The Women’s MegaFight Nobody Knows About

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE

Gina Carano is fighting Cristaine “Cyborg” Santos on Saturday night in a five round, 5 minute round fight for the Strikeforce 145 pound title in front of the viewing audience on Showtime. So how come the media is not going crazy for it?Coming off of Elite XC’s demise last year, one shining light came through. The possibility of Gina Carano, the female face of MMA, vs Cris Cyborg, the often called “Mike Tyson” of women’s MMA. The fight was perfect timing as Santos made her debut on Elite XC’s second CBS show and looked dominant. Carano was at the show and it was the fight the fans wanted to see. Carano proved herself on the first CBS broadcast by being a ratings draw as the broadcast peaked with her fight compared the others (even the Kimbo fight). It was supposed to be a fight that would put Elite XC in the PPV market in February 2009 but after the controversy of standout gate involving Kimbo and Seth Petruzelli, Gary Shaw’s promotion went out of business.

Months later, Strikeforce promoter Scott Coker got the contracts fighters under Elite XC, which made the promotion number 2 in MMA next to the UFC. Coker got both Santos and Carano under contract to set up the fight. Strikeforce are in the position where they have shows broadcasting on two networks (CBS live events and a NBC highlight show) and a cable channel (Showtime) that embraces MMA. However, Coker wanted to start slow with the launch of Strikeforce with the newly added fighters. Showtime is now on the heels of their 5th show with Strikeforce this year with the biggest women’s fight in MMA as the main attraction.

Should be a event, right? Wrong. The only national media attention outside of the MMA internet community that has given this show notice is a New York Times piece on Carano. (Which is significant because the paper doesn’t even cover boxing anymore.) If this is the only media attention to this fight, then Strikeforce and Showtime has failed marketing wise. Sure, Carano was on WFAN but that was over a month ago. Ads that partner the fight with the premier of Rambo should not be the only commercial viewers of Showtime watch. HBO doesn’t do it with the 24/7 shows so why does Showtime?

The fight is going to something to watch and hopefully a potential rematch between the two can be shown on CBS. But tonight’s fight should be the most hyped and anticipated because this is the first of its kind.