Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC. Its live events and competitions are currently shown on CBS and Showtime in the United States, Super Channel in Canada, Primetime in the United Kingdom, SKY PerfecTV! in Japan, HBO Plus in Brazil, Space TV in Latin America and the Caribbean, and on the American Forces Network. The promotion debuted on CBS on November 7, 2009 with Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.
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Strikeforce was founded as a kickboxing organization. It became involved with MMA in 2006 with the Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie event on March 10, 2006, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.[1] The event was California's first regulated MMA event and broke the previous record for largest audience at a MMA event in the United States, with its 18,265 in attendance. The record was since broken by K-1 HERO'S Dynamite!! USA, although Shamrock vs. Gracie still retains the paid attendance record of 17,465.[2]
In February 2008, Strikeforce held its first event outside California with Strikeforce: At The Dome at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. Since then it has held four additional events outside California: October 2008 in Broomfield, Colorado, two during June 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri and Kent, Washington, and in November 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.
In March 2008, Strikeforce partnered with NBC to broadcast weekly highlight and fighter-profile series, Strikeforce on NBC from April 12.[3] In February 2009, Strikeforce purchased several assets, including a video library and several fighter-contracts, including Nick Diaz, Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith from ProElite, owner of the defunct EliteXC promotion. Days later it also announced it had agreed to a three-year broadcast deal with Showtime for up to 16 events per year, as well as a deal with CBS for an option to produce up to four events for them.[4] In addition to Strikeforce's primary events being broadcast on Showtime, it also announced it would produce ShoMMA: Strikeforce Challengers, an event-series similar to ShoXC and ShoBox, where they would highlight up-and-coming fighters.[5]
During August of 2009, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced that they had signed formal alliances with Japanese MMA-promotion Dream and Russian promotion M-1 Global. Coker said the partnership would allow for co-promotion and fighter exchanges for events both in the US and Japan, and he mentioned Shinya Aoki versus Josh Thomson or Gilbert Melendez as well as Melvin Manhoef versus Robbie Lawler creating the best match ups possible that would not have existed before.[6]
On August 15, 2009, Strikeforce was available to be viewed online through the Showtime website. For a small cost "Strikeforce: All Access" is an online interactive event for the fans that streams simultaneously with the live event enabling the user multiple camera angles of the fights such as the "cage cam" exclusively offered by Showtime. A small camera is attached to the referee and fans are able to see from their perspective in real time. "Strikeforce: All Access" adds other features such as pause and instant replay. This was not the first time Strikeforce events were streamed on the Showtime website but was the first time the live stream was available to audiences and internet users outside the United States such as in Europe, Japan, Brazil, and Canada.[7]
Strikeforce has major sponsorship deals, Rockstar Energy Drink is the official energy drink of Strikeforce. This in addition to having sponsors from Electronic Arts Video Games, Bodog and Full Tilt Poker. Strikeforce is also expected to air events live on prime time television on CBS starting in 2009. Their collaboration with Dream will soon lead to Strikeforce events being held in Japan.[8]
Some notable fighters signed by Strikeforce in 2009 include Fedor Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Dan Henderson, Marius Žaromskis, Muhammed Lawal, Melvin Manhoef, Nick Diaz, KJ Noons, and Bobby Lashley.
On August 3, 2009, Fedor Emelianenko signed a 3 fight contract with Strikeforce.[9] On November 7, 2009, he made his Strikeforce debut at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on a nationally televised card on CBS. Emelianenko faced Brett Rogers, and won via knock out in the 2nd round. Emelianenko proved to be a huge rating draw, bringing in just under 5.5 million viewers.[10]
Emelianenkos' next fight was at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum. Emelianenko suffered his first loss in 10 years to Fabricio Werdum, via submission.
