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Monday, June 30, 2008
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Although mixed martial arts is one of the world's fastest growing sports — complete with network-television deals and blockbuster pay-per-view numbers — few companies outside the Ultimate Fighting Championship have found it to be a viable business enterprise.
The California-based Strikeforce organization is one of the rare few. The organization has flourished thanks to TV deals with NBC and HDNet, as well as thrifty spending and marketable fighters.
But as the company continues its maturation from a regional powerhouse to a national player, some of the growing pains are becoming apparent.
Take for instance the "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson" event Friday, June 27, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.
Even without top stars Cung Le and Frank Shamrock competing, the show drew a solid crowd of 7,448. The organization is grooming other talent, but there just may not be enough to go around.
After Friday's event, new Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson and reigning light heavyweight title holder Bobby Southworth both said they're ready for new challenges.
"I'd like to maybe fight some bigger names," Southworth said after his victory over Anthony Ruiz. "Fighters are always remembered by their fights and by their competition. ... As my career is maturing, I'm thinking more about the paydays. That's one of the reasons I'd like a step up in competition. You fight the tougher fighters, you get the bigger paychecks."
Strikeforce's 205-pound division is thin, but Southworth is optimistic the organization can recruit those types of fighters.
Thomson, meanwhile, just wants to be tested, and he's not sure Strikeforce's current roster of lightweights can do it.
"There are some guys I want brought in to fight me — some bigger names," said Thomson, who defeated heavily favored Gilbert Melendez for the belt.
"Not that Gilbert isn't a big name. It's just I want to fight some guys outside of our organization that I want brought in. ... I don't want to fight anyone not in the top 10."
So can Strikeforce recruit the big names?
There are plenty of factors working in its favor.
A weekly highlights show on NBC could soon include live shows in prime time. That kind of exposure can mean major sponsorship bucks for fighters.
Additionally, with many organizations — and not just the little ones — going under all the time, you can actually take a Strikeforce contract to the bank.
That alone can be quite a feat in this sport.
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, a content partner site of Yahoo! Sports. For the latest MMA news and rumors, check out www.mmajunkie.com.
