Strikeforce heavyweight hopeful Brett Rogers makes the last stop on his whirlwind PR tour for "Fedor vs. Rogers" when he appears in a pre-taped interview late Friday night on Carson Daly's "Last Call" on NBC.
The late-night show airs at 1:35 a.m. EST/PST and 12:35 Central and Mountain time.
Rogers will discuss his fight career as well as his upbringing in the Cabrini Green projects of Chicago's north side.
On Saturday, the undefeated heavyweight faces the world's most feared heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, in a headling bout at the Sears Centre Arena in suburban Chicago. Strikeforce CEO says the event is on track to sell out, with just under 10,000 seats sold.
HDNet's "Inside MMA" will provide LIVE, exclusive coverage of the weigh-ins for "STRIKEFORCE: Fedor vs. Rogers," Friday, November 6 at 6:00 pm ET. The special 90-minute edition of "Inside MMA" will provide a first look at the undisputed No. 1 Heavyweight in the world - Fedor Emelianenko, as he hits the scale the night before his network television debut on CBS.
In addition to Fedor, many of the top mixed martial artists in the world including Brett Rogers, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Jake Shields, and Gegard Mousasi will step onto the scale and then step into Kruck's Korner during the LIVE broadcast. Heavyweight sensation Bobby Lashley, "King" Mo Lawal, and MMA legend Frank Shamrock are expected to join Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten to break down the card and to witness the excitement of weigh-in Friday.
"Friday weigh-ins are closely watched by MMA insiders because they often reveal who is ready to fight... and who isn't," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. "Then, on Saturday's CBS broadcast, we will debut a new commercial that will drive home the message that true MMA fans have to have HDNet."
This episode of "Inside MMA" is the only place to see highlights of some of Fedor's most recent, explosive victories including Fedor v Hong Man Choi, Fedor v Arlovski, Fedor v. Tim Sylvia and Fedor's exhibitions with Gegard Mousasi and Shinya Aoki.
Brett Rogers was on ESPN's First Take on Wednesday to talk about his dream moving from a job at Sam's Club to fighting the number one heavyweight fighter in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on Saturday night on CBS.
On a media teleconference Monday promoting Strikeforce's CBS network debut, CEO Scott Coker said ticket sales are brisk.
So far, the 12,000-seat Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. is 85% percent sold for the Nov. 7 event, Coker said.
"I would expect us to be totally sold out by Saturday," he added.
Coker said CBS was doing a good job at promoting the event and exposing it to new audiences, but ultimately, Emelianenko's status as the number one heavyweight was the primary selling point.
If Coker had one gripe, it would be his wish that Emelianenko was local.
"If Fedor was living in America, we'd take him on a lot more shows, but that's not the case," he said. "He's here now and we're going to make the best of it for the rest of the week."
For naysayers who believed Strikeforce was a flash in the pan, Coker said comparisons to other failed MMA companies wasn't fair.
"I don’t think it’s justice, because these other companies, that wasn’t their core business," he said. "We're not a t-shirt company, we're not a comic book company, we're not a gambling company. This is our core competency and this is what we’ve been doing for over two decades now. To take it to this level, we're very proud and honored to have Fedor fight and do the co-promotion with M-1 and be on CBS."
Coker will soon leave San Jose, Calif for Chicago to begin the final stages of promoting the event.
The MMA media can ask some pretty darn funny questions at times, and not intentionally.
Of many zingers on Monday's Strikeforce conference call for Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, a reporter asked Fedor whether he killed a bear with a fork and a knife prior to a fight, as his brother Alexsander claimed to do.
Really?
Tanya, Fedor's Russian translator, attempted to relay the question while stifling her own laughter.
For any other fighter, it would have been a cue for silence and/or mockery. But true to form, Fedor kept his rebuttal emotionless.
"Whatever people say, or whoever says anything, I haven't met the bear personally," he said. "I've had an opportunity to see only in the zoo, but from what I know, the bear is a very strong animal and it's really very difficult for a human being to cope with him with some simple effort."
MMA heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers take in the Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns football game on Sunday, November 1 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. Fedor and Rogers will square off against one another at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, Ill. for "Strikeforce/M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rogers" on Saturday, Nov 7 (9:00PM, Live ET / delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Not many fighters take a pass when the UFC leaves an offer on their doorstep. Jay Hieron did, not because the UFC didn't give him a good offer, but because Strikeforce wanted him, needed him, for a title shot against Nick Diaz.
But as soon as he committed to that shot, Diaz stripped it away from him, not going through the necessary steps to get licensed for the fight.
"I went with Strikeforce for the title shot. It's not necessarily they're fault, what happened. Now, Nick Diaz, I'm calling Strikeforce every week going, 'What's up with my title shot?'" He told Steve Cofield of ESPN 1100 radio.
"Diaz is (expletive) around. He's trying to box now and all this and that.
"That's the fight outside the UFC that makes the most sense for a world title fight. There's no other fighter really that makes sense. I want a legit contender for the title. I want to beat somebody with a name and that's Nick Diaz."
MMA fighters all seem to be clamoring for a shot at the silver screen as just on the heels of the news that former UFC light heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, would likely star in the upcoming film remake of the 80's TV series, "The A-Team", women's MMA superstar, Gina Carano, has signed on to be the lead in director Steven Soderbergh's latest opus.
The film will be called "Knockout" and Carano will play "a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who is given a second chance to use her skills for constructive purposes" according to Variety.
Carano is no stranger to stepping out of the cage for various roles including her stint as "Crush" on the NBC series "American Gladiators."
Now it looks like the face of women's MMA will get the chance to measure acting chops against some of Hollywood's best, and one of the industry's top directors.
Soderbergh has been known to look outside of traditional Hollywood ties for his actors and actresses. His last effort called "The Girlfriend Experience" cast adult film star, Sasha Grey, in the lead role in her first mainstream acting effort.
The film is slated to start filming in late January which brings up the question of Carano's fighting career, who lost her first professional fight in August, dropping by TKO to new 145lb women's champion, Cris "Cyborg" Santos.
With the movie filming all over the world including Ireland and Turkey, the expectations for Carano to be out of action for the first part of 2010 is very likely, and no reports have surfaced leading to her return in 2009 either.
The California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday released the final gate and revenue numbers for Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg last Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.
According to commission tallies, the event drew 13,976 spectators for a gross gate of $735,710. The net gate, or amount left after commission taxes, was $692,159.74.
2,108 tickets went unsold for the evening with 763 seats "exempt" from the count.
Cris "Cyborg" Santos speaks with Showtime after the fight at Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg" on Saturday night. Cyborg walked away with the first Strikeforce 145-pound women's divisional title.
Besides the fights maybe going a little too fast, there really wasn't much for Strikeforce officials to complain about at Saturday night's "Carano vs. Cyborg" event in San Jose, Calif.
Cris "Cyborg" Santos proved herself one of the most dominant women fighters in the world by taking out the "face of women's MMA," Gina Carano, as the bell sounded to end the opening round. In the process, she captured the first ever Strikeforce women's 145-pound championship.
With exciting finishes from beginning to end on the Showtime telecast, Strikeforce officials also had to be pleased with the attendance. "Carano vs. Cyborg" drew 13,524 spectators, according to the promotion. That was slightly better than they had anticipated.
"We're scheduled to do 10-12,000. That's what we were anticipating," said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker earlier in the week.
Official numbers will come later from the California State Athletic Commission, but if they're anywhere near the 13,524 number, Strikeforce officials will surely be pleased.
Spike TV will present a special cable telecast of some of the most exciting bouts from UFC 100, one of the biggest nights in the history of mixed martial arts, on Saturday, August 15 at 10:00pm-12:30am ET/PT. Featuring Brock Lesnar's coronation as heavyweight king and Dan Henderson's must-see knockout over Michael Bisping, the Spike TV telecast marks the first time that bouts from this landmark event will be televised off of Pay-Per-View.
