Dana White makes some killer points, although he's wrong about Showtime being second rate in "everything".
Boxing?
Probably.
MMA?
Definitely when compared to the UFC.
But when you factor in good stuff like Dexter and Brotherhood, which are 2 of the coolest shows I've ever seen, and even the Tudors and that call girl show are watchable at 3am when your woman sleeps over, you have to recognize at some point, no?
Dana should give Showtime some credit for the good stuff they do produce, but they DEFINITELY should not be copping an attitude, ESPECIALLY with a guy like White, who actually IS at the top of his particular food chain.
How many rival promotions has the UFC buried, regardless of whether or not they were on network TV?
How many fighters that he's really wanted has he not been able to sign?
He really makes a strong case. What creeped me out a little is how he did it so calmly.
;)
For the sake of the sport, I hope that Strikeforce does well, and their event goes off as planned. If CBS does well with MMA, it will probably compel at least one of their competitors to come to terms with Zuffa, and thus result in even more MMA on network TV, which is beneficial for the sport and its fighters.
Definitely have to agree with my boys mk4 and carls.
Most everyone I know, even in Vegas, considers MMA = UFC.
Lots of casual fans still call it "ultimate fighting", and I was just talking to a guy last weekend who was shocked to find out that his Tapout shirt wasn't a UFC product.
Funny but true.
I think what Dana White needs to consider is that just because going into Fall 2009 Strikeforce isn't any competition for the UFC doesn't mean that they'll never be.
Setting up working agreements with DREAM and other small orgs is a good first step. Getting on CBS is a great second step.
I think the jury is still out on the whole M-1 Global/Fedor thing, but if Coker thinks he can avoid getting "Eastern Promise'd" out of his fair share, then more power to him.
I posted this before, but I thinkits a mistake for the UFC to counter-program against Strikeforce. Let them throw their product out there, and then the UFC will do the same on another date.
This benefits all the fans, and its not like anyone is going to see a Strikeforce card and a UFC event and say, "that UFC looks like sh!t, I'm not buying into that!", or "Strikeforce sucks a$$" or something along those lines.
I watch both as my schedule allows, and support both as my wallet allows.
If Strikeforce had more frequent PPVs, I would buy them. Right now the UFC does like 14 PPVs a year, and I buy those that I don't actually attend.
Someday I want to get out to San Jose to see a Strikeforce card [maybe Fedor-Overeem] and sit behind some tall bald dude and ask him "whats up, frenZy-boy"?
:)
