Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson - Does Strikeforce Actually Matter?
by Matthew Roth on Jul 30, 2011 3:00 PM EDT
in Strikeforce Analysis
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It would be fair to say without any hyperbole that 2011 has been the worst year in Strikeforce's long history. There were major plans to establish the Heavyweight division with the Grand Prix, at a time when the UFC's own division seemed to stagnate with injuries to the stars at the top. Cain Velasquez would be out because of a shoulder injury, The Ultimate Fighter season 13 would shelve both Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin was out with a back injury, and Frank Mir was in the doghouse because of a horrid showing against Mirko Filipovic at UFC 119. The planned return of Lesnar would be further delayed by a second bout with diverticulitis. Needless to say the Grand Prix was Strikeforce's shot at the big time.
Unfortunately the best laid plans of mice and men means Fedor Emelianenko gets knocked out of the tournament in the opening round against an unmarketable Antonio Silva and an unknown Sergei Kharitonov knocks out the fan favorite Andrei Arlovski. The promotion failed to follow up on the first leg of the Grand Prix in a timely enough manner that much of the initial interest had died down. In between the time waiting for the Grand Prix to continue, Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz threatened to walk away from the promotion to pursue boxing. Diaz was arguably the only true star in Strikeforce's stable and thanks to a loophole in his contract, he was dropped and signed by the UFC to fight against Georges St. Pierre.
The second leg of the Grand Prix was supposed to be the return of Gina Carano, something that more fans seemed to care about than the actual Heavyweight fights. Unfortunately, there was an unknown medical reason that caused Carano to pull from the card. To this day no one has any idea what was wrong or why she didn't fight. The fights themselves went off just fine but the only other marketable fighter in the tournament, Alistair Overeem, had an absolutely abysmal showing in his victory over Fabricio Werdum.
Since the June 18th event, Strikeforce hasn't run a major card. They have; however, recently been in the news thanks to Alistair Overeem's appearance on Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour where he stated that he would not and could not fight on the planned September 10th date. He cited a broken toe and a litany of other excuses about why this was not a good date but one in October would be acceptable. Later that day Golden Glory's United Glory promotion released a poster with Overeem front and center. Also on the poster was fellow teammate and Grand Prix semi-finalist Sergei Kharitonov. Early last night it was announced that Strikeforce had released Overeem from his contract.
Tonight is the culmination of a strong media push to sell fans on the bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson, a battle between two all time Pound for Pound greats. The real question is: Does it even matter for Strikeforce at this point? A win by Dan would effectively retire Fedor and a Fedor win doesn't really do much to reestablish him as relevant in the division. The only organization that can afford either fighter's services is Zuffa. At 40 years old Dan Henderson isn't a fighter you can build a division around and with the specter of M-1 looming over Fedor's head, he's not exactly a fighter Zuffa would be excited to work with.
Unfortunately the fact of the matter is that at this point with Nick Diaz gone, Gina Carano starting to do press for "Haywire", and Alistair Overeem cut, Strikeforce is no longer relevant. Booking fights because they are fun is a way to build fan interest but running an organization where two different managers have the power to dictate matchmaking has cause irreparable damage. The organization tried to build a brand but failed to deliver on promises to fans and fighters. Tonight isn't the culmination of a huge media push. No, instead tonight is the first nail in the death of Strikeforce. And really, does anyone care? Does anyone even realize how bad the future of this company actually is? Tonight should be promoted under the "Strikefarce" banner because that's what this company has always been. A farce.
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you had me up until the last line
SF was a very relevant and often fun organization. They were clearly on another level from UFC while also being on another level from Sharkfights and Titan Fighting and Thai Chi Palace. And that’s fine. Not being the UFC doesn’t make one a farce. Lines like that are just silly and detract away from your message.
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
Mel Gibson shot the movie Apocalypto on location at the center of my taint.
-Fake Emcee
by Cory Braiterman on Jul 30, 2011 3:05 PM EDT reply actions 18 recs
" No, instead tonight is the first nail in the death of Strikeforce." I disagree.
There have already been multiple nails in the Strikeforce coffin, this week has simply sealed the coffin shut once & for all.
This
Perhaps the only part of Strikeforce that is relevant at this point is Gilbert Melendez. I’m not sure what point he is at with his contract, but a move to the UFC is inevitable. At that point Strikeforce will be made up of young fighters coming up and UFC’s leftovers.
Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.
No, instead tonight is the first nail in the death of Strikeforce.
Tonights the first shovel of dirt on the fully nailed casket.
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Jul 30, 2011 3:09 PM EDT reply actions
They've been booking amazing cards this year (including tonight)
And they made a decent turnover on the sale. Worst year yet? I say best year.
"I can be friends with anybody. Man. Woman. Cat. Dog. Fish..... Alien." -Rampage
by Charles Awad on Jul 30, 2011 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
I was thinking the same thing
"What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease."
Bravo
But I believe the first few nails were things like
1. Zuffa purchasing Strikeforce
2. Nick Diaz going to the UFC
3. Zuffa laying off/replacing many of the Strikeforce staff
Like someone said before, the end of the WEC and the consolidation into the UFC was a more or less very smooth process. I mean BWs and FWs of high caliber often get put on the prelims…but as the occasional BW or FW gets a main card spot…that’s changing.
But the the end of Strikeforce and the consolidation of talent into the UFC has been and will be very rough and mean. The UFC isn’t welcoming Strikeforce and bringing them into the fold with open arms. They are keeping them on life support and gutting them for their valuable organs at the same time…and when the time is right, they’ll pull the plug.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
organ harvesting = perfect analogy
Pretty soon, all that will be left is:
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Jul 30, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s hard to overstate the significance of Nick Diaz’s departure. The only Strikeforce cards that I cared about as much as an average UFC PPV were ones with Nick fighting. He’s a microcosm or foreshadow or something of the entire SF roster.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
Strikeforce Fedor vs. Henderson: Does Strikeforce Actually Matter?
They put on fights that the fans wanna see. That’s ALL that matters!
Ask Jon Fitch.
by Grease S. Pieces on Jul 30, 2011 3:12 PM EDT reply actions
This Grand Prix is taking forever!!!
I feel like I’m waiting for Cain Velasquez to defend his belt!
by Grease S. Pieces on Jul 30, 2011 3:17 PM EDT reply actions
right.
because scheduling snafus and a 90% rotator cuff tear are totally comparable.
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Jul 30, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Scheduling snafus that interfere with a fighter's recovery?
Yeah, sounds pretty much the same to me. They should have forced Cain to fight injured like they tried to do with Overeem, right? They gave Cain a YEAR to recover. They wouldn’t even give Overeem a month!
by Grease S. Pieces on Jul 30, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
THEY didn't give Cain a year to recover....
his and their doctors did, big difference. Also, there’s word that he’s STILL not recovered (and may never be truly the same- that’s a major injury) Also, THEY didn’t dictate the September Reem fight date- why would they give a shit when the fight was if the most marketable member of it was at risk of being taken out? That’s Showtime with rigid scheduling constrictions. You’re comparison is a poor one, and neither have to do with Zuffa, but with elements that are out of their control. They do plenty of things wrong, this isn’t one of them.
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Jul 30, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Sure THEY did.
THEY didn’t cut him did they?
by Grease S. Pieces on Jul 30, 2011 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Dana’s silence since the announcement of the cut is deafening. Usually when one of the biggest stars of a promotion gets cut for falling out of the overlord’s good graces, it arrives with a derisive statement from Dana- see, Marquardt, Daley, Randy, etc. This is something much different and I think we’ll see that next week if Overeem and Zuffa can come to terms on a UFC contract.
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Jul 30, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Jesus, Debbie Downers, it’s no secret that once they were bought, Zuffa would gut them and merge, just enjoy Strikeforce while it’s still around.
Strikeforce was never a farce, just as Bellator isn’t a farce, just as Shark Fights, Titan Fights, Legacy, BAMMA, etc… aren’t farces. Shine Fights is a farce, James Toney is a farce. Strikeforce and its ilk are/were places where fighters can get good work and exposure and we the fans can watch for our pleasure.
Fedor fucking Emelianenko is fighting Dan fucking Henderson on (semi) free television. If I would have told you that two years your goddamn heads would have popped off.
Sit back, have some drinks and watch one of the most fun MMA orgs that ever was keep riding into the sunset.
Follow me on Twitter or Jon Jones won't sign your replica belt! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Jul 30, 2011 3:17 PM EDT reply actions 9 recs
*two years ago
I blow.
