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Tank vs. Buentello
By Zach Arnold | August 7, 2006
It appears that letting Paul Buentello become a free agent may not pay off for UFC. Tank Abbott vs. Paul Buentello has been booked for the next Scott Coker Strikeforce show on October 7th in Fresno, California at the SaveMart Center. Can this match sell 10,000 tickets?
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
This should be entertaining at least. Paul can avoid Tank’s bum rush and then either pick him apart with punches or catch him in a submission. I don’t think either would be hard for Buentello.
I can say, being from Fresno, that unless the shows garners a huge buzz leading up to the show, like the first Strikeforce mma show in San Jose, it’ll be lucky to get 5,000. The venue can hold up to 15,000. The local WEC/KOTC/GC total fanbase will most likely get 3,000 fans at the most, 2,000 more from the UFC/TUF fanbase, and maybe the rest from curiosity.
I wonder how the show will be promoted locally since Fresno has never hosted MMA event as the closest there’s ever been have been on Indian reservations 45 minutes north and 45 minutes south of the city. Will it promoted like a WWE/pro wrestling show or more like a boxing/kickboxing event? Fresno doesn’t have many residents who know what MMA is, as those who do are only familiar with it as “cagefighting”. There are only 2 BJJ schools in the entire county. I wonder if there will be a PR backlash in the local media that condemn as brutal and “shocked” that an event like this could take place in their own backyard. Fresno is in the heart of agriculture valley and has a reputation for being the most conservative area in entire state of California.