Fight Biz: Strikeforce accelerates growth with ProElite, Showtime deals
Two primary suitors emerged with interest in acquiring the assets of ProElite, with Strikeforce ultimately consummating two deals that will expand its fighter roster and boost its TV presence.
The first agreement puts selected assets of the flamed-out ProElite in the hands of Strikeforce, which has a solid reputation in MMA as an organization that stages quality shows, treats fighters fairly and spends wisely. It's sharp departure from the free-wheeling days of ProElite/EliteXC, and the outcome is one that should be positive for both fighters and fans alike.
King of the Cage founder Terry Trebilcock also made a play for ProElite's assets, in negotiations that MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) has learned came down to Trebilcock and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.
"Both Scott and Terry are friends of mine, so either way, I think it was going to turn out well," said Monte Cox, who manages several fighters, including EliteXC middleweight Robbie Lawler, who have anxiously awaited guidance on their ProElite contracts. "Both have the ability to make money and put on good shows. It's great to have this finally resolved. Fighters have been sitting in limbo for a long time now."
Strikeforce acquired what they call "certain fighter contracts" from ProElite. The promotion has the option to select which fighters among the dozens ProElite had under contract it wants to retain. Strikeforce will need to renegotiate those existing deals.
It's not clear yet which fighters will be coming over to Strikeforce, but the highest-profile names, such as Lawler, Gina Carano, Jake Shields, Nick Diaz and Brett Rogers, are the most likely. And, the question remains what becomes of Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson?
Don't expect Strikeforce to promote him as the next big thing in MMA. The company would not have taken that approach, even if he hadn't been exposed in the fight against Seth Petruzelli. It's just not Coker's style.
However, how would Ferguson adjust to being just another fighter who needs to work his way up the contender ranks after making major dollars and being the focal point in EliteXC? How this one plays out will be a fascinating subplot in the new world of Strikeforce.
While bolstering its stable of fighters was the critical element of Strikeforce's agreement with ProElite, the subsequent announcement about its deal with Showtime is even bigger. The partnership, announced independently from the ProElite deal, brings up to 16 live Strikeforce events a year to Showtime over the term of the "multi-year" pact.
The programming model will be similar to the one employed by Showtime and EliteXC, with two flavors of televised events – one for championship bouts and another series featuring prospects, a la ShoXC. It's an upgrade from Strikeforce's TV deal with HDNet and advances the growth of the three-year-old franchise.
The first championship event is scheduled for April 11 in San Jose, Calif. Strikeforce's partnership with Showtime also opens the door to land the promotion on CBS, which remains interested in taking another run at MMA in prime time.
Strikeforce had been in what Coker told MMAjunkie.com in October were "final stages" of negotiations with NBC for live events on the Peacock Network in 2009. However, the opportunity with Showtime nixes those plans.
With the question of what happens to ProElite's assets and fighters now largely answered with Strikeforce stepping in, MMA is left with three organizations in the U.S. that can carry the label of major promotions.
The UFC stands above all others. Affliction, with its quality roster of fighters and a level of success on pay-per-view, and Strikeforce, the only promotion on premium cable (and CBS waiting in wings), are the other two "majors."
"Affliction is the No. 2 pay-per-view promotion behind the UFC, and I think both Affliction and Strikeforce have their place," said Cox. "I certainly think there's room for all three."
Wertheim pens Blood in the Cage – Jon Wertheim typically writes about tennis.
MMA is about as far removed from the well-manicured world of tennis as one can get. However, Wertheim, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, was willing to trade baseline volleys for hammer fists to write SI's first major piece on MMA. The story was published in May 2007, with the now-famous cover shot of Roger Huerta landing a kick on Leonard Garcia at UFC 69. It was a seminal story for MMA and the beginning of a book for Wertheim.
"It was just one of these stories where you feel you could have written 10 times more," he said. "There was so much more I couldn't squeeze in there. Why not try to spin it into something bigger?"
A "stick-and-ball" journalist writing MMA usually makes MMA fans cringe, but Wertheim's SI story was insightful, accurate and informative. His new book, Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich and the Furious Rise of the UFC, hits all those points and then some.
The book offers up Miletich's rise from hardscrabble roots in the Midwest to become a UFC champion. It also details how Dana White and the UFC transformed MMA from a cult sport to PPV king and the role "The Ultimate Fighter" played along the way.
Much of what the book delves into has been covered or discussed somewhere on the Internet before, but the level of detail and back-stories Wertheim captures makes the book a worthwhile read.
"Part of my goal was to explain how this sport, how the UFC has gotten to this place in the culture," said Wortheim. "Some of it was also, 'Who are these fighters? What are the circumstances that would lead someone to do this? No one's on the high school cagefighting team. Who are these guys?' He (Miletich) seemed like a good way to personalize it."
Wortheim says some of the stereotypes that plagued MMA earlier this decade still exist among many traditional sports journalists. While writing the book, he was asked by some colleagues if he saw any props in the cage, seen anyone die or witnessed anything improper during fights. Let's hope those guys read the book, which helps to further dispel that garbage about the sport.
Blood in the Cage, with an initial press run of 30,000, is available at most major bookstores.
Adrenaline MMA aims for spring return – With two Illinois shows in the books, Adrenaline MMA is looking to host its third show outside of the Midwest.
Adrenaline CEO Monte Cox told MMAjunkie.com that Atlantic City is one of the cities being considered for the promotion's third show, which he expects to host by May.
The promotion debuted in the Chicago suburbs in June of last year and, after delays due to lack of funding, held its second show in Moline, Ill. (Quad Cities), on Dec. 11. Cox, who also manages the Extreme Challenge promotion, wants to hold two or three Adrenaline-branded events a year.
