Strikeforce
STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Scott Coker still wants Bobby Lashley vs. Dave Bautista; timing and money may hinder the bout being put together
Aug 10, 2010 - 4:06:11 PM STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Scott Coker still wants Bobby Lashley vs. Dave Bautista; timing and money may hinder the bout being put together

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Bobby Lashley is set to return to action for Strikeforce on Showtime later this month when he faces off against Chad Griggs, but a bout between him and fellow WWE alum Dave Bautista is still being sought by the organization.

While Scott Coker wants to see the fight happen, the fight still has some hurdles to get past in order to come to fruition.

According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Lashley is interested in the fight, but he's leaving only a small opening for them to put it together before he'll pass on the fight altogether. He's open to it, but he wants to step up against bigger names sooner rather than later. For Lashley, if Bautista wants the fight, than he has "a small window. October not January."

But that's not all that's holding this fight back. Per the source, Bautista is asking upwards of $500,000 for any fight that wouldn't be against an easy opponent. Unless he's offered close to a guaranteed win, his asking price is going to be too much for the organization, and he's not likely to be offered a deal.

So although the fight is one that Strikeforce themselves would like to put together - presumably to bring eyes to a third CBS show - Bautista may be pricing himself out of the equation, and Lashley won't be waiting around for him.

Penick's Analysis: I still am not a fan of seeing this fight put together. Sure it can get some added viewership to whatever card they put it on, but if Lashley ever wants to be taken seriously this isn't a fight for him. He also doesn't care about the money aspect of it, he's simply trying to progress in his career. So while Bautista tries to squeeze out as much as he can from Strikeforce for as little value as he's bringing to the table, Scott Coker seems to remain the only one who actually wants to see this fight. Lashley really has no reason to take this fight if the sport and the competition are what he's after. And hopefully he'll stick to his guns and demand someone else if Strikeforce doesn't sign Bautista before October.