Strikeforce AKA Interviews: Arlovski, Shields, Thomson, Cormier

Here’s a few interviews Strikeforce posted of Andrei Arlovski, Jake Shields, Josh Thomson and Daniel Cormier training at AKA.

 

Scott Coker Talks DREAM Alliance, Strikeforce In Japan & Fedor

Scott Coker talks to Fanhouse about their alliance with DREAM, potentially bringing Strikeforce to Japan and when Fedor might return.

 

Strikeforce ‘St. Louis: Heavy Artillery’ Tickets On Sale Next Week

It’s official. Strikeforce “St. Louis: Heavy Artillery” is scheduled to take place at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, May 15 and will air live on Showtime at 10PM ET (tape delayed on the West Coast). The event will be headlined by two heavyweight bouts — Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers and Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva. It’s unclear if Overeem’s heavyweight title will be on the line or not.

 

Gegard Mousasi & Jake Shields On The Last Fight On Their Contracts In Nashville

It looks like Fedor Emelianenko isn’t the only marquee fighter Strikeforce has to worry about retaining. Both Gegard Mousasi and Jake Shields each have one fight left on their current contracts which they’ll fulfill on April 17 in Nashville. If Mousasi beats King Mo he’ll remained tied to the organization due to the “champion’s clause” in his contract, however it doesn’t sound like it will matter much since Mousasi expects to sign a longterm deal with Strikeforce regardless.

 

Strikeforce ‘Nashville’ Press Conference Highlights, Interviews & Pics

Strikeforce held an open workout and press conference yesterday at Legends gym in Hollywood, California for their upcoming Strikeforce “Nashville” event. Here’s highlights, video interviews and pictures courtesy of Strikeforce, Showtime, Sherdog and FIGHT! Magazine.

 

UFC Likely Countering Strikeforce ‘Nashville’ With PPV Replay, Not Live Event

After a month’s worth of rumors and speculation, the UFC has decided to scrap their plans to counter Strikeforce “Nashville” with a live event on April 17.

The long-rumored UFC event expected to counter the promotion’s April 17 CBS offering will not take place, MMA Fighting has confirmed.

Earlier this month, the UFC explored the option, going so far as to inform likely broadcast partner Spike TV that the show was a go, but the company has apparently reversed course, and a Spike source said the network has been told by the UFC that the show is no longer happening.

Now, it appears Strikeforce will air its anticipated show pitting three title fights free of live competition, though the Spike source said it’s likely the UFC will at least air a prior pay-per-view event on Spike. A decision on that programming has yet to be made.

While the rumored card seemed like a definite go at one point, that quickly became more and more questionable as the days and weeks passed without a single solid fight announcement. It’s unknown why the UFC ultimately decided to scrap it, but the trouble they had lining up a solid headliner was probably one of the major factors.

Strikeforce and CBS have to be relieved by the news. Even with the flexibility to move their event to April 24, they decided to stick it out on the 17th. Ticket sales are apparently going well and CBS started airing five and 10-second promos today during March Madness.

 

Mousasi & King Mo Exchange Pleasantries In Hollywood

Middle Easy caught this footage of Gegard Mousasi and King Mo having a few words at an open workout in Hollywood for the upcoming Strikeforce “Nashville” show.

 

Bobby Lashley Added To Strikeforce ‘Nashville’

It looks like Strikeforce “Nashville” is going to get a fourth fight after all, and Bobby Lashley is going to be a part of it. The question is, who’s his opponent?

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Nick Solomon, reporting for JabsNGrabs.com and MMAWeekly.com, on Wednesday that the promotion had already submitted an opponent for Lashley and was awaiting approval from the Tennessee Athletic Commission. He declined to name the opponent.

If the match-up is approved, Coker told Solomon that the bout would likely be the fourth bout on the CBS televised portion of the event.

Well, we know it probably won’t be any of Strikeforce’s high-profile heavyweights. Alistair Overeem, Brett Rogers, Andrei Arlovski and Antonio Silva are all slated to fight in May. It’s obviously not going to be Fedor, and Fabricio Werdum is still on deck for him as far as we know. I don’t know who it will be, but hopefully it’s someone who will push him harder than Wes Sims did. Good move getting Lashley some network television exposure though.

 

Scott Coker Isn’t Ruling Out Signing Canseco If He Trains

Ugh, just when I thought the Jose Canseco story had finally gone away, Scott Coker has to go and drop this quote to MMA Junkie.

“I can tell you this: If Cesar Gracie says to me, ‘Jose’s training with me, I’m going to get him ready, and I’m going to do it in four or five months,’ and Cesar’s telling me this? That will have a lot of weight on what we decide.”

Coker did add that he doesn’t have any intention of signing of Canseco, but still that doesn’t exactly sound like the same guy who previously said he had no interest whatsoever in Canseco. Basically, the door’s slightly cracked, not completely shut, locked and boarded up.

I don’t know, if Canseco seriously trained for 4-5 months, I guess I’d have less of a problem with it, but I’m having a hard time getting past his motivation for doing it in the first place. The difference between him and Herschel Walker is Herschel donated his purse to charity, and there’s no indication Canseco would do the same. I mean we are talking about the same guy who will literally hang out with you for a day if you pay him $1,000. I usually try to keep an open mind about some of the random stuff this sport produces, but Canseco just leaves a bad taste in my mouth I can’t seem to wash out.

 

Franklin Fighting Liddell Or Couture At UFC 115? UFC Still Countering Strikeforce? (Update)

We’re back in business. Sorry for the late start today, but our flight was delayed several hours last night and I didn’t get home until 5 o’clock in the morning.