I contacted a source involved in the April 17 Strikeforce card on CBS to get his take on the recent rumors that have swirled in the mixed martial arts world about the UFC possibly putting on its own card on April 17 to counter the Strikeforce card, headlined by Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields.The source's reply: "I think the UFC is messing with us."
What he meant is not that the UFC is messing with Strikeforce by actually putting on an April 17 card. What he meant is that the UFC is messing with Strikeforce by going through the motions of preparing to put on an April 17 card, thus making Strikeforce and CBS jittery about whether their own card can succeed, making fans hesitate to buy tickets, and making advertisers question whether they want to buy commercials on CBS if more men age 18 to 34 will be watching Spike that night.
This source believes that a lot of the rumors that have been swirling in the MMA world over the last couple weeks -- about fights on April 17 involving everyone from Chuck Liddell to Rich Franklin to James Toney to Kimbo Slice to Matt Serra to Mike Swick -- were floated to create uncertainty about what's going on April 17.
With five weeks to go, most of the folks involved in the April 17 Strikeforce show believe that their show will stay right where it is, in Nashville on CBS in prime time, and that they won't be counter-programmed by the UFC. But they're at least thinking about the implications of UFC counter-programming. And that may be all the UFC ever really wanted: To get in Strikeforce's head.





Comments (Page 1 of 1)
guess I'm the only one that could care less because, imo, UFC cannot put on any card that would rival this particular Strikeforce card. I'm locked into CBS on the 17th. Tho it does worry me why Strikeforce is putting so much into this one show.
this is so ridiculous that now i think i actually want jose canseco to train for 2-3 months with cesar gracie and they put on herschel walker vs jose canseco on showtime. really, this is overboard. and i've felt like ufc has gone overboard since over a year ago. now this is genuinly annoying. you know what? if the laws were in its rightful place for a situation like this, i think strikeforce would have a clear case for harassment. its a shame that ufc can actually get away with this kiddie crap. they have every rule in the book worked out perfectly so that they can pretty much do whatever the hell they want and no one can touch them.
what a bunch of weasels the guys who run the ufc have turned out to be.
You need to check your facts. Your comments are not correct about 109 and not making money. UFC can make money with their brand alone:
check out Rossen's blog from Sherdog:
"Some fans might prefer fewer, more substantial cards, but if the UFC can split high-profile bouts between two low-profile events and sell a quarter-million buys each, that’s better than one at 400,000 -- not including the sponsor dollars, ticket sales, and ugly T-shirt inventory. Less is more? Nope. More is more."
I would love for SF to move their card forward to the day of the WEC PPV and give one back to Zuffa. No one would pay to watch that card when they could watch SF on CBS for free.
I don't get the reasoning behind some peoples post. I understand its not liked how the ufc is conducting itself, but that's life. EVERYONE does it, its business. Why not get into the head of your rival. Mcdonalds and Burger king go back and forth, Verizon and AT&T, Windows and Apple. All of which is considered advertising and business. The ufc does so and its kiddie?? You take your place in a competitors world and prepare for rivalry. Nothing wrong with it. Because at the end of the day, whether they put on a event or not, YOU the watcher, has the choice. And there are going to be people who would rather watch a rerun of a ufc event then watch strikeforce and that's fact. I appreciate the fighter, and they all put there heart into it. But i like what the ufc offers when it comes to there fighters. I knock no one for there choices. But we all have to remember that when it balls down to it,we are all here to do our best at taking care of our families,friends and businesses.
There's always gonna be more than one opinion about certain things, THAT'S life. And that's something I can agree with.
But this isn't selling burgers or computers. Let's face the reality here, there's room enough for everyone to have their night. dana white tried to be a little bitch and counter floyd mayweather and started a personal war and got slaughtered. Bad. Really really bad. It was actually funny. THEN he gets countered by mayweather, maybe even unintentionally, and does the double standard. He cries like a girl. When mayweather never cried about it, he laughed and said 'whos dana white' shrugged it off, dana punkass white who acts like such a hotshot cries like a little baby. Says how boxing is so disorganized and why would they book a fight the same night as a ufc. What a two-face punk. What a salty sob. Just like he was the day after fedor signed with sf.
Yeah. They're disorganized enough to kick the sh*t out of him left and right, putting him in his place and making HIM work around THEM. for all that crap that he tried to pull and then when it came back to him, he acted like such a salty sore loser. Such a puss it really wasn't even funny. He deserved to get spit in the face. no dignity, no honor. He didn't man up. He criticized again. So two-face. Like a girl. A jealous and defeated little baby. His behavior is not normal business considering they are not competing against eachother and he insists on putting on a show the same night as another org JUST TO HURT THEM AND THEIR FIGHTERS. I agree with coker, they aren't competing. They are all helping to make the sport grow. Its his war, not ours. How many people back him up and fight his war for no reason other than to jock him, its ridiculous. Mindless people like soldiers who followed a pyschotic leader into attempting mass genocide. I'm so pissed, you know who I'm talking about, I really think the nuhtuggers are that mindless that's what they deserve to be compared to. Just mindless so called wannabe mma fans, they think they love the sport, all they love is following dana white like pawns, frontlin soldiers. They don't even know what they're fighting for, just that they're following who they think is a god, and he doesn't really give a rats ass about them. Look what he's doing to his friend dan henderson.
