# Strikeforce Wants Bobby Lashley vs. Dave Batista on PPV



## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

If signed, Bautista’s debut will almost assuredly come against fellow former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley. It’s a fight that makes a lot of sense to Strikeforce officials, and they’re talking up the possibility of putting the bout on the first-ever Strikeforce pay per view card.

"That’s not a free television bout. That’s a pay per view fight," said Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou. "You can’t give away everything for free."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker echoed the sentiments. "Absolutely. That’s a pay per view fight. I believe we put on some great matchups for the hardcore fans and the casual fans in general. When you tune in to a Strikeforce fight, you know you’re going to see some great fights," Coker told Heavy.com. "But every once in awhile, when you get a chance to throw in a fight like this one that’s just fun to watch? Why not?"

I have absolutely no problem with Lashley/Batista. Bobby has made it clear that being a top fighter and taking on challenging fights is not something he plans on doing. So, if you're Strikeforce you should absolutely try to make a fight with Dave Batista happen since it's one of the few fights you can get out of Lashley that will do anything business-wise.

My problem is with saying that this is a fight you can't put on Showtime. You can put a guy generally regarded as the best in the planet fighting top ten opposition on CBS and Showtime but you must charge for one of the biggest WWE bombs in recent history in Lashley against a debuting Batista in his 40's with a history of injury problems? In his time in the WWE Batista tore his right triceps, then re-tore it, then tore it again, tore a back muscle, tore his hamstring, and tore his left bicep. I have my doubts that should Batista ever sign a Strikeforce deal that he could make it through a full camp without tearing a muscle since, for some reason, he seems to rip like paper. One of those triceps tears came while he was jogging with his wife. How he makes it through a full training camp doing all the cardio he needs to do and learning how to defend on the ground without tearing something (and remember, the guy is 41) is beyond me.

There is, of course, a natural curiosity that will lead some people to order a PPV with these two men clashing. The question is, how big of a draw are they? Cage Side Seats has compiled some WWE pay-per-view info on both men that can be seen here:

Lashley was also in the money drawing match (against Umaga) at Wrestlemania 23 (a WWE high of 1.2 million buys) a few months later, but the actual draws were Donald Trump (represented by Lashley) and Vince McMahon (represented by Umaga) putting their hair at stake. His next main event was challenging for John Cena's WWE Title a few months after that at The Great American Bash, the first WWE PPV after the Benoit murder/suicide. With a fresh match on top, the show drew a respectable 229,000 buys, slightly up from the previous year's 227,000 and slightly down from the previous month's Vengeance: Night of Champions (the show where Benoit no-showed, because unbeknownst to anyone, he was dead). Shortly after that, Lashley was injured, and when he was due to come back, he got an unconditional release from the WWE (in terms of where he could go, not what he could talk about, as it's believed that he left because he was uncomfortable with the racial tension in the company and was silenced from talking about it publicly as one of the terms of his release), When he eventually showed up in TNA, he didn't pop their PPV buys at all.

Emphasis mine.

I think that last sentence says a lot about Bobby Lashley's drawing power right now. He didn't bring new viewers or interest to TNA upon his arrival at which point he was already competing in MMA and had his WWE history behind him. We know the crossover traffic between MMA and pro-wrestling is mostly one way (pro-wrestling fans will crossover into MMA much easier than the other way around) so it isn't a complete reflection of how Lashley would do as an MMA PPV draw but it does show that he isn't moving the needle in terms of the wrestling audience so why would that audience pay to watch him fight? Add to that the fact that he has done nothing to convince MMA fans that he is worth their dollar either and it's not exactly a good sign that he draws anything meaningful.

