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<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=342462" target="_blank">
Coker: GG fighters let go in fairness to them
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<a href="/go=news.detail&gid=342462" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=100&q=75&x=10&y=99&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=scott-coker-02-14-11-8-59-48-255.jpg" /></a>
<strong class="ArticleSource">[mmamania.com]</strong>
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<p>The Zuffa-owned Strikeforce and UFC recently shedded Golden Glory team members Alistair Overeem, Marloes Coenen, Valentijn Overeem, and Jon Olav Eienemo. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker was recently interviewed on The Fight Show with Mauro Ranall, and discussed the matter.</p>
"Well, you know, Mauro, that whole thing about Alistair, I think it's been documented. I think it's been regurgitated over and over so I don't know if we have to get into that.
"But with Valentijn and Marloes, you know, right now, there's only so many TV spots, as you know, until the middle of next year. And, uh, they're, um, you know, in this business, you've gotta keep winning.
}So, to me, it was a situation where Valentijn had that loss, I believe in June, so that was already in the works anyway. It just seems sudden to everybody because it just all happened this week. But that was already on its way for Valentijn.
"The slots are going to be for the fighters that are victorious right now. We have a lot of athletes under contract and we have to get everybody fights and there's only so many slots. There's only so many TV dates, we only have two more TV dates on the big show before the end of the year. September is already full, December is getting full and then January is hopefully are finals and that's going to have a full card already.
"So in fairness to the athletes, why just let them hang around? It's a much fairer situation to let them go fight elsewhere and create another future somewhere else."
The Zuffa-owned Strikeforce and UFC recently shedded Golden Glory team members Alistair Overeem, Marloes Coenen, Valentijn Overeem, and Jon Olav Eienemo. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker was recently interviewed on The Fight Show with Mauro Ranall, and discussed the matter.
"Well, you know, Mauro, that whole thing about Alistair, I think it's been documented. I think it's been regurgitated over and over so I don't know if we have to get into that.
"But with Valentijn and Marloes, you know, right now, there's only so many TV spots, as you know, until the middle of next year. And, uh, they're, um, you know, in this business, you've gotta keep winning.
}So, to me, it was a situation where Valentijn had that loss, I believe in June, so that was already in the works anyway. It just seems sudden to everybody because it just all happened this week. But that was already on its way for Valentijn.
"The slots are going to be for the fighters that are victorious right now. We have a lot of athletes under contract and we have to get everybody fights and there's only so many slots. There's only so many TV dates, we only have two more TV dates on the big show before the end of the year. September is already full, December is getting full and then January is hopefully are finals and that's going to have a full card already.
"So in fairness to the athletes, why just let them hang around? It's a much fairer situation to let them go fight elsewhere and create another future somewhere else."
I'm shocked that now that he isn't fighting the good fight against the UFC, Coker has gone from "the best promoter in the sport" to a "spineless puppet" no one likes.
um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know, um, you know...
orcus - I'm shocked that now that he isn't fighting the good fight against the UFC, Coker has gone from "the best promoter in the sport" to a "spineless puppet" no one likes.
By this time next year, there will likely be no Strikeforce worth discussing in this forum. Coker will quietly retire to San Jose and have to live with the shameful path he took to exit the sport.
I am glad to see this happening (Zuffa crushing all of the competition).
Top fighters competing with top fighters in ONE ultimate MMA promotion.
Similar to the NHL, NFL, and NBA
It would stop future fighters from running away to Japan and other promotions (see Fedor, Overeem and Moussasi) and force them to fight legitimate competition !!!
Imagine what could of been if Zuffa had done this in 2005 and we could have possibly seen Fedor in the UFC...
I still want to see Fedor fight in the UFC at least one time.
Silverball - By this time next year, there will likely be no Strikeforce worth discussing in this forum. Coker will quietly retire to San Jose and have to live with the shameful path he took to exit the sport.
lol, I'm sure Coker didn't get into MMA to help the sport. He got into it to make money, which he has done.