Strikeforce on April 17
Date: 2010-03-11 00:00:00
Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/12/strikeforce-in-nashv...
Submitted By: MMAFightsDump
“It’s the 17th and it’s full steam ahead,” said Strikefore CEO Scott Coker in an MMA Junkie interview Friday. “The 17th was always a good day when we chose it. We still feel the same way, and so does CBS.” Rumors had surfaced that the date of the second Strikeforce event to air live on CBS could be moved depending on the UFC’s decision to air counter programming coinciding with the Strikeforce broadcast. However, the event in Nasvhille featuring a main event middleweight title fight between second-ranked Strikeforce champion Jake Shields (24-4-1) and third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7) is set for April 17, according to Coker. Coker also seemed to plead for mercy from the UFC and it’s president, Dana White. “The thought of somebody trying to counter-program you just to hurt your number or try to hurt your business or to create confusion in the marketplace, I mean, that’s something that just seems so unnecessary.” He added, “We’re just trying to build the industry. Here’s what I mean by that: when the fans get to watch these fights on TV for free, I think that’s good for the sport. The more eyeballs we have on the sport, I think it’s better for the industry as a whole. Maybe some people might not feel that way today, but I think in the long run, free TV is what keeps MMA alive.” To this point, the UFC hasn’t agreed, consistently airing counter programming to high profile MMA events in the United States, including the now defunct Affliction promotion and Strikeforce.
