Twitter Reacts to the UFC's Purchase of Strikeforce

by Mike Fagan on Mar 13, 2011 12:04 PM EDT in UFC News

Today was not the best day to wake up hungover at one in the afternoon. A found iPhone vibrated 66 times until I awoke this morning. That gentleman is on his way to my place for his cellular device. Then I fire up my computer to find out that Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. Um, what?

I still don't know what to say. It explains Scott Coker's recent absence from the Strikeforce show in Columbus. (Or maybe it doesn't.) It's such a dynamic paradigm shift in the MMA world without the obvious build that preceded Zuffa's purchase of Pride. It's exciting and depressing and crazy and normal and everything all at the same time.

Twitter, of course, blew up when the news broke. Here's a digest of the best and most interesting thoughts from around the MMA and sports world today. Expect updates throughout the day.

BREAKING NEWS: ZUFFA PURCHASES STRIKEFORCE -- http://ow.ly/4d8Csless than a minute ago via HootSuiteAriel Helwani
arielhelwani

The UFC/Strikeforce split is all about contracts. Once they're fulfilled with Showtime, I'm told a WEC type merger is planned.less than a minute ago via webJosh Gross
JoshGrossESPN

Amazing that UFC and Strikeforce could work out a deal before NFL and NFLPA. Think I just saw a pig flying overless than a minute ago via ÜberSocialJay Glazer
Jay_Glazer

I am really lucky to cover MMA and football, but I definitely feel like a business reporter this weekend.less than a minute ago via HootSuiteMaggie Hendricks
maggiehendricks

@LiverKickdotcom Conveniently, 2012 is the end of the world. Coincidence?less than a minute ago via webMatthew Roth
HeadKickLegend

[UPDATE] More reaction from Twitter after the jump.

I'm not demanding. I just hope this means I get reliable wireless access and unobstructed views at Strikeforce events now.less than a minute ago via webDann Stupp MMA
MMAjunkieDann

Big, big picture here, Viacom owns MMA.less than a minute ago via webJosh Gross
JoshGrossESPN

As the NFL lockout begins, the UFC continues on a major roll w/ the purchase of Strikeforce. MMA, folks. Get on board.less than a minute ago via ÜberSocialJon Anik
Jon_Anik

@JoshGrossESPN Women's divisions? Fedor? Tournament? Barnett? Overeem/Velasquez? Even bigger roster; massive layoffs? #SoManyQuestionsless than a minute ago via TweetDeckLactor: Acid Monster
AcidicLactor

Dana says "we needed more fights and more fighters" but there's a bit of a disconnect here. UFC already has too many fighters.less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Kelsey Philpott
KelseyPhilpott

I've set a clock in my home to countdown to the end of the Strikeforce/Showtime contract.less than a minute ago via webTomas Rios
SnarkFights

Other bonuses to this purchase: No dogs barking during phone conferencesless than a minute ago via webMatthew Roth
HeadKickLegend

@The_Lutfi I see a pattern, everytime @danhendo wins a title, ZUFFA buys that company.less than a minute ago via webIrvin
IRodC

Wait whoa, will I still have a job?!less than a minute ago via Echofonesther lin
allelbows

Scott Coker will have news on the UFC's purchase of Strikeforce in... uh, 24 hours.less than a minute ago via webTomas Rios
SnarkFights

Also, "business as usual" has now cuddled up with "in the mix" in the lounge of Really Amusing Things That Dana White Says.less than a minute ago via webJordan Breen
jordanbreen

Promotions remain separate so long as the Strikeforce contracts with Showtime are in place. That was the big hurdle. Was crossed recently.less than a minute ago via webJosh Gross
JoshGrossESPN

Since people have asked: I imagine Strikeforce goes on until Showtime deal is up,at which point UFC poaches or dissolves. One of the two.less than a minute ago via webJordan Breen
jordanbreen

Dana White's candor after big news stories like this is always interesting and refreshing to hear.less than a minute ago via TweetDeckMike Fagan
Mike_Fagan_13

RT @kcc21885 @joshgrossespn explain how viacom owns mma please. Do they own zuffa? ... They own CBS, SpikeTV, Showtime, MTV2.less than a minute ago via webJosh Gross
JoshGrossESPN

Tweet Comment 45 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Everyone was shocked. Thisredengine made me literally LOL

by IRodC on Mar 12, 2011 2:56 PM EST reply actions

Please, Jay

The NFL and NFLPA aren’t coming to terms for months now. They can’t even trust each other.

by phillyhoosfan on Mar 12, 2011 2:57 PM EST reply actions

Seems like an endless cycle

One group builds up fighters who are on the outskirts of competing in the UFC, makes a name for themselves, and gets purchased by UFC. This is great news for Bellator, in my opinion, who will probably be the next in line for the same role that Pride and Strikeforce have filled.