Scott coker specifically had his show planned for april 17th TO NOT GO HEAD TO HEAD. That's the way it should be. Stop saying what ufc does is acceptable because its a business bs, then turn around and get so tossy turny about sf having herschel walker fight. I already know you're one of those, the only people who have a problem with it are the hardcore fanboys. Big deal. So herschel brings a bigger audience and is serious about wanting to fight. They too are just doing what they have to do. But countering another mma show and trying to steal viewers and hurt the fighters is a f'ed up thing to do. There's so many two-face wannabe mma fans who use the double standard. Yous are the ones who will find any reason to accept ufc for what it is, and anything to say negative about the other orgs. I hope they have canseco vs walker now. Dana white can f* off already, he's a bad influence on where the sport is going. Its officially become a full blown joke.
And the ea sports mma game featuring strikeforce and other orgs like dream, and having the different rules and the ring as well as the cage, is gonna bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow away the ufc game. Dana white is such a tool, he's gonna get what's coming to him. What a joke ufc 109 did so bad they never even released the ppv numbers. So did 110. People are staring to realize the ppvs are a joke. 4 a year tops. Not 14 a year. Joke.
@Pip
You might possibly be the biggest strikeforce nuthugger alive. I mean really? This is business. Everyone does it to make their company thrive! If strikeforce is afraid of a UFC show on the same night, then they clearly have no confidence in their fighter. Scott coker and strikeforce are just gonna be whiny about this because they know their organization is going to tank if they get countered I like both the organizations I really do, but this is ridiculous. You claim to be an mma fan, but you're clearly a fan of anything against the UFC! What strikeforce is doing isn't good for mma anyways. It is the only thing standing in the way of all the best fighters being under one organization and really stands in the way of dream matchups like fedor v brock and machida v mousasi.
Its not competition, its a direct attack. And we know what the motive is, its dirty. Only ufc does it. They've taken strong offense to fedor signing and hendo signing elsewhere and now have hard feelings and are acting like clowns. Sf is not interested in countering anyone because A- its f'ed up, and B- its childish and bad for the sport and they have class, ufc clearly doesn't, and C-because they aren't competing. Coker isn't scared and has a lot of confidence in his fighters because he knows its a quality product. Obviously though, they are faced with a possible direct attack on them, they have to consider their best course of action. That's understandable business-wise. I've questioned ufcs business model for a while, and they're getting worse with it. They're becoming hostile now. Its ridiculous. Attacking sf cause they are run by emotionally challenged greedy f's who are too puss to fight their battles in the cage. They have to attack someone who god forbid has the ambition to sign great fighters and put on great shows too. Hate to say it but all this publicity is gonna be good for sf cause ufc is putting them at the same level, and its gonna get sf even more exposure. Its all gonna blow up in danas face. Sf isn't going bankrupt. And the fans know what's up, sf has a much better card on april 17th and only the fanboys are gonna devote their time to watching whatever ufc throws together instead.
And spud, of course you like sf, you'd have to be a moron not too. And I love being a diehard sf fan. They deliver everytime. It keeps getting better. Overeem vs rogers is gonna be a MEGA MEGA MEGAFIGHT!! Can't wait.
If you think SF and UFC arent competing your crazy. They are the exact same product trying to atract the exact same fans.
Mayweather may act like he doesn't know who Dan White is but he certainly did when Dana and Sherk showed up to call Mayweather out at his press conference if he was going to talk shit about MMA again.
Just becasue boxing draw more doesn't mean they are very organized or better than UFC.
When did Dana intentionally try to go head to head with boxing. He knows that boxing has been around longer and has a huge fanbase becasue of it.That is a legit question becasue i don't know the details behind it.
In 10 years with the right booking of fights UFC/MMA will draw more than boxing. I know that UFC and Mayweather fan head to head With Rashad headlining but did they other than that?
Hell look at Japan and the Pride events drew 40000 plus on a regular basis didn't they? Dream Dynamite show on December 31st drew over 40000.
hey piprock....boy dana must have stuck it to you real oood ....talk about a cry baby you take the prize
You know that's funny. That dana tried to go after mayweather, even sdaid he'd do more ppv's, then got beat by 1 million buys, then mayweather comes back and does the same thing to dana and he cries like a little b*tch. You know that's funny. Admit it. Its hilarious. That takes the prize all day. And how salty he was when fedor signed with sf. You know it. I have every right. You know it.
They say fight the fight when you know you're right.
