Another former Strikeforce Fighter........

[Saku Would Go!]

I have to give it the UFC hype machine. Did anyone really think the former Strikeforce fighters would have this much success in the UFC?

Here is the list of former Strikeforce fighters that have been champions or fought for the title. **list includes fighters under Strikeforce contract when it was purchased by the UFC**

Champions:
Robbie Lawler
Tyron Woodley
Fabricio Werdum
Luke Rockhold
Daniel Cormier

Fough for Title:
Bigfoot
Josh Thomson
Gil Melendez
Overeem **scheduled to fight for title**

Other notables:
The Moose
Jacare
Tim Kennedy
Almost Every Heavyweight that came over
Bobby Green

When Strikeforce was around it was always considered a distant second to the UFC. Turns out the gap was much smaller than every thought.

 

[robbie]

Scott Coker knows what he is doing in terms of finding talent and building an organization. Let's hope he does it again with Bellator so the fighters have good options and some leverage to get better contracts and working conditions. Nick Diaz and Jake Shields were other Strikeforce fighters of note who came to the UFC when it was purchased.

 

[Sgt Smith]

Strikeforce was a great MMA promotion. I always felt they were on par with the UFC in terms of talent, just a little behind in terms of production. Not surprising that so many Strikeforce fighters have found success in the UFC.

 

[former-monger]

Of course the UFC having the top fighter in the weight class has always been bullshit what they has is marketing and more depth

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

When did Josh Thomson fight for the title?

 

[FedorGOAT]

Now don't laugh, when I say Bellator has same kind of depth in their Lightweight & Welterweight divisions as UFC.

 

[Saku Would Go!]

When did Josh Thomson fight for the title?

He fought Bendo for the title. Close fight. I though he won.

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

He fought Bendo for the title. Close fight. I though he won.

False.

 

[Saku Would Go!]

Scott Coker knows what he is doing in terms of finding talent and building an organization. Let's hope he does it again with Bellator so the fighters have good options and some leverage to get better contracts and working conditions. Nick Diaz and Jake Shields were other Strikeforce fighters of note who came to the UFC when it was purchased.

I agree. He did really well taking shots on guys from overseas. If I remember correctly he allowed a number of fighters to fight in other organizations especially DREAM.

 

[Saku Would Go!]

False.

My bad. Forgot he had lost the title to Pettis before that fight.

 

[egk]

Don't forget Eddie Alvarez came from Bellator. Despite the UFC propaganda most people knew Bellator and especially Strikeforce, like Pride before them, had guys who could challenge for the titles.

 

[fearoth]

He fought Bendo for the title. Close fight. I though he won.

Underrated dude

 

[d3vil0ck]

But bro, the only top fighters in the world fight in the UFC. Strikeforce was a bunch of cans. Can you believe Fedor signed with them?!

 

[TheBrownRanger]

Ah great, this thread again. Sooner or later, you're going to get the UFC nuthugger who says "but they improved once they got to the UFC bro!" and it'll devolve into a pointless argument, which is whether or not the secondary promotions today are better than Strikeforce/PRIDE/WEC was.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

The folks calling the UFC a monopoly were always wrong.

 

[mindturking]

Lawler and Werdum were UFC fighters before strikeforce. Thompson never fought for a title. Cromier never beat Jones but sure let's call him a champ. Not a shot I am a fan but he wouldnt be a hw champ that's for sure...Rockhold lost in his first defense to fucking bisping and Woodley destroyed Lawler even tho he lost a few times prior to that in the UFC. None of that matter tho they are UFC fighters and nobody were destroyers all the way to title cept cromier and Lawler 2.0


Belfort ko rockhold in the ufc

Shit Woodley got destroyed by Nate Marquardt lost to Jake shields and Rory McDonald

Overeem chin beats him more often than not.


Tl:dr all are UFC fighters they strikeforce was number two and now doesn't exist.

 

[mindturking]

Ah great, this thread again. Sooner or later, you're going to get the UFC nuthugger who says "but they improved once they got to the UFC bro!" and it'll devolve into a pointless argument, which is whether or not the secondary promotions today are better than Strikeforce/PRIDE/WEC was.

You can agrue overeem of course but that's it really. He got his best career win in the ufc ..rockold and Woodley too but he lost 3 times under zuffa. And Belfort and bisping beat rockhold. shutdown...Cromier is the only exception even tho Jones beat him.



Wec would be the better of imo

Aldo Pettis bendo Cruz alone makes the case

 

[LiquidSnake]

I noticed this too

 

[Saku Would Go!]

Lawler and Werdum were UFC fighters before strikeforce. Thompson never fought for a title. Cromier never beat Jones but sure let's call him a champ. Not a shot I am a fan but he wouldnt be a hw champ that's for sure...Rockhold lost in his first defense to fucking bisping and Woodley destroyed Lawler even tho he lost a few times prior to that in the UFC. None of that matter tho they are UFC fighters and nobody were destroyers all the way to title cept cromier and Lawler 2.0


Belfort ko rockhold in the ufc

Shit Woodley got destroyed by Nate Marquardt lost to Jake shields and Rory McDonald

Overeem chin beats him more often than not.


Tl:dr all are UFC fighters they strikeforce was number two and now doesn't exist.

I'll give you Thomson. I got my time line a little screwed up. Lawler and Werdum were both under Strikeforce contract. My point is how strong the Strikeforce roster was when it was purchased. Whether they had previously fought in the UFC or not is irrelevant. Don't forget Rockhold whooped up on Weidman before he decided to blow it against Bisping.

 

[mindturking]

I'll give you Thomson. I got my time line a little screwed up. Lawler and Werdum were both under Strikeforce contract. My point is how strong the Strikeforce roster was when it was purchased. Whether they had previously fought in the UFC or not is irrelevant. Don't forget Rockhold whooped up on Weidman before he decided to blow it against Bisping.

well If your point was the roster was strong when purchased I agree wholeheartedly. I don't think that was ever in contention they were the clear number in most eyes. Others say wec. Like myself. But sure it was a great roster. Nobody can argue against that and mean it.