wants either Pettis or Penn. FRB on twitter said the opponent was "most likely Pettis". No clue if he is piggybacking Caesar and saying the more likely opponent, or if he has some other source. He was been a source of good info before but I'm not sure if he has also put inaccurate info out there.

Hopefully in this case he is way off. I honestly just don't see any way whatsoever that they stick one of their most marketable upcoming guys in strikeforce.

[skflives]

So, this is a step back for Pettis, no?

If I'm him, I say f'k no.

He's like one fight away from a Henderson rematch for the UFC title.

Unless of course he gets to come back after the fight and not have a possible loss in Strikeforce count against his UFC run.

Not a fan if I am a Pettis fan.

Yeah, I don't know what happens if he wins. He stays in Strikeforce to defend the title against solid but not great lay and prayers like Healy and Thomson? Even if he gets to call himself champ, vacate, and then fight for the UFC belt next, I don't think the risk/reward is worth it. There is a sizable contingent who is always going to disregard wins outside the UFC. His win over Henderson is still widely disregarded on Bendo's perceived improvement in the short time afterward or people flat out make up events from the fight to make it sound fluky when that was far from the case.

How could people rationalize the relevance of a Maynard win? He fights in the UFC where he has beaten Miller and Diaz, the other two fighters vying for #1 contender. Pettis couldn't be denied the shot as a result after that win. And it would be in an organization where he just established himself, instead of an entirely new one, against one of their veterans. The last time he was involved in that scenario it resulted in the only fight in his career most thought he lost.

I think part of the problem with these no-win match-ups is that Pettis' manager sucks. First Stephens, then Lauzon who he looked better against than anybody, now Melendez. When Pettis' manager tried to make the argument on MMA Hour (I think that was the show) that Pettis deserved the UFC title shot he just kept repeating "Anthony believes he deserves this". He sounded like a total amateur. And before the Lauzon fight I relayed to him via email an interview opportunity with ESPN Milwaukee, which would have been a huge interview for Anthony as far as promoting the fight, and his manager never responded.

I think people are b!tching too much about how this is a supposed step back for Pettis. So the fights in Strikeforce. So what. He isn't getting a title shot in the UFC any time soon. The next fight for Ben Henderson will be a rematch with Frankie Edgar. After that, Dana White said the next one in line is likely to be the winner of Jim Miller/Nate Diaz. So barring injury, Pettis wouldn't be getting a UFC title shot until 2013. In the meantime he gets to go fight a guy long considered to be in the top 2 or 3 lightweights in the world. That's a big deal. Furthermore, you guys talk about what does he do if he wins as if he's going to blow out Gilbert Melendez. I don't know about you but Gilbert seems like he's more than capable of at least making the fight very close if not winning the fight himself. But if its a close fight then the next fight for Pettis in Strikeforce is a rematch. And if he wins that he'll likely have to fight the winner of a Pat Healy/Josh Thompson fight (to keep both guys busy) and whomever wins that fight wouldn't be an undeserving opponent.

Finally, from what I understand Strikeforce only has a one year contract with Showtime. With Rousey/Tate's ratings not mind blowing, the ticket sales to Strikeforce events continuing to be tepid and the deterioration of the relationship between Showtime and Dana White I really doubt Strikeforce is allowed to renew the deal after it expires. So Pettis, Melendez and all of Strikeforce's best will be in the UFC before you know it.

[REDDzone]

Who are the "you guys" bitching and claiming Pettis will blow out Gilbert Melendez? Does saying "if he wins" mean people think he will "blow out" Gilbert Melendez? Seriously man?

FWIW I LOVED the fight until I saw it was in a dead/dying organization.

[Starkiller]

I personally think Pettis is getting screwed, royally.

[K1NG]

I couldn't care less about Pettis being "stuck" in StrikeForce (which will fold in a matter of time). I just want to see a good fight.

[Bernman]

That's you though. We're big Pettis fans. We want what's best for our favorite fighter, and that's not him being "stuck" in Strikeforce until the contract runs out. It's a dying organization with no life, meaningless titles, an underwhelming stable of lightweights outside of Melendez (Aoki seems to be not an option anymore), the best of whom laid and prayed their way to a victory in their last fights.

If Pettis stays in UFC and fights Maynard he'll raise his rep more and get the next title shot. They are NOT giving Miller a pointless unmarketable rematch with Bendo, over Pettis if he beats Maynard, regardless of what Dana said. He goes back on his word all the time, including twice against Pettis himself.

In the long run this move would only be good for Showtime (the television station) and Cesar Gracie camp. Cesar Gracie camp get Gilbert a viable challenger, while at the same time remove him from contention to take the shot away from Nate Diaz if he beats Miller (which he won't, but I'm sure they have confidence in their fighter). Pettis' management would be stupid, again, to get conned into doing what's best for another party.

[REDDzone]

I'm speaking as a fan of Pettis, as well as from the standpoint as to what would make sense for the ufc.

As a fan, I don't want him in an organization that nobody cares about.
As a ufc fan, I don't think it makes sense for them to put one of their more marketable up and comers on showtime in a dying organization that has already had all tha talent stolen from it. Now, figure out a way to get Gil in the ufc, and let's do this.

[Starkiller]

I mean just buisness wise, Bendo/Pettis 2 makes the most sense. Pettis was supposed to have an auto shot when he came into the UFC. He got "beat" by Guida, beat Stephens, and then BLASTED Joe Lauzon who was on a good streak and is just as solid as a win as anyone else has had. I see nothing wrong w/ Bendo Pettis 2 right now.

[Cammo101]

To me, Pettis is too exciting a fighter to move to Strikeforce. There are plenty of UFC light weights who they could make this kind of move with. Someone like Dunham, Thiago Tavares, or Jeremy Stephens. Feed Melendez guys like that until Strikeforce folds.