How about Batista as a draw? Again we turn to Cage Side Seats:

He eventually cooled off, but for most of 2005, WWE PPVs were outdrawing the previous year's event, sometimes dramatically. Most notably, Vengeance, headlined by the Batista-Triple H feud-ending Hell in a Cell match, pulled in around 440,000 buys. The show had drawn about 250,000 the previous year (with Chris Benoit vs Triple H on top) and drew about 340,000 the following year (with Rob Van Dam vs Edge, John Cena vs Sabu, and the reuniting DX vs The Spirit Squad as the top matches). He was also in one of the two title matches (vs The Undertaker for the first time) at the aforementioned Wrestlemania 23.

Batista definitely has the potential to draw. If Strike Force is going to try to run PPVs, then business-wise, this is probably the best fight to headline with.


I violently disagree with the last paragraph there. Is this a fight that maybe does a little bit of business on shear freakish curiosity? Yes. But where do you go from there? Do you put the winner in against a Werdum or Overeem? That would be murder. It's a PPV with no long term gain. This would be a one-off event appealing to the worst our sport has to offer. A couple of aging former pro wrestlers who have not proven anything in the sport clashing on PPV while Strikeforce, who has shown no true ability to create stars, likely wastes any views they get by not properly utilizing any true talent.

When Herschel Walker, a man with far more cultural currency in the sports world than either of these two men, got Strikeforce a nice bump in attention what did they do with it? Nothing. As much as I like the cards they put on CBS and Showtime, this is not a promotion that understands how to promote.

Dynamite!! USA pulled in 35,000 PPV buys when they had Brock Lesnar, a major WWE star during his run, headline. It took the UFC's promotional power and legitimate fights to make Lesnar into the crossover MMA star that he is now. It isn't as easy as just sticking a guy in the cage and letting the money roll in.

I'm sure there is something more going on that is forcing Strikeforce to push to fill out a card with fights they think will draw. But this is a fight that is almost certainly to be of the lowest quality and will not draw the eyeballs that Strikeforce thinks it will when they write it off as not being a "free TV" fight.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/7/14/1569536/strikeforce-wants-bobby-lashley-vs

this is what dana is thinking
View attachment 3426


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

From an MMA perspective it's absolutley lame.

From a perspective where you are trying to garner new fans I can understand because you will be tapping more into the prowrestling base which is pretty big.

Either way this card better have at least three barn burner fights scheduled because if it doesn't, I won't waste my money on that kind of crap.


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## Leed (Jan 3, 2010)

"That’s not a free television bout. That’s a pay per view fight," said Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou. 


Really? Since when is a guy with 0 MMA experience versus a guy who has been fighting only cans 'not a free television bout'?


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

with lesnar we all know he had excellent wrestling college credentials, he was young and was a superb athlete, so he was a A+ signing, but Dave is 41,had numerous operations, had an operation after JOGGING WITH HIS WIFE, no previous experience in any martial arts, no amateur fights and even if he somehow was good he would be at least 44 before he would be signed by the ufc. lashley also has pretty good wrestling credentials but he is 1/4 what lesnar was and is now.


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## JustLo (Oct 7, 2009)

I've heard from inside sources that halfway through the third round Stephanie McMhan is going to jump up on the side of the cage to distract the ref while triple h climbs over the other side and knocks lashley out with a chair.


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## 38495 (Jun 24, 2010)

Freak show fight = yes
Do i wanna see it = yes


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## 70seven (Mar 5, 2007)

This will make MMA look stupid. It will be a bad night for the sport.


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## HitOrGetHit (Jun 29, 2009)

This fight is completely lame for hardcore fans. I for one want to see Lashley fight someone worth mentioning and now they are talking about giving him someone with no experience? This is a let down for sure.

On the other hand, casual fans who don't really pay attention to who is training where and has what experience, this is probably going to be awesome for them. It is going to appeal a lot to pro wrestling fans as well as casual fans. But to people who follow this everyday, it means nothing at all.


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## 70seven (Mar 5, 2007)

UFC_OWNS said:


> If signed, Bautista’s debut will almost assuredly come against fellow former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley. It’s a fight that makes a lot of sense to Strikeforce officials, and they’re talking up the possibility of putting the bout on the first-ever Strikeforce pay per view card.
> 
> "That’s not a free television bout. That’s a pay per view fight," said Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou. "You can’t give away everything for free."
> 
> ...


