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After a year of conjecture, probably months of backstage negotiations and countless columns on the subject, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is finally taking over Strikeforce.
In truth, the demise of the second biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the world has been inevitable ever since Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company, took it over in March last year and subsequently poached many of the organisation’s biggest names.
The sticking point has always been a contract for Strikeforce to broadcast fight cards on US cable channel Showtime, however it seems that final hurdle has been cleared and Strikeforce’s last ever card will be held in January, 2013.
The talk now inevitably turns to the winners and losers of the move.
The most obvious will be the current Strikeforce champions who will finally get to a chance to step up to the UFC.
Since the original UFC pillaging of the Strikeforce roster, fighters like lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight champs Gilberto Mendez, Luke Rockhold and Daniel Cormier have become big fish in an increasingly small pond. All will be relishing the opportunity to enter the deep talent pool of the UFC.
Perhaps the most surprising and monumental beneficiary of the merge though will be women fighters.
UFC President, Dana White, once declared women would never fight under his organisation’s banner. However, in a landmark moment for the sport, Ronda Rousey was first to jump across since the takeover was announced.
Women fighting isn’t everybody’s cup of tea but there is no denying the growing talent pool in the sport, nor the marketing opportunities the new division presents.
As with all big changes not everyone will win out. The losers from this merger will be fringe fighters in both organisations. There are only going to be so many spots available in the merged roster and unfortunately some will wind up being squeezed out.
Expect to see some barnstorming preliminary card fights in the next few months as low-tier fighters go at it for their jobs.
Finally, for us pundits and fans the merger gets a big tick.
Fights we have been clamouring for will get a run.
I for one cannot wait to see Gilberto Mendez match it in the lightweight division and am also excited to see Luke Rockhold cutting his teeth among the middleweights.
Today marks an important step forward in MMA’s continuous march into the sporting mainstream.
Behind it, Strikeforce will leave a positive mark on MMA’s history, having hosted fighters such as Fedor Emilienenko, Dan Henderson and Nick Diaz as well as fostering women’s MMA.
However its time has now drawn to a close and the MMA world is better for that.
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