Strikeforce champ Melendez to be offered fourth Thomson fight

Because he signed a big money deal to stay in Strikeforce in January 2011 (when let's face it the lack of depth in their lightweight division was clear to all) and Zuffa's new deal with Showtime won't let them move any more fighters over. I mean you're literally talking about the roster being written into the terms of the contract to the extent that King Mo was told that if he re-signed with Zuffa he'd HAVE to go to Strikeforce.

As for the fight its by far the best they could do unless they can convince a UFC fighter to move across which is virtually impossible. It sucks for Melendez but meh he chose to be the big fish in the small pond, and is paid VERY well because of that decision.

 

Nope. Zuffa/Showtime restructured the deal towards the end of last year because neither side wanted to renew the preexisting option. Part of the new deal is the inclusion of safeguards to prevent Zuffa strip-mining the promotion as they *arguably* did with Diaz, Overeem and Henderson (personally I think they were all difficult situations that would probably have stumped Coker as well). Basically Showtime and Zuffa agreed a roster list and the fighters who's names are on that roster cannot be moved over. As I said King Mo sent feelers out to Zuffa before signing with Bellator/TNA and was flat out told that legally they couldn't sign him to the UFC so he'd have to go back to Strikeforce. Melendez is stuck there until the deal runs out and they renegotiate again.

So it sucks for Melendez but let's face it - the lightweight division in Strikeforce was always very shallow. Indeed the standard of competition hasn't really diminished at all from what it was pre-buyout. It is what it is.

 

Dam shame

Thankyou for the information

 

You look at what they took there were circumstances forcing them to act - Diaz's boxing deal, Henderson being out of contract, the whole Golden Boy mess/Overeem only having one fight left on his deal. But personally I think its safe to work on the assumption that they thought Strikeforce wouldn't make 2012 because they couldn't work with Hershman. When he left they tried to cobble something together as best they can while taking the one thing they really wanted - the heavyweight division. So they're certainly putting the interests of the UFC above Strikeforce - but considering one makes money and the other loses it, they'd be idiots to do otherwise.

But again its difficult to take what the likes of Tim Kennedy say seriously because the middleweight division is no less of a draw than it was under Coker. I remember in 2010 my liveblog of Impact FC: Shamrock vs. Rizzo got more hits than the liveblog for Kennedy vs. Souza on the same website. No one ever gave a crap about Strikeforce's championships. They cared about the big stars like Frank Shamrock, Cung Le, Fedor, Walker and Nick Diaz. Maybe if Coker was independent he'd have more freedom to book in a way that pushed such acts to the top but considering they were losing money when sold I doubt it.

 

I wanted Tim and jacare in the UFC... this is an outrage!!!

Lynchburg

 

I think after falling out with Showtime again, Zuffa is just going through the motions with Strikeforce now.

Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment put Strikeforce on the market because they were no longer willing to invest the money necessary to grow the company. If the parent company is having to put money into a company then its by definition losing money i.e. needs external investment to cover costs. From everything I've read it sounds like Strikeforce had got sucked into the horrible Intermediate position a la ECW or ROH - too big to be small, too small to be big. They were having to sign bigger stars and run more events to maintain their Showtime contract but without pay per view and a history of only drawing in San Jose they couldn't make enough revenue to cover their costs. Personally I think SVSE probably cuts their loses too early. If they had stayed around for another year they may have been able to sell to Viacom and take the Spike slot.

 

Doesn't he train with Silva?

 

Given the situation and their last fight, it isn't so bad.

Melendez is being royally ****ed from a legacy and fame perspective.

 

How many other guys have been to a 5 round decision 3 times? Let alone 4?

Legit question, I'm actually curious if this has happened before, I can't think of any off the top of my head.

 

Frankie Edgar 4 - 5 round decisions