To me that (bold) part says allot. Why is Lashley in Strikeforce if he's not willing to fight top competition, its like its just a part time job for him. He does this to make a little money and prove that he can fight. He's got no drive as a fighter to be the best or win any type of championship, he just wants freak shows like Batista and fight cans.


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## UrbanBounca (Sep 13, 2009)

I want to see it, but it's definately not PPV caliber.


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## limba (Jul 21, 2009)

Not worth a PPV. But a good marketing move, to atract some fans from WWE.
Lashley by GnP or RNC in the first, how i see it.


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## rockybalboa25 (May 27, 2007)

It's good to see that Strikeforce also purchased Elite XC's idiocy and complete lack of respect for the sport.


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## 38495 (Jun 24, 2010)

I think its a good opportunity for Strikeforce to put some of their own exciting stars on the under card and attract a whole new set of fans from the wrestling world. Could be a good opportunity to expand their fan base if done right.


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## Squirrelfighter (Oct 28, 2009)

And no one else does. 

Seriously? How is this a good idea for a PPV. Anyone who knows anything about MMA will laugh at this fight. Batista a former pro wrestler, in his first fight ever, against an over the hill former pro wrestler. This is pitiful. 

If they want this to be a PPV that grosses more than a poor quality porno they will have to stack the hell out of that card with legitimate match ups. Old giant vs Less old giant, its a freak match up by definition. 

My assessment: Lame. :sarcastic05:


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## VolcomX311 (Aug 18, 2009)

HitOrGetHit said:


> This fight is completely lame for hardcore fans. I for one want to see Lashley fight someone worth mentioning and now they are talking about giving him someone with no experience? This is a let down for sure.
> 
> On the other hand, casual fans who don't really pay attention to who is training where and has what experience, this is probably going to be awesome for them. It is going to appeal a lot to pro wrestling fans as well as casual fans. But to people who follow this everyday, it means nothing at all.


I don't think its just lame for the hardcore fans. Coker might be the only one who doesn't think its lame. Lashley and Batista might even think its lame.


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

UFC_OWNS said:


> this is what dana is thinking
> View attachment 3426


ROFLZ...


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## Johnni G (Dec 2, 2009)

JustLo said:


> I've heard from inside sources that halfway through the third round Stephanie McMhan is going to jump up on the side of the cage to distract the ref while triple h climbs over the other side and knocks lashley out with a chair.


HAHAHAHH


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## Hammerlock2.0 (Jun 17, 2009)

I'm gonna give Bautista the benefit of the doubt, but this is not a PPV caliber fight. If they really want to put that fight on a PPV then they better put some better fights on it. And Hershel Walker better not be on it.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

If this were on a ppv, it had better not be the main event and there had better be some dam good talent or big names!:thumbsdown:


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## Nefilim777 (Jun 24, 2009)

HA! What a joke of a fight! I wouldn't be too happy If I was Lashley, but then, who is he to say anything either. If Strikeforce want to get a serious name as an MMA promotion then they should ditch the freak fights and be trying to sign fighters from smaller organisations that actually HAVE SKILLS.


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## enceledus (Jul 8, 2007)

bleh... Strikeforce is only getting worse and worse.


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## Rauno (Nov 20, 2009)

I, as a former die hard pro wrestling fan would love to see this fight happen. But it isn't worthy a PPV and i don't think that it even belongs in an MMA card.


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## M.C (Jul 5, 2008)




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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

It belongs on an MMA card, with a lower promotion!


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

Michael Carson said:


>



View attachment 3432


sorry for that disturbing image


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Disturbing? What are you talking about, old as she is Madon:thumb02:a is hot!


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

kantowrestler said:


> Disturbing? What are you talking about, old as she is Madon:thumb02:a is hot!


i would replace her with tito's wife:thumb02:


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Ok, that's not necessary!:bye02:


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