Twitter: @Ben_Duronio Stop calling Tommy Hanson "Big Red"

by BenDuronio on Mar 12, 2011 2:57 PM EST reply actions

I seriously doubt Bellator gets the same treatment

Bellator has 1, maybe 2 UFC calibur fighters.

by phillyhoosfan on Mar 12, 2011 3:00 PM EST up reply actions

Dunno.

PRIDE was bought for the name and video library, and also because Dana and Lorenzo are fans at heart. Strikeforce got bought once they started pulling in big time viewers for the Diaz and Fedor fights early in the year. Bellator is a glorified KOTC at the moment. Not much of an audience for them.

"[UFC]’s a great rush, eh? It makes your sphincter get real tight." - Harold Howard

by lowellthehammer on Mar 12, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions

Hope Gross is right.

‘Business as usual’ makes no goddamn sense to me.

"[UFC]’s a great rush, eh? It makes your sphincter get real tight." - Harold Howard

by lowellthehammer on Mar 12, 2011 2:58 PM EST reply actions

Business as usual is fine until these contracts are up and they are free agents. There is no way in hell that Zuffa brands are going to bid against each other for talent. For example: when Overeem’s contact is up his best (only?) offer will be from the UFC IF Zuffa decides that’s the best place for him.

by mnwildfan79 on Mar 12, 2011 3:07 PM EST up reply actions

It kind of does though as they have to honor the existing contracts. When those are concluded though, I bet it’s a whole different ballgame.

by Hardcase on Mar 12, 2011 3:34 PM EST up reply actions

Ya

If it is just business as usual for an extended period of time, i’d be much less happy with the situation.

"Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?"
"I'm a locksmith... and i'm a locksmith."

by Goonisis on Mar 12, 2011 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

I want to see some damn super fights. I feel like this is all a big tease.

by Tats16 on Mar 12, 2011 3:00 PM EST reply actions

Via Paul Daley's Facebook

Business as usual, what if i dont wanna fight for DANA WHITE/ZUFFA?……Dana white bans me for life from the UFC, Then buys STRIKEFORCE, and thinks im still gonna be EASY and fight on one of the most anticipated fights of the year (vs Diaz…)? Which will no doubt make ZUFFA/Dana White money.

Daley vs Diaz still on?…..Someone better holla at my manager real quick.

Not sure what im gonna do right now, honestly…fight for the Strikeforce and be Strikeforce champ, put money in ZUFFA/Dana Whites pockets? Or fight here in the UK for BAMMA, who appreciate my brand, and have my loyal fans, family and media support me. For real.

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. - Bruce Lee

by MSEMCEE on Mar 12, 2011 3:01 PM EST reply actions

According to Dana

Daley fight is still on, he just won’t fight in the UFC.

I’m guessign if he wants to go to BAMMA and stay there, he’ll just get cut

by IRodC on Mar 12, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions

White would have let Daley back eventually anyway, what he did wasn’t that horrible. If I were him I’d get that belt and get paid.

The more you drive the less intelligent you are.

www.couturierillustration.com

by Jeremy Couturier on Mar 12, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions

I guess KJ noons just got a fight.

by mmalogic on Mar 12, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions

Daley's about to get offered a good sum of money to shut up I think.

"[UFC]’s a great rush, eh? It makes your sphincter get real tight." - Harold Howard

by lowellthehammer on Mar 12, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

And if not, that's at least what he's hoping for.

"[UFC]’s a great rush, eh? It makes your sphincter get real tight." - Harold Howard

by lowellthehammer on Mar 12, 2011 3:06 PM EST up reply actions

no he’s not, he’s going to get told that he has a contract with SF, and if he wants coker to let him fight outside of SF he better shut his mouth and fight diaz.

by Phildo on Mar 12, 2011 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

You can’t make a fighter fight and good luck trying to enforce a non-exclusive US contract in the UK. That doesn’t even take into account whether there is a clause allowing Daley out of his contract if SF is sold or folds.

by fitefan on Mar 12, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions

SF usually has to approve outside fights, and if he doesn’t fight, his contract doesn’t end If he doesn’t fight, they don’t approve any other fights for him, and he is theirs

by Phildo on Mar 12, 2011 4:03 PM EST up reply actions

You can’t make a fighter fight and good luck trying to enforce a non-exclusive US contract in the UK

I’m pretty sure BAMMA doesn’t pay the same kind of money that Strikeforce does, nor does it offer the same kind of exposure. If Paul wants to spend the rest of career fighting awful competition for lousy pay, I say let him.

by Steve4192 on Mar 12, 2011 8:50 PM EST up reply actions

Oh geez

Get over yourself, Daley.

"I can be friends with anybody. Man. Woman. Cat. Dog. Fish..... Alien." -Rampage

by Charles Awad on Mar 12, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions 12 recs

No shit, you can either fight for SF and make yourself and Dana some money or fight for BAMMA and make yourself less money and Dana no money. That’d be a pretty easy decision for me.

