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[BigJoe111]

After dispatching a very game Schlemenko last night Lombard called out the Strikeforce Middleweight champion. I think that this is the way to go for both Bellator and Strikeforce if they want to be able to compete with the UFC. Think of the fights available. Alvarez vs Melendez, Askern vs Diaz, and Lombard vs Jacare just to start. This would be great, I don't think they have to be title fights but three round fights would be great. What do you all think?

[trustkill]

I'd love to see a co-promotion, even if it means 3-round, non-title fights. But I think Bellator (being the smaller promotion) has more to gain, and Strikeforce has more to lose. I think that's why you haven't heard anything from the Strikeforce side of the fence.

[Chute_Boxe44]

Of course Strikeforce has much more to lose here. If they did this and their current champs lost to the champion of a smaller org it would look horrible for them. Especially when they're trying to make the mainstream audience believe that they have the best stable of fighters in the world (which is ridiculous).

Bellator have nothing to lose. If they win, awesome. If they lose, hey at least they gave it a shot and no one would think any less of them.

[LethalStriker]

It's funny how it's always the smaller organizations that are willing to do co-promotion. SF was one of the smaller organizations that always got upset when UFC wouldn't co-promote with them. But now that the shoe is on the other foot they suddenly don't want to co-promote themselves.

[foutch550]

Originally Posted by BigJoe111

Alvarez vs Melendez, Askern vs Diaz, and Lombard vs Jacare just to start. This would be great, I don't think they have to be title fights but three round fights would be great. What do you all think?

At the risk of stealing a concept from the WWE, the ppv could be approached as somewhat of a "Bragging Rights" ppv. No title exchanges, but u get to see two of the absolute best of two promotions going at it. I love the idea.

[Northman]

Be a darn good PPV - Strikeforce vs. Bellator vs. Dream - everyone makes some money...

[SickNasty]

Just have the fights at catchweight. Don't promote it as a "bragging rights" thing. Id promote it as a professional as possible. Do the best to break the myth that "the best fight only in the ufc".

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Lombard's a beast and a damn awersome MW, but much like Melendez, there's not much to gain in a fight for Jacare by going up against a severly underknown fighter from a less heralded org, who poses a massive challenge, when there are fighters within the organization such as Hendo or Lawler etc that are bigger names and arguably not "as big" of a threat. I'd love to see this fight, but I don't think there's logic from Strikefarce's end until the Bellator guys get a little more publicity and facetime.

Maybe doing a four fight card with both MW and LW champions from Bellator and Strikefarce, with the ideal that the winners of both bouts will showdown next, but still, Strikefarce has alot at risk here....

[Y2JUBAE]

It's a lot better for SF than to co-promote with M-1.

[BigJoe111]

I think that there are some things that should be considered before saying that Strikeforce couldn't benefit from this.

1. Could lead to the possibility of PPV, which has been mentioned.

2. Could lead to a situation where the Bellator tournament setup leads to options for lower level SF fighters to get more coverage by adding them into the tourney. Wouldn't it have been better for Strikeforce for Lashley to be exposed on a lesser known show then for them to throw so much money into marketing him before knowing exactly what they had.

3. Better TV coverage- Bellator doesn't reasonably well on FSN and Strikeforce does reasonably well on Showtime but together they could push for a better time slot and possibly a better station, maybe network TV.

4. There just aren't many really good options for some of the SF champions within their own organization. I mean who really wants to see Melendez fight the punk again. Melendez vs ALvarez would sell like crazy for those of us who actually know anything about MMA. Who is left at 170 in SF that even poses a small threat to Diaz so why not have him fight Askern who would be the best wrestler that Diaz has ever fought and poses a significant threat.

Those are just a few of the potential benefits of co-promotion, not to mention the possibility of absorbing some fighters and the increase in talent pool that could follow. If these guys ever want to compete with the UFC they need to do something like this.