Bobby Lashley's Strikeforce Contract Has Expired
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 2:43 AM EDT
in Strikeforce News
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According to Dave Meltzer on f4wonline.com, Bobby Lashley's contract has run out, but he still has an exclusive negotiating period with Strikeforce before he can start talking to other MMA organizations that are interested in his services:
Bobby Lashley’s contract has expired. Right now he’s in the exclusive negotiating period, meaning he can’t talk to anyone else in MMA, although his Strikeforce deal does allow him to do pro wrestling and he always expressed interest in going back. After the exclusive period ends, he can talk with other groups but Strikeforce would have the option to match any offers, although my understanding is Strikeforce hasn’t expressed real interest in him after his loss to Chad Griggs. There has been no talk about Batista coming in of late and that fight only makes sense on CBS or PPV because of Batista’s asking price. This is hardly the best time for him to be a free agent when his stock would be at a low point coming off his loss.
Lashley, who has a compiled a record of (5-1) in his young MMA career , is coming off his first career defeat against Chad Griggs on Strikeforce: Houston -- a loss where he blames on being sick and dehydrated a few days before the fight. There is no question that he can still draw in more viewers than the any other heavyweight on his skill level, but that first defeat really put a dent on Lashley's image, and it limits his options on Strikeforce. Jonathan Snowden talked about it this past week:
Griggs wants no part of Lashley in a rematch. After all, if he loses he's diminished his own crowning achievement. A quick loss in a return bout would lend a lot of credence to Lashley's illness claims. That leaves Lashley a fighter with no fight.
Strikeforce President Scott Coker is said to be considering moving Lashley back to the Strikeforce Challenger's cards. Is it possible that Bobby Lashley, once so vehemently criticized for the caliber of his competition, may actually need to take a step back before he can take a step forward?
If there aren't that much appealing options available for him in Strikeforce, and if both accounts mentioned are accurate, it might be wise for Lashley to weigh other options before re-signing with the promotion. I'm not sure if entering the UFC would be the right move, but match ups against Bellator's stable of heavyweight prospects such as Neil Grove and Cole Konrad could be a good fit for him at this point in his career.
UPDATE: Brent Brookhouse opines over at SBNation.com:
Hearing that Strikeforce is generally uninterested in Lashley is probably bad news for Bobby. Lashley is probably going to have to drop his asking price by a significant amount to have any hope of ever performing on a big stage again. From what has been reported about Lashley over the past year I doubt that his commitment to MMA runs deep enough that he's going to be willing to hit the low paying regional scene to try to build his way back to a second shot.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it is starting to sound like this may be the end of Bobby Lashley's MMA career.
As much as I would like to see him try to take on the heavyweights on other promotions, it might be too much to ask for Lashley to lower his asking price -- especially if a WWE contract is also on the table.
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He'll get wrecked anywhere he goes.
I don’t think anyone wants to put up with scouting out beatable opponents for him when he’s hardly a proven draw to begin with. If he sticks around in MMA I’d be stunned.
When a ball goes into a net, it only means something because we decide it means something. When somebody punches somebody in the face it always means something.
by lowellthehammer on Oct 11, 2010 2:48 AM EDT reply actions
I don’t think the UFC would be interested in Lashley after losing to Griggs. Maybe if he was willing to do TUF but I don’t see them doing another heavyweight season for a while.
Just BE.
please God not another HW season.
I could be sitting here with just pee stains on my rug.
by Earl Montclair on Oct 11, 2010 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Bringing up the UFC as an option was pretty funny...
thanks for the laugh.
I like Fedor, it’s just his fans that are intolerable...and his management.
TUF is not a far cry.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
But I won’t pick against Jon Jones again until I see him lose. - Kwisatz Haderach
If...IF they do another HW season.
Even then, he has to make it through the tryouts, I would assume, and frankly, I can see him having trouble with that. Let alone however many weeks he would have to live in the house.
I like Fedor, it’s just his fans that are intolerable...and his management.
