Strikeforce Lands Another Major Free Agent
Tuesday, 08 December 2009 06:05
I never took the possibility of Dan Henderson signing with Strikeforce seriously. To me, it was a ploy to get more money out of the UFC. The side with deeper pockets almost always wins the negotiation battle. You put the Yankees against the Royals and the player is coming to New York. The UFC against Strikeforce should go the same way, but this is the second time in less than six months that a marquee free agent turned down Zuffa in favor of Scott Coker's "regional promotion". Are we seeing a power shift play out before our eyes?

Dana White wants the MMA world to believe he passed on Henderson. The price was too high for a fighter who is not a PPV draw. It's as simple as that. While true to a certain extent, there is more to the story. The UFC badly wanted to resign Henderson. There is a serious lack of top talent right now within the organization due to injury problems. Loretta Hunt points out that this past Friday, Henderson was offered a bout at UFC 109 in February to face Nate Marquardt. The UFC did not simply let Henderson go. He chose to sign with Strikeforce.

One of the interesting subplots to this story is the UFC's decision to ban Clinch Gear from their events. According to Henderson, the UFC banned his MMA clothing company, because he would not resign with the promotion. When you combine this with Henderson being passed over for a title shot in favor of Vitor Belfort, who he defeated, it's easy to see why he chose to sign with Strikeforce. The UFC did not treat Henderson with the type of respect he felt he deserves.

The larger issue here is whether we're beginning to see cracks in the UFC's armor. The recent string of injuries has shown just how vulnerable even they can be. The signing of a 39 year old slightly above average PPV draw may not seem like a huge deal, but it sends a message. The stigma of signing with Strikeforce is gone. They have landed the last two major free agents. While the UFC was busy signing Frank Trigg, Dennis Hallman, and Phil Baroni, Strikeforce snatched up Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson. It does not matter if you offer more, at the end of the day it comes down to where a fighter ends up. Strikeforce is winning the bidding wars.

Now the question is whether Strikeforce can transition into a PPV business model to afford the contracts.
Comments (12)Add Comment
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written by POW!!!, December 08, 2009
They signed two people. Henderson is on his way out. He is 39 yrs old. He knocked out the most overrated fighter in the UFC because he finally had to fight outside the UK(everyone knows he lost to Hamill.) Why should he get a title shot less than a year after he got dominated by Anderson Silva. Big deal he won one round by laying on top of him and covering his mouth. If he would have beat Nate i wouldn't have a problem with him facing Silva again. Strikeforce has talent in the lighter weight classes, but can't compete at LHW or HW OVERALL. (Fedor is obviously the best until someone proves he's not, I think Lesnar might be able to do it, if he wasn't on his death bed.) It's not a big deal that Strikforce signed one UFC fighter that threw a fit because he didnt get what he wanted.
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written by BP123, December 08, 2009
I really like that hendo went to strikeforce, we've already seen him agaisnt vitor and silva, but now we get to see him fight shields, and maybe Nick diaz and Gegard.

As far as signing new fighters goes, the UFC got little nog, and thats all that matters to me.
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written by kn68, December 08, 2009
Lesnar isn't on his death bed. Dana White wants everyone to believe that because he knows Lesnar needs more time to train so he doesnt get his ass kicked by Carwin.Some people need to stop watching fake wrestling and believing the bigger guy is tougher.
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written by 707, December 08, 2009
Pow...your an idiot, welcome to becoming an mma fan the last year. Go look up dan hendersons record and all the big names hes fought..and beat. For you new mma fans, yes he came back to the ufc and lost 2 back to back and since then hasnt been given an exciting fight since, hes still the only mw that can beat the spider, but im glad he went to where the respect is
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written by Moore-UFC, December 08, 2009
Now, to be truthful Dan Henderson has done a lot of thing for MMA. But, he hasn't had good fights in the UFC and that's where in my opinion the best MW and LHW fighters are. He wanted more money and the UFC knew he would lose to Belfort, A.Sliva again, Nate M., and possibly to any other top fighters at LWH/MW. And for the record Brock Lesnar is seriously sic and won't be back for a while but Dana White isn't holding the fight off because Brock isn't trained enough.....you're crazy for thinking that.
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written by J-Bone, December 09, 2009
Strikeforce picking up Hendo is a great achievement for them. I believe Hendo is definitely the most likely person to give The Spider a run for the title. Also, Moore-UFC, Henderson has already beaten Belfort in the past, and is the only person in the UFC to take a round away from Silva; Marquardt on the other hand, got stopped very fast by Silva. So actually you're crazy for thinking that he would lose to either one of these men
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written by qz, December 09, 2009
Signing hendo is great for stirkeforce, but hendo should be careful who he decides to shit on, cause when strikeforce collapses, and we all know it will just like every other company that tried to compete against the ufc, dana white might have a big "Fuck You" wanting for him. Also J-Bone, did you not see the Cote v Silva fight? Cote won not one, but two rounds against silva and was winning the third before his knee went out
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written by J-Bone, December 09, 2009
How do you get that Cote won two rounds out of that fight? I didn't think he even landed any shots on Silva
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written by jayray, December 09, 2009
There are some outlandish things being said here.

I find the "cracks in the UFC's armor" angle interesting. Are we witnessing that? It seems to good to be true. But I will say this. A year ago The UFC seemed pretty much unstoppable. But with the dramas, let-downs and injuries of late (and a very lackluster TUF)I have to wonder, has the juggernaut plateaued?
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written by 707, December 10, 2009
I dont think anyone saw the fight where cote won three rounds against silva, and who is hendo disrespecting? that guys been a class act to both organizations. Dana is taking cheap shots and banning hendos clothing items(which i understand is just business) but hendos been respecful all the way around, and you guys mentioning marquardt and cote in the sam class as henderson is crazy
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written by mmamadman, December 10, 2009
Well said 707
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written by brew, December 14, 2009
Why assume that PPV is the only way to go?
Perhaps strikeforce's business model is to break into the mainstream and go primetime.
Seems to me if anyone could do that, they would kill the UFC PPV market.
I think people are ready and the money will follow.

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