STRIKEFORCE & UFC: THE GLOVES ARE OFF

[Shogun Locc]

The goodwill that the UFC and Strikeforce has shared in over three years promoting the same business has evaporated this week.

The promoters of both organizations, UFC president Dana White and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, held court on Thursday for reporters eager to chronicle the fallout of Fedor Emelianeko’s near miss with the UFC and subsequent signing with Strikeforce on Monday.

White, at a press conference promoting this weekend’s UFC 101 in Philadelphia, fired the first shot, reversing an earlier stance that he had “nothing negative to say” about the San Jose based promotion.

“Fedor will put Strikeforce out of business,” a ruffled White said. “No one watched the last Strikeforce show…they have no money, and no one to fight Fedor.”

To boot, White called the promotion “Strikefarce.”

“They're a small time show; they're trying to act like they have something,” he stated. “Cung Le hasn't defended his title since like 1997, Josh Thomson hasn't defended his title in something like two years, (Alistair Overeem) hasn't defended his title in two years. Strike-farce. It's a joke. It's a tiny little regional show with nobody in it."

Coker, speaking on a teleconference about the signing and new M-1 partnership, deflected White’s vitriol.

“My response to that is, of course he’s going to say that,” said Coker. “He’s a promoter, so he’s going to do, and say what he’s going to say. But we’ve been in business a long time, and I think we know how to operate a business, and with the relationship with Ken and Showtime and M-1, I feel very confident that we’re going to have some great big shows with Fedor.”

The first signs of the fractured relationship appeared on Monday when Strikeforce announced the deal with Emelianenko, which drew the ire of many fans expecting to see the Russian tangle with UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Both Emelianenko and manager Vadim Finkelstein said the UFC’s refusal to co-promote with M-1 was the deciding factor in joining Strikeforce.

“Fedor is a (expletive) joke,” White wrote via text message on Monday afternoon. “He turns down a huge deal and the opportunity to face the best in the world to fight nobodies for no money!”

The UFC had already confronted Strikeforce on paper.

Last Wednesday, the Las Vegas based promotion sent a cease and desist letter to Strikeforce lawyers ordering them to halt an upcoming fight between Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Gegard Mousasi at Carano vs. Cyborg on Aug. 15. The letter cited a recent deal with now defunct promotion Affliction – who had shared an informal alliance with Strikeforce – that presumed the contracts of numerous Affliction fighters were assigned to the UFC.

White also claimed Mousasi had been misled by his managers at M-1 Global on a possible deal with the UFC.

Apy Echteld, a representative of M-1 Global, negotiated Mousasi’s deal with Strikeforce and disputed the letter’s claim.

“There have never been any tight negotiations about this contract,” he said. “There has been some contact in the past, and also during the conversation, the only thing that came on the table was (that) the UFC tried to stop the fight between Mousasi and Babalu. But at that time, Mousasi already signed his contract, which he is happy with and he will honor with Strikeforce.

“I talked with (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva last night, and last night he actually said for the first time the only thing they tried to do… is match with contract with Affliction and Mousasi, so that was all.”

Strikeforce lawyers plan to resolve the issue with UFC lawyers in Las Vegas following Carano vs. Cyborg.

M-1 head Vadim Finkelstein said White’s tact was the latest in a campaign to misrepresent the facts about negotiations between his company and the UFC.

“The thing is we are a young company and we don’t have the huge PR machine,” said Finkelstein. “A lot of journalists do not take our side. Fedor has never belonged to the UFC. We understand perfectly well what will happen if Fedor signs the contract with the UFC.

“Dana White states right now that we wanted to come and take his business in the Russian way, but that’s not true. We offered the co-production and co-promotion.”

Initially, Coker laughed at White’s “Strikefarce” jibe and said he expected as much.

“Under the current circumstances, is anybody surprised?” said Coker. “I don’t think so.”

 

[Chuy Savedra]

So long strikeforce.

 

[SC_408]

Dana needs to chill, theres enough money for everyone, let strikeforce do their thing their just trying to come up

 

[lenbiasyayo]

piss on fedors face , nice competition he is gonna fight. he fights wimps

 

[DVS ONE]

Dream+Strikeforce+M-1=hopefull MMA company.........

