Scott Coker On Lending Fighters To Dream: Head Under His Pillow or Just That Desperate?

via www.mmaweekly.com

"I worked for K-1 for about eight years, and the ownership group of K-1 and DREAM is still the same," Coker said. "I've maintained good relationships over there, and it's always been my dream – that's kind of a pun, right? – to have our guys fight their guys and to see who would end up on top. If our guys win, that's fantastic. If [their guy] wins, then that's just great. It's just good competition.

I for one believe that this is a foolish way to look at trying to grow Strikeforce and his brand. If all his champions were to get beaten by Dream fighters and then they shift back to Japan and never bother to come back over to defend said title. This lesion should be fresh in Coker's mind seeing as their Heavy weight champ won't come within a country of the promotion. Thus far it has worked in Strikeforces favor with Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez winning their respective titles. Aoki was quite clear in a press conferenceon how he feels and if he wins that will be two Strikeforce straps over on the other side of the world not being defended.

"I feel very content," Coker said. "Aoki-Gibert, that's a fight that I thought 60-40 was not going to happen, even though I was pitching for it and pulling for it, because there's just so many things that can break down. I'm very appreciative to DREAM for honoring their word and sending Aoki to come over and compete against Gilbert."

This one is simple Dream is confident that Aoki will tear through Gilbert and earn them a title. Aoki is there poster boy and if this was a fight against BJ Penn of any of the top five of the UFC who have name value in the states this fight would not have been as easy to finalize.

"If the schedule permits, we'll let our guys go over there, and hopefully Tatsuya Kawajiri and Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai and all the fighters that we'd like to see over here eventually make their way over here and fight our top guys," Coker said. "Let's get it on."

Lastly i don't see Dream sending Sakurai to the slaughter like that, if anything the Diaz fight will be contested in Dream. The owners of Dream are not stupid and realize right now they need a partner but they also will not bury their stars by sending them over to the states to be clobbered. If Dream manages to get a foot hold and the MMA scene recovers to a point where Dream actually looks like an attractive spot for top fighters to go, we may see them pull a Pride and end the ending of fighter pretty quick. If that happens Strikeforce will be up the creek with out a boat let alone paddles.