With His MMA Career Hanging in the Balance, Bobby Lashley is Now a Free Agent

I’ve said this a lot recently: what a difference a fight can make. I’ve said it mostly in reference to a fighter I didn’t like (Nick Diaz) or didn’t have faith in (Marloes Coenen) winning me over with their spirited performances, but the absolute reverse also holds true for another strikeforce fighter. Bobby Lashley, the pro wrestler turned Mixed Martial Artist that was heralded as the next Brock Lesnar when he began his career, is now apparently on the chopping block. Lashley’s current Strikeforce contract has ran its course, and according to several reports, this may mean that Lashley is done with MMA entirely. Here are all the details.

The news first came from Dave Meltzer, with a follow-up report posted on Bloody Elbow. The Meltzer report stated the following: “Bobby Lashley’s contract has expired. Right now he’s in the exclusive negotiating period… although his Strikeforce deal does allow him to do pro wrestling and he always expressed interest in going back. After the exclusive period ends, he can talk with other groups but Strikeforce would have the option to match any offers… Strikeforce hasn’t expressed real interest in him… There has been no talk about Batista coming in of late and that fight only makes sense on CBS or PPV… This is hardly the best time for [Lashley] to be a free agent…”

Some insiders are already predicting that we may as well close the book on Bobby Lashley’s MMA career. If Strikeforce does re-sign him, it will likely be for a substantially lower price point now that Lashley’s aura and marketability has taken such a large hit after losing to the virtually unknown Chad Griggs. Lashley would likely have to work his way up from the lower-end “Strikeforce Challengers” series of shows, and that means diminished paydays and diminished focus on him.

Many are thinking that Lashley won’t be able to deal with that and will call it a career after six professional fights. The only alternatives to Strikeforce are the lower-end promotions, and if Lashley can’t take going down to Strikeforce’s minor leagues he certainly won’t go down to the actual minor leagues. There’s relatively little chance that the UFC would sign Lashley given his uninspiring record of defeating throw-away opponents and his substantial asking price.

I honestly think that Lashley will be swapping careers once again sometime soon, except this time in reverse. It’ll be back to pro wrestling for Bobby Lashley, his future in MMA is too bleak right now. This exclusive negotiating period will prove once and for all if Lashley is serious about becoming a legitimate Mixed Martial Artist, or if he just wanted to jump in and make a quick buck. If Lashley refuses to lower his asking price and opts to return to the land of the squared circle, this will only validate everything I’ve ever said about him- Bobby Lashley was never relevant, he was a glorified Kimbo Slice, and the only reason he ever warranted a spot in Strikeforce in the first place was because of his crossover appeal to pro wrestling fans. Strikeforce wanted their very own Brock Lesnar and all they got was Bobby Lashley.

But if Lashley does re-sign at a deflated price? If he’s really willing to work his way back up from “Challengers” or something similar? Then he’ll have finally gained a measure of respect in my book. I don’t think it’s likely, at all, but if Lashley is indeed willing to take the hit both in decreased pay and decreased focus, he may just have it in him to fully rebound from this loss and, dare I say it, become a credible asset to Strikeforce. It does seem quite unlikely, but as always, anything is possible in MMA.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think the future holds for the somewhat-controversial Strikeforce star?