EA Sports Announces Partnership With Strikeforce For MMA Title

At an event in Chicago today, EA Sports announced a partnership with US-based mixed martial arts organization Strikeforce for their upcoming MMA title. It will be a premiere league in the game, and many of their fighters will be playable, including Brett Rogers, Jake Shields, and Jason Miller. Former UFC referee Big John McCarthy will be keeping order during the bouts, and some of the venues will feature Strikeforce branding.

"We are honored that EA Sports has selected Strikeforce to serve as a premier league in its forthcoming MMA title,” said Strikeforce President Scott Coker.  “EA Sports has long been recognized by gamers as a highly innovative, ground breaking provider of sports gaming entertainment.  We are confident that EA SportsMMA will function as a great ambassador for Strikeforce's fighters and effectively promote our sport to a new audience as well as to longtime fight fans."

Commentary duties will be handled by Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and Jimmy Lennon, Jr. will announce fighters during their entrances. These fighters and personalities are familiar names to MMA fans (especially the previously announced Fedor Emelianenko), and it'll be interesting to see if UFC president Dana White holds true to his promise of never employing anyone that appears in EA's game.