The Mac
08-23-2010, 03:55 PM
Despite a recent Twitter message to the contrary, Strikeforce welterweight Jay Hieron is not a free agent just yet.
Early Saturday morning, Hieron stated he had "finally got my release from [Strikeforce]," which prompted speculation of a potential move to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
But following Saturday's Showtime-televised "Strikeforce: Houston" event in Texas, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told MMAjunkie.com that's not exactly the case.
Hieron (19-4 MMA, 2-0 SF), a former IFL champion still widely regarded as one of the world's top 170-pounders, has no more fights left on his Strikeforce deal, but the organization has the right to match any offer from a competing organization.
"Here's the thing," Coker told MMAjunkie.com. "Jay Hieron doesn't have any fights left with us. He's just in a matching period. The only thing he would have to do is if he has an offer, he has to bring it to us.
"But he doesn't have fights with Strikeforce, no."
Coker wasn't immediately sure when the matching period ends, but he hasn't given up hope on re-signing the 34-year-old fighter.
"I think my guys are talking to him," Coker said.
Things in Strikeforce, though, haven't exactly gone smoothly for Hieron. Following the collapse of Affliction Entertainment in 2009, he signed with the California-based organization and made his Strikeforce debut in August 2009 against Jesse Taylor. However, Hieron initially was slated to fight Nick Diaz for the first-ever Strikeforce welterweight title. But Diaz skipped a pre-fight drug test and was pulled from the card, Hieron instead fought Jesse Taylor, the fight was demoted the un-televised preliminary card, and the belt was no longer on the line.
Three months later, Hieron and Diaz finally ended up on the same card. But instead of fighting Hieron for the belt, Diaz took on (and defeated) Marius Zaromskis to become champion. Hieron instead fought veteran Joe Riggs, and the bout again was left off the night's Showtime broadcast (though EASportsMMA.com later agreed to stream the fight online.)
Hieron now owns a seven-fight win streak going back to 2007, and he's won 9 of his past 10 fights.
Even while with Affliction and Strikeforce, Hieron never previously discounted the possibility of returning to the UFC, where he went 0-2 during two one-fight stints in 2004 (TKO loss to Georges St-Pierre) and 2005 (TKO defeat to Jonathan Goulet).
Early Saturday morning, Hieron stated he had "finally got my release from [Strikeforce]," which prompted speculation of a potential move to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
But following Saturday's Showtime-televised "Strikeforce: Houston" event in Texas, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told MMAjunkie.com that's not exactly the case.
Hieron (19-4 MMA, 2-0 SF), a former IFL champion still widely regarded as one of the world's top 170-pounders, has no more fights left on his Strikeforce deal, but the organization has the right to match any offer from a competing organization.
"Here's the thing," Coker told MMAjunkie.com. "Jay Hieron doesn't have any fights left with us. He's just in a matching period. The only thing he would have to do is if he has an offer, he has to bring it to us.
"But he doesn't have fights with Strikeforce, no."
Coker wasn't immediately sure when the matching period ends, but he hasn't given up hope on re-signing the 34-year-old fighter.
"I think my guys are talking to him," Coker said.
Things in Strikeforce, though, haven't exactly gone smoothly for Hieron. Following the collapse of Affliction Entertainment in 2009, he signed with the California-based organization and made his Strikeforce debut in August 2009 against Jesse Taylor. However, Hieron initially was slated to fight Nick Diaz for the first-ever Strikeforce welterweight title. But Diaz skipped a pre-fight drug test and was pulled from the card, Hieron instead fought Jesse Taylor, the fight was demoted the un-televised preliminary card, and the belt was no longer on the line.
Three months later, Hieron and Diaz finally ended up on the same card. But instead of fighting Hieron for the belt, Diaz took on (and defeated) Marius Zaromskis to become champion. Hieron instead fought veteran Joe Riggs, and the bout again was left off the night's Showtime broadcast (though EASportsMMA.com later agreed to stream the fight online.)
Hieron now owns a seven-fight win streak going back to 2007, and he's won 9 of his past 10 fights.
Even while with Affliction and Strikeforce, Hieron never previously discounted the possibility of returning to the UFC, where he went 0-2 during two one-fight stints in 2004 (TKO loss to Georges St-Pierre) and 2005 (TKO defeat to Jonathan Goulet).