A pal of Fanhouse’s Michael David Smith risked severe eyestrain on several glorified-scalping Web sites to report that large blocks of seats for Saturday’s Strikeforce event in Chicago, Ill., are no longer available: Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told media that the show is 85% sold out. (Floor seats, at upwards of $500 each, are probably going to remain idle.)
What we can infer from the business figures of Fedor Emelianenko to date: he’s a draw in a climate where virtually no non-UFC athlete has that potential. He’s doing steady, reliable business for stateside promotions. And even if his bout with Brett Rogers draws record low ratings Saturday, he will still be seen by millions of people, elevating his status as a pay-per-view attraction.
And unlike Affliction -- which loss-led with Emelianenko and other pricey talent -- Strikeforce considers their business to be more marathon than sprint. It’s a climate where decent business isn’t a disappointment. Solid footing -- but it can all be undone by Brett Rogers taking away Emelianenko’s selling point of invincibility. Coker and company will be just as nervous as family that night.
You can add Thiago Silva and Luis Arthur Cane to the growing list of teammates that have stated they will not fight each other. According to the American Top Team training partners, they have developed a bond that would make it impossible for them to give it their all inside the Octagon.
It is a curious development for the two former rivals, and goes to show how tightly knit some teams become while training to compete in one of the sport’s toughest arenas. Silva and Cane did not like each other while living and training in Brazil, and Silva had to be consulted before Cane was allowed to join the Florida-based ATT.
In the short time since the two have become fast friends. Silva, who could be in line for a title shot should he knock off former champion Rashad Evans at UFC 108 in January, stated that he would much rather find a way to share the title, than face Cane.
Cane deferred when asked about his possible place in line for the light heavyweight title, claiming that Silva was clearly ahead of him and that he would have to wait to see what happens with his teammate’s bid before he considers his own chances.
This has been a point of contention for UFC president Dana White, who has stated that teammates should be willing to fight each other. It is one of the few fights the bombastic boss has failed to gain traction on. Despite his repeated comments on the subject, it seems more and more fighters and teams are taking a public stance that is wholly in contrast with White’s.
On his swing-for-the-fences style: “I am trying to finish the guy when I'm in the cage, but I'm not trying to get out as fast as I can. I'm not going in there to try and squeeze out a decision, get on top of somebody and having boring fights. I'm trying to separate your head from your shoulders however way I can. “
On leaving his Ohio gym for his own fight preparation: “As far as quality training partners I'll tell you now there's no better place to train then my school. I have great Thai fighters. I have great wrestlers. It's Ohio; it's the state of wrestlers. I have great jiu-jitsu guys. Dustin Hazelett is there. I have three more black belts there. I have Rich Franklin there, but I can’t train and get prepared where I live. When I'm trying to get my mind set for sparring people say, 'Jorge, someone didn't show up to teach the women's class or the sparring class. Or this guest wants a picture. Or this guest wants to set up an interview.' When they know that I'm home my phone will ring every other second. When I'm here in Boston I have to worry about one thing only and it's my fight. I eat sleep in the basement. Wake up. Fight people. Eat, sleep. Wake up. Fight people. Wake up. Do conditioning. Eat, sleep. Fight people. And that's what gets me ready mentally.”
Wednesday, November 4 12:00 am PT: Just days away from the biggest fight of his career, undefeated heavyweight Brett Rogers will appear on Wednesday’s ESPN2 “First Take” and “SportsNation” shows to promote his bout with Fedor Emelianenko on the CBS-televised (9 p.m. ET) Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Rogers” card.
Rogers will join “First Take” hosts Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson at 10 a.m ET.
Following the stint on “First Take,” the underdog will take to the airwaves with Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd on “SportsNation” at 4 p.m. ET.
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