 

[408mobsta]

i think thats good 2 have 2 majior mma companys...going at it...good shit for strikeforce since its local..

 

[CHAPO GUZMAN]

im getting tired of the UFC more so dana white..

he's like the psycho ex gf whos on some "if i cant have him no one will" type of shit.

 

[f31roger]

Dream+Strikeforce+M-1=hopefull MMA company.........

Having an option for fighters is always best. I'm an MMA fan. I'm about the fighters.

If you are fighter and want to build your name and then make better money.. you need to be able to do what you can.

If there was only One Org, then they are only gonna get who they want and not give chances to up and coming fighters.

You also cant have a betting war for your name.

Only way to, I see IMO, to have a competition is to have orgs co promote. UFC pockets are deep... so they run alot.. and they've done alot for MMA.

I felt Elite XC was doing the right thing, even though taking out big loans was dumb, co promoting is probably the best alternative than buying a whole org and that way everyone can eat.

 

[Shogun Locc]

M-1 Global's Jerry Millen: The UFC is not MMA; competition breeds success

While the upcoming weekend features a host of tantalizing tussles at both "UFC 101: Declaration" and "WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles," it's difficult to deny the stir that has been created by Strikeforce's recent signing of Fedor Emelianenko and partnership with M-1 Global.

With UFC president Dana White recently going on the offensive against Strikeforce, a company for which he once held high praise, a high-stakes battle between the two organizations is likely to play out in the coming months.

In the second of his two-part conversation with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), M-1 Global vice president Jerry Millen says that's just fine.

"Competition breeds success," Millen said. "You have to have competition. There can't be a McDonald's without a Burger King.

"America was built on capitalism."

It's a concept that seems obvious to most entrepreneurs, but it is certainly one unfamiliar to most major sporting organizations – and many fans who simply want to see the world's best fighters meet in the cage.

Millen argues fighting is different, and one organization shouldn't have a hold on the sport of MMA.

"The thing is, there's room in the world for more than one big MMA company," Millen said. "There's a lot of rabid UFC fans out there, but people have got to remember, the UFC is not MMA. It's a brand of MMA, and they are not alone in the world.

"[The UFC] didn't invent the sport. Sure, they helped grow it. They've got great fighters. They've done a lot to expand the sport, which I think is great. But they didn't invent MMA."

While it is M-1 Global's drive for competition that will apparently prevent the much-demanded Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar heavyweight superfight, Millen insists the two-party system is necessary to prevent one organization from holding too much power over its employees – and prospective applicants.

"I know a lot of guys that have trained here locally," Millen said. "And the thing is, these guys have to work 10 hours a day trying to support their families, and they have a dream of being an MMA fighter. My problem is, OK, you want to be an MMA fighter, you go to the gym after work, you spend time away from your family because you have this dream. So what happens if the guys in the UFC don't see fit that you get any type of shot in the UFC? You could be the best fighter ever that's undiscovered. Is it up to the UFC to decide who gets that shot, every time? No. Absolutely not.

"There needs to be other organizations to give some of these guys that are busting their ass in the gyms a shot at showing what they can do. That's what I feel. People need a shot, and the more organizations there are that are successful, the more chances some of these guys that want to be professional fighters will get."

While some fans consider Millen and his M-1 Global peers akin to some type of MMA Antichrist, the exec swears his loyalties lie in what's best for the future of the sport as a whole.

"At the end of the day, true MMA fans have to look at this for what it is," Millen said. "If you want the sport to grow, you have to have other organizations. You have to have competition.

"For [the UFC] to say they have the world's best fighters, its not true. They have some of them, but their rankings are manufactured for the UFC. There's a lot of guys out there that are great fighters. There are fighters out there that will beat UFC champions. Will they get that chance in the UFC? I'm not sure. I know that Strikeforce and M-1 Global will give those fighters that chance if they want to compete. We're always open to working with other people."

For most observers, M-1 Global's motivations would seem to be simple in nature. As MMA's popularity continues to surge, why wouldn't M-1 Global executives want to use the one trump card they can – Emelianenko – to cash in?