When TUF forced Kimbo on the show, I think talent/skills can be overlooked.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
But I won’t pick against Jon Jones again until I see him lose. - Kwisatz Haderach
You might be right, which is why I qualifed the statement about the tryouts...
however, Kimbo might have also burnt that backdoor for all that follow, you never know.
I like Fedor, it’s just his fans that are intolerable...and his management.
If there would be another TUF HW edition and Lashley is interested – i’ll give it 87% chance he’ll be given a slot. No tryouts needed.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
But I won’t pick against Jon Jones again until I see him lose. - Kwisatz Haderach
there won't be enough talented big guys who can fill those slots anyway.
and either way, if it’s true that SF isn’t that interested anymore, or just wants him in challengers cards (where he might not be worth what he is being paid), then I still think that the only good options for him are TUF (long shot), Bellator, or WWE.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Konrad would kill Lashley.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
But I won’t pick against Jon Jones again until I see him lose. - Kwisatz Haderach
by vivero on Oct 11, 2010 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Kimbo might have also burnt that backdoor for all that follow
If there is another Kimbo Slice waiting for a TUF spot, UFC will definitely take it. It is too hard to to pass on a ratings booster specially given TUF’s current health.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
But I won’t pick against Jon Jones again until I see him lose. - Kwisatz Haderach
did you even see how "talented" some of those HWs are?
Lashley can definitely get in. (and they probably won’t have enough Heavies to put an elimination round anyway)
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions
They could do another two weight class season but even then heavyweight would be a hard fill. Heck fan book even half a season with heavyweight prospects that are currently not under long term contract, It’s not pretty.
I don’t see Lashley as being willing to be locked into the house for 6 weeks even if the offer was there.
true.
I think it’s Bellator for a super-fight, Japan for a freakshow fight against Minowaman, or most likely a pro-wrestling return.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
which is why I said it might not be the right move,
might… (only because if they do a HW TUF, he’d be a perfect fit for that)
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Bobby needs to lose some muscle and build that cardio up. That should be job number 1.
I could be sitting here with just pee stains on my rug.
That means making a permenant decision between MMA and Prowrestling.
I wonder if he is ready to make that choice.
I like Fedor, it’s just his fans that are intolerable...and his management.
Lashley vs Kimbo in Japan on new years, book it.
Kimbo wants to take your caterpiller and do bad things to it.
Kimbo vs Minowaman would sell like condoms.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
poor Kimbo’s legs
I could be sitting here with just pee stains on my rug.
by Earl Montclair on Oct 11, 2010 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Once the exclusive period ends he is free to talk with other MMA organizations, although Strikeforce would have the option to match any offers he gets.
I’ve always wondered, does this mean that if the UFC offered him 4 fights with a 30k/30k per fight, then SF simply has to match it and he has to sign with SF? If not, couldn’t SF just match any offer anyway if he was an unrestricted free agent? That’s part of the bidding process. Just looking for some clarification.
Bellator would be good for his improvement as a mixed martial artist, but I don’t think that is exactly what Lashley is looking for.
Hard core MMA fan since UFC 99
I think it's like how NBA's restricted free-agents are
the difference of matching the contract without that right to match offers (unrestricted), is that the fighter can pick which 30/30 contract he wants.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 3:23 AM EDT up reply actions
In both examples
The one with the right to match would get the fighter/player if they so opted.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
-Mark Twain
"If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you know I'm lying..."
-Bruce Lee
by The American Ronin on Oct 11, 2010 4:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Only if Lashley accepts the UFC’s hypothetical offer.
The option to match for Strikeforce basically means that Lashley can negotiate any contract he wants but his agreement with any other organization first functions as an offer to Strikeforce to enter into a contract with the terms he negotiated with the other organization.
There is a lot of gamesmenship that can occur with these types of scenarios though. My favorite example is when Steve Hutchenson signed his deal with the Vikings as a restricted free agent. He was coming from the Seahawks who already had Walter Jones under contract for a ton of money so the Vikings added a clause in their offer that stated that if Hutchenson wasn’t the highest paid o-linemen on the team after the first year of the deal then the entire contract would be guaranteed (Jones as the franchise left tackle would still be making more than the giant contract they offered to Hutchenson) and since NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed that clause basically made it impossible for Seattle to sign the deal.
