The Federal Trade Commission is currently looking into whether or not the UFC has an illegal monopoly on mixed-martial-arts in the U.S. (what about Bellator??) and since UFC purchased Strikeforce last year, and then decided to continue to run it as a seperate (but “equal”) promotion I think it’s clear that this concern is overblown. After all, ESPN Outside of the Lines did a terrific report chronicling how the UFC actively blackballs U.S. fighters who have the audacity to complain about their compensation, and then UFC feels free to pluck Dan Henderson, Nick Diaz, Jake Shields (to be fair he signed while Strikeforce was independent of UFC), and Alistair Overeem to UFC.

But turn those frowns upside down Strikeforce fans, because they just poached one of UFC’s prized guys…granted he had been released from the promotion and looking for work for a year.

Less than a year after his departure from UFC, Marquardt has signed a new deal with Strikeforce to compete in their welterweight division.

Yay!

Ironically enough, while Marquardt was released last year from his UFC contract after elevated testosterone levels kept him out of his scheduled fight at UFC on Versus 4 against Rick Story, the Colorado based fighter never actually competed in another promotion.

Marquardt was signed to the British promotion BAMMA and was expected to debut in February, but after multiple delays the fighter asked and received his release from the organization.

The world is your oyster, Nate.

Ex-aerobics instructor and bald Vince McMahon Dana White has been on a subtle mission to ruin Strikeforce since the UFC announced that it was purchasing the U.S. fight promotion earlier this year. While the UFC is indeed the top dog in the U.S., with apologies to Bellator, Strikeforce still represented an alternative to see fights from people who didn’t have to kiss Dana’s ass, or who the UFC demonstrated no patience for in earlier forays. Strikeforce brought us the likes of King Mo, Fedor, Gina Carano, and Alistair Overeem.

First, we saw Jake Shields shift over to the Octagon, then Strikeforce occasional heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was announced to fight in December against Brock Lesnar (boing!), and now Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez is likely to make the switch.

Pull guard and sink in a guillotine, ESPN:

UFC president Dana White said he wants to have Melendez in his promotion very soon.

“We do want to bring Gilbert Melendez over [to UFC] and we’re looking at it right now,” White said Saturday night. “We’re going to bring him over ASAP.”

It was believed that Melendez (19-2) would defend his Strikeforce title in December against Jorge Masvidal. But White further emphasized his desire to have Melendez’s next fight be in UFC.

“We’re looking to bring him over right now,” White said.

White refused to guarantee a title shot for Melendez in his first UFC bout, but he would not rule it out.

“It’s a possibility.” White said. “The thing is, that division is stacked.

“And usually timing has a lot to do with it.”

The article goes on to note that, in total, four Strikeforce champions have vacated, including Dan Henderson, and welterweight Nick Diaz, and they are all in UFC now. Meanwhile, Paul Daley sits by the phone pretending to play bridge, and Keith Jardine is probably underneath a bridge right now sharing a can of turpentine with Boxcar Joe after they boxed for a sandwich. Where is my source for this information, your mom, that’s who!! (points to crotch).