Millen again insists it's imperative to dig deeper.

"M-1 Global, which was started in Russia by (current president) Vadim Finkelchtein – and Fedor's a big part of it now – they've been [promoting fights] a long time," Millen said. "Vadim does this for the love of the sport. Make no mistake that Vadim doesn't make his money from MMA. He's a businessman in Russia, and he loves the sport. He's not in it for the money."

M-1 Global will face an uphill battle in the court of public sentiment. Even the once seemingly secure Strikeforce has now been attacked by the sport's leading executive and questioned by fans around the world for a perhaps-questionable partnership.

But Millen insists despite the negativity he and his company often withstand, the organization wants nothing but the best for the still-growing sport of mixed martial arts.

"Obviously, teaming up with Strikeforce and Scott Coker, we're ecstatic about it," Millen said. "I think it's a great move. We all think it's a great move.

"I love the sport so much, and I know how big the sport can be. The sport has only scratched the surface. The UFC wants to wrap it up. They have a grasp on it now, but they're not going to hold that grasp forever. It's not possible."

 

[MrPeete]

Sooner or later the bully gets his ass whooped

 

[T-Rip]

im getting tired of the UFC more so dana white..

he's like the psycho ex gf whos on some "if i cant have him no one will" type of shit.

Im the other way around, im glad a lot of the Pride fighters came to UFC and made some great matchups but Dana will always be a piece of shit in my eyes.

 

[SC_408]

i first thought that Fedor was a dumbass for turnin down all that money(he sorta is still lol ) but im glad he chose to say fuck u to Dana and do his own thing that would make him happy...shit this aint fuckin PG&E....fuck a monopoly, having competing organizations is the best for fans...

 

[T-Rip]

The thing is what he was offered supposedly was false. Until Dana actually says how much he offered they lost the battle period

 

[BROWN GUERRERO]

The thing I don't understand is what the hell is Fedor talking about when he says the UFC doesn't treat their fighters correctly? If that was the case then why has almost EVERY major superstar from Pride, except for Fedor, signed to the UFC???

Aleks already said Vadim is full of shit and Mousasi apparently got fucked over by m1 into not going to the UFC.


Anyways i'd becareful if I was strikeforce. The UFC WILL drive you out of business if they want to. Strikeforce was a cool little event putting on bad ass cards, but seems like they want to go head to head with the UFC now..

 

[f31roger]

If that was the case then why has almost EVERY major superstar from Pride, except for Fedor, signed to the UFC???

Money really. UFC is the big league right? Problem is once they are done with you, your out.

I've talked to alot of fighters that dont look at the UFC with respect. They respect the talent pool and what Zuffa did for MMA, but they dont like how Dana treats fighters. of course though, Dana is business. So if you lose to 4 top world fighters, they'll kick you out. If your sponsor doesnt sit well with Dana, expect him to tell you to remove it..
If you become a great fighter.. expect him to try and have UFC own your "image". Imagine you being a decent fighter and being let go so they can sign a bigger name.. or even puttin you on the shelf for a long time when fighting is your full time job... And they wont let you fight at a small org event.

There are alot of people that didnt sign to for that reason too. Joachim Hansen is one.

I always say I'm about MMA and the fighters. And I never liked how they try to run a monopoly with people's lives.

Its sad for me to see shit like this though. If you are top fighter and dont want to be part of the UFC, Dana goes on a mission to try and kill your name or hold you up on court.
--------------------------------------

Truth is, I feel Fedor shouldnt have to deal with this. If he ever needs to prove his status, then he should go there and take care of it.

But obviously he doesnt want to be tied to the UFC... and I'm pretty sure he has a good reason to turn down probably one of the best contracts around.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce CEO says M-1 Global partnership will not expose company to financial peril

"R.I.P. Strikeforce." ... "Everyone that co-promotes with M-1 dies soon after." ... "Did Strikeforce just make the same mistake as Affliction and bet the whole bank on Fedor?" ... "Can we already start writing the story about Strikeforce folding?"

