Sources: UFC, Strikeforce Agree to Deal
 

Updated: March 12, 2011, 5:16 PM ET
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Zuffa LLC, owner and operator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has agreed in principle to purchase Strikeforce, essentially its lone remaining competitor in the mixed martial arts market, multiple sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed to ESPN.com.
UFC president Dana White told MMAFighting.com that Zuffa had purchased Strikeforce.
An announcement could come as soon as Monday
Negotiations have been months in the making between representatives for Zuffa and Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, which also runs the NHL's San Jose Sharks, various parties familiar with the deal said.
Silicon Valley in 2008 had agreed to a partnership with Strikeforce's parent company, West Coast Entertainment, a San Jose-based promotion created by Scott Coker in 1985.
It's unclear the extent to which Coker, the current Strikeforce CEO, played in the negotiations. Coker did not respond ESPN.com's requests for comment.
Ken Hershman, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports, which has a long-term broadcasting deal with Strikeforce, declined through a representative to comment.
Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez viewed the proposed sale as a chance to prove himself.

"I've been talking and saying I'm the No. 1 lightweight, now I get a chance to back it up," Melendez told ESPN.com's Franklin McNeil. "It's not always up to us fighters. I know Frankie Edgar would be more than happy to fight me, and would love to fight him. "This is great. It's great for the fans and it's great for the sport. Now we get to figure out who is the best lightweight in the world."

Cesar Gracie, jujitsu trainer for Melendez and Strikeforce welterweight championNick Diaz, was more guarded in his evaluation.
"It's good and bad. It can set up some good matches in the future," Gracie told McNeil. " ... On the other hand, whenever you have companies consolidating and making a monopoly it's a bad thing as far as competition, and fighters' rights to earn more money."
Josh Gross covers mixed martial arts for ESPN.com.
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