So this is it.
When the bell sounds early Sunday morning in Oklahoma City following a fight between Nate Marquardt and Tarec Saffiedine, Strikeforce will be no more. The UFC’s toughest domestic competitor won’t exist any longer.
Strikeforce had its ups and downs over the years – with many more high points than low ones. There was the purchase of Pro Elite, the CBS deal and the building of stars like Ronda Rousey, Gilbert Melendez and Cung Le. With its home on Showtime, Strikeforce was a veritable threat to UFC’s stranglehold on MMA.
Until UFC’s parent company, Zuffa, bought the organization in early 2011. That marked the unofficial end of Strikeforce. Soon, the UFC was swooping in and plucking away Strikeforce’s biggest stars. The roster became thin to the point where Showtime canceled two events in the fall after injuries to key fighters.
Scott Coker’s baby, the one he built from a kickboxing promotion to a regional MMA company to a worldwide power, was on life support. And Saturday night, the plug will be pulled.
Most Strikeforce fighters will find work elsewhere, in the UFC and Bellator and on smaller shows. But this is the end of an era, one that showed proof that two large national MMA organizations could co-exist and make money.
Coker should hold his head up high. He succeeded where dozens of others failed. Strikeforce’s death is no indictment of him or his colleagues. It’s more of an example of UFC’s power, money and leverage.
The world of MMA won’t fall apart Sunday. Bellator is poised to go toe to toe with the UFC in 2013 as it moves to Spike TV.
Strikeforce, though, will be missed. And it’s formula likely copied by the next up-and-coming organization.
Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine
UFC welterweights, take heed. Marquardt looks incredible at 170 pounds and if he wins this fight he’ll likely be given a top contender in the UFC in his return to the organization. Marquardt was among the elite at middleweight before moving down. He looks even more dangerous – stronger, especially – a weight class down. And he’s already said he wouldn’t mind fighting friend and sometimes training partner Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title.
Saffiedine won’t be a walk over and he’s shown major improvements in his game over his last few fights. A kickboxer, Saffiedine’s wrestling and grappling have come a long way. It’s actually not a stretch to call him a poor man’s Marquardt. Of course, that distinction probably won’t help Saffiedine in a fight against him.
Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring
This is little more than a showcase fight for Cormier. Think of it like a squash match in the old WWF. Cormier is a 20-to-1 favorite – a ridiculous number on a legitimate MMA card. He’s thought to be a top contender at heavyweight when he makes the move over to the UFC and could even drop down to light heavyweight and meet champion Jon Jones. For anyone who hasn’t seen the former Olympic wrestler work, Saturday is an excellent opportunity. You’ll be impressed.
Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino
Could this fight be even more of a blowout than Cormier-Staring? It’s possible. Being on the ground with Barnett is akin to getting stuck in quicksand. You’re not getting up and you’re likely to be fighting for your life. It’s unclear right now whether the UFC will bring in the top heavyweight after this, because of his tense relationship with president Dana White. He deserves to be there – he’s top 10 in the world – and he’ll likely prove it in impressive fashion in Oklahoma City.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle
Mousasi was once one of the most exciting fighters in the world. He won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title quickly and had a reputation overseas as being a total bad ass. Then he dropped the belt to Muhammad Lawal in a boring decision before a lackluster draw against UFC castoff Keith Jardine and an uneventful win over Ovince St. Preux. Mousasi is still just 27 and has the potential to be a top guy at 205 pounds in the UFC. However, Kyle is not to be taken lightly. He has a bunch of power, is a bigger man and came close to knocking out current UFC heavyweight Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva two years ago.
Ronaldo Souza vs. Ed Herman
Good for Herman to take this fight on relatively short notice after Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold pulled out and top contender Lorenz Larkin both pulled out due to injuries. Can you blame them? Souza is no fun to fight. His jiu-jitsu and top control is incredible and in his last fight he knocked out Derek Brunson with a right hand in 41 seconds. If he continues this improvement, “Jacare” will be a handful for anyone in the UFC. Herman will find out Saturday night – he’s a UFC veteran of 13 fights.
PRELIMS (Showtime Extreme, 8 p.m.)
Pat Healy vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith
Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith
KJ Noons vs. Ryan Couture
PRELIMS (No TV, 7 p.m.)
Adriano Martins vs. Jorge Gurgel
Estevan Payan vs. Mike Bravo
Healy, Kennedy and Noons are all likely to be signed by the UFC. Gracie and Smith might have some work to do. Same goes for Couture and the rest of the guys on the prelims. They have to look at this as something of a tryout – win and you’re in almost. If not, though, there are probably spots available in Bellator for some of them if the UFC doesn’t pan out.
PREDICTIONS
Marquardt
Cormier
Barnett
Kyle
Souza
Healy
Smith
Kennedy
Noons
Gurgel
Payan
Fight of the Night: Noons vs. Couture
Knockout of the Night: Cormier
Submission of the Night: Barnett