Has Bellator surpassed Strikeforce at its peak?

[BEATDOWNS]

.... who made their names in the UFC.

Strike force guys came to UFC and started winning belts.

and Gals..

and Cyborg.

 

[613]

I wouldnt say it was that far off but you make a good point about LHW, i cant remember anyone other than dan henderson and mike kyle

When it comes to depth it was really far out. SFs top 5 or so at LW, MW and HW were as good or better then the UFCs, but after that there was a massive drop off for SF

 

[Kingz]

I don’t think so, but they have a parent company willing to see through some losses.

Strikeforce didn’t have that luxury but they had a greater roster

 

[Joseph_McBride]

Peak Strikeforce:

Hendo
Diaz
Gil
DC
Ronda
Rockhold
Jacare
Romero
Thomson
Masvidal
Miesha
Lawler
Reem
Werdum
Barnett
Larkin
Bigfoot

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Strikeforce definitely benefitted from being on CBS more than Showtime. CBS is where it really got its fan base. If Coker could get a deal with a network for one card per quarter, whether CBS, Fox, etc., it would help bring in the American fan base.

So you have a face familiar to millions of people who is saying he wants a fight in 50 Cent. If you put him on a card on CBS that is filled with solid matchups otherwise, you will find your fan base and things will change. Strikeforce co-promoted with EliteXC on CBS when they had Kimbo Slice main eventing, a name whom people wanted to see. Then after EXC fell, Strikeforce slid into their CBS slot. The fans watched those cards, and afterwards quite a bit of them followed them over to Showtime.

I understand Bellator signed the deal with DAZN, but that deal isn't necessarily just to find an American viewership. DAZN is already in other countries and is apparently popular in some of these places, so they're hoping to gain an international audience. But if they want a bigger American audience, they need to do their damnedest to try and get onto network TV. I honestly believe that they will make a play to get on Fox somehow, after the UFC is moved over to ESPN. Not sure how the red tape plays out with Viacom owning Bellator, but there is talk of Viacom merging with CBS anyway, I believe, and those are people who Coker has dealt with previously.

Long windend post short, give it some time. They're playing the long game, and they have a little breathing room with the 100+ million deal they signed with DAZN. That will carry them for a while, and Coker has proven himself previously, surpassing Strikeforce will probably eventually happen.

 

[listrahtes]

No because Strikeforce fighters became champions in the UFC

UFC fighters become champions in Bellator........

Eddie Alvarez? The point is not UFC vs. Bellator in a virtual dick contest but the quality of Bellators roster on its own and there strikeforce was just fantastic. They had the best HW weight class of the world by far and very good fighters at WW. AND they had close to no fucking freak fights like with Cooker that seems to be his only concern. Strikeforce was legit about the fighters and thats why so many had built a reputation that was worth a lot of money to UFC.

If Cooker would resign today io Rebney would have done a better job with Bellator than him. I really thought Scott would elevate Bellator but at the moment he only transcends it into a circus show with MMA on the side. Wand -Rampage 4 is just pathetic!! The real talent doesnt fight often enough and lets not forget Cooker actively encourages fighters to take PEDs with his even politics so his senior fighters like Chael can roid up.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Peak Strikeforce:

Hendo
Diaz
Gil
DC
Ronda
Rockhold
Jacare
Romero
Thomson
Masvidal
Miesha
Lawler
Reem
Werdum
Barnett
Larkin
Bigfoot

Fuck me i knew i was forgetting someone.

Robbie also became champ.

so that makes six lmfao at Bellator being better

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

No

Not even close

 

[Sapp]

Strikeforce by such a margin it isn't even funny.

 

[gimp0]

No way, Strikeforce was way better. Strikeforce had way more legit talented fighters.

Bellator name is dog shit which doesn't help.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Eddie Alvarez? The point is not UFC vs. Bellator in a virtual dick contest but the quality of Bellators roster on its own and there strikeforce was just fantastic. They had the best HW weight class of the world by far and very good fighters at WW. AND they had close to no fucking freak fights like with Cooker that seems to be his only concern. Strikeforce was legit about the fighters and thats why so many had built a reputation that was worth a lot of money to UFC.

If Cooker would resign today io Rebney would have done a better job with Bellator than him. I really thought Scott would elevate Bellator but at the moment he only transcends it into a circus show with MMA on the side. Wand -Rampage 4 is just pathetic!! The real talent doesnt fight often enough and lets not forget Cooker actively encourages fighters to take PEDs with his even politics so his senior fighters like Chael can roid up.

I can't tell if you are arguing with me or agreeing with me. lolz

 

[Pakman]

Interesting Q
But it seemed like a lot more casuals were aware of SF than they are Bellator

dunno about that. Most casuals that I've had convo's about with MMA have known about Bellator for a long time. Many were fans of the tournament format that they had. Plus it was on Spike which was a channel people knew MMA was on. So they'd find out about it.

I only knew of hardcores that knew of what Strikeforce was, I don't think I've ever met a casual that even knew Strikeforce was a company.

 

[Fedor>Cain]

Strikeforce has a better HW division than the UFC even has right now.

Had a better MW division too.

Bellator is more popular, but not better.

 

[FrankieNYC]

dunno about that. Most casuals that I've had convo's about with MMA have known about Bellator for a long time. Many were fans of the tournament format that they had. Plus it was on Spike which was a channel people knew MMA was on. So they'd find out about it.

I only knew of hardcores that knew of what Strikeforce was, I don't think I've ever met a casual that even knew Strikeforce was a company.

Agree to disagree
Strikeforce had a lot more exposure when MMA was hot

 

[listrahtes]

I can't tell if you are arguing with me or agreeing with me. lolz

I just quoted you with "UFC champs are Bellator champs" as Eddie is a bellator champ turned UFC champ. So it goes both ways. You were right as long as only UFC rejects got taken under contract by Bellator but Mousasi and Rory are both legit Top5 at their weight class nowadays as WME just cuts cost. They werent rejected but choose to sign elsewhere.

 

[El Fernas]

lol

DC
Luke
Ronda
Meisha
Cyborg

Also Woodley.

 

[Southpaw_27]

Nah that HW division in strike force was pretty stacked.

 

[GloryOfIran]

STrikeforce had fedor overeem barnett melendez rockhold carano cyborg and rousey. To match that bellator would need stipe ngannou blaydes khabib and a new rousey figure.

 

[felmmando]

Eddie Alvarez says hi.

What does Will Brooks say?

 

[Mondo Freaks]

Strikeforce EliteXC for life