"You should work for 15 minutes to knock your opponent out, submit him, or improve your position to give yourself the best chance of doing either." - Dan Hardy
Also, the gamesmenship route might not be available if the option to match specifically stated that only the financial terms of the agreement need to be matched – so (as is pretty much always the case in contract law) it depends on exactly how the option to match is drafted in the contract.
"You should work for 15 minutes to knock your opponent out, submit him, or improve your position to give yourself the best chance of doing either." - Dan Hardy
Nah, what Seattle did to get Minnesota back when they signed Nate Burleson was WAY better:
All $49 million would become guaranteed if Burleson plays five or more games in the state of Minnesota in any season of the contract. The Vikings, of course, play home games in Minneapolis, at the Metrodome.
Seattle only guaranteed him $5.25 million but if Minnesota had matched it the whole contract would have been guaranteed simply because the Vikings play their home games in Minnesota. Now that’s funny shit.
He should go regional
Fight at a high clip like once everyone 1.5-2 months against his level of competition, get some regional headliner wages, then come back when he’s decent.
Heh, back when I was frequently reading pro wrestling sites at the turn of the millennium pretty much every site would post news which cited unnamed “sources” and almost without fail their source was copying and pasting items from Meltzer’s newsletter. Some sites were at least generous enough to credit him, others were like WrestlingInc and were shameless in doing it.
The same report was in Dave’s newsletter last week and they’ve pretty much ripped it word-for-word:
Lashley’s contract has expired. Right now he’s in the exclusive negotiating period, meaning he can’t talk to anyone else in MMA, although his Strikeforce deal does allow him to do pro wrestling and he always expressed interest in going back. After the exclusive period ends, he can talk with other groups but Strikeforce would have the option to match any offers, although my understanding is Strikeforce hasn’t expressed real interest in him after his loss to Chad Griggs. There has been no talk about Batista coming in of late and that fight only makes sense on CBS or PPV because of Batista’s asking price. This is hardly the best time for him to be a free agent when his stock would be at a low point coming off his loss.[/quote]damn, quote fail
Bobby Lashley’s contract has expired. Right now he’s in the exclusive negotiating period, meaning he can’t talk to anyone else in MMA, although his Strikeforce deal does allow him to do pro wrestling and he always expressed interest in going back. After the exclusive period ends, he can talk with other groups but Strikeforce would have the option to match any offers, although my understanding is Strikeforce hasn’t expressed real interest in him after his loss to Chad Griggs. There has been no talk about Batista coming in of late and that fight only makes sense on CBS or PPV because of Batista’s asking price. This is hardly the best time for him to be a free agent when his stock would be at a low point coming off his loss.
Wrestling Inc.
banned me for telling them how bad the plagiarism is on their site. They really do rip reports word for word. It’s pathetic. There is no issue getting your info from guys like Meltzer, as the internet has changed the media landscape of today. But there is a proper way to do it and WrestlingInc doesn’t give two shits about that. Fuck em.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
Follow me on Twitter at GenoMrosko
fixed the post.
Didn’t know that site steals from Meltzer. my bad.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 4:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Strange that they didn’t appreciate you telling them how to do their jobs.
I could be sitting here with just pee stains on my rug.
by Earl Montclair on Oct 11, 2010 5:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, people hate being called out when they are blatantly ripping off someone else’s work and claiming it as their own.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
Follow me on Twitter at GenoMrosko
You animal!
"If by romantic, you mean homosexual"-Luke Thomas
A new Cole Miller fan
by II SMASH II on Oct 11, 2010 10:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Who would have thought
gassing out would also be applicable to his MMA career.
Pro-wrestling and MMA: I have the best of both worlds.
The UFC?
