Hello fans and friends and welcome to the start of what I’d like to call a “maxi-series”. Starting today, I’ll be beginning a series of topics called “Heavy Wait: The Hunt for Strikeforce Gold”. The goal of the series is to completely and totally examine the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix from all sides: what I like about it, what I don’t like, what I think will happen, and much more. I haven’t been this excited for an MMA event in quite some time, and I can’t wait for the Grand Prix to get started. So, to kick off “Heavy Wait”, here are five things (in no particular order) that I think will happen if the Heavyweight Grand Prix lives up to its potential. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to Part 3 of my special Christmas Day mini-series “All I want for Christmas”. The first half of the second part of my four-part special features some thoughts on what I think the immediate future holds for the surging Strikeforce promotion, which had an up-and-down 2010 but made some considerable gains in the war for the hearts and minds of the average MMA fan. So let’s get started with the Top 5 things I’m looking forward to for Strikeforce in 2011. ...

Welcome back to “All I Want for Christmas”, fans and friends, my special Christmas Day mini-series where I share some thoughts and hopes on what I’m looking forward to as we head towards the second decade of the new millennium. Next up is everyone’s favorite topic: dream fights. Even fans who don’t like to play “armchair promoter” love to trot out their personal picks for the fights they’d like to see. So here are my “Top 5 Dream Fights for 2011”, focusing on high-profile fights that could conceivably happen next year. Let’s get to it. ...

What an interesting time it must be to be Antonio Silva. The first and only EliteXC Heavyweight champion, “Bigfoot” has been working his way towards top-division status for the last several years and is closer than ever to reaching that goal. Silva most recently fought and beat Mike Kyle after surviving a first-round scare and going on to TKO his opponent at the action-packed strikeforce “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” event. Currently, Silva is being talked about as a possible opponent for the returning Fedor Emelianenko. In a new interview, Silva commented both on Kyle and a potential fight with Fedor. ...

We may not be seeing Alistair Overeem defend his strikeforce heavyweight title for some time. Why? Because after "The Demolition Man" tore through this years' K-1 World Grand Prix claiming the promotion's GP heavyweight championship, he'll be right back in action for another tournament of epic proportion's. It's rumored that Overeem, in addition to 7 other high-profile heavyweight stars will be competing in an 8-man heavyweight tournament under the Strikeforce banner. ...

When it comes to the future of MMA legend and current strikeforce fighter Fedor Emelianenko, any news is good news… right? Maybe not, at least in the minds of some fans. Word has barely gotten out that Fedor Emelianenko may finally be making his return to Strikeforce on January 29 against Antonio Silva, but already the cynics are circling. People are already strongly opposing this potential match-up, for several reasons. However, I personally would really enjoy watching this fight, and in fact, here’s my Top 5 reasons why Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva makes sense and Should happen. ...

As the calendar turns towards 2011, the subject of Fabricio Werdum’s next fight continues to be on everyone’s mind. Werdum remains on the injured list after shaking the MMA world down to its core when he famously became the first man to ever legitimately beat Fedor Emelianenko on June 26 of this year. The exact date of Werdum’s return and even Werdum’s next opponent remain up in the air, but in a recent interview, Werdum shed some light on the situation. ...

It wasn’t too long ago that folks weren’t too high on former UFC star and current Strikeforce fighter Fabricio Werdum. Then the unthinkable happened: Werdum became the first man to ever legitimately beat MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko, and he made it look easy. Now Werdum finds himself as one of the most consistently talked-about fighters currently on the injured list. As 2011 draws near, Werdum recently gave fans and the media several important updates on his future. Here’s the latest on Fabricio Werdum, straight from the man himself. ...

It’s been almost five months since Fabricio Werdum shocked the world and gave former PRIDE FC champion and MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko his first legitimate loss. Since that time, much has been made of Fedor and his management team M-1 Global’s continued negotiations with the strikeforce promotion. Both sides have yet to come to a deal, but Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently revealed that they’re closer than ever. Here are all the details. ...