Emanating from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV on July 11, 2009, UFC 100 was a milestone event in the 16-year history of the UFC organization. The Spike TV telecast of UFC 100* includes the following fights:
Heavyweight Championship Bout Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Middleweights Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping
Middleweights Alan Belcher vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
Light Heavyweights Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman
Lightweights Shannon Gurgerty vs. Matt Grice
Light Heavyweights Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien
*(due to time constraints- not all fights from UFC 100 can be shown)
Dave Nader, CEO of AdapTx Labs sits down with Gilbert Melendez at his home to discuss his fight with Mitsuhiro Ishida, his thoughts on Josh Thompson bowing out, and what’s in store for him after this fight.
Rashad Evans joins the MMA Live panel to help review UFC 101 and WEC 42. In addition, a preview of the biggest fight in women's MMA history as Gina Carano and Cris 'Cyborg' Santos battle on Aug. 15 at Strikeforce.
Despite fighting a seasoned pro in Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Gegard Mousasi talks about the elements of his fighting style that will enable him to win at Saturday night's Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg."
Renato "Babalu" Sobral talks about his expectations for his fight against Gegard Mousasi, who claims it will be a standup fight ending with a knockout. Sobral also talks about his excitement to have Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg as the events headliners on Saturday night at Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg."
Scott Smith, Frank Shamrock, and Mauro Ranallo talk about the substance behind the hype of the Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg fight coming up at Saturday's Strikeforce event in San Jose, Calif., and on Showtime.
Highlights from the career of Brazilian powerhouse Cris Cyborg demonstrate the knockout skills she will bring to her August 15th match against Gina Carano on Showtime.
On location at the Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas, Gina Carano and her legendary trainer Randy Couture talk about her strategies for both training and taking on Cris Cyborg. Hosted by Frank Shamrock.
Meet Satan a.k.a. Norm Turner, the strength and conditioning coach behind Gina Carano! Watch as Satan puts Gina through a series of grueling exercises to test her endurance.
My preparations for my fight in Strikeforce August 15th against Fabricio Werdum were not going as planned.
As many people know there was an incident, were I injured my hand just before I should have fought in the June Strikeforce event! Therefore I was advised to take some rest and this was not easy for me.
When I signed the deal with Strikeforce, I was happy and motivated and this motivation drove me to pick up my training too soon after my hand injury, I thought there may be a chance to still fight in the June Strikeforce event. Now I have to pay the price for that decision and am not able to fight August 15th. This is a decision that has not been easy to make, I am a professional and I want to fight for my living, honour and because I love it!
In 2008 I felt really strong in the heavyweight division and I feel I have brought my fighting to a higher level!
I know I can continue to develop my skills and become a better fighter!
I feel very disappointed that I can not work towards this goal yet because of an injury!
First I want to get my level back from my "demolition period of 2008." This will take a few months, I hope to be ready at the end of September, or the beginning of October, then we can see a vicious and hungry Alistair Overeem, more aggressive then ever!
For sure I will fight in October, maybe in Dream or Strikeforce. I definitely do not want to miss fighting for Golden Glory's 10 year anniversary on October 17th at the PTA Hallen in Amsterdam.
I do not really care against who or where I fight, but I want to be fit and ready!
When I am ready I am more than willing to fight Werdrum for the heavyweight title in Strikeforce!
Two time All-American wrestler, and rising Strikeforce star, Tyron Woodley battles Sal Woods. After a mix of striking and ground work, Woodley chokes out Woods.
The eagerly anticipated Gina Carano-Cris Cyborg press conference and fan meet and greet session will be streamed live in its entirety, exclusively on STRIKEFORCE's official website, www.strikeforce.com, from New York City's Madison Square Garden this Tuesday, July 14, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT.
The wildly popular and undefeated Carano (7-0) and her number one rival, Brazilian powerhouse Cyborg (7-1), will take center stage at the WaMu Theater at The World's Most Famous Arena one month before they face off in what is the most anticipated fight in the history of women's mixed martial arts (MMA) and the first women's fight to headline a major fight card also featuring men.
At stake in the Carano-Cyborg showdown at San Jose, California's HP Pavilion on Saturday, August 15 will be the newly created STRIKEFORCE Women's 145-Pound World Title.
The STRIKEFORCE: "Carano vs. Cyborg" mega-event will feature three additional world championship bouts.
Joe "Diesel" Riggs (30-10) and Nick Diaz (20-7) will revisit their bitter rivalry that began three years ago in the UFC when they face off in the first welterweight (170 pounds) STRIKEFORCE championship fight in history.
World Heavyweight Champion Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem (29-11) will put his coveted title on the line and, at the same time, attempt to avenge a previous defeat when he squares off with old nemesis and two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum (11-4-1).
World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2) will defend his STRIKEFORCE crown against Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez (15-2), the man whom Thomson dethroned by way of unanimous decision at HP Pavilion on June 27, 2008.
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE: "Carano vs. Cyborg," priced from $30, are available at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070), Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and at www.Strikeforce.com. HP Pavilion doors will open August 15 at 5 p.m. PT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m.
The live SHOWTIME telecast of the August 15 event will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast).
A proposed rematch between Nick Diaz and Joe Riggs at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on Aug. 15 is still on hold, MMAInsider has learned from multiple sources close to the fight.
Although both parties have agreed to the fight, the bout will not go forward until cleared by Showtime executives. As per Strikeforce's agreement with the premium cable network, all bouts need to be approved by Showtime before they are finalized.
Thus, no bout agreements have been signed for the bout and both camps are waiting for confirmation, which could come as early as the end of Tuesday.
Diaz and Riggs fought, twice, over three years ago at UFC 57 in Las Vegas. Riggs won a close decision, which Diaz protested by instigating a fight at the hospital where both were taken afterwards.
The Washington Department of Licensing's Professional Athletics Program on Monday released the final attendance and gate revenue figures for Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg held June 19 in Kent.
The promotion drew 2,836 fans to the ShoWare Center for $85,805 in live gate revenue. The number of comps went unreleased.
Strikeforce next heads home to San Jose, Calif. for Carano vs. Cyborg on Aug. 15 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.
ESPN's MMALive recaps The Ultimate Fighter Season Nine Finale, Bellator's season ending event featuring Eddie Alvarez and Hector Lombard, and Strikeforce in Washington, plus the political situation subverting MMA legislation in New York.
Strikeforce mega-fight Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos has slugfest written all over it. Both women are Muay Thai specialists, attack from eight points, and are fearless in the pocket.
They have capable ground games, to be sure, and will be ready if the fight goes down, which it will if one gets tagged.
Carano is training with wrestling sage Randy Couture. In September 2007, she surprised many by submitting Tonya Evinger, proving she's worked on becoming well-rounded.
"Cyborg" brings a stronger jiu-jitsu base to her game, cultivated from long days at the Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil.
But when it comes to the ultimate rite of passage in a fighter's career--a knockout--neither have experience backing them. And they're going into what could be the most violent encounter in their lives.
"No, never," Santos said last week during a conference call promoting the upcoming fight.
"They do realize that she is a lady, in fact not a man, so they never take it to that same level," followed Santos' translator.
Of course, if you asked Wanderlei Silva about Santos' battle-readiness, which MMAInsider did in April, you might think differently.
"It's amazing," he then said. "I trained with her in Brazil. She's incredible, like a man. She's dangerous. Sometimes when you train with a woman, you just play. But with her, every time you need to train, because she's tough."
Carano, who last October told MMAWeekly that she doesn't train with women, said she'd seen the edge.
"I’ve been close to knocked out before, and I have been tapped out in the gym," Carano added.
Will one of them be going to sleep on August 15 in San Jose? Is a knockout an essential key to a female fighter's experience? We may soon find out.
ESPN's MMA Live breaks down Saturday's UFC 99 fight card featuring Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva and takes a look back at this past weekend's WEC 41 "Brown vs. Faber 2" and Strikeforce "Lawler vs. Shields."