Follow me on Twitter or Jon Jones won't sign your replica belt! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Jul 30, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Kim Couture is silly
HAHAHAHAHAH
Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.
The second leg of the Grand Prix was supposed to be the return of Gina Carano, something that more fans seemed to care about than the actual Heavyweight fights.
This is NOT true. In fact, no one seemed to care much at all about the Carano fight or the fact that it got scrapped. It garnered virtually no interest, most all the focus was on the HW fights.
But that is a smaller point. The general concept of the article was fine, but then you drop this fucking stinker at the end:
Tonight should be promoted under the “Strikefarce” banner because that’s what this company has always been. A farce.
Come on, man. Why did you have to go there? That is just way stupid and totally uncalled for. Get a grip. Sensationalist bullshit namecalling. The fact is that Strikeforce has been a very successful promotion, at least from a fans standpoint. They have put on a ton of great cards and fights, at a much lower cost than your coveted UFC PPV:s. To call them a farce and a failure is ludicrous.
Considering Zuffa got Strikeforce for a garage sale price with the primary intention of plucking the quality fighters before disbanding it, I think it’s pretty cool that the shell of Strikeforce still has enough interesting matchups to put on a decent card like this. In a couple years the nostalgia for Strikeforce will be second only to the misty memories of Pride.
.....
If there's one thing I can't stand it's sigs that are longer than one line.
I mean, what's the point? I can't believe anyone wastes time reading a sig past the first line.
I could kiss you right now
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Editor, HeadKickLegend.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Jul 30, 2011 3:33 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
because you agree
or because he’s taking away heat from you?
somehow i think it’s a little of column A and a little of column B
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
Mel Gibson shot the movie Apocalypto on location at the center of my taint.
-Fake Emcee
by Cory Braiterman on Jul 30, 2011 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
It's like watching a bird you raised fly for the first time
I’m just so proud of him
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Editor, HeadKickLegend.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Jul 30, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Hilarious. “Learning to fly” from Subo is like “learning to dance” from Brock.
by memitim on Jul 30, 2011 8:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
does strikeforce matter?
No.do the fighters matter yes..I have respect for all those willing to test there skills in a cage but this promotion has been ran terribly..this is there last show before offices close
"If your not the best im not impressed"
by letter19 on Jul 30, 2011 3:34 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Strikeforce matter about as much as 4loko, you either hate it or you love it, but you can’t deny that alcohol is great for everyone.
It's just a world, it's just a life.
I deny alcohol being great for everyone
I’m sure there are some sort of health statistics that back this up.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
by Chris Groves on Jul 30, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
SF matters to me
In that I am sure as fuck gonna be watching their fights tonight.
The only substitute for victory is overkill.
by Underhand Left on Jul 30, 2011 3:41 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Geez Roth
Since when did you become such a drama queen? Your last two “stories” remind me of shitty High School newspaper stories.
"If you think, you're late. If you're late, you muscle. If you muscle, you get tired. If you tired, you die. When you die is when you tap..."
-Saulo Ribeiro
by sklart on Jul 30, 2011 3:46 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
It's called "Trying Too Hard"
It’s sad, but you see it online a lot.
The only substitute for victory is overkill.
by Underhand Left on Jul 30, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Definitely
He’s trying to elicit a reaction…
by Colin Paul Kowlessar on Jul 30, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Many do
Snowden comes to mind.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
by Chris Groves on Jul 30, 2011 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I defy anyone to point to a series of articles I wrote that compare to what Roth has done in the last two days. You have to believe what you say at the core. No one can believe what he’s writing.
The MMA Encyclopedia. Shooters: Pro Wrestling's Real Life Tough Guys Coming Soon!
by Jonathan Snowden on Jul 30, 2011 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Your Encyclopedia is a must read, in any case.
by Colin Paul Kowlessar on Aug 1, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Not much of a Snowden fan myself but
at least Snowden never came off as disingenuous or pathetic. They both get quite sensitive in the comments section however….
Everything currently happening outside the cage in Strikeforce is a pretty big farce. But it’s unfair to say it’s always been like that; it used to be a respectable promotion, especially compared to others in recent history.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
I agree with your assertion that SF is basically done but..
