Strikeforce Out?

STUDIO MMA, VENICE, CA — The big rumor in the MMA world today is that, due to a series of fight cancellations and an insufficient television audience, Showtime may be terminating its broadcast relationship with the Strikeforce promotion.  This is being reported by HDNet’s Inside MMA program, among other outlets.  There is further speculation that, if such a schism were to occur, the Strikeforce promotion would be shuttered entirely and its remnants absorbed by the Ulitmate Fighting Championship.

Strikeforce was purchased by Zuffa, LLC — the parent company of the UFC — in March of 2011, and since has had its share of ups and downs.  But, recently, it has been mostly downs.  The worst mishap occurred when, less then 1 week prior to Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy that event was cancelled due to a training injury to lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez.

Furthermore, earlier this year, Strikeforce dissolved its heavyweight division and since has had trouble finding opponents for Daniel Cormier, its Heavyweight Grand Prix champion.  Cormier was scheduled to face UFC fighter Frank Mir at a November 3 event, but Mir withdrew due to injury.  Then, in the past week both Luke Rockhold — Strikeforce’s middleweight champ — and Sarah McMann — a top female bantamweight contender — were scratched from the November 3 main card due to injury.  As a result of these developments, it is widely expected that this event, too, will be squelched.

Watch the Inside MMA report here: