Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker
UFC executives officially announced the purchase of former rival promotion Strikeforce.
“We have worked hard to make mixed martial arts the fastest growing sport in the world,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’ve spent countless hours getting this sport regulated and taking the Octagon® all over the world. Acquiring the Strikeforce assets allows us to continue to develop this sport into a global force.”
The press release stated that Zuffa intends to operate Strikeforce as a separate business. They have signed a long-term employment contract with Scott Coker, who will be staying on board as the Strikeforce CEO while also serving as a Zuffa employee.
“This is an important day for the sport of mixed martial arts,” Coker said. “We are excited to work with Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta, Dana White and everyone at the UFC on the quest to make MMA the biggest sport in the world. Fans can continue to expect quality Strikeforce shows and we look forward to giving our athletes an even broader platform on which to perform.”
A conference call has been scheduled for 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT with Coker and White. We’ll provide live updates from that call in a separate update.
