Strikeforce: Miami a Success but Highlights a Key Weakness

Strikeforce, under the leadership of Scott Coker, has been one of the most consistent combat sports promotion in the United States.

From becoming the home of the American branch of K-1 to transitioning to MMA seamlessly, Scott Coker has guided Strikeforce through many trails. But the one facing him could prove to be too strong: loss of control over Strikeforce. 

In early 2008, Coker made a power move that vaulted Strikeforce into the ranks of elite MMA promotions when Elite XC fell apart.

Coker swooped in to snatch up the CBS contact left vacant by the failed promotion and also took possession of the fighter contracts, preventing several key fighters from entering free agency.

Days later, Coker also signed a deal with Showtime Sports for not only large events but also a prospect developing Challengers Series. Then, a year later, in 2009, Coker again shocked the MMA world by signing Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko. 

While these moves evaluated Strikeforce, it has begun to cause Coker and Strikeforce serious problems.

The network heads at CBS and Showtime have been flexing their executive muscles to create matchups that they think make for the best television or will get the most eyes on their product.

The result has been, when combined with M-1 Global, much of the match making and card construction has been taken out of Scott Coker's hands and put in the hands of men who know next to nothing about MMA.

The results are clear to be seen in this most recent card. Bobby Lashley's inability to obtain an opponent had many crying to have his match pushed back, but instead Showtime insisted Lashley had to appear on the card with a name that fans would know.

As a result, an out-of-shape, unmotivated Wes Sims stepped into the cage for way too much money and gave up at the first time of real trouble.

The Lashley debacle and the matching of Herschel Walker with the unknown Greg Nagy pushed a legitimate contender match of Riggs/Hieron to a god-awful Internet stream that nobody was able to watch.

This also shows a complete lack of long-term planning on the part of Strikeforce, something very un-Scott Coker like. It is very likely Hieron will be Diaz's first title defense, and Hieron has been buried on un-aired fights his entire Strikeforce career. 

The Showtime/CBS influence has tied Coker's hands, making Strikeforce a card-to-card promotion. Long-term plans of creating cards has been shot to hell and many Strikeforce fighters have suffered the consequences.

Sherdog reporters were shocked to discover when they spoke to Jake Shields about a date for his title defense against Dan Henderson that was being reported by Strikeforce and Jake Shields confessed he had no idea the fight had been finalized. Rumors abound that this is becoming a common occurrence for Strikeforce fighters.

Grappling sensation and prospect Andre Galvano has been signed with Strikeforce since August of last year and has been screaming for a chance to fight but is consistently passed on because he is too expensive for Challenger cards but too unknown for the networks.

This problem is not crippling to Strikeforce, but it is a serious consequence of doing business with the larger sports networks. Coker is locked into these deals with no other way to get his product out there and thus must deal with the demands being made on his product.

This experience gives a good perspective on why the UFC, despite its huge popularity, has not jumped to network TV. Dana White and the rest of Zuffa has been fiercely protective of their control over their product and brand.

They do have their deal with Spike, but rumors abound that Spike has requiring the UFC to put TUF alumni on the Fight Night Cards, and the recent UFC deal with Versus creates the options and leverage that Coker does not have with either Showtime or CBS.

This was never more evident that when White allowed Fedor and M-1 to walk away from the UFC and sign with Strikeforce.

White said that no one fighter was worth allowing M-1 to part take in promotions and decision making, and it seems it was a shrewd piece of business.

While many have problems with White, the UFC is an extremely well-run promotion with an eye towards long-term growth.

White holds Coker in a good deal of respect, and for good reason, Coker is one of the finest combat sports business and has an excellent eye for MMA talent and match making.

Strikeforce has the potential to be an outstanding promotion but right now their progress will be capped as long as the networks are overruling Coker.