Welterweight tournament could be huge for Strikeforce

Tarec Saffeidine lands a head kick against Nate Moore

Strikeforce is set to have a 170 pound champ by Summer, as a big opportunity for the promotion lies within its grasp.

Ever since the UFC gained one of its biggest marketing machines and talking points in the last few years after grabbing him from Scott Coker’s promotion, the absence of Nick Diaz has actually made the Strikeforce welterweight division quite exciting. There is no longer a juggernaut that reigns atop the division, and although Diaz moved on to the UFC, the competition in Strikeforce has not taken a day off.

Tyron Woodley, Tarec Saffeidine, Bobby Voelker, Roger Bowling, Jason High, and Kazuo Misaki are all contenders on winning streaks shooting for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight belt. As these fighters await their new opponents, the question of how will the promotion will name a champ must be asked.  Although there are rumors of Tyron Woodley facing newcomer Nate Marquardt for the belt, it doesn’t seem like that is what will revitalize the energy that this division once had.

Tarec Saffeidine recently took down Tyler Stinson with a three round split decision victory, and has one fight on his mind.

“I think they are still trying to figure out who Tyron will fight for the belt. I heard Scott Coker tell me there would be a champ at 170 before this summer,” Saffeidine said. “We all want to know who is going to fight next for the belt, and hopefully I get my rematch with Tyron for the belt.”

The next Strikeforce card is coming up in San Jose on May 19, and the welterweights could very possibly be getting the call for that event.

Tournaments are one special thing that has kept Strikeforce original in the shadow of the UFC, but with the current heavyweight grand prix dragging on since Feb. 2011, people seemed to have lost significant interest. Creating a tournament for the welterweight belt, and setting dates for each round of the tournament while keeping injury replacements ready to jump in could potentially be a crucial boost for the promotion. Not only is there a group of hungry 170 pounders all thinking about the belt, but also now a new big name with Nate Marquardt recently being allowed back into Zuffa, and signing with Strikeforce.

Injuries in MMA happen, and there is little that can be done to avoid them and the destruction they often inflict on fight cards. But if a tournament was created with eight welterweight participants (along with two alternates ready to step in for an injured fighter) all competing for the belt, Strikeforce could be making big strides. There would be three rounds of the tournament taking place at three consecutive Strikeforce events. This would keep the energy of the tournament fresh and prevent it from going stale like the heavyweight grand prix has. Fighting this often will be a new pace for the fighters in Strikeforce, but for Tarec Saffeidine, this is something he wants. 

“I would love to fight more,” Saffeidine said. “I fought three months ago and I don’t know when my next fight is. I am just looking to get more fights per year.”

When a tournament is held and the winner isn't crowned with the belt because of odd tournament rules (i.e.: Bellator), the fans feel almost cheated out of a new champion, as does the winner of the tournament. This welterweight tournament would be built around crowning a new Strikeforce champion so the fans will get the excitement of the brackets in MMA while also witnessing a new title holder take reign. 

With the Rousey-Tate war grabbing the spotlight of the MMA world for a number of weeks, Strikeforce must build off the colossal momentum. Creating a tournament for the welterweight belt would be a perfectly timed change of pace, and will make the best out of a division with no champion.