Maybe if they owe Mark Hunt another fight. :>
TUF Heavyweights
Mark Hunt, Cole Konrad, Bobby Lashley, Teammate of Coach 1, Teammate of Coach 2, Unknown Prospect #1 – #8, Bum #1, Bum #2, and Muscular Bum #3,
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions
He didn’t really move the needle for strikeforce, so I don’t see them or the UFC giving him any sort of contract to make him happy.
He may be able to make some money for people on the regional circuit, so I think if he wants to stay in mma he needs to either hit the regional circuit taking big name/freak show fights to make serious money, or sign a normal contract with SF to fight on challengers cards to become a real fighter, and maybe think about dropping some weight.
EXCLUSIVE: Is Bobby Lashley Planning a WWE Comeback?
by Nick Paglino
Sep 27, 2010
WrestleZone has learned that while there has been no official contact between the parties, WWE is expected to discuss a possible return with Strikeforce fighter Bobby Lashley.
Lashley, who just returned to pro wrestling over the weekend in Japan, was the victim of dehydration and lost in his recent Strikeforce outing, putting a huge dent in Strikeforce’s plans to match Lashley against fellow former WWE headliner Dave “Batista” Bautista.
Now Lashley finds himself without any leverage in Strikeforce, and as far away from a headline fight against either Fedor Emelianenko or Strikeforce Champion Alistair Overeem as he has ever been.
Lashley, who many dubbed the next Brock Lesnar in MMA, has seen his mixed martial arts career fizzle out since his crushing defeat, and is said to be entertaining the idea of going back to WWE or TNA, with WWE being his first choice due to the higher profile and bigger money paid by the organization.
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/exclusive-is-bobby-lashley-planning-a-wwe-comeback-112771
Any middle of the road but legit HW beats lashley. props to him for giving it a shot, but I don’t see his foray into MMA as a success. Just my opinion.
definitely not a success.
I personally hope he continues, but I don’t think he has the dedication to do it outside of SF where he probably will get paid a lot less.
by Anton Tabuena on Oct 11, 2010 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m all for him getting paid and doing whatever he wants, but being from his part of the world, I have not heard a single good thing about his training habits, desires, etc…
I certainly think the UFC could “use” him, as a short term seller, but no way he hangs with them long term.
Best of luck to him.
TBA has a sad.
Who will he fight next with Bobby gone?
by JAYGK95 on Oct 11, 2010 10:47 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
When Lashley first got into MMA, was winning fights and fighting consistently, I was happy for him. Once he got the Strikeforce deal and had his team/him/Showtime handpick his opponents, it just got bad for Lashley. His dedication to MMA was always in question, and his lack of trying to really improve upon things like his standup when in the cage against these utter scrubs was frustrating. He has the body for WWE or TNA, and his wife Krystal is actually really good at being the talker for him as far as doing promos and whatnot (Lashley sucks at doing promos). His best bet as far as getting exposure and money would definitely be for him to go back to WWE even though he left them on bad terms. It would be cool to see him make a real run at MMA and not just fight handpicked scrubs for him to beat, but I find that unlikely at this point.
Check out MMA For You at http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, and analysis.
Bobby Lashley's Strikeforce Contract Has Expired,
as has most people’s interest…
by Empty Thoughts on Oct 11, 2010 12:47 PM EDT reply actions
Lashley isn't going regional
It’s about the easy route for Bobby. Easy money in wrasslin, easy money in MMA; he’s like water, he’ll go with the flow.
But he aint bustin his ass for nobody.
please dont even mention UFC and Lashley together
Lashley may have been refered jokeingly as the black Lesnar but he is not and has proved it. he really could make a pretty good pay on the regional scene i mean it wont be strikeforce money but its prolly better then most
Twitter @MaZZacreMMA
SF is probably done with Lashley
I can’t imagine that SF would sign Lashley on to do anything more than Challenger cards. He completely lost community respect when Griggs beat him (not that he had a huge amount before). However, the man is an athlete, and if he really wants to be an MMA fighter, he might stick around to try to work his way back up. Time will tell I suppose.
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