The UFC's quest to secure the rights to Fedor Emelianenko was a failed one, as indicated just days ago by UFC president Dana White. Strikeforce saw an opportunity to take advantage of such a situation, and succeeded in doing so.
Strikeforce made the announcement on Monday, letting the public know that top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko would be fighting under the Strikeforce umbrella going forward, with the expectation that his first fight will take place within the next 90 days. Both Fedor and Strikeforce stand to benefit from this arrangement.
Strikeforce scores major points in the credibility department with the addition of Fedor (one of the world's greatest fighters) to its lineup. Additionally, securing the involvement of M-1 opens up an entirely new book of possibilities for the organization.
By aligning with M-1, there is nothing to lose. Strikeforce is up against a goliath in the UFC and has successfully worked on co-promotion deals in the past, so this should be no different. I'm guessing they really wanted to get something finalized with Affliction, but after UFC took that option away, they decided to take a chance with aligning with M-1.
For Fedor, he has the opportunity to ply his trade in front of a national pay-channel audience, not just a PPV crowd that is wary of plunking down $40 just to see him. The opportunity for exposure - especially if Strikeforce can work the CBS angle - has certainly increased for him. Not as much potentially as if he inked with the UFC but still better than a few months ago.
It's now in Strikeforce's hands to build around Fedor by bringing in some other competitive heavyweights. While names like Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, and Brett Rogers all present themselves as potentially interesting opponents, but the lack of depth in the heavyweight division is somewhat concerning.
And yes, even UFC wins by this signing. Fedor will stay fresh in the public eye which will help keep him a constant question and annoyance to White and the rest of the UFC brass. And what happens when White gets annoyed? He gets angry and even more aggressive in making his product that much better.
And that's not all. White will most definitely have some words for Strikeforce. While the relationship has been friendly on the surface in the past, things are about to get ugly from here.
Strikeforce made the announcement on Monday, letting the public know that top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko would be fighting under the Strikeforce umbrella going forward, with the expectation that his first fight will take place within the next 90 days. Both Fedor and Strikeforce stand to benefit from this arrangement.
Strikeforce scores major points in the credibility department with the addition of Fedor (one of the world's greatest fighters) to its lineup. Additionally, securing the involvement of M-1 opens up an entirely new book of possibilities for the organization.
By aligning with M-1, there is nothing to lose. Strikeforce is up against a goliath in the UFC and has successfully worked on co-promotion deals in the past, so this should be no different. I'm guessing they really wanted to get something finalized with Affliction, but after UFC took that option away, they decided to take a chance with aligning with M-1.
For Fedor, he has the opportunity to ply his trade in front of a national pay-channel audience, not just a PPV crowd that is wary of plunking down $40 just to see him. The opportunity for exposure - especially if Strikeforce can work the CBS angle - has certainly increased for him. Not as much potentially as if he inked with the UFC but still better than a few months ago.
It's now in Strikeforce's hands to build around Fedor by bringing in some other competitive heavyweights. While names like Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, and Brett Rogers all present themselves as potentially interesting opponents, but the lack of depth in the heavyweight division is somewhat concerning.
And yes, even UFC wins by this signing. Fedor will stay fresh in the public eye which will help keep him a constant question and annoyance to White and the rest of the UFC brass. And what happens when White gets annoyed? He gets angry and even more aggressive in making his product that much better.
And that's not all. White will most definitely have some words for Strikeforce. While the relationship has been friendly on the surface in the past, things are about to get ugly from here.
About the Author:
Artie Sullenberger is a mixed martial arts fanatic. He immerses himself in both UFC and Strikeforce, and is thrilled to see both organizations making moves. He regularly reports MMA news at his favorite sports forum at RootZoo, a top sports community.
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