Jake Shields to fight Joe Riggs at April 11 Strikeforce event
It's been confirmed that former EliteXC Welterweight Champion Jake Shields (22-4-1) will take on UFC and Strikeforce veteran Joe Riggs (29-10) on the main card at Strikeforce's April 11th show in San Jose, California, which will also feature a main event fight between Nick Diaz and Frank Shamrock.
Jake Shields is probably the best middleweight not in the UFC right now and Joe Riggs is, well, a guy who fights. Shields is coming off an eleven fight win streak while Riggs has gone 4-2 since getting dropped by the UFC. I'd like to say this'll be a competitive fight, but the only way I see it going is Shields taking it to the ground early and getting an easy submission. If that's your idea of competitive then, yeah, I guess it will be competitive. Just like the time I challenged that guy in a wheelchair to a stair climbing contest. Oh, yeah, it was so competitive.
...Right up until I lost. I still say he cheated.
ESPN MMA Live: UFC Fight Night 17 in review
This week's episode of ESPN's MMA Live covers the Strikeforce purchase of EliteXC, a review of UFC Fight Night 17, and a look at Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader being body scanned for the UFC 2009 Undisputed video game. They've also got L. Jon Wertheim in the studio, the author of Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC. Or, as I like to call it, The Book With The Longest Title In The World.
Frank Shamrock vs Nick Diaz set for Strikeforce
It's been announced that Frank Shamrock will fight Nick Diaz at Strikeforce's April 11 event on Showtime. The fight will take place at a catch-weight of 179 pounds, since Shamrock has been fighting at middleweight and Diaz at lightweight. Unfortunately, Cung Le won't be on the card due to an elbow injury. Sherdog reports:
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker also said Tuesday that Cung Le will not fight on the April 11 show due to an elbow injury. However, Coker expects Le to fight twice for Strikeforce in 2009, and he expects one of those fights to be a rematch with Shamrock.
Strikeforce looks to be on a roll here. Frank Shamrock. Cung Le. Nick Diaz. Plus, they just signed Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and are currently ironing out the details of Gina Carano's contract after their EliteXC purchase. Those two alone should make for the biggest women's MMA bout in recent history. All of that, along with the drawing power (if not fighting power) of Kimbo Slice, should firmly plant Strikeforce as a serious contender in the fighting world. If they could somehow partner with Affliction they'd have an organization with legitimate fighters in every weight class, a larger draw to the general public than the UFC, plus a deal with Showtime! Oh, God, I think I just wet myself a little. And by wet myself I mean I just bench pressed a Ferrari. My Ferrari. Yeah, I'm pretty strong. And rich.
Strikeforce completes ProElite purchase
Strikeforce has finalized its asset purchase of ProElite, the company that handles EliteXC and King of the Cage events. According to SI, ProElite's deal with Strikeforce includes the following elements
With Strikeforce:
- Strikeforce and ProElite agree to a limited asset purchase, including some fighter contracts and options for additional fighter contracts
- Strikeforce obtains library footage for EliteXC events
- Strikeforce obtains licensing of the ShoXC brand name
With CBS:
- Paid off debt to CBS/Showtime
- Showtime remains a partner with ProElite, same ownership stake
It's nice to see smaller MMA organizations merge. All they need now is to combine with Affliction and they might be able to give the UFC some much needed industry competition. Or maybe they'd like to buy out my organization. It's called Kitty Fight Xtreme. Basically I put two kitties in a cardboard box and let them paw at each other for ten minutes. Ticket sales have been slow, but I really expect things to pick up this year.