Strikeforce has been forced to cancel their second event in a row. According to a press release from the promotion, they have called off their November 3rd show in Oklahoma City and will stage their next event in January 2013.Here’s the release:
LAS VEGAS- STRIKEFORCE® announced today it is planning its next card set to air live on SHOWTIME® in January 2013. Further information on the fight card and location will be announced shortly.
STRIKEFORCE also announced the cancellation of its Nov. 3 event at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., due to injuries sustained by main event star Frank Mir and co-main event star Luke Rockhold. Refunds for tickets purchased are available at point of sale.
“Due to a series of injuries, we were forced to cancel the upcoming card on Nov. 3, but are already working to put together a stacked card in January,” STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker said.
“While we’re disappointed with the cancellation, we are looking forward to an even bigger STRIKEFORCE event on SHOWTIME early next year,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®
After canceling their last show on September 29th in Sacramento due to an injury to main eventer Gilbert Melendez, the promotion was going forward with a good card in November featuring Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champion Daniel Cormier facing off with former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold defending his belt against Lorenz Larkin. But injuries to Mir and Rockhold ruined those fights, and as stated above, the promotion was stuck.
It was reported yesterday by MMA Junkie that the promotion hadn’t filed papers to the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission to stage the card yet, and now we know why.
Will Strikeforce re-emerge in 2013? Or was this the death blow to the promotion that has encountered so many problems since it was purchased by Zuffa last year? Only time will tell, but things don’t look very rosy to me right now.
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