In what can only be described as a "Night of Upsets," 8,867 fans were in attendance at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis to witness the shocking turn of events.
The biggest shocker of the night had to be Brett Rogers' amazing knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Andei Arlovski. Rogers unleashed a flurry of hooks that put Arlovski in a heap on the floor.
No less surprising was the finish to the 182-pound catchweight main event between Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields. For two minutes, Shields looked like a fish out of water, unable to take Lawler down and struggling to find his rhythm on the feet. But in an instant, he rushed Lawler and secureed a fight-ending guillotine choke.
Showtime interviews Scott Smith, talking about his exciting past fights as he heads into another potential barn burner with Nick Diaz on Saturday night's Strikeforce card.
Esther Lin, the photographer for Strikeforce, took some great feature shots as we head into Strikeforce "Lawler vs. Shields" on Saturday night on Showtime. Here are some of Phil Baroni, Andrei Arlovski, and Scott Smith...
SHOWTIME will once again offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans STRIKEFORCE: All Access, the cutting edge online interactive experience, live on Saturday, June 6, for STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.
The immersive digital initiative will stream simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET*.
STRIKEFORCE: All Access debuted on April 11, 2009, when world-class MMA promoter STRIKEFORCE brought Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz to SHOWTIME.
"With our first event on April 11, we set the bar at a new level," said Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. "From the quality of the fights, to the television production and the interactive applications, our first offering of All Access was well received. This network has proven time and time again to be on the cutting edge of sports entertainment. All Access further demonstrates our commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution."
STRIKEFORCE: All Access will cost $24.95 per user and is available for review and pre-order beginning Thursday, June 4, by visiting http://strikeforce.sho.com.
With All Access, fans can be the director. Toggle between five live cameras -- including SHOWTIME Sports exclusive CageCam -- with full pause and rewind capabilities. Audio tracks will include the SHOWTIME telecast fight call by host and play-by-play man Gus Johnson, and color commentators Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and the corresponding audio to the selected camera. SHOWTIME is working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-camera experience.
CageCam, a small and high quality camera worn by the referee, takes viewers inside the cage during the live fights. It is the closest and most intimate viewing experience ever presented in MMA. CageCam debuted on SHOWTIME February 16, 2008.
Users will also see a live Twitter feed from fans talking about Strikeforce and following SHOSports http://twitter.com/SHOsports . Fans can contribute content alongside SHOWTIME Sports' behind-the-scenes staff throughout the evening by adding "#strikeforce" to their tweets.
Through a Facebook Connect application, fans will be able to make predictions, comment on the live fights, discuss outcomes and even talk a little smack directly on the All Access page.
Other features include professional and amateur photography from the spectacle in the arena. Photos from action in the cage, as well as behind-the-scenes, backstage and fan interaction will all be posted. Images will be uploaded during the live event via Flickr, the popular image and video hosting website and online community.
The June 6 fight card features a showdown of top ranked fighters "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields in the main event. Lawler, a world top-10 middleweight, and Shields, ranked among the top-5 welterweights in the world, will face off at a catch weight of 182 pounds. In a heavyweight showdown sponsored by Affliction, top-10 ranked heavyweight and former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski will face unbeaten sensation Brett "The Grim" Rogers. Fresh off their respective thrilling wins in the premier of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME (April 11), the versatile Nick Diaz and knockout artist Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith will meet in a special 180-pound showdown. Additionally, "The New York Badass" Phil Baroni (13-10) will collide with Joe "Diesel" Riggs (29-10) in a 170-pound contest and Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (17-12) will face Mike "Iron" Whitehead (23-6) in a 205-pound clash.
*Telecast airs live at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME (delayed on the West Coast); STRIKEFORCE: All Access will be webcast live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
A preview of Friday night's Inside MMA on HDNet has Andrei Arlovski talking about his upcoming fight with Brett Rogers at the June 6 Strikeforce event in St. Louis.
News of a heavyweight match-up between Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers arrived at Tuesday's press conference for Strikeforce: Shields vs. Lawler in St. Louis, quashing reports that Rogers would face heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem on the event's main card.
Strikeforce Director of Public Relations Mike Afromowitz told MMAWeekly.com that the bout had been close to finalized, but a hand injury to Overeem scuttled its possibility.
Afromowitz says the Dutch heavyweight will likely return this summer, likely in August. The promotion is taking a much-needed break in July.
Overeem fought last November in his home country, taking out Gary Goodridge by submission.
The second installment of Strikeforce Challenger Series may have another main card bout added soon.
A welterweight match-up between Dennis Hallman and Duane Ludwig is under consideration for the Showtime series, according to a source who chose not to be named.
If Ludwig is confirmed, the up-and-comers' main card will carry a half-dozen fighters with over ten fights on their record.
Hallman (40-12-2) last appeared at the Roy Jones promoted "March Badness," ending almost a year and a half of inactivity.
Ludwig (18-8) defeated fellow vet Yves Edwards by decision at Strikeforce: Destruction last November.
The June 19 event is scheduled for the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. Middleweights Joey Villasenor and Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos clash in the main event.
Scott Coker from Strikeforce and Ken Hershman from Showtime spoke with Cagewriter about the realistic possibilities of boxer Roy Jones, Jr. fighting Nick Diaz, or anyone else, under the Strikeforce banner.
It's been a persistent question in 2009: can Japanese MMA survive?
All signs point to desperate times for the sport in the Land of the Rising Sun, and with recent news of a "Super Hulk Tournament" at Dream 9 featuring novice Jose Canseco against kickboxing giant Hong Man Choi, many fans are asking, what in the world is going on over there?
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker worked with K-1 promoters Fight Entertainment Group (FEG) for seven years as the promotion's kickboxing connection, and has maintained close contact with the higher-ups at Dream.
The air to Pride's throne has not met ratings expectations with broadcaster Fuji TV and has been moved to a late night spot for its last two events. Though Dream 9 is scheduled for a primetime spot, it may be the network's last-gasp effort to revive the promotion.
In a conference call promoting his upcoming Strikeforce Challenger Series on May 15, Coker addressed his understanding of the situation in Japan. And from the sound of it, major changes are on the horizon.
"I think that they're in a situation where I think there's going to be a transition period soon," he said. "What that means, I'm not sure, as far as who's going to end up, but I think there's going to be some re-branding to another league. There's going to be some changes coming down the pipe; I've heard a lot of different rumors.
"I believe they will be continuing -- I don't think they're going out of business -- but I think there will be a changing of the guard (in FEG)."
Coker is currently working to get his favorite Japanese fighters into Strikeforce: Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Hayato Sakurai. Pride vets Mitsuhiro Ishida and Kazuo Misaki have successfully made the transition to the promotion, and by year's end, Coker wants them in America.
Regardless of the shake-ups that are on the horizon, he says the relationship with FEG will stay strong.
"We have a good relationship with them, and we're still working on some of the fighter relationships going back and forth, which will be great for everybody," said Coker. "Other than that, I don't think it really impacts us. They do some great fights and they do some that I call the circus fights. We're not going to be in that business, but they do have a couple of guys that we really like that we'd like to fight on Showtime and the Strikeforce series."
Meanwhile, a source MMAInsider spoke to on Tuesday said Canseco, initially reported to be weighing the bout despite the promotion's announcement, will take the May 26 fight.
Bantamweight Jeremy Tavares, who last competed at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz, has emerged as the sole positive drug test from the event.
Tavares tested positive for marijuana, his third positive test in four professional fights, assistant Executive Officer Bill Douglas confirmed to MMAInsider on Wednesday.
Tavares lost to Shingo Kohara by KO at the April 11 event. His record stands at 0-4.
CSAC will recommend a revocation of Tavares' fight license at a June 22 meeting, said Douglas.
