Here are some notes regarding the story:
Both companies will be run as separate organizations. Zuffa has purchased the ownership of the company from Scott Coker, Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (parent company of the HP Pavilion and San Jose Sharks) but Coker will remain in charge and be given a budget to run the organization. All contracts with Strikeforce remain in tact. All shows on the books will take place. No change in schedule as they will remain on Showtime.
Of course there is an inevtability about this, and if you've followed Zuffa/Pride, UFC/WEC and all the other pro wrestling stories throughout history like this, they all end the same way, as will this, althouigh due to existing contracts, it may take years to happen.
No interpromotional matches. UFC fighters only fighting in UFC. Strikeforce fighters only fighting in Strikeforce. However, when Strikeforce contracts expire, if UFC wants certain fighters, they would likely be in UFC. Strikeforce could also be a place to put fighters who the company thinks has potential but are better off not in UFC this early in their career (a perfect example of this would be a Matt Riddle type if this deal was in place when he got started).
White probably won't be at the Strikeforce events, but other UFC officials likely would be. UFC will be making some tweaks in the Strikeforce business but overall it's a business as usual attitude.
UFC will promote Strikeforce shows on its television and PPVs.
Strikeforce will continue to promote women's fights as long as the contracts for fighters are there. Whether that remains long-term, who knows. White said he still doesn't believe there is enough depth of talent to have women's divisions.
Zuffa now has acquired the Strikeforce tape library, which would also include the Elite XC tape library.
UFC can now promote at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, even though that will be remain the home base for Strikeforce.
The up side from a business standpoint is with Sengoku and Dream going down, Zuffa pretty much controls the major league aspect of the sport and fighters have far less negotiating leverage when it comes to deals. They can control fighter contracts efficiently as well as control the direction of the sport adding Showtime, and perhaps, CBS, to deals under their umbrella. It gives them more events to showcase more fighters, which has both good and bad aspects to it.
A negative is that Zuffa will now be promoting Strikeforce, meaning the fighters in that organization should get more visibility. That sounds good, and it is, but it also means instead of seven world champions, we now have 14, and that also is two different champions in five different classes. There will be an inevitable public demand for fights, and they would eventually happen when contracts expire if the public wants them bad enough, but the one thing UFC has been great about is not diluting the value of its championships. Boxing has killed the value of its titles, as has wrestling. With 14 world champions, time will tell if this becomes a negative.
We will have a special audio update on this including taking questions. If you've got any questions on this subject, check the front page for call-in info in just a few minutes.
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