Showdown Joe takes a look at what's happening around the world of mixed martial arts.
When Forza, LLC -- a subsidiary of UFC parent company Zuffa, LLC -- purchased Strikeforce MMA, fans and media alike began predicting what the short- and long-term pictures would look like for the California-based promotion, both in and out of the cage. Two months have since gone by and changes abound. Most of the Strikeforce staff have been released and subsequently replaced by many of the Zuffa employees who once worked for the WEC.
Strikeforce founder and former CEO Scott Coker will remain with the organization, but there are whispers wondering for how long, and under what role and capacity. Many of the athletes under contract with Strikeforce are happy about the direction the organization is taking, what with per diems and gas mileage now being a standard, but one has to wonder what's in store for many of them.
Rumblings continue about the status of welterweight champ Nick Diaz, and whether he will be moved over to the UFC. The same can be said for heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Better yet, how long until all the top dogs are migrated over? Will the promotion survive or will it be amalgamated/dissolved into the UFC? I'm not a betting man, but if I were, my money would be on the latter.
Watch a new episode of the Ultimate Fighter - Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos on Sportsnet at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT featuring the beginning of the quarter-final fights.
I spent the earlier part of the day re-watching middleweight Mahmed Khalidov's last seven fights. For those that who are unaware of Khalidov's resume, he boasts a record of 22-4-2, and is in, or on the cusp of, being added to many of the top-10 rankings out there. He was in recent negotiations to enter Bellator's season five 185-pound tournament, but a scheduling conflict may prevent him from doing so.
While it hasn't affected his fights in the past, Khalidov, a practising Muslim, will be honouring the holy month of Ramadan, and thus will be fasting throughout what would be his training camp for the beginning of the tournament. To my understanding, in 2010 there was a fatwa exempting pro athletes from the required fasting, but it appears Khalidov will not accept. This is unfortunate for MMA fans, but understandable; Mahmed has the right to do what he likes and should answer to know one but himself; risk versus reward.
Watch UFC Wired tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet East and Ontario featuring the early battles of lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Stephan Bonnar, Joe Lauzon and Kenny Florian.
For those following what's happening with Japanese promotion DREAM, the unfortunate tale of impending doom continues to unfold. The organization has apparently lost its North American broadcasting rights, with a slim chance of a deal being consummated to air their next event on May 29.
With 10 days to go, an opponent for Shinya Aoki has still not been secured. First it was former WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner. Then it was confirmed that it was former MFC champ Antonio McKee. On Wednesday, due to visa issues, McKee was forced to step away and was replaced by Shane Nelson. This morning, it appears as if Nelson has also been replaced and now Aoki is set to square off against UFC veteran Rich (No Love) Clementi. Love the nickname, but my goodness, the irony.
Coming back to North America, specifically Vancouver, the UFC 131 card has seen another fighter replaced due to injury. Mac Danzig is out of what was pegged to be a stellar grudge match againt Donald Cerrone and will now be replaced by Brazilian lightweight Vagner Rocha.
Rocha (6-1) is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who now resides in Pembroke Pines, Fla., and is a veteran of both Strikeforce and Bellator. He's only gone the distance twice, with four of his six wins ending via submission. Of those four wins, three were by armbar. Mental note for the Cowboy, keep your elbows in check.
And as discussed during last week's episode of UFC Connected, many MMA pundits are paying close attention to the contract status of Japanese featherweight sensation Hatsu Hioki. The current Sengoku featherweight champion is apparently in limbo, waiting to find out if he will be released from the Japanese promotion. Seeing as they don't have an event scheduled in 2011, and Hioki's last bout was under the Shooto banner. Perhaps the writing is on the wall as the clock ticks away to his free agency.
Hioki boasts a record of 24-4-2, with two of those wins over Mark Hominick. He also owns victories again the likes of Jeff Curran, Rumina Sato, Masanori Kanehara, Takashi Inoue and Marlon Sandro. He's also listed in many of the media's top-10 pound-for-pound fighters.
On a side note, and pardon me as I digress, one of Hioki's losses comes at the hands of another top featherweight who has yet to be signed by Zuffa: Canadian Antonio (Pato) Carvalho, who I firmly believe also belongs in the big show.
