http://mmamania.com/2009/08/05/strikefo ... -fighters/

It’s been a busy year for the San Jose-based Strikeforce organization — and it ain’t over yet. And if this past week is any indication, I think it’s safe to say that Strikeforce isn’t content with merely being the little engine that could.

After the acquisition of select Pro Elite assets earlier in the year, the Showtime/CBS television deal and of course the signing of Fedor Emelianenko, Scott Coker and Co. have clearly established themselves as not just an alternative to the UFC, but a viable and adroit mixed martial arts promotion with a longterm vision.

Part of that vision includes a fighter roster that extends beyond its in-house talent, as evidenced by the ’strategic alliance’ formed with Fighting and Entertainment Group’s (FEG) Japan-based ‘DREAM’ promotion.

While co-promotion is not something that’s currently under consideration, FEG officials told MMAmania.com earlier today that the partnership will allow contracted fighters to compete for either promotion if the opportunity arises, much like it did for Mitsuhiro Ishida back on July 30.

“Endless Fighter” was called in to rematch Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce interim lightweight title at ‘Carano vs. Cyborg’ after current champ Josh Thomson was forced to withdraw from the August 15 event when his leg failed to heal in time to obtain medical clearance to compete.

An alliance would also allow Emelianenko to compete in Japan where he is still revered for his accomplishments in the now defunct PRIDE FC.

Coker even mentioned in a previous radio interview the possibility of a future bout between “The Last Emperor” and Sergei Kharitonov.

In addition, fighters who eventually exhaust opportunities within their divisions can now find new challenges overseas.

Now that Strikeforce has a relationship with both M-1 Global and DREAM, the promotion has access to international resources that will ultimately benefit the fans by creating match ups that in the past, may have been logistically impossible.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on this arrangement as a formal announcement is expected to be made later today.

That is AWESOME news! Dream has a sick roster, and Strikeforce just gets better by the minute, this is great news for any MMA fan. Fedor vs. Kharitonov would be an awesome match, I never even thought of that. Sergei is a beast.

You mean the guy who was choked out by Monson in under two minutes? Yeah, that's a much more interesting fight than any of the fights Fedor could of had in the UFC. That's the #1 Heavyweight for ya!

DREAM will be able to supply StrikeForce with a lot of great Lightweights, and maybe even a few Welterweights and Middleweights. Not a bad deal.

Fedor went to Strikforce and not UFC get over it already. You are starting to sound like a broken record.

So does every single Internet fan boy who touts him as completely unbeatable and the best ever.

Get over it already..

Take your own advice

Hope this means we finally have a worthy competitor of event of UFC and WEC

Good news in my ears.

I love StrikeForce, and have looked forward to Carano vs. Cyborg as much as I did UFC 100, but they are not competition to the UFC. They don't have anywhere near the financial nor roster depth to even dream about competing with the UFC, regardless of who they partner and co-promote with. For awhile, DREAM's existence was in question, and M-1 has done absolutely nothing in America besides mooch off other people.

StrikeForce will continue to produce great broadcasts, but I seriously doubt they'll become anything more than they are right now. It would be a huge, unfortunate mistake if Coker ever got the crazy idea to actually compete, because it will not end well for StrikeForce.