Hey UFC4 go fuck yourself, how about that? Fucking punk, I was just asking for the source that says lesnar gets 5 mill a fight, it’s obvious one does not exist. Bunch of gabronis on a site pulling figures out of your ass.
by Garrett Bennicas

by ufc4 on Mar 12, 2011 3:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Daley's Mainstream MMA Career is on life support

Where will you go Daley? Shut up and fight. If you keep winning, actually make weight, quit making excuses, and change your attitude maybe Dana will give you the Karo mercy card. Otherwise welcome back to mediocrity. Hell maybe Dana/Coker will swing it and replace you with Koscheck.

by BrothaDarkness on Mar 12, 2011 5:42 PM EST up reply actions

Daley is exicting

But he is not that exciting.

Seriously fighting for BAMMA in the UK is nothing compared to fighting for the UFC. He knows it, we know it.

Paul Daley is still small fry.

by gao on Mar 12, 2011 3:07 PM EST up reply actions

Honestly the thing I'm looking most forward to

Is the fallout that is going to happen over the next year because of this.

What’s going to happen with:
- M-1 Fedor
- Bartnett
- Paul Daley
- Showtime

by gao on Mar 12, 2011 3:09 PM EST reply actions

those are eay to answer i think

-fedor will get fights if he drops m-1 no co promoting we already know that
- bartnett just has to clean up his mess and while he is doing it. i think he should hang out with chael to soak up some good trash talk
-daley should should stop fronting and take the fight because it might be the last big pay day he gets
-showtime is gone from the mma world once the contracts are done. bellator is latched on to mtv 2. unless they are thinking of taking some of the smaller organizations and make one company out of it. that is actually not a bad idea. or they can go get more of the high profile boxing matches. they have been killing hbo boxing lately anyway go in for the kill.

by BIGNAT on Mar 12, 2011 3:25 PM EST up reply actions

SHO will help build up M1 if SF leaves or if they think they are leaving.

by fitefan on Mar 12, 2011 3:50 PM EST up reply actions

viacom owns both mtv2 and showtime so anything could happen

by fergler on Mar 12, 2011 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

lol

at Roth’s twitter.

by pud333 on Mar 12, 2011 3:12 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

as a fan i am happy as a working man thinking about the fighters this is fucked up

it’s basically ufc or back to the regional or oversea fights. if you were hoping to make big money fighting in the states it’s ufc or bust. i think with strikforce getting bigger and the uf c staying where it was it was good because we had levels in talent and pay grade. the ufc on top strikeforce was the mid ground. bellator is getting to mid ground then you had local regional shows. also dana said he wouldn’t do women fights does that mean that women’s fight will be gone when they take over. no more exchanging fighters for japan just to make dream matches in the states and japan? to many questions but bottom line i don’t like it.

by BIGNAT on Mar 12, 2011 3:19 PM EST reply actions

Jay Glazer’s tweet made me giggle.

by The Burning Scheyer Jersey on Mar 12, 2011 3:25 PM EST reply actions

“Conveniently, 2012 is the end of the world. Coincidence?”

I loled… hard.

by Irminsul on Mar 12, 2011 3:27 PM EST reply actions

The UFC/Strikeforce split is all about contracts. Once they’re fulfilled with Showtime, I’m told a WEC type merger is planned.

I’m going w/ Josh Gross on this.

by Hardcase on Mar 12, 2011 3:27 PM EST reply actions

Very nice move for Scott. Gets a payoff, and gets to keep doing the thing he likes to do while pushing off some of the big picture things on Zuffa.

I must say I find the comparison to the NFLPA offensive/stupid.

by Michael Rome on Mar 12, 2011 3:39 PM EST reply actions 3 recs

Hey, Michael Rome!

What happened to you? Where ya been? You were one of the best BE staffers imo.

"Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?"
"I'm a locksmith... and i'm a locksmith."

by Goonisis on Mar 12, 2011 3:44 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Kelsey Philpott

Yes, the UFC has too many fighters, but too few are marketable in Japan. SF, on the other hand…

by INGO B on Mar 12, 2011 3:41 PM EST reply actions

I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue.

"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe

by pdl on Mar 12, 2011 3:53 PM EST reply actions 4 recs

Tomorrow

I’ll stop tomorrow.

"I can be friends with anybody. Man. Woman. Cat. Dog. Fish..... Alien." -Rampage

by Charles Awad on Mar 12, 2011 4:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines

by Nanoob on Mar 12, 2011 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

Coker was sick

He was choking on swallowed pride. Jokes aside, this is great for fans.

by silent.bisonte33 on Mar 12, 2011 9:31 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Daley being gay about this totally turns me off as a fan of his.. like r u really gonna drop out of this fight we’ve been waiting to see just cause youre scared Dana will make money off of it? Who cares? Dana’s got enough money. His goal is to make this the biggest sport in the world. Be a part of that!

by UFC Champ 420 on Mar 12, 2011 11:18 PM EST reply actions