Either way STRIKEFORCE shouldn't be worried about the UFC.If STRIKEFORCE is claiming to be,the #2 MMA company in the world.Then stop worrying and try your hand.At the end of the day the fans will decide who wins this war.Scott Coker can't run his company,by being scared too compete.
So the question still remains.....whether the UFC is "messing" with Strikeforce? Or is it just 'the way business is?'
I'd say that indeed the UFC is "messing" with SF. There shouldn't be much debating that. DW does have grandiose ideas about the UFC's potential in future in American sports. There are simply too many fighters around the world to only have 1 organization....an organization [UFC] that pays very little to its fighters whom train way more than professional boxers.
It's very difficult for DW to gather big company sponsorship because he has a fowl mouth. It's almost like having a person like Terrell Owens being the spokesmans for your company. Steve Coker always carries himself in a professional manner. He knows how to separate himself from being a fan and being an owner. DW wants to be like Mark Cuban. Well, Cuban only owns a team. DW owns an organization.
I like what SF is doing. Some people need to remind themselves that SF isnt going to do everything like the UFC does. If you don't like how they wait so late to announce fights, well again, they move at their own pace.
There's room for the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Shine, and the WEC!!!!
I don't know why in the world everyone keeps crying foul over this whole counter programming business. It's all business people. Companies do it all the time against each other.
I just wonder why on earth Strikeforce put all these championship fights on one card. I don't think they really have enough top level fighters to keep putting up quality shows like this. We're just going to end up seeing Hendo, Shields, and Melendez fight several times a year. How is that going to help them go mainstream? The general population will get tired of seeing the same fighters over and over again. And when the hell are they going to finally just strip the belt away from Overeem? How long are they going to let him hold that belt hostage?
Mr Ty I agree 100% with your comment. Gentlemen, this is simply the word is called "Marketing" is called "Survival" is called "Competition" is called "Offer / Demand." Those who do not know in which country they live, think that the GPS have it damaged. As in "Capitalism - Our country" whether anburguesas, candy, ice cream, Boxing, MMA, Poker and so on. competition exists and everything moves based on money. Please see in baseball. Who is the team that has more money (like the UFC) and that's why people criticize it ...? New York Yankees "let be the UFC and UFC Let us be proud of having the largest" Organization of Mixed Martial Arts World "All the critics, they all speak ill of her, but" Everyone wants to belong or fighting in the UFC .. . the same way with "NY Yankees".
If Dana wants to ride 10 events on April 17 ...... okay. Consider now that the UAE are involved in MMA and will soon have its first event that someone might criticize fine with "Money in abundance." My compliments to the UFC.
i am going to start off by saying i am a huge s/f fan and possibly there biggest basher.with that said i understand there a new company and there's learning curve's that they gotta go through.honestly cross promotion isn't good for the sport especially if it's a title fight.in my opinion aoki will dominate melendez and then aoki will have to defend his dream title and then rest then defend his s/f title then rest depending on damage taken from fights will determine how long we wait 2 see the light weight champ again...and Brett Rodgers vs Alistar Overoid is just stupid.how the hell do u give a title shot 2 sum 1 that lost their last fight i mean thats just f'in retarded period and any1 on the site that thinks diffrent REALLY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE SPORT AND THAT MY FRIENDS ARE WHY S/F WILL CONTINUE TO BE WELL AND I'M TALKIN WELL BEHIND UFC OK.
I'LL PUT IT LIKE THIS UFC IS BJ PENN AND S/F IS FRANKIE EDGAR NOT EVEN IN THERE LEAGUE
AND YES THE UFC IS JUST MESSING WITH S/F
wec 48
ALDO V FABER FEARTHERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
HENDERSON V CERRONE LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
BROWN V GAMBURYAN #1 CONTENDER MATCH
BRANDON VISHER V TYLER TONER VERY GOOD FIGHT
CHAN SUNG JUNG V CUB SWANSON COMPETIVE FIGHT
PROBLEM THIS IS 44.95 WHICH I'LL PAY
S/F WITH ALL THEIR EGGS IN 1 BASKET
AOKI V MELENDEZ LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEFIGHT IT'S THE ONLY PICK EM ON THE CARD
HENDO V SHIELDS WE ALL KNOW WHO'S GONNA WIN THIS
KING MO V MOUSASI AGAIN WE ALL KNOW WHO IS GONNA WIN THIS FIGHT
really?
your gonna pay for that, ppv?
i'm a huge wec fan-boy and i won't.
and eventhough, i agree with the predictability factor with the sf card,
i am still really jacked for that card.
cause, again, even though i agree with your picks of hendo and mousasi....i do think they will still be really good matches and an upset wouldn't totally surprise me.
as far as rogers/overoid...sf is really in a screwed up situation with the way deal with co-promotion and their respective belts...so i agree with you on that as well.
and i love, love, love, love....your tag...OVEROID!!!! LMFAO!!!
IT IS F'N PERFECT!
it is just as good as mine...for...frank shamwow!