Would Signing Dave Batista Be a Shrewd Business Move By Strikeforce?
by Anthony Pace on Jul 8, 2010 3:47 PM EDT
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PrintWith reports stating that former WWE wrestler Dave Batista is putting serious time and effort into training MMA, it seems that Strikeforce is giving serious consideration to signing the former "Heavyweight Champion of the World." Many will decry such a move if it ever comes to fruition, but is it really such a mistake?
In January, Strikeforce held their infamous Miami show that featured bouts involving Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and another former pro-wrestler, Bobby Lashley. What having those two on the card meant was that people normally indifferent to MMA were attracted to a card featuring Nick Diaz, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, and the classic Melvin Manhoef/Robbie Lawler brawl. The card drew 571,000 viewers on Showtime, an increase of 51% over the network's previous Strikeforce show that featured a Fight of the Year contender with the Gilbert Melendez/Josh Thomson headliner. That additional 176,000 viewers is certainly nothing to scoff at, especially for a premium cable channel.
Now, if Strikeforce could maneuver Batista and Walker onto the same card, they very well could find themselves on CBS once more. Walker has expressed his desire to compete again later this year and by late fall Batista would would have had a good few months at Team Cesar Gracie under his belt. Batista, though not a legend of professional wrestling by any means, was a far greater star than Lashley ever was. Having him compete in MMA on free television would be very enticing to WWE fans that have yet to cross over. Couple that with the common sports fans' love of Herschel Walker and the card is certain to do well in ratings. Dare I say, if they could get Kimbo Slice to face Herschel Walker, it would be the most watched MMA card of all time.
It's the prime opportunity to showcase some of their legitimate talent. Imagine a five-fight main card that looks something like this:
Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva
Nick Diaz vs. Jayson "Mayhem" Miller
Dan Henderson vs. Gegard Mousasi
Dave Batista vs. Bobby Lashley
Herschel Walker vs. Kimbo Slice
To catch the big fish, you've got to have bait. And with names like Herschel, Batista, and Kimbo that will draw a broad spectrum of viewers, this could just be the prime opportunity to capitalize off the notorious nature of the "freakshow fight."
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I'd watch it
I believe Bigfoot is tied down right now though but a fight with Overeem isn’t out of the question right now.
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in the future not right now
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by doonerthesooner on Jul 8, 2010 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions
They shouldn't sign Batista....
I mean…it’s the same argument I had against Herschel Walker….and boy was I right….having him on the that event drew more eyeballs…but for what? They aren’t retaining any of those viewers…it’s not building toward a core fanbase that will support(other than the hardcores)…I mean…look at the ratings of the shows since Walker fought….not very good….which was the case I was making back then….and Batista would be no different….signing over the hill athletes and have them fighting cans doesn’t do SF a bit of good…even if the potential card that Robert put together came to fruition….it may draw decent ratings…but then what?
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It’s a card-by-card lifestyle for Strikeforce. If they don’t get back on CBS, it’s kaput. And with a show like that that is GUARANTEED fireworks in the legitimate fights, it’s the perfect time to make new fans, much like the TUF 1 finale.
I think the worst thing about the first Herschel fight was that it was on Showtime.
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
probably
I think it’s caput no matter what SF does from here on out…I mean…they have horrible marketing and branding….they don’t have the best fighters….and they get on CBS once in a blue moon….therefore, they’ll never be able to grab much of the market from the UFC.
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It’s true they’ll never catch the UFC, but I think right now is the critical time in deciding how successful they’ll be as the #2, whether or not they’re going to be the ABA or the Arena Football League.
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
I don't think their #2 either
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by doonerthesooner on Jul 8, 2010 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe talent wise but that's kinda hard to back up.
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by doonerthesooner on Jul 8, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah i’d rather watch Bellator
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Jul 8, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I think its not neccessarily bad idea, as long as they can some how rub some of the eyeballs on their brand and. I agree, they have been doing a horrible job from a marketing standpoint.
by The Bronzeville Bully on Jul 9, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions
They absolutely need to sign Batista. They need all the help they can get. CBS isn’t going to give them another show unless they have proven draws on it. No more of this “pure MMA” business on CBS. It’s going to be freak shows all the time on CBS because that’s all that draws.
