Okay I’m not smoking from a bong.  Maybe sometimes I’m considered a conspiracy theorist; like 9-11 being an inside job and that we are headed towards a One-World Government. That is all true. Look it up. Don’t believe what you see on TV because the corporations control the news. Oh and there is also some conspiracies that happen in the sport of MMA like all of this “Overeem being cut from Strikeforce” business.

Just Saying… #2 Overeem and New World Order… MAN!

Alistair Overeem being cut from Strikeforce doesn’t surprise me and is extremely obvious. Overeem is a box of chocolates and an enigma in the sport, I personally like to use the words “Free Spirit.” He is also a highly marketable and talented heavyweight that would look good in a UFC Octagon.

Who knows what the real story is behind Overeem pulling out of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.  Some say injury others say it was a negotiation ploy to get a UFC contract. I’m going to go with both. Maybe he is injured. Forget the sore ribs, have you ever had a sore toe? It F’ing hurts.

Dana White told Ariel Helwani at mmafighting.com that Overeem’s management team requested to talk to DW himself about the whole ordeal, instead of Scott Coker and other Strikeforce and Zuffa executives. Hmmm….

First off, what does that tell you about the relationship Strikeforce has with Overeem? Secondly, you have to believe “The Reem” saw the kind of money Nick Diaz received including an instant UFC title shot and maybe those dollar signs and opportunity were extremely attractive. Cha Ching!! $$$

Overeem is considered by many arguably as the #2 or #3 HW in the world. If he is going to make money, it’s in the UFC, and why not go as one of the top dogs. It makes business sense, and cents. An athlete may have one or two chances in their career to receive top dollar, and it’s all about knowing when to cash in.

There is no doubt Alistair Overeem ended up using the Heavyweight GP and a win against Werdum (The man who beat Fedor and at the time was a top five HW in most MMA rankings) as a way to position himself for a huge UFC pay day. Sounds like a sound business strategy doesn’t it? He knows that Zuffa isn’t going to let him walk.  Where is Overeem going to fight, better question would be who?

Overeem had one fight left on his contract so there was no real way of him completing the GP tournament if he got to the finals. He probably sees his opportunity to make a large sum of money right now, instead of risking a possible loss against Antonio “Big Foot” Silva, and thus lowering his market value. It’s not the first time we have seen an athlete pull this stunt in other sports. Now we are seeing it in MMA. Money is everything. This whole ordeal has been about leverage, and guess what? It may have worked.

Yes Zuffa owns both Strikeforce and the UFC, but contracts are contracts. Before the UFC bought out Strikeforce, Nick Diaz signed a brand new contract with SF. Zuffa was able to work something out behind the scenes to allow Nick to move over to the big promotion. Maybe Overeem didn’t have the same sort of deal and maybe it required him to be released from his contract first. The only way he would be able to “legally” negotiate a deal with the UFC would be if he were let go from the Strikeforce promotion. Who knows I’m not a business law major.

I do know that when you are dealing with two separate legal entities and contract law there are certain things that need to be done in order for negotiations to take place. Yes Zuffa owns both companies, but there are other interests involved like Showtime, so proper business protocol needs to take place. Zuffa can’t just snap their fingers and say you are now a UFC fighter. However, I’m not naïve to think that when they want something or someone that protocol is fast tracked.

I’m sure Overeem has lingering injuries. I guess not bad enough to keep him away from a kickboxing match in October in Russia. Whether or not the fight has an out clause like Diaz’s supposed boxing match with Fernando Vargas earlier in the year did, this to me smells like negotiations and ultimately a move to the UFC. Who knows maybe Overeem does kickbox in the fall, but kids, Zuffa isn’t going to let him walk. It wouldn’t make sense. He is far to marketable and the UFC Heavyweight division could use another star.

The cash cow that was Brock Lesnar is a closing window, and all the mystique of Fedor and bringing him over is most likely a no go. You really only have two guys in Dos Santos and Velazquez and a bunch of younger heavyweights not ready for primetime. Overeem gives the UFC that extra year or two worth of PPV dollars in the HW division.

Why is this a bad thing? Maybe this is not bad for the UFC talent pool, but not exactly good for the validity of Strikeforce. Who is next, Strikeforce lightweight champ, Gilbert Melendez? Why not? What’s stopping him now? What’s stopping these top tier talents from holding Scott Coker and Showtime hostage? Especially if Zuffa caves and puts pressure on Coker and Showtime to release these guys from their contracts or they work out a back room deal to bring them over the UFC. Showtime and Scott Coker are going to play ball. Even though they have some control, you have to believe that Coker and Showtime are going to play ball. It’s in their best interest.

Some say that the future of Strikeforce is grim. I beg to differ. I see the UFC using Strikeforce as a feeder league. A place to grow talent, and send other talent down that needs re-seasoning or another shot.

I see it becoming a Farm System. If you want to make it to the big show, a way to do it is through Strikeforce. It won’t be the only way, but it’s a chance for a guy to become champion and sign a big deal with the UFC in the future. Hell the UFC likes the idea so much they had it in their last UFC video game. Trust me, this is an option they are taking a serious look at.

I think for now the UFC has to bring guys like Diaz, Overeem, and Melendez over. They have done everything and fought everyone that there is to fight in Strikeforce. It’s time to start over, and build Strikeforce again, this time, Zuffa will make the rules and the contracts, and none of this Overeem public BS will happen again. You can’t believe for a second Dana White and Zuffa are happy with how Overeem and his management team have gone about their business.

Here is my prediction, cough, cough… Overeem vs Lesnar on UFC’s Super Bowl Weekend card. But I’ve been wrong before, now take a hit and pass it.

Just saying….