* The biggest thing I heard was that the Strikeforce has a contract including 16 events, scheduled to run through 2014.
* Showtime controls production for their shows. Zuffa can only offer "input."
* Dana said that they are "open to the idea of the heavyweight grand prix final being on pay-per-view."
* Strikeforce will be keeping the hexagonal cage, but moving to the unifed rules (as reported on another thread)
* Dana said he “wouldn’t count anything out” when it comes to fighters crossing over in the future and that Zuffa’s plans for Strikeforce remain “a work in progress.”
So what does it all mean? Well, one would think that if the 16 fights occur on Showtime sometime before 2014, that the contract is over at that point. Just like a fighter's contract has a fixed fight number as well as a time period in the event that that number of fights doesn't happen within a certain period of time.
Also, if fighter's contracts run out in the next year or two, nothing is stopping them from jumping ship to the UFC. If the Strikeforce stable of fighters becomes watered down, UFC might be able to force Showtime to renegotiate the contract. They could argue that reupping the contract with Zuffa gives them a larger stable of better fighters and more brand recognition. They would have so much leverage, that they can bargain for production control (which has been rumored to be a sticking point).
Another negotiating ploy is that Zuffa/Strikeforce can take the biggest fights and put them on PPV now (causing Showtime to get the lower and mid tier fights). Dana already hinted at this with the HWGP. If Zuffa takes the best and leaves Showtime with the scraps, Showtime has no leverage left. The UFC has consistently said they don't need Showtime and I believe it to be true.
If the contract is reupped with Zuffa, then it opens the door to all the fights that everyone is wanting to see. the clock is ticking...
Asked if he will be able to conduct business with current Strikeforce fighters previously banned from the UFC -- namely welterweight contender Paul Daley and heavyweight grand prix participant Josh Barnett -- White was optimistic.
“There are a lot of people who aren’t big fans of mine, but we can still do business,” White said. “Me and Tito [Ortiz] did business for years.”
Interesting. No one gets a permanent ban from the UFC from what that statement it sounds like.
Cann - Asked if he will be able to conduct business with current Strikeforce fighters previously banned from the UFC -- namely welterweight contender Paul Daley and heavyweight grand prix participant Josh Barnett -- White was optimistic.
“There are a lot of people who aren’t big fans of mine, but we can still do business,” White said. “Me and Tito [Ortiz] did business for years.”
Interesting. No one gets a permanent ban from the UFC from what that statement it sounds like.
Good for Dana, and it appears Daley is getting a third chance and Barnett is getting his fourth chance.
Anything can happen is what it boils down to. Who knows. Maybe even with enough "input" Strikeforce could produce something that the UFC actually likes. If that happend it could open up the opportunity for the UFC to be on Showtime.
JerodR - Anything can happen is what it boils down to. Who knows. Maybe even with enough "input" Strikeforce could produce something that the UFC actually likes. If that happend it could open up the opportunity for the UFC to be on Showtime.
If the UFC was to go on Showtime in 2012 then they really wouldn't need the PPV anymore. Could still use SpikeTV and maybe a CBS deal if CBS is interested in MMA anymore.