Barnett has more baggage than the octo-mom, but there's a few things that the former UFC heavyweight champion knows how to do. He knows how to win, and he knows how to stir up controversy, better than anyone else in the business, hands down. Recently Barnett appeared in California for the new "EA Sports: MMA" launch (and by the way, the game is everything and more I could have asked for and I challenge anyone to disagree with me) and his first order of business was to greet his good friend, Fedor Emelianenko. Yes, thankfully Fedor and Barnett don't fall into that lump sum of fighter's who "won't fight friends". It's an example of true comradery, to be able to put friendship aside and handle it just as it is, a business. But, ask Josh would he rather fight..say, Fabricio Werdum over anyone else, and see what he has to say. ...

strikeforce may be gaining a lot of momentum on the Showtime network by consistently putting on worthwhile events, but heading into 2011 their future on national television seems far more uncertain. CBS seems hesitant (some would even say “unwilling”) to take another chance on Strikeforce after they televised “Nashville”, the event that saw the infamous brawl between Jason Miller and several members of Team Cesar Gracie. What will it take to get Strikeforce back on CBS? Nothing short of an absolutely star-studded card. In that vein, here’s my personal “dream card” that I think is more than good enough to land a primetime slot on the CBS network. ...

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker is in an enviable and yet at the same time not-so-enviable position. As the head of the largest MMA promotion not directly owned by Zuffa and therefore the largest alternative to the juggernaut that is the UFC, Coker is in charge of such big-name talents as Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson, Nick Diaz, and many more. While he can put on major cards on the Showtime network and even CBS, Coker still struggles daily with the growing nature of his promotion and the simple fact that he’s not number one in the game. In a recent interview, the soft-spoken promoter filled us all in on where he stands with some of Strikeforce’s biggest stars and his even bigger plans for the future. ...

After making headlines and history with his shocking submission win over Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum has been forced to sit on the sidelines healing up an elbow injury right as his name value has never been higher. When he returns all eyes will be on “Vai Cavalo”, whether he fights Alistair Overeem to determine the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion or whether he steps into the cage once again with Fedor in what must be one of the most eagerly-anticipated rematches in recent history. MMAWeekly recently gave us an update on Werdum’s progress back to fighting shape, and here are the highlights. ...

As the year is coming closer to an end, the now annual World MMA Awards, which is hosted by Fighters Only Magazine, has recently announced their finalists for the December 1st event, which will take place once again in Las Vegas, Nev., which has become a hot bed for all things fighting related. The 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States. ...

When Fedor Emelianenko speaks, everyone listens. Mostly because it happens so rarely, but also because he’s one of the most well-respected and beloved MMA fighters ever. “The Last Emperor” recently took part in a fan Q&A session on his official website, with MixFight providing a full transcript and LowKick providing us with the English translation. Here are some of the major highlights that help clue us all in on Fedor’s future. ...

From a UFC exile struggling to remain relevant in a rapidly-expanding Heavyweight division to one of the biggest assets of the rapidly-expanding Strikeforce promotion…what a difference a few big wins can make for Fabricio Werdum. Werdum shocked the world and made MMA history when he defeated the heavily-favored Fedor Emelianenko in the first legitimate loss of Emelianenko's career. An injury has sidelined Werdum for the past several months and delayed the obvious rematch, but recently, Werdum filled us in on his condition and also gave us his thoughts on new Strikeforce signee and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett. ...

When it was announced in 2009, Josh Barnett vs. Fedor Emelianenko was hailed as some to be the best fight that the legendary PRIDE FC promotion never got around to making. Much has changed since the bout was announced as the headline attraction of the short-lived Affliction promotion’s “Trilogy” event. For one, Barnett tested positive for steroids yet again and earned another black mark on a career that has been up-and-down and all-around since his days as the youngest UFC champion ever. Perhaps most importantly, Fedor is no longer the untouchable wrecking machine he once was, having suffered his first legitimate loss to heavy underdog Fabricio Werdum. But according to “The Babyfaced Assassin” himself, Fedor/Barnett will still happen one day and will still be a major fight. ...

