Kimbo news puts UFC, not Strikeforce or WEC, center stage
This was supposed to be a week about Strikeforce and the WEC. Both promotions have huge events this weekend, and for once, the UFC was to take a back seat. As it turns out, the UFC isn't comfortable in the back seat.
By confirming with Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole that Kimbo Slice had joined the cast of the 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter," and holding the TUF 10 media day today, the UFC has asserted itself as the biggest player on the MMA stage. No one will take that spotlight away from it.
UFC's motivation for wanting to steal Strikeforce's spotlight is clear and easy to understand. Strikeforce is a competitor, and many of the fighters on its card made their name in the UFC. Just as UFC put together a last-minute fight night to oppose Affliction, and have aired counter-programming against Elite XC, this move is completely congruent with its previous practices.
What makes no sense, on the other hand, is stomping all over the WEC's stage. Sunday's fight features some of the WEC's most popular fighters, with Urijah Faber, Mike Brown and Jens Pulver all taking to the cage. Why not let them have the spotlight?
The next TUF announcement and media day could have easily been held in conjunction with the finale of the current season of "The Ultimate Fighter." By waiting just a week and a half, they could have allowed some publicity to be given to the WEC. Of course, that would have meant allowing some press to be given to Strikeforce, and the UFC just could not allow that.
