What does it sound like when the hearts of thousands of MMA fans break at once? Strangely, it sounds a lot like Dave Meltzer’s most recent podcast. Since the Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce, fans have been clamoring to see several dream fights take place inside the octagon. Unfortunately, Meltzer has reported that it may never happen.
The departures of Alistair Overeem, Nick Diaz, and Dan Henderson (some of the California-based promotion’s biggest draws) left a bad taste in the mouths of Showtime executives, who ostensibly feared that more fighters would jump ship to head for greener pastures. This means Luke Rockhold, Ronda Rousey, Gilbert Melendez, and several of the promotion’s largest draws have clauses in their contracts which bind them to Showtime, not necessarily Strikeforce.
“They made this list of guys and they said ‘these are our guys’ and, even if their contract expires, they can’t move to UFC. That’s part of their deal with keeping this alive. So these guys are stuck… It’s for as long as Showtime broadcasts MMA.”
The idea that many fans held on to, that once Strikeforce was folded into the UFC, the top fighters would be free to come over, is now dead in the water. These fighters would be locked into a contract with whatever MMA promotion Showtime chooses to do business with. In short, the only way for fans to see these dream fights happen would be for the UFC to sign a Showtime deal, even then, these fighters can only compete on Showtime.
What seems odd is that Zuffa actually signed off on this contract, waiving any rights to fighting it. These restrictive contracts have dashed the hopes of man by locking some of the world’s premier talent out of the big show.
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How the heck does that even make sense?
So basically Melendez gets screwed out of fights he rightfully deserves ? WOW .
This horrible. I don’t even think a contract like that is legal.
This is likely one reason why the FTC dropped its antitrust investigation into Zuffa.
It is impossible for the UFC to fully absorb all of Strikeforce’s top fighters.
Not to mention Jake shields. It’s like keeping Bendo, spider, and junior in the UFC, dumping everyone else, and then only being able to bring in has beens and never wases to fight them. So stupid.
It doesn’t really suck that bad for the sf fighters, they signed there contracts there and will get paid there. It just sucks for us.
I have a feeling Melendez would rather fight the fights to see who’s best .
If the ratings aren’t very good, Showtime stops broadcasting MMA, everyone rolls into the UFC and fights on Fox.
My question is, were the fighters aware of this deal when they signed their strikeforce contracts, or was this some sort of deal drawn up solely between Showtime and Zuffa?
@DrDoom
It doesn’t matter what melendez would rather do, he signed the contract to stay in sf.
@Fred
Sounds good to me. On that note, what are the usual ratings for SF?
Just because he signed the contract doesn’t mean he wasn’t asked to take one for the team, because of his status as champion his options were severely limited.
@Chris Leslie
Can you elaborate on how his options were limited? The way I look at it is he was worth money in either org, and decided to stay and be one of the top paid fighters in sf, and make more than his counterparts in the UFC. So I can’t feel any sorrow for him. It might’ve been tough, but it was his decision imo.
I think it was smart for him to stay because I don’t think he’s in the top 5 lws, and that gives him more chances of staying champ and getting bigger pay days. I doubt he believes that or that its why he stayed, but just my opinion.
Champion’s clause, plain and simple, the rest of the guys that bolted for the UFC found ways out (and many had contracts that predated said clause or came over to favorable contracts from EliteXC). As long as he’s champ, he’s extended until he loses or vacates. Even then, they probably added a non-compete clause and a right-to-match clause into his contract which would legally prevent him with signing with the UFC for quite awhile. Your only legit choices are to fight in Strikeforce or go to Asia. Gilbert is a top 3 lightweight right now but by the time he’s finally able to come over he won’t be.
@ChrisL
Truth!
Yeah if that’s how his contract is then that does make it tougher. In my opinion he has done nothing to prove he’s a top 5, so I still think he’s better off. He barely beat Thompson who basically got the fight by default. I don’t see him beating Edgar, Bendo, gray, guida, Diaz, miller, and some others so he is prob in pretty good shape making multi 6 figure checks where he his. Imo.