MMA fans can talk all they want about hating freak show fights, but that’s what gets it done on network television in the United States. Plain and simple. It’s been proven time and time again. I doubt even the UFC would draw a very good number on network TV without Brock Lesnar headlining.
The thing is, why would people hate having Herschel and Batista on the card if it means they get to see Overeem, Hendo, Diaz etc. for FREE? There has to be some give with the take, and CBS cares more about ratings than having relevant fights on TV.
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
oh
I don’t necessarily care that they on the card…just in the long run it gets them nothing….after like 2 fights for each guy then what? Is all I’m saying.
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It’s like that for Strikeforce. They can’t get people hyped for a show that’s four months away, so I guess they just gotta do it show-by-show.
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
I doubt even the UFC would draw a very good number on network TV without Brock Lesnar headlining.
I put money on it…that if CBS let Zuffa promote the card(instead of CBS)…that it would do over 5 million viewers with a UFN type card….put headliners on it like GSP, BJ Penn., Lesnar, maybe Couture….hell…even Liddell…and it would do at least 8-10 million….
I mean really…if they could put UFC 75 on Spike with Rampage/Hendo as the main event and do over 5 million….with Zuffa promoting…I have no doubt they would hit these marks.
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A CBS card with Batista, Herschel, and Kimbo smashes 5 million viewers. It’s the most watched card of all time
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
yea
and then what? It would be like WEC 34 all over again.
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They probably get another shot at CBS in 2011. See above reply
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
I feel u
but again….being on CBS every four months isn’t enough to help them much…there’s too much space between those events.
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Don't know about the WWF comparison
Except the WWF had about five-to-seven shows in syndication plus two TV shows that aired on the USA Network
My avatar has Bas Rutten and Terry Funk in it...therefore it's the manliest avatar on SB Nation.
WWF in the 80s was buoyed by Saturday Night Main Event. This is before Raw is War or Smackdown came about
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
SNME came on NBC like 3 or 4 times a year
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
I know my history
In the 80’s you had:
Cable
Primetime Wrestling
All American Wrestling
Tuesday Night Titans
Syndication
WWF Superstar
WWF Wrestling Challenge
Wrestling Spotlight
All Star Wrestling
Championship Wrestling
They used all these shows to build up to SNME and they also had heavy marketing for the event by placing ads in various national and local newspapers.
My avatar has Bas Rutten and Terry Funk in it...therefore it's the manliest avatar on SB Nation.
I was born in ’89, so I cede the floor…
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
Same year, Graham Cawthron's History of The WWE site is a great research tool
My avatar has Bas Rutten and Terry Funk in it...therefore it's the manliest avatar on SB Nation.
haha
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Jul 8, 2010 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Batista is completely unqualified
He was a body builder. I mean, apparently he’s been training MMA “for years”, but I don’t even know what that means.
I’m in favor of this in regard to spectacle, not sport.
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
If he’s “completely unqualified” then he has no business inside a cage/ring. If this is all about the spectacle, why noy just hire movie stars and have them compete in scripted shams.
You have to draw the line somewhere or just forget about mma ever being considered a legitimate sport. SF are screwing over more than just their own credibility by trying to pass off garbage as mma.
┌∩┐(◕_◕)┌∩┐
PRIDE actually did the scripted thing,
and nobody holds it against them since they parlayed those semi-shameful tactics into a truly historic entry to the MMA landscape.
Is Strikeforce capable of the same? I’d say no, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be exploring each and every avenue available to them to grow and increase their market share. Is it ‘good’ for the sport of MMA? Maybe, maybe not. But we’re still at the point where more eyeballs is better than fewer eyeballs, regardless of the quality of aforementioned eyeballs. A half decade from now we might not need the eyeballs, but today I think it still helps, all told.
If I was a hungry man with a gun in my hand and some promises to keep...
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