I for one am sick of hearing why fights like Fedor vs Henderson don’t matter. They’re not for a UFC belt or a top five spot in the division so they must be irrelevant blah, blah, blah. Sit back and enjoy a fight between two geat fighters that is all but guaranteed to end in an exciting fashion. I know you have to create content, but this is a tired premise that shouldn’t apply here.
by Anton Chigurh on Jul 30, 2011 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
SF as a promotional entity was always a farce once they tried to go national
And in a schadenfreude sense it’s kind of funny to see all the cheerleaders finally forced to come to that realization.
But SF put on good fights so I’ll always have fond memories of that, and it was always amusing to poke fun at their incompetence.
The promotion and event as a whole don't matter in some respects
But the fights and fighters do matter a bit.
I mean, at this stage in their careers, Fedor and Henderson aren’t fighting for the UFC or Pride titles, they aren’t fighting for the #1 ranking…those days are sort of behind them.
This is a fight that is meant to cement their legacies. Remember Couture vs Nogueira? Both of them were past their primes, neither would likely be a champion again…but they were two legends of their era who had never fought….that was a fight for extra status in the MMA history books.
This isn’t a fight for divisional supremacy because it’s a cross-division fight…but it is still a big fight for both of their careers.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
Kid Nate spends his time at MMAnation
And we get this poor man’s Snowden? Come on BE, I expected better of you. Oh and by the way, Strikeforce has enjoyed record ratings this year, so I’m not sure it qualifies as its worse ever without hyperbole.
by Stiff Jab on Jul 30, 2011 5:57 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Strikeforce has always mattered
They put on real fights and good fights. That’s all the relevance you need.
Was it a well-managed company? Not always, but they tried to play their cards as best they could considering they lacked the clout and buying power of the UFC. They were a small entity that was trying its best to do big things with big people. If they were as harsh and cutthroat as the UFC, do you think they would have landed stars like Overeem and Fedor? No way. The management never had the upper hand because there were always other options for the star fighters, so they did what they could to keep their talent happy. It didn’t always work out for everybody; ask Mayhem.
What Strikeforce deserves credit for is the quality of their fight cards. No matter how bad the management situation was, they always put on exciting fights that often trumped competing UFC cards. That’s a pretty significant accomplishment, and in the end, that’s all any fight promotion really needs: to put on fights that people will remember and continue to talk about. That’s why there’s a place in this business for the Tachi Palaces, MFCs, Bellators, Titans, Shark Fights, and DREAMs out there. I’m not sure why some people hate on other shows so much, calling them “small time” and “minor league.” In pro wrestling, the rise of other organizations has shown that you don’t have to be the WWE to have a respectable brand and fanbase. Likewise, just because it isn’t UFC doesn’t mean it isn’t MMA.
It still matters to me.
Just Breed!
by ScoreCardOTN on Jul 30, 2011 6:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This is like
A Hipster Runoff article without the irony.
"Well, whatever you do, however terrible, however hurtful, it all makes sense, doesn't it, in your head. You never meet anybody that thinks they're a bad person."
by JJB73 on Jul 30, 2011 6:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Coenen versus Tate should be relevant...
But even the MMA community doesn’t seem to care much. I’m super hyped for that personally.
by IRH on Jul 30, 2011 6:52 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
let me save everyone some time.. Does strikeforce matter?
Short answer: No
Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
this article is a fail
'How's taste my pee pee pee?'
by theCloser on Jul 30, 2011 9:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Does it matter?
WTF? Who cares if the brand doesn’t matter,I just like watching good fights between exciting fighters and that’s what SF has done and is still doing.I’d be just as happy, if not happier watching a SF event that ‘’might not matter’’ but is exciting as hell as opposed to a UFC event ‘’that matters’’ but is a full of wrestlers showcasing their patented lay and pray in an attempt to secure their job.
I’m not trying to hate on the UFC or trying to claim all their fights are boring but I think if you’re a hardcore fan you’ve moved past the whole ’’only UFC fights matter.
by Spicy Chicken Wings on Jul 30, 2011 9:25 PM EDT reply actions
I am saddened...
…that your article was not steadily building towards pinning everything on Kim Couture. I sincerely think you can build a pseudojournalistic career and an undyingly loyal fanbase by writing your way to her destruction.
by kungfugiber on Jul 30, 2011 9:49 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
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