It was finally announced yesterday that Showtime has renewed their Strikeforce contract for two more years. A lot of us in the MMA media have been aware of the likely renewal from the moment Ken Hershman left Showtime for HBO. He was the final barrier as he doesn't like Zuffa. Apparently there will be eight shows per year and they will be carried on SuperChannel in Canada. And of course the good news is that women's MMA will continue in Strikeforce. When Zuffa first bought Showtime in March, I can't tell you how many supposed experts insisted that they would just kill Strikeforce. I just thought this deal was different from PRIDE or WEC. Zuffa paid a big premium for Strikeforce and no one pays $40M just to kill the company. What they really wanted to do was prevent ProElite or anyone else from being on Showtime. So once it was determined that Showtime wanted to remain in the MMA business, Zuffa would do what was necessary to make a deal. Hershman's departure just made it easier. Zuffa isn't making money on the deal but it does close a door that would have opened if Strikeforce had closed. I expect the 135lb division to continue as it is and you can expect Strikeforce to sign more fighters. I'd like to see Shayna Bazsler and Sheila Bird in Strikeforce. After Cris Cyborg disposes of HIROKO, she's supposed to drop to 135. I'll believe it when I see it. I'd like to see Strikeforce start a 125lb division. It would close another loophole. Besides, I don't believe the two companies planning a 125lb division will do it properly. Bellator owner Bjorn Rebney keeps talking about doing a 125lb tournament but it's just talk. I don't expect him to actually do it this year. And if Strikeforce does a 125lb division, I expect him to drop it. It's best to assume that Rebney is just giving lip service. Talk is cheap. And today, the British company Cage Warriors announced plans to have a 125lb tournament in May with four fighters. Of course there should be eight fighters if you want to make a big splash. But it's also too soon to announce it. Things change in this business weekly. What will they do if two fighters suffer training injuries and have to be replaced? And that's why I don't believe in six months lead time for anything in MMA. Stuff happens. And here's a message to both Bellator and Cage Warriors. Any 125lb tournament without Tara LaRosa is a waste of time. Why bother if you won't hire one of the best female fighters in the world? I know her price is high. She's worth the money. Maybe Strikeforce will scoop her up and upstage both of you.
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