Mailbag: Is Spike outfoxing itself?

The UFC is parting ways with Spike TV in 2012 after seven highly successful years together.

But though the UFC will no longer produce new programming on Spike in 2012, off to the Fox family of networks, it certainly won't be forgotten by Spike. Spike, which retains rights to "The Ultimate Fighter" and taped fights through next year, is playing hardball with the UFC and on Tuesday announced that beginning on March 2 it would air a series it's calling "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays."

Spike will broadcast three hours of programming from the first 14 seasons of TUF from 9 p.m. to midnight, both Eastern and Pacific, every Friday starting on March 2. The significance of that is it will directly conflict with the UFC's broadcasts of the live version of TUF that will begin airing on FX.

More, Spike is usurping the UFC's idea to incorporate fan input into the broadcasts. The plan for the new seasons of TUF on FX is to have fans vote on who they want to see fight, with the fights being aired live each Friday as opposed to being taped, as in the past. Spike plans to get input from fans from Facebook and Twitter in putting together specialty themed versions of "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays."

It's a great zinger at UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and president Dana White.

The question, though, is whether it's smart. Spike is owned by Viacom, which owns the competing MMA promotion, Bellator.

Countering the UFC's live programming on Fox's cable networks with taped UFC programming it owns the rights to air through the end of 2012 does nothing to build the Bellator brand, though, and further solidifies the UFC as the sport's de facto brand name.

Many people in an office may use a Canon copier, but when they walk to the copier machine they tell colleagues they're going to Xerox something. And when they need to blow their noses, they may be using Puffs, but they ask for a Kleenex.

The decision by Spike executives to air these re-runs simply helps to promote the UFC. So now on Fridays, there will be UFC programming on multiple channels, live on FX and re-runs on Spike. What is that going to do? Those watching the news seasons of TUF on FX will become fans of those fighters and the coaches. Those watching the repeats on Spike will have the names of the coaches and fighters burned more deeply into their memories and that should only help to aid the UFC shows.

Zuffa, the company that owns both the UFC and Strikeforce brands, is in the enviable position in 2012 of having Viacom, its deep-pocketed competitor, helping to promote its products. Another Viacom entity, Showtime, recently signed a new deal with Zuffa to continue to broadcast Strikeforce MMA shows.

Instead of devoting its time and resources to building the Bellator brand and trying to fashion it as a legitimate competitor to the UFC or, at the very least, as the de facto No. 2 promotion behind Strikeforce, Viacom is further enhancing Zuffa's offerings.

Viacom may succeed in stealing some viewers from UFC programming on FX on Fridays, but they're not making those who watch Bellator fans, even if there are Bellator commercials sprinkled liberally throughout the show. They're simply enhancing a competitor's product and strengthening its brand.

It doesn't seem a smart way to do business.

• I like Mike Chiappetta's suggestion to have B.J. Penn move over to Strikeforce to face lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. That would be a fun fight.

• Prior to the bout, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said a rubber match against Josh Thomson was the most likely route for Melendez in the event he won, which he did.

• Imagine the uproar if the UFC gave a title shot against middleweight champion Anderson Silva to a fighter who had spent a career total 1 minute, 48 seconds in the cage as a pro. Yet, that's what Strikeforce would be doing if it gave Ronda Rousey a shot against featherweight champion Cris "Cyborg" Santos or its bantamweight champion, Miesha Tate.

• Don't be surprised if former three-division boxing champion Vic Darchinyan tries MMA in 2012. If he won a couple of fights, he'd be a very intriguing guy in the UFC's flyweight division.

Melendez not the real deal

Has it occurred to anyone that Gilbert Melendez is this good because of who he's fighting and that if he truly fought the best in the world that he wouldn't be nearly so highly rated? I just don't see what everyone sees in the guy. Jorge Masvidal is hardly a world beater and he didn't do much, but he busted Melendez up. I can name 10 lightweights that would hammer Melendez. He says he wants to fight the best, but when Eddie Alvarez called him out, he wanted no part of it. Does Melendez have some dirt on reporters, who keep overlooking his lack of opposition and only average performances.

Derek K.
Minneapolis

Melendez is 20-2 and has won six in a row. At the level of MMA he's fighting, that's extremely impressive. I remember talking to Melendez about Alvarez and he was very hopeful the fight could be made. He's extremely well-rounded, getting better and wants to challenge himself against the best there is. What's not to like about that? It's hard to finish a guy who was being as cautious as Masvidal, but Melendez is a finisher and tries hard to put on exciting fights. I think he matches well with the top lightweights and I'd love to see him fight four or five of them in 2012.

It's time for women on TUF

I know women's MMA is still in its infancy, but would an all-women's season of "The Ultimate Fighter" with women coaches be worth doing? UFC president Dana White talks about the women's division not having depth, but could TUF do for women's MMA what it did for MMA in general? Maybe we'll see it in Season 28 or something? Your thoughts?

Ryan Webb
San Bernardino, Calif.

I would like to see it, Ryan, and I think a lot of fans agree with you. That said, TUF is a UFC product and the UFC doesn't do women's fights. I would love to see growth in the quality of the women's field and TUF would be a way to help that. I doubt we'll see it any time soon, but then again, who ever thought you'd see Dana White cageside at a Strikeforce event?

'Cyborg' versus a male?

I know this is very far out there, but is there any state that would sanction a male versus female fight in MMA? I know there are some states that will license fights or fighters where others will not, such as Texas. My question, of course, comes from Saturday's Strikeforce fight, where Cris "Cyborg?" Santos showed she is like no other female. Twitter blew up with questions or comments concerning a fight between featherweight champs Jose Aldo and Cyborg. There are some, maybe only even one logical female left for Cyborg to face in Ronda Rousey. Of course, Dana White would probably never be interested, but what if there was so much buzz and fan interest in it that he would even see if it is possible? Foreign sites could possibly hold it, but I am just wondering if there is even one state that maybe does not have it in its rule book stating no to male vs. female fights.

Nick Branson
New Orleans

It's not explicitly illegal in a number of states and in 1999 in Washington, there was a boxing match between a man and a woman. For the record, Margaret McGregor defeated Loi Chow in Seattle in a four-round bout on Oct. 9, 1999. But it's not going to happen, Nick, even if every state's regulations encouraged it. MMA is a still-developing sport and that would turn it into a circus act. It would be hard to conceive of a scenario where it would ever be considered for even a split second.

Is Overeem juicing?

I believe that when UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem says, "I've never tested positive," it means he knows he's been using and knows when to cycle off. This is the reason for the missed urine sample as he left to return to Holland. He didn't anticipate having to be clean this early. Really, we should all just stop pretending this isn't widespread and just let the fighters do anything they want. Enough with the charade!

Josh B.
San Diego, Calif.

There are a lot of people who may have their suspicions about Overeem, but it's never been proven and in this country, proof is required to convict someone. I am aware of how easy it is for athletes to beat the tests, but any comment that Overeem is using any performance enhancing drugs is simply speculation. Plus, in this case, he gave a blood sample before he left, believing that would fulfill his requirements, so I don't think it was a case of him fleeing to Europe to avoid the testing. If the Nevada Athletic Commission believed that, it would not have granted him a license to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 141.

"I've been dealing with the same accusations my whole life. … It's part of the lifestyle. It comes with the territory. I've been used to it for many years now." – Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on PED allegations against his UFC 141 opponent, Alistair Overeem.

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