This ain’t the first rodeo for Matt Hughes. A veteran of 50 professional MMA fights, the 9-time UFC Welterweight Champion has seen almost everything the sport has to offer. For that exact reason, Hughes’s recent efforts to put Strikeforce’s management on blast for the second time in the last three months has grabbed our attention.
Matt Hughes Calls Out Strikeforce For Poor Management. Again.
↵Cagewriter’s Steve Cofield caught up with the former champ to talk about Robbie Lawler’s amazing KO victory over Melvin Manhoef at Strikeforce: Miami, but the conversation quickly took a turn for the worse, that is if you are in any way, shape, or form affiliated with Strikeforce.
↵↵“There’s just a difference on how the fighters are treated. When we (Robbie Lawler and I) walked in the hotel there were a couple of people from Strikeforce in the lobby. By gosh, you would’ve thought they would’ve stood up and shook Robbie’s hand but nobody did. I think they nodded their head or something but its little things like that. You just don’t feel at home. The UFC wouldn’t do that... There are two guys (Joe Riggs and Jay Hieron) back in the locker room and it’s been three hours since they fought. And they’re still waiting for someone to come and stitch them up. It’s the little things that are going to drive fighters away.”
↵↵If what Hughes is saying is true, and there’s no reason not to believe him, it really is too bad. Strikeforce puts on a decent show and has a nice group of fighters signed under contract. But if instances like this persist, one would think that the Strikeforce product is not going to be in it for the long haul.
↵Whether it’s the fighters who are feeling neglected, or the fans who just don’t appreciate their lackadaisical approach to MMA promotion, their perceived nonchalantness may just be the organization’s downfall.
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