The latest edition of ESPN.com's MMA Live features Kyle Maynard following his unsanctioned MMA debut, the Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin match-up for UFC 101, an update to Strikeforce's June 6 fight card, Bellator, and more.
According to Wanderlei Silva, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos was pretty much born tough.
"It's amazing," he told MMAInsider. "I trained with her in Brazil. She's incredible, like a man. The last training camp I see, she trained with a man. She's dangerous. Sometimes when you train with a woman, you just play. But with her, every time you need to train, because she's tough."
In interviews, Santos has credited the "classic" Chute Boxe line-up of Silva, the Rua brothers, and of course, her husband Evangelista, with turning her into a professional fighter.
Silva says he immediately noticed Santos' work ethic.
"Before she go into the gym when she was younger, she played professional handball, then one hour, she goes for the bicycle, trains for two hours, then does one hour on the bicycle," he continued. "She's crazy."
Santos won her Strikeforce debut emphatically at "Shamrock vs. Diaz," stopping Hitomi Akano with strikes in the second round. But the victory was tainted when she missed the bout's 145lb. weight limit by seven pounds, and could not get to within the six pound overage allowed by the California State Athletic Commission.
The bout was eventually cleared by CSAC, with Santos' final weigh-in registering 150.5 lbs.
Her victory set up an expected showdown between Santos and Gina Carano for an August Strikeforce currently in the works. The fight is anticipated to be the biggest in the short history of women's MMA.
Silva thinks the two should fight heavier.
"It's too much for Cyborg," he said of the 145lb. class. "Because Gina's her next opponent, Gina's more big too. It's possible to make the fight for 155. 155 is better for both. Because you cut a lot of weight, the performance is not the same. It's hard for Gina and hard for her."
Whatever class they fight at, though, he's excited to see it.
"The girls make history, because it's the first big match for women," he said. "The first main event for women. I'm thinking Gina and Cyborg open the market for the girls."
A Wednesday report on fiveouncesofpain.com revealed that Strikeforce matchmaker Javier Mendez was leaving his job to focus on his fighters at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.
Strikeforce representative Mike Afromowitz confirmed Mendez's departure and said no replacement had tapped for his position as of yet.
MMAInsider caught up with Mendez Thursday morning, where he explained his decision to leave and what his future holds.
MMAInsider: Why did you decide to leave?
Mendez: I couldn't handle it all. My fighters were suffering. I wasn't around. I had to make a decision to go with what I love to do. I love being around the fighters more. Also, I'm working on a clothing line for AKA. I couldn't do both.
MMAInsider: Did the new Showtime deal and new schedule prove to be the breaking point?
Mendez: Yeah, it just got so overwhelming. And I could see it in my fighters. They asked, 'hey, Javi, you going to be around?' And I'd say no. They'd say, 'who's going to be coaching us today?' Those kinds of things would be coming up. If I'm not around, things would have a tendency to fall apart. I've worked too hard to get where we're at as a team, I didn't want that to go away.
MMAInsider: How long had you been with Strikeforce?
Mendez: I've been with them since the beginning. We'd sit at Noah's Bagels and discuss match-ups. I never used to call on the other guy. In the end there, this one here, I was doing things for them. Because it was all based on what Showtime wanted, too. Showtime makes the final decision. But of course, it's up to the promoter puts together intriguing match-ups that Showtime decides if they want to use or not.
MMAInsider: What's in the future for American Kickboxing Academy?
Mendez: Building more stars. I feel that by the end of this year, we're going to have a new one in Cain Velasquez. He just has to materialize into what I think he is. I think Luke Rockhold is going to be another one from here. I've got a few other up and coming guys that I think are going to be something too.
MMAInsider: A lot of your fighters have made their way to Strikeforce, will AKA continue to be sort of a pipeline to the promotion?
Mendez: American Kickboxing Academy is available for any good promotion. It's not about Strikeforce, it's not about any promotion. It's about the fighters getting good fights and getting into a good organization that has something of value that the fighters are looking for. Even though I worked for Strikeforce, I was never pro-Strikeforce. I was pro-fighters. Whatever organization is out there producing a top talent show, I would definitely want my fighters involved.
Lightweight Rich Clementi's next career move has been a persistent subject of fan speculation.
Clementi was released by the UFC in February and has since been fielding offers from various promotions, including Strikeforce. When lightweight champion Josh Thomson broke his leg ten days before his rematch with Gilbert Melendez, Clementi was offered his spot.
Clementi declined the offer due to illness, but he liked the idea of fighting for the San Jose based show.
As of yet, his only confirmed fight is Adrenaline III, manager Monte Cox's recently relocated show featuring a boxing match between Tim Sylvia and Ray Mercer in the main event.
Clementi's opponent has not been booked, but he and Cox client Jeremy Horn will take up the number one and number two spots of the MMA card at the BJCC Center in Birmingham, Alabama on June 13.
NEW YORK (April 8, 2009) -- SHOWTIME will offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans the opportunity to get immersed in the April 11, blockbuster premiere of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME with its new interactive online experience, Strikeforce: All Access, it was announced today by the network's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming, Ken Hershman. The digital initiative, an interactive live stream of Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz, on Saturday, April 11, further demonstrates the premium network's commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution.
Fans can purchase the live webcast simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET*. Online participants can control their own viewing experience through multiple camera angles with corresponding audio tracks as well as interact with fellow users, view user-generated photos and download select music tracks from the event.
"By and large, the core fight fans watching MMA on SHOWTIME are among the most technologically savvy of all viewers," said Hershman. "We are proud to offer this enhanced experience to an audience that will embrace the opportunity to control the content and interact with one another during the live show. Strikeforce: All Access puts you in the driver seat."
Strikeforce: All Access will cost $24.95 per user and is available for review and pre-order by visiting http://strikeforce.sho.com.
With Strikeforce: All Access, fans can be the producer. Users can toggle between five live cameras surrounding the cage with full pause and rewind capabilities. Audio tracks will include the SHOWTIME telecast fight call by Gus Johnson, Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich, and the corresponding audio to the selected camera. SHOWTIME is working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-camera experience.
Fans will be able to make predictions, comment on live fights, discuss outcomes and even talk a little smack with All Access through a live Facebook® Connect application.
Other Strikeforce: All Access features will include professional photography from the action in the cage, as well as behind-the-scenes, backstage and fan photos. Images will be uploaded during the live event via Flickr, the popular image and video hosting website and online community.
If users want to own the ring-walk music of their favorite fighter, they can purchase select songs via iTunes directly from links on the site.
"SHOWTIME has led the industry in multi-platform initiatives for years," said Robert Hayes, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media for SHOWTIME. "We were the first premium network to offer content on iTunes. We were the first to offer Emmy® voters online screenings of SHOWTIME nominees. We partner with over 100 sites when sampling episodes of our original series and SHOWTIME Sports content. And we are the only premium network offering the explosive sport of mixed martial arts."
"Sports will be one of the big winners with the availability of high quality, scalable and affordable live streaming," said Chris Turner, VP of Worldwide Sales and Business Development at BitGravity. "SHOWTIME understands that sport fans demand a seamless viewing experience with a quality stream, quick start and no download. We are delighted to work with them to deliver Strikeforce: All Access."
The April 11 fight card features MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock taking on his newest rival, superstar Nick Diaz in the main event. Female MMA phenom Cris "Cyborg" of Brazil will take on Japan's Hitomi Akano, middleweight contender Scott Smith will face Benji Radach and heavyweights Brett Rogers and "Abongo" Humphrey will square off to round out the show. Plus, Gilbert Melendez will face an opponent to be announced in a lightweight match.
*Telecast airs live at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME (delayed on the West Coast); Strikeforce: All Access will be webcast live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Legendary mixed martial arts fighter and four-time world champion Frank Shamrock officially added new talent to his fight team on March 21st after holding open tryouts at his newest training facility in San Jose, California. Team Shamrock gained six new talented MMA fighters and a Strikeforce contract was awarded to the standout athlete.
The Team Shamrock tryouts, sponsored by TapouT, were open to experienced professional fighters with backgrounds in combat sports such as boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and kickboxing. Frank Shamrock's reputation as one of the most respected and skilled mixed martial artists in the world, paired with the opportunity to walk away with a Strikeforce fight contract, attracted over forty fight team hopefuls. Competitors traveled from across the U.S and abroad to compete for a coveted spot on Shamrock's team.
"The tryouts were a great success; I liked the entire group of athletes that tried out and was very impressed with their skills. The skill level of the average fighter has definitely gone up considerably in the past few years, allowing me to add some phenomenal new talent to my team. I'm also very excited to be one of the first MMA coaches to award a Strikeforce contract at fight team tryouts," stated Frank Shamrock, MMA Legend and founder of Shamrock MMA.
Middleweight Victor Cheng, the stand out athlete and winner of the Strikeforce contract, traveled to San Jose from Sweden to compete for a spot on the team. Cheng, who excelled in every level of the competition, clearly impressed the judges with his presence, level of conditioning, and unparalleled striking and ground skills.
New Team Shamrock fighters Victor Cheng, Floyd Nazereno, Nick Gennoe, Allen Stevens, Nicholas Eric Marcus and Christian Barber will officially represent Shamrock's fight team and will have the opportunity to train with Frank Shamrock at his academy. In addition, each new team member will be awarded a contract opportunity with MMA Stars Inc., a full service management and talent development company for mixed martial arts athletes, and may also have the chance to work with Strikeforce, as well as other local, national, and international fight promotions, various reality TV shows and media outlets.
After a proposed fight between Joe Riggs and former Elite XC welterweight champion, Jake Shields, was scrapped in favor of Shields taking on Robbie Lawler in a middleweight bout, Riggs was left without a fight for the April Strikeforce debut on Showtime.
Now it appears that Riggs will get a fight, but he will instead have to wait until June when Strikeforce puts on their 2nd Showtime show emulating from St. Louis and the "Diesel" is likely to face the "New York Badass" Phil Baroni.
A source close to the negotiations indicated to MMAInsider on Tuesday that the fight was proposed, but nothing has been finalized at this point.
Joe Riggs last competed in Strikeforce in Nov 2008 in a win over Luke Stewart by TKO in the fighter's return to the welterweight division after several bouts in the 185lb weight class.
Phil Baroni hasn't fought since Sept 2008 when he made an appearance in the Palace Fighting Championships, winning a decision over Olaf Alfonso.
Stay tuned to the MMAInsider for more information on the upcoming Strikeforce show as it becomes available.
The SHOWTIME Mixed Martial Arts announce team, led by play-by-play broadcast veteran Gus Johnson, Mixed Martial Arts experts Mauro Ranallo and Stephen Quadros and MMA legends Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich will combine to create one of the most experienced and versatile groups in the history of the sport. The announcement was made today by Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports & Event Programming, SHOWTIME, at a Los Angeles press conference kicking off the premium network's new relationship with leading MMA promoter Strikeforce.
The group will work in various combinations on both Strikeforce championship telecasts and on the yet to be named up-and-comers' series.
"I am thrilled with the announce team we've assembled," said Hershman. "The depth of talent, in terms of professional fight experience and live broadcast polish, is unmatched in the industry.
"As the first premium television network to regularly deliver live MMA events, SHOWTIME has taken the lead in presenting the sport with the respect and integrity it deserves. We take pride in delivering unparalleled coverage of this dynamic sport. And now, our broadcast team is unparalleled as well."
Gus Johnson Johnson will be the lead play-by-play announcer and host for the Strikeforce telecasts on SHOWTIME, beginning with the first live event on April 11 (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) that features Frank Shamrock against Nick Diaz in the main event of a five-fight telecast. The versatile Johnson will be joined on April 11 by analysts Ranallo and Miletich.
A practicing mixed martial artist who studies Shing Yi Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and boxing, Johnson joined SHOWTIME Sports in January 2009 as the lead play-by-play announcer on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. In addition, Johnson continues his work with CBS Sports as play-by-play announcer for the network's coverage of the NCAA Men's College Basketball Championships (since 1995) and the National Football League (since 1998).
"This is a great opportunity to be part of the most rapidly growing sport in America," said Johnson. "MMA is a sport that, in a few years, can become one of the most dominant sports in the country because the kids love it. I think MMA is going to continue to flourish and SHOWTIME is the perfect network to foster its development on television.
"I don't think there's a better team out there that can deliver the intensity of the moment while entertaining the core MMA fan and enlightening new comers.
Johnson, who called boxing for CBS Sports and Madison Square Garden Network, was the voice of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS in 2008. He continues as an active member of the CBS Sports broadcast team.
Mauro Ranallo Always quick with a quip, the renowned Ranallo will lead the play-by-play duties on the up-and-comers' series.
The colorful Canadian previously worked blow-by-blow for EliteXC and ShoXC telecasts on SHOWTIME and was an analyst on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. From 2003-2006, he has provided play-by-play for pay-per-view broadcasts of Japan's legendary Pride Fighting Championships into the North American marketplace.
"I am very excited to be a part of the new SHOWTIME team," said Ranallo, who also is the current lead anchor of the Fight Network, host of Fight Network Radio on Sirius/XM 98 and host of "The MMA Show" on the SCORE Network in Canada. "MMA is the purest form of competition featuring the greatest athletes in the world and I look forward to working with a very talented crew in providing the soundtrack for what I know will be some amazing fights."
Stephen Quadros Known throughout the world as "The Fight Professor," Quadros has been involved in the martial arts for decades. He was the editor of two fight magazines, trained competitors in both kickboxing and MMA and has an extensive broadcasting resume that includes Pride Fighting Championships, K-1, the International Fight League and ShoXC on SHOWTIME.
As an actor, the talented Quadros has had guest roles on numerous TV shows, including "C.S.I. Miami" and "Without A Trace." Quadros was a guest lead when he fought Chuck Norris on the season premiere of "Walker, Texas Ranger."
On the other side of the camera, Quadros functioned as fight technical advisor for two films for Warner Bros. ("Exit Wounds," "Cradle 2 The Grave").
"To me, working in the MMA industry has always been a great job," the respected Quadros said. "So far I've been very fortunate to have been around the world, commentating on the best fighters and the best contests.
"But now with the partnership between Strikeforce and SHOWTIME, two of the most professional and enduring entities in the modern sports world, my confidence is at an all-time high.
"It's a dream come true to be aboard a venture of this magnitude alongside people who I hold in the highest regard. Let the games begin."
Frank Shamrock If he had his way, Shamrock, who also was an analyst on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, would fight and commentate on April 11.
Arguably the most physically gifted individual to step in the cage, Shamrock has been dubbed by the press as the "closest thing mixed martial has to Muhammad Ali" for his combination of versatile skills and quick-witted mind games he has so often used to gain a sharp advantage over his opposition.
During an illustrious career, Shamrock has taken out the likes of former UFC poster boy Tito Ortiz as well as MMA legend, Bas Rutten. His 16-second submission of former Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson on Dec. 21, 1997 set a UFC record for stoppage of a fight.
"Great coaching and dedication to my art has allowed me to accomplish extraordinary things in my 15-year career," said Shamrock, who has held multiple world titles and records. "At 36-years old, I feel that the greatest opponent facing me in the cage is Father Time. My work as a fighter is far from over, and on April 11, you'll all see that.
"But one of my dreams has always been to work behind the mic as a sports analyst and to share my passion for martial arts with the world. I am honored to be part of the SHOWTIME announce team. These guys are, in my opinion, the best team in sports television. Under the guidance of Executive Producer David Dinkins, Jr., and my mentor Al Bernstein, I am confident that I can provide championship commentary for a great many years to come."
Pat Miletich Miletich is the founder of Miletich Fighting Systems, a premier MMA training academy in Bettendorf, Iowa, which includes amongst its trainees some of the most talented and popular fighters in MMA, including former Icon Sport and EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler.
Known as "The Croatian Sensation," Miletich has been fighting professionally since 1995. Last year, he returned from a two-year layoff to knock out Thomas Denny in the second round (December, 2008). Miletich holds a third degree black belt in Shuri-ryu karate and has trained with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Sergio Monteiro, earning his BJJ black belt from Oswaldo Alves.
"I am very excited to be part of the SHOWTIME team," said Miletich. "I know Scott Coker very well and he and his Strikeforce outfit have been putting on quality fights for a long time. Strikeforce and SHOWTIME are a terrific match and I am looking forward to contributing in every way that I can."
Over the years, Miletich has served as guest commentator on Fox Sports Net and HDNet among others.
"I feel very comfortable in front of the camera," he continued. "It's going to be fun to be a regular part of the on-air team on such a high-profile show. The key for me is the support system. With guys like Gus Johnson and Mauro Ranallo quarterbacking the commentary, it's going to be very natural for me."
One of the most likable fighters in the sport, Miletich is the Vice President of Fighter Relations for the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts.
Icy Mike, a.k.a. Mike Imber, says details of Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's new deal with Strikeforce continue to hold the fighter back from a possible May booking.
Communicating with MMAInsider via text, Slice's manager said things were still being ironed out with the San Jose-based promotion.
"It's really tough to say at this point," wrote Imber. "We've gotta sort out details before any (fights)."
Ferguson's contract was one of forty-two picked up from ProElite by Strikeforce, which begins its new relationship with Showtime on April 11 with "Shamrock vs. Diaz."
After the buyout, reports surfaced that Imber was looking for a fight overseas, but nothing materialized.
Last month, CEO Scott Coker told MMAInsider he believed Slice and Carano were under the Strikeforce banner and a "business remedy or legal remedy" would come out of the transfer. Negotiations with Ferguson's lawyer were ongoing, he noted.
Along with Gina Carano, Ferguson remains as one of the most bankable assets not locked down by the expanding promotion.
With a month to go before Strikeforce makes its promotional debut on the Showtime Network, they are holding a Kickoff Press Conference on Thursday, March 12 at the Avalon Hollywood in California that is open to the public. Fans are welcome to come out and meet many of the Strikeforce fighters.
Strikeforce is quickly putting the pieces together for its next year of MMA programming on Showtime and CBS. It's been a frantic month for CEO Scott Coker and his small staff as they zero in on dates, venues, and fighters for a possible 16 shows over the next 12 months.
So far, one show is nearly booked, "Shamrock vs. Diaz," which hits the promotion's home base at HP Pavilion on April 11. All but two of the event's main card bouts have been revealed, with a source indicating that former EliteXC middleweight champ Robbie Lawler will fight on the card against an unnamed opponent, and terror Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, who also remains without an opponent.
With up to 48 shows to book, that's a lot of work. But according to another source with knowledge of the negotiations between Strikeforce, ProElite, Showtime, and CBS, the deal will prove very lucrative to the San Jose, Calif. promotion.
The source, who chose to remain anonymous, said Strikeforce stands to make $25 million dollars in license fees over the course of its three-year deal with the broadcast network and its premium channel sibling.
A portion of that revenue, first disclosed by an SEC filing by ProElite on Feb. 11 and, according to the source, put in the neighborhood of five percent, will be paid to ProElite Inc. as consideration for the sale of its assets to Strikeforce. The total revenue coming into ProElite coffers could total up to $1.25 million.
Since the sale, the Los Angeles-based company has been mostly silent about its future in MMA promotion. CEO Chuck Champion told SI.com that the company had an existing TV deal with Fox Sports, and planned to nurture its relationship with the remaining active promotion under its umbrella, King of the Cage. But how that relationship would develop, and what shape the restructured company would take, remained unclear.
On March 12, Strikeforce and Showtime will trumpet the upcoming San Jose show with a media day featuring its executives and athletes.
Just days after the announcement of the rematch between Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce lightweight title, MMA Insider caught up with the Cesar Gracie student to get his thoughts on the rematch, and possibly the biggest fight of his career.
"Looking forward to the rematch," Melendez said in communication with MMA Insider this week.
The bout will happen just about 9 months after the first match-up that saw Melendez lose his title to Thomson via unanimous decision. Since that time Melendez hasn't fought, but has been training for sometime waiting for an opponent.
Now that opponent will be none other than the last fighter to defeat him.
For this fight, Melendez understands that he has to go back and learn from past mistakes to get the win over a very tough and game opponent like Josh Thomson.
"I'm going to look at the tape and come up with a better gameplan," Melendez said about the rematch.
With the fight in San Jose, both Thomson and Melendez will have a big support system in the crowd, but for now the former champion is only focused on getting the title back.
Tickets for “Shamrock vs. Diaz,” the Strikeforce mixed martial arts (MMA) mega-event that will take place at San Jose, California’s HP Pavilion on Saturday, April 11th, are officially on sale.
Priced from $30, “Shamrock vs. Diaz” tickets are available for purchase at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (408-998-TIXS), Ticketmaster online, and Strikeforce’s official website.
Three-time world champion and MMA legend, Frank Shamrock (24-9-1), will make his long-awaited return to the cage against Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt and hard-hitting brawler, Nick Diaz (18-7, 1 NC), in the main event of the most highly anticipated Strikeforce event of all-time.
The headlining matchup, which will be contested at a catch weight of 179 lbs, represents a key opportunity for the 25-year-old Diaz to avenge a devastating, 21 second knockout that his trainer, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master, Cesar Gracie, suffered at the hands of Shamrock in the main event of Strikeforce’s historic, inaugural MMA event at HP Pavilion on March 10, 2006.
Middleweight (185-pound limit) sluggers Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (16-5, 1 NC) and Benji “Razor” Radach (19-4) will go to war with each other in a featured contest on the card. Additional matchups for the Strikeforce event will be announced shortly.
HP Pavilion doors will open for “Shamrock vs. Diaz” at 4:30 p.m. on April 11th. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m. and the main fight card will commence at 7 p.m.
MMAInsider spoke on Tuesday with night owl Scott Coker on the shape of Strikeforce's Showtime debut on April 11.
As of now, the HP Pavilion event is set for main card bouts, however, three opponents have yet to be determined.
Confirmed for the card:
Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz Josh Thomson vs. TBA Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach Jake Shields vs. Joe Riggs Gilbert Melendez vs. TBA Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. TBA
In other news:
* Gina Carano's participation in Strikeforce is still not finalized. However, Coker believes the MMA star will grace a May show tentatively planned for the Tacoma Dome in Washington. Robbie Lawler is also expected to participate on the Pacific Northwest card, but an opponent has not been finalized.
* Mitsuhiro Ishida is "definitely a name that's been tossed around" to face lightweight champion Thomson.
* The full undercard for the April event should be finalized tomorrow. One rumored participant is Evangelista Santos, husband and fellow "Cyborg" of Cristiane.
* Japanese stars Shinya Aoki and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai will fight for Strikeforce before the end of the year.
* Negotiations with Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's representatives are ongoing. While the number of fights on his contract remain static, parties are ironing out "ancillary" items in his deal like scheduling and opponents. Coker expects a face-to-face meeting with Kimbo's team in the coming weeks.
With his focus now turned directly at Nick Diaz in anticipation of their April 11th main event fight on Showtime, Frank Shamrock told MMAWeekly Radio recently that if he had to pick between Cung Le and Tito Ortiz for his next fight, he'd prefer the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy."
"I think I'd be up for Tito just because I think there's a time limit on that match," said Shamrock. "Both with Tito's fame and his body, and also for me. I love Cung, he's a great guy, but frankly I made nothing on the pay-per-view, and financially it wasn't a big money maker. He doesn't have the personality that gets over, he's just a difficult guy to promote. He looks like a great guy."
The time factor is the biggest reason Shamrock feels that a rematch against Ortiz makes more sense if it gets put together, but he doesn't deny that having a fighter who will promote the fight the way Ortiz can makes a big difference on the back end when it comes to money and fan fare.
"We're in the business of sports entertainment and we're all entertainers. We just happen to fight," Shamrock stated. "If you're not entertaining both in the fight and leading up to the fight, you're not a good entertainer, and there's a lot of fighters we have that are not good entertainers. Unfortunately, Cung falls into that category."
Ortiz is currently still recovering from back surgery, but has said in the past he believes he will be ready to fight again in mid-2009. If a deal can be made to put the two former UFC champions together in a rematch, it could be a super fight that could garner major numbers for either Showtime or CBS if Strikeforce promotes the bout.
Shamrock also knows that the rematch against Cung Le is bound to happen, but he's not rushing it for now.
"I'm not worried about Cung," said Shamrock. "We'll try to get him in this year and if not I'll get him in next year."
In a conference call announcing Strikeforce's first solo Showtime effort on Apr. 11, CEO Scott Coker said the merging of Elite XC talent with his roster would create possibility for new champions.
"We should give them the ability to come fight and unify the titles at some point in 09," said Coker.
The first fight in that vein would be a bout between Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson and former Elite XC champion KJ Noons (Noons never lost the title, but was stripped in a contract dispute with the organization) on the 11th.
"That would be an amazing fight and that's why we're trying to put that together," said Coker.
No word yet on whether Noons--or more accurately, his manager, Mark Dion--has accepted the bout, but on paper, it looks to be a dynamite match-up.
As for Elite's other title holders, like welterweight champ Jake Shields, middleweight champ Robbie Lawler, and heavyweight champ Antonio Silva, the bag is mixed.
Shields has not yet come to terms with his contract's transfer to Strikeforce, reportedly prefers a jump to the UFC, and most important, Strikeforce doesn't have a current undisputed welterweight champion.
Lawler is on board for the transfer, but has a slim to none chance of facing Cung Le until late 2009, and may be second in line to a Le rematch with Frank Shamrock.
Silva is out--Coker opted not to pick up "Giant" in light of his pending suit with the California State Athletic Commission.
Cung Le has reportedly earned raves for his acting chops in no less than 3 major motion pictures currently in post production, but truth be told, he misses fighting.
"He's enjoying his movie star career, and he's had some success at it, and he's doing very well," said Scott Coker, CEO of new/old-kid-on-the-block Strikeforce. "We're very happy for him. I talked to him about a week ago and he's itching to get back into the cage."
An elbow injury is currently keeping Le from training, but according to Coker, his schedule is open. Once healed, he should re-emerge in his adopted sport.
"Otherwise, he would be fighting on this show (in April)," said Coker of Strikeforce's Showtime event on the 11th. "But you will see Cung Le back in the cage in Strikeforce at least two times before the end of the year."
Coker also says a rematch with Frank Shamrock, from whom Le took the Strikeforce middleweight title in a fight that broke Shamrock's arm, is inevitable.
"I haven't sat down and talked to Frank about it, but the fight between Frank and Cung, number 2, is a fight that should actually happen before the end of 09," confirmed Coker.
In the gold rush of fights being put together for Strikeforce's Showtime cards in April and May, manager extraordinaire Monte Cox is working towards a number of deals with CEO Scott Coker.
One Cox's most high profile clients--and subject of great speculation--is Robbie Lawler, Elite XC's former middleweight champion.
Initially, Cox told MMAWeekly his fighter was not a done deal with the San Jose-based organization, but has since met minds with Coker on Lawler's move.
On Sunday, Coker suggested to MMAInsider a rematch between Lawler and Joey Villasenor, but after Monday teleconference with Cox, that idea was struck down.
"He's not going to fight Villasenor," Cox told MMAInsider. "That I know for sure. We don't have any interest in that."
While Cox says there have been "discussions" for Lawler to face Dutch striker Melvin Manhoef, nothing has been confirmed.
It also remains to be seen which card Lawler will grace--the Apr. 11 card in San Jose, or a possible May card in Tacoma, Wash. According to Cox and other sources close to negotiations, Gina Carano's plans with the organization are not set.
"We don't know when he's going to fight, because they've been waiting on Carano to see when she can get ready," said Cox. "So they'll talk to her and then Robbie will fight either in April or May depending on what she's doing."
If Manhoef is not acquired for the April or May cards, Cox has another suggestion for Coker.
"I like (Kazuo) Misaki," said Cox. "He's ranked in the top 5, he's beat Dan Henderson, he's a legitimate guy, and I think it's a really good match-up for us."
As the dust continues to settle from Strikeforce's acquisition of 42 Pro Elite fighters, CEO Scott Coker is beginning the process of scheduling athletes for 16 plus events due in 2009.
Though Coker says most of Elite's "top 12" fighters have given assurances they will fight for Strikeforce, it's former welterweight champion, Jake Shields, is not yet committed to the San Jose-based promotion.
"We're still in negotiations," Shields' manager and father, Jack Shields, told MMAInsider late Sunday night.
In a December interview with MMAWeekly, Shields repeatedly expressed his desire to free himself of his ProElite contract to fight for the UFC.
"I feel like it's been the top show for a while, and I feel like most of the competition at my weight is in the UFC," said Shields. "The guys I need to fight, like GSP, B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez."
As recently as January, UFC president Dana White confirmed his interest in the 30 year-old Jiu-Jitsu black belt.
If he were to return to Elite, Shields said he would want to re-negotiate his contract.
Coker hinted the same might be true for his acquisition of Shields' ProElite deal.
"Out of all the conversations, everything has been positive, except for one athlete that’s I think maybe trying to use this as an opportunity to get a better deal," Coker told MMAInsider.
"Just like with Randy's deal, when he was in the situation with the UFC, to do a declaratory (ruling), it's going to be another six months for these fighters, and then we'll be forced to take them down that path, and the fighter's not going to fight for six months, and the court will rule one way or another.
"My lawyers (who) have looked at the contracts say these are valid contracts, these are contracts that were not going be a problem to be assigned. Either it's a legal resolution, or it’s a business resolution. I'm all about the business resolution. So if we can get these guys going, and put them back to work, then let's do it."
The elder Shields gave no timetable for a possible resolution to the impasse, but said he is committed to finding the best option for his son.
Now, the question appears to be whether Shields will continue their attempts to free himself from the now-Strikeforce contract, or serve its remainder to keep active and bide time for an eventual jump to the UFC.
MMAInsider has followed the long, convoluted saga of Pro Elite Inc., since the MMA company first announced it was closing its doors last October.
Following it's rapid collapse, a handful of suitors emerged to vie for the company's assets, including Mark Ecko, the UFC, Terri Trebilcock, and Strikeforce. After a botched attempt by Showtime to auction the spoils of the company, the deal went underground. The winning bid seemed to change weekly, sometimes daily.
In recent weeks, several industry sources have confirmed that Scott Coker and Strikeforce have emerged as the likely candidate to purchase Pro Elite's assets. In December, the San Jose-based promotion was on the cusp of a deal to purchase parts of the company, but last minute hike in the price of the deal shelved it.
However, multiple sources who wished to remain anonymous said last week that negotiations between the companies had resumed and were entering their final stages.
On Wednesday afternoon, multiple reports surfaced that Strikeforce had agreed in principle to a purchase of Pro Elite assets and an announcement was forthcoming by the end of the week.
Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz confirmed to MMAInsider that negotiations were progressing, but the deal was not done.
"That's incorrect," he said. "Any reports of a done deal are a complete fantasy."
Afromowitz said the deal with Pro Elite was far more complex than reports had stated.
"It's complicated, and that's why I don't want to speculate," he continued. "If anything is done, it will be very technical. It's not as straightforward as you think."
If a deal between Strikeforce and Pro Elite comes to fruition, Pro Elite's television deals with CBS and Showtime, as well as select fighters on their roster, are valuable spoils of the transaction. Though Strikeforce has an existing contract with NBC to air pre-recorded fight specials, a live TV deal has eluded them. A deal with CBS could remedy that issue, or perhaps provide leverage in future negotiations with NBC.
Afromowitz said he would have more information soon, but stressed it was too soon to close the books on the saga.
Possibly known forever as "the guy who knocked out Kimbo," Seth Petruzelli is currently tending his gym, Jungle MMA, in Orlando, Fl., waiting for a fight.
The pink-haired fighter says three options--all taking place in March--that are on the table for his fighting future: a yet to be announced Strikeforce show in March; an unnamed event in gambling haven Macau, China; a rematch with Kimbo Slice in Tampa, Fla.
Petruzelli maintains that he's agreed to the rematch, and is awaiting word from Slice's camp. It's a fight he feels is needed to sustain the jolt in momentum created by the 14 second knockout at Elite XC's final dance on Oct. 4.
"I just need to prove more my second time around, if I fight him, or I fight anybody else," Petruzelli said. "I need to do the exact same thing...just to prove it wasn't a fluke. That's been my main driving goal, to train my ass off."
According to a report on the M-1 Global web site, the second season of the promotion's M-1 Challenge will begin on Feb. 21, 2009 at The Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif. M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelstein recently inked a contract with the world renowned venue.
Season two will also increase from 10 to 16 teams that will be divvied up into four divisions.
The teams making up season two are: the Imperial Team and the Legion Team from Russia, the World Star Team, the U.S., Spain, Japan, France, Korea, Finland, the Netherlands, Brazil, the U.K., Canada, China, Turkey, and Australia.
Season two will also feature three pairs of teams squaring off at each event. As of the time of publication, the Feb. 21 event at The Playboy Mansion is set to pit the Russian Imperial Team vs. Team Spain, Team Japan vs. Team U.K., and Team U.S.A. vs. Team Brazil.
The event will be broadcast live on HDNet in the United States.
M-1 Global follows in the footsteps of Strikeforce, the first mixed martial arts promotion to hold and event at The Playboy Mansion.
MMAInsider recently caught up with Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz to check in on the promotion's plans for 2009.
A rumored match-up between Duane "Bang" Ludwig and Phil Baroni at welterweight is currently in the San Jose-based promotion's sights. Afromowitz said the date and details are currently being ironed out, but said it's "definitely a fight we'd like to put together."
Apparently, the wave of Japanese fighters that graced the promotion in late 2008 are MIA. Asked whether a long-rumored meeting between Josh Thomson and Caol Uno would ever materialize, Afromowitz responded, "I don't know." The promotion hopes to bring back fighters Mitsuhiro Ishida and Kazuo Misaki in 2009, but needs to ink the date for their next card before lining up talent.
Speaking of the next card, Afromowitz said the promotion will be in San Jose in "the first quarter of 2009," and may feature the return of Cung Le. Le is currently knee-deep in a film career, taking meetings in Los Angeles for a variety of film projects. Word on the street is that Le was extremely impressive in a recent project entitled "Pandorum," currently in post production and co-starring Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid.
Afromowitz said he's also more than willing to bring Kim Couture back to the promotion. Despite internet criticism at the one-sided outcome of her fight with Lina Kvokov, Afromowitz defended the decision to bring Couture in and said it was not a favor to Andrew Simon of HDNet Fights.
"Kim is obviously very marketable, because her husband is one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of MMA," Afromowitz said. "So we figured we'd give it a shot because she'd been training with a guy we promoted for years, Ray Sefo. We want to bring in marketable women. You don't get anywhere unless you take chances; a certain kind of chances."
MMAInsider happened upon something unusual on Monday when it spoke to the California State Athletic Commission to acquire live gate, fighter payout, and drug testing information.
A CSAC representative said no drug testing had been conducted for Strikeforce "Destruction" on Friday, Nov. 21st.
The lack of testing is an unexpected shift for an agency known to have the most comprehensive anti-doping program of any athletic commission in the country, as well as the strictest enforcement of the issue.
The representative gave no reason for the change, though MMAInsider has contacted interim CSAC office director Bill Douglas for comment.
The position of Executive Officer has been vacant at CSAC since the departure of it's former Executive Officer Armando Garcia.
UPDATE: Bill Douglas, now the official CSAC assistant executive officer, returned comment on the testing situation.
"I've cancelled all drug testing across the board while I revamp the entire process from start to finish," Mr. Douglas wrote in an email. "I expect the new and improved program to roll out next week."
On Tuesday night, MMAWeekly Radio welcomes Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Bobby Southworth and Yves Edwards to the show just days before the big event in San Jose this Friday.
Southworth defends his 205lb title against Renato "Babalu" Sobral, while Edwards faces late replacement Duane "Bang" Ludwig after original opponent Josh Thomson had to drop out of the fight due to injury.
"The Axe Murderer" has a new sparring partner to duke it out with on the mats of Xtreme Couture: Mrs. Couture.
In a recent interview with MMAInsider, Kim Couture described a sparring session with the former Pride champion that turned more than a few heads at the gym.
"That was a treat," she said with a big smile. "I'm feeling very confident with my boxing. So was he, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten in there with me."
They started slow, throwing a few light punches to the gloves, which Silva was unsatisfied with.
"He was like, 'that's good, now hit me in the face,'" Couture recounted.
When Couture turned up the heat, Silva responded in kind.
"He would turn it up and control it," she continued. "As I would turn it up, he would turn it up. He's such a great guy, and has a few pointers here and there."
Being one of the most feared strikers in the world, you would think so. Afterwards, Silva lifted Couture up with a big hug.
"He's a very good sport," Couture said. "Very inspiring."
Hopefully, a little bit of Silva's killer mojo will rub off on Couture when she faces Lina Kvokov at Strikeforce: "Destruction" on Friday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.
Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le graces the cover of latest issue of Black Belt magazine.
Undefeated as a professional - at 6-0 with all of his bouts under the Strikeforce banner - Cung Le has never tasted defeat in mixed martial arts. The cover of Black Belt is the first action that he has seen in quite a while though, as Cung hasn't competed since taking the belt away from Frank Shamrock in San Jose, Calif., back in March of this year.
Le has spent much of his down time in taking on a couple of acting roles. Current speculation is that Strikeforce has plans for him to make his first title defense in early 2009.
The hard-hitting middleweight (185 lb. limit) battle between Terry Martin (17-6) and Cory "The One" Devela (9-2) will highlight the premiere of Strikeforce's second affair at Hugh Hefner's world-famous Playboy Mansion on NBC tomorrow night.
The all-new "Strikeforce on NBC" episode will also include a feature segment on Martin, one of mixed martial arts' (MMA) most compelling stories. A former gang member, he survived five gun-shot wounds that nearly took his life at age 15 on the streets of his native Chicago, Illinois.
Martin has since earned a bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University and pursued a dual career in professional boxing and MMA. At 28 years old, he is also a candidate for a master's degree in psychology.
Devela's appearance at the Playboy Mansion marked his second start for Strikeforce. During the promotion's debut in Tacoma, Washington on February 23rd, the 24-year-old protege of MMA superstar, Dennis "Superman" Hallman, stopped Joe "Diesel" Riggs with a hard throw in the first round that forced an incapacitated Riggs to verbally submit.
Following its production of the first-ever MMA event at the Playboy Mansion on September 29, 2007, Strikeforce returned to the Beverly Hills, California venue with a star-studded affair on September 20, 2008.
"Strikeforce on NBC," the first 52-week mixed martial arts series in network television history, airs every Saturday, immediately following NBC's hit poker tournament series, "Poker After Dark" (check local listings).
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