Emelianenko next fought as part of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament.[11] He lost again, to Antonio Silva, via doctor stoppage. Emelianenko was battered by Silva during the second round, causing his right eye to swell shut.[12]
On March 12, 2011 Dana White revealed on AOL to Ariel Helwani that Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the UFC, had purchased Strikeforce.[13] White went on to explain that Strikeforce will operate as an independent promotion, and that Scott Coker will continue to run the promotion. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced the return of Fedor Emelianenko on an unspecified July or August event and said that Zuffa-owned company would continue to co-promote with M-1 Global. [14]
Strikeforce employs the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, and is fought on a hexagonal cage, as opposed to UFC's octagonal cage (The Octagon). Ordinary matches consist of three five-minute rounds, while championship matches are five five-minute rounds. All rounds have a one-minute break between them. Prior to the acquisition by Zuffa, Strikeforce did not allow elbows to the head of a grounded opponent.
Previous to June 2009, all women's bouts in Strikeforce consisted of three three-minute rounds as opposed to the men's five-minute rounds. However, on June 16, 2009, Strikeforce announced that it had received approval from the Washington- and California State Athletic Commissions to use five-minute rounds for all women's bouts, including five five-minute rounds for its championship bouts.[15]
Every men's and women's round competition is five minutes in duration. Title matches have five such rounds, non-title matches have three, and all rounds have a one-minute break between them.
| Weight class name | Upper limit | |
|---|---|---|
| in pounds (lb) | in kilograms (kg) | |
| Bantamweight | 135 | 61.2 |
| Featherweight | 145 | 65.8 |
| Lightweight | 155 | 70.3 |
| Welterweight | 170 | 77.1 |
| Middleweight | 185 | 83.9 |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 | 93.0 |
| Heavyweight | 265 | 120.2 |
Women's
| Weight class name | Upper limit | |
|---|---|---|
| in pounds (lb) | in kilograms (kg) | |
| Bantamweight | 135 | 61.2 |
| Featherweight | 145 | 65.8 |
Matches usually end via:
Note: In the event of a draw, it is not necessary that the fighters' total points be equal. However, in a unanimous or split draw, each fighter does score an equal number of win judgments from the three judges (0 or 1, respectively).
A fight can also end in a technical decision, disqualification, forfeit, technical draw, or no contest. The latter two outcomes have no winners.
The ten-point must system is in effect for all fights; three judges score each round and the winner of each receives ten points, the loser nine points or fewer. If the round is even, both fighters receive ten points. In New Jersey, the fewest points a fighter can receive is 7, and in other states by custom no fighter receives fewer than 8.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission currently lists the following as fouls:[16]
When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a no contest if unintentional. If a foul causes a fighter to be unable to continue later in the bout, it ends with a technical decision win to the injured fighter if the injured fighter is ahead on points, otherwise it is a technical draw.[17]
As of Strikeforce Challengers: Voelker vs. Bowling III, which took place July 22, 2011, there have been 51 Strikeforce events held.
Strikeforce has held tournaments in the mens' middleweight division and womens' welterweight division. On February 12, 2011, Strikeforce had its inaugural World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament featuring eight of its top heavyweights. The Grand Prix brackets took and will take place during separate events on separate occasions starting at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva.
| Men's division | Upper weight limit | Champion | Since | Title Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | 265 lb (120 kg; 18.9 st) | Vacant | ||
| Light Heavyweight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |  Dan Henderson |
March 5, 2011 | 0 |
| Middleweight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |  Ronaldo Souza |
August 21, 2010 | 1 |
| Welterweight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) | Vacant[18] | June 9, 2011 | |
| Lightweight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) | Gilbert Melendez |
December 19, 2009 | 2 |
| Women's division | Upper weight limit | Champion | Since | Title Defenses |
| Featherweight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) | Cristiane Santos |
August 15, 2009 | 2 |
| Bantamweight | 135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st) | Miesha Tate |
July 30, 2011 | 0 |
Figures are available from the company Round 5.[19] A series of their figures includes Cung Le and Gina Carano. The Cung Le figure was released at the 2009 San Diego Comic Convention. An exclusive special version of the Cung Le figurine was released thereafter in which he has different colored shorts and design.