These were but a handful of the near 1,000 comments that MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) readers posted following the announced partnership of Strikeforce and M-1, and their thoughts were echoed in forums and messageboards throughout the MMA landscape.

But Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently told MMAjunkie.com that fans can slow down on filing the organization's bankruptcy papers. It's business as usual for Coker, just as it has been for nearly 25 years.

"We've been in business a long time," Coker said. "I have very strong partners in Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment. We have a good ownership group. They're the owners of the San Jose Sharks, and they are fully behind Strikeforce. Showtime Sports is fully behind Strikeforce.

"People say, 'Oh, they're getting out of their model, their comfort zone.' But really, our CFO crunched all the numbers. If we weren't able to monetize it, I don't think we would do it."

While Strikeforce has long been a respected entity in combat sports, running a successful kickboxing operation prior to making a foray into mixed martial arts, the organization's recent deal to co-promote with M-1 Global – a deal that secured the services of the highly regarded heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko – has caused a legion of MMA fans to administer last rights to the San Jose, Calif.-based organization.

Coker insisted Strikeforce hasn't overextended itself to promote a fight with Emelianenko.

"We agreed that on the fights we do with Fedor, we're going to co-promote the event like Golden Boy does with Bob Arum or Gary Shaw does with Don King (in boxing)," Coker said. "It's done in boxing every month. It's just a co-promotion of our fighter against their fighter. We pick who the production arm will be, and then they work out a venue deal, and everybody participates on the upside and the downside."

"This is just a co-promotion"
While the term "partnership" has been thrown around frequently – and often without clear definition – Coker said the deal is very limited in scope.

"It's a partnership in the sense that we'll be doing those fights together with Fedor," Coker said. "Now, does that mean that they're involved with Strikeforce other than those three fights? No. Absolutely not. They're going to go do their own fights. We're going to go do our own fights. But the product that we do together will be a co-production.

"No stock. No ownership. That conversation never even occurred."

Coker referred back to the traditional boxing model – a plan UFC president Dana White has often said is inappropriate in MMA – and said the new alliance is akin to a short series of one-off promotions.

"This is just a co-promotion, like in boxing," Coker said. "Two weeks ago on Showtime, Gary Shaw did a fight with Don King. They worked a deal out with the venue, they got a venue site fee, calculated all the costs, and participated in the upside and the downside of it.

"It's more like an event-by-event (partnership). Treat them like one-offs. Every fight that we do is going to be like a one-off promotion, and we've agreed to do three events together."

While many observers have pointed to the recent collapse of Affliction – another company that agreed to co-promote with M-1 Global – Coker explained to MMAjunkie.com on Thursday's media call why that example was improper.

"[Affliction's] core business wasn't the martial arts fight business," Coker said. "M-1 has been around a long time and has been a very successful promotion. We've been around a long time. We're going to be around a long time. M-1 is going to be around a long time, and Showtime is going to be around a long time.

"It's our core business. If people stick to their core competency, they're going to be fine. That's really the definition of why these companies went out of business."

As co-promoters, Strikeforce and M-1 Global will share in the profits – or losses – of the three contracted events that feature Emelianenko. But unlike the now-defunct Affliction, Strikeforce will still operate a full slate of proprietary events in which M-1 will not play a role.

"We're going to try these three fights out and see what happens," Coker said. "But we're also going to continue on with our regular shows independent of the M-1 brand. We're scheduled to do 18 to 20 fights next year. Three of those fights will be with M-1."

"Everybody has to be on the same page"
While Emelianenko's massive salary – among the highest in all of mixed martial arts – has often been cited as a primary factor in the collapse of Affliction (not to mention BodogFIGHT), Coker insists he's happy with the financial terms of the arrangement.

"I can't comment on the financial terms and conditions of [Emelianenko's] compensation package, but it's something that [M-1 Global and Emelianenko] were very happy with, and we were happy with," Coker said. "We think everybody here can generate revenue from it."

As for how Emelianenko's bouts will be determined, that, too, has been debated. While some observers assumed M-1 Global would essentially reserve the right to pick and choose the Russian's opponents, Coker said it is more of a group selection.

"When we talk about Fedor, there's going to be three parts to that conversation: what we would like to do, what M-1 would like to do, and then what Showtime would like to do," Coker said. "Everybody has to be on the same page, and that's what we're trying to get on right now. But that's pretty much it.

"When you have a partner on these fights, we're going to have to work together and come to a decision and make sure that the stars are in alignment and make a decision and move forward after everybody has a consensus."

"Seventeen fights next year will be business as usual for Strikeforce"
While the interest in Strikeforce's deal with M-1 far-outweighed the recent revelation that a partnership with the Japanese-based DREAM organization was also forthcoming, Coker weighted in on that budding relationship as well.

"The DREAM thing is an alliance," Coker said. "You'll see fights that you've never seen before. These are fights that I wanted to make happen for a long time, and it starts with Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Gilbert Melendez (at 'Strikeforce: Carano vs. 'Cyborg'' on Aug. 15).

"I'm crossing my fingers you'll see Shinya Aoki here before the end of the year, and we'll just keep on going. I'd love to see Melvin Manhoef fighting Robbie Lawler, or Sergei Kharitonov fighting Alistair Overeem or Fedor. Let's do some great fights and keep this industry moving forward."

Coker said a stronger bond – similar to the one established with M-1 Global – could be forthcoming with DREAM, but nothing has yet been formally established.

"There's been dialogue, but it just hasn't been solidified," Coker said. "It's just a fighter exchange at this point."

Strikeforce's new partnership with Emelianenko and M-1 Global may prove to be the pivotal moment that launches both organizations to the forefront of the sport. But even if the partnership falls short of that lofty goal, Coker insists it won't be viewed in retrospect as the moment Strikeforce began to fail.

"That's what it comes down to: after those three fights, how did this relationship work?" Coker said. "Was it profitable? Was it something that was fun to do? Did it make a lot of sense on different levels? If the answers are yes, then we'll probably continue. If not, then we'll say, 'Maybe we can do something with another fighter later.'"

Those three fights will undoubtedly be some of the most-watched and most-hyped in the history of Strikeforce, but they will not make up the bulk of Strikeforce's operations.

"Seventeen fights next year will be business as usual for Strikeforce," Coker said. "Three fights we'll do with Fedor, which will be a great thing for our company, and a great thing for M-1."

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

UFC is becoming the Microsoft of MMA

 

[PsyDaL]

You make valid points f31roger but talking to just one or a few different fighters about the legal aspects is kind of one sided. Fighters that want to fight will be brought back to the UFC. There are many small shows that once a fighter gets a few losses under his belt he builds himself back then comes back to the UFC. Theres quite a few, in fact ill bring up David Louiseu(sp). He has a real good business sense, wins a couple of fights even when he signed with EliteXC managed to find himself back into the UFC.

Now these fighters you talk that dont hold any respective values and badmouth UFC. Well then why would the UFC want them to fight under their banner? Be about your business and be smart about it. Dont burn your bridges and keep yourself as humble as possible. You will only get taken advantage of the situation at hand if your backers arent cooperating with the employer who is supplying the paychecks....

I support any organization that could match up some fights id like to see. I have supported both UFC/WEC and Strikeforce in the past and will continue to do so. Hell Id even support m1 if they put on a good card....

 

[Shogun Locc]

David Louiseu did manage to find his way back to the ufc and after losing in his return they cut him from the UFC roster.

 

[PsyDaL]

Which is a point in which I was making. Its happened about 3 times already but his good business sense finds him back to the big show. Cuts happen or contracts based on agreements per fight basis. They always have doors open for fighters win or lose.

Alessio Sakara who is a great standup fighter but doesnt have the greatest win/loss record but manages to get fights under the UFC. As long as you have a great relationship with the matchmakers and have a good business skills you have a decent living by getting fights. He gets a decent amount of TV exposure, his fight salary might not be A level contract but he keeps fighting....

True more times than not a fighter doesnt get a call back to fight another fight but doors are open for fighters.

I could keep naming fighters and you could try to point out the flaws for the sake of arguing for whatever reasons.

Dope 17 fights hopefully at least 3 - 5 will be in the central/Northern Cali....