It’s been a back-and-forth roller-coaster ride for the former top-ranked Heavyweight and pound-for-pound legend Fedor Emelianenko following his shocking submission loss to heavy underdog Fabricio Werdum earlier this year. Reports surfaced a few weeks back that Emelianenko was looking for a return fight in December, possibly in Japan or even Russia, and was gunning for current strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem. Overeem has been a vocal proponent of a match with Emelianenko, even going as far as to consistently accuse Emelianenko of “ducking” him. After the Overeem bout failed to materialize due to scheduling conflicts, it looked as if “The Last Emperor” would be sitting out the rest of 2010 after all. Until now. MMAWeekly.com recently reported that a match-up between Emelianenko and Antonio Silva is a definitive possibility for a December Strikeforce show. ...

He’s a controversial athlete…but he’s a former UFC champion. He’s been popped for steroids in the past…but he’s one of the best Heavyweights competing right now, and certainly one of the best not in the UFC. It could be argued that his latest steroid scandal caused the death of an entire promotion…but he’s competed in numerous high-profile fights that have drawn big money. Is he worth the risk, in the end? Strikeforce seems to think so, as they announced recently via a press release that they had signed Josh Barnett to an exclusive contract. In the press release, Barnett said the following: “STRIKEFORCE is the home of the best heavyweight division in the world and I’m proud to be able to call it my home now.” ...

As the fantastic year MMA had in 2010 draws closer and closer to a close, I’m left wondering what 2011 could bring us that could possibly hold a candle to some of the crazy events of this year. This year gave us amazing shows, unpredictable outcomes, the continued growth of the sport, new champions, new challengers, and so much more. It’s going to take a lot to outdo 2010. In that regard, here are five fantasy match-ups that I think could realistically happen in 2011 and would go a long way towards outdoing 2010 in terms of excitement, anticipation, and fight quality. ...

Alistair Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, is conceding to Fedor Emelianenko's proposal--but on his own terms. The former consensus number one heavyweight fighter in the world, Emelianenko--who ruled the division for over 7 years--went on record with management company M-1 Global, and made his intentions know for who he wants next on his plate. Title or no title, Fedor is looking to earn back some clout he lost in his bout with Fabricio Werdum--the only man to date to definitively defeat the famed Russian--with a win over Overeem. ...

It wasn't all that long ago that Fedor was sitting on top of the mountain. A stoic figure sitting on top of the MMA world--the former Pride Heavyweight champion had just began earning his due respect here in the United States, after making a campaign with the now defunct Affliction organization where he dispatched of two former UFC heavyweight champions. Emelianenko signed with Strikeforce in 2009 after his stint with the "T-Shirt" company, he performed in true Fedor fashion when the Russian rallied back in the second round after a rough going in the first with heavyweight standout Brett Rogers last November, marking his debut with the San Jose based organization after knocking out the big man. Now removed after his first legitimate loss in nearly ten years to submission specialist Fabricio Werdum last April, Fedor has turned from King to contender, and thus is now campaigning for his own fights, to make his way back to the top. ...

It’s looking more and more likely that the rumored December/New Year’s Eve fight pitting former PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion and formerly top-ranked Pound-for-Pound fighter Fedor Emelianenko against an as-yet-unnamed opponent will be more style than substance. Alistair Overeem has already declined the potential match-up. It's also recently been confirmed that Fabricio Werdum, the man that shocked the world and handed Fedor the first legitimate loss of his career when he caught him in a triangle and forced Emelianenko to tap out, has undergone successful elbow surgery and will be out for the next several months. Even though Werdum and his manager recently stated that a return in early 2011 was possible, a fight in December is definitely a no-go. ...

If there’s one thing that both fans and cynics of Fedor Emelianenko can agree on, it’s that his next fight is going to be a proving point for the man who once ruled the Heavyweight division without equal. Leading back all the way to his glory days in PRIDE FC, up to and including his headline attractions in the short-lived Affliction promotion and now Strikeforce, many believed that Fedor was invincible and undefeatable. That all came crashing down when Fabricio Werdum shocked the world and submitted Fