UFC buys Strikeforce

[MikeO]

They say they are gonna run each one as seperate companies and no inter-promotional stuff.

But the Strikeforce TV deal ends in 2 years, so in 2 years everyone and everything will be under the UFC name. Like what they did with Pride and WEC. Waited out contracts then just made it UFC.

Also means guys like Frank Shamrock, Paul Daley, and Josh Barnett will be out of work soon cause Dana White hates their guts with a passion. Dana can say he won't fire them, in time he will. Or when their contracts expire, lets just say they won't get a new deal.

[Dave Gray]

I wonder if this is good or bad for the sport.  I like having all the fighters under one roof, but I wonder if a lack of competition hurts the product. 

[Phishfan]

^^^ I look at it a bit differently (I note I am not a big fan of the sport though). There may be a lack of competition for the promotors, but doen't this create more competition for the fighters? I see it as a good thing.

[Dave Gray]

Yeah.  It's hard to separate it from Wrestling, because they're promoted the same way (but one is fake).  UFC needs to lobby to fix some of the gaming commission rules.  It's nice to have just the one league of the best fighters, with just the one belt, unlike boxing that had to unify titles and all that crap.

I did hear someone say that UFC needs to get away from trying to hype up fights based on name and instead, have matchmakers choose fights that will be good.  I'd also like to see some kind of ladder system towards title shots, so that the path is clear ahead of time.

[badger6]

Yeah.  It's hard to separate it from Wrestling, because they're promoted the same way (but one is fake).  UFC needs to lobby to fix some of the gaming commission rules.  It's nice to have just the one league of the best fighters, with just the one belt, unlike boxing that had to unify titles and all that crap.

I did hear someone say that UFC needs to get away from trying to hype up fights based on name and instead, have matchmakers choose fights that will be good.  I'd also like to see some kind of ladder system towards title shots, so that the path is clear ahead of time.

Yea, boxing is pretty much dead right now. Pac has no one to fight and Mayweather went into hiding.

[MikeO]

Bad for fighters, they have no leverage now. Its either deal with the Zuffa product or go overseas

Its good for fans. Means Zuffa has more fighters under contract, they can run more shows, they can put more shows on TV for free.

[Dave Gray]

they can put more shows on TV for free.

This is what I was wondering about.  Since the UFC is the only show in town, they don't have to do a lot to promote their brand or their fighters.  Fans of MMA have nothing else to get hyped over.

I guess it could go either way.  They could totally saturate the free market and "grow the pie", then take a small slice for PPV.  ...or they could charge for the whole small pie (PPV all the time).

[MikeO]

This is what I was wondering about.  Since the UFC is the only show in town, they don't have to do a lot to promote their brand or their fighters.  Fans of MMA have nothing else to get hyped over.

I guess it could go either way.  They could totally saturate the free market and "grow the pie", then take a small slice for PPV.  ...or they could charge for the whole small pie (PPV all the time).

reports are they want to run multiple shows in Europe and Australia each year. Not just go there once a year. To do that you need more fighters, now they have a lot more fighters. They want to do syndication shows, now they have that ability with more fighters to run more shows.

[Dave Gray]

^ If that ends up happening, I'll be happy.

I miss the WEC.  I wish that there was a weekly live show on TV, that featured some good fighters.  It got to the point where I knew the WEC guys way better than the heavyweight headliners, because of all the exposure.  I hope they "replace" the time slot with similar programming.