Strikeforce coming to Columbus for the Arnolds March 5
Update Today, Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has committed to…
Update
Today, Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has committed to hosting a show in Ohio’s capital city on March 5.
The event is expected to air on Showtime from the 19,000-seat Nationwide Arena. Coker and Arnold Sports Festival co-promoter Jim Lorimer currently are working out details.
No details are confirmed for the event, but a source told MMAjunkie.com that Dan Henderson could headline against Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante.
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Strikeforce likely will make its Ohio debut in March, when the fight promotion is expected to host an MMA event in conjunction with the Arnold Sports Festival.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or its soon-to-merge sister promotion, World Extreme Cagefighting, took the slots during the Arnold weekend from 2007 to 2010. But with scheduling conflicts and continued international expansion, UFC officials were forced to abandon the Arnolds in 2011.
Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato put out the call to other major MMA promotions.
We’re in talks with the (Arnold) organizations, said Strikeforce President Scott Coker,. We think it could be a good fit for us.
I’d say it’s much better than that (50/50) — much better. It’d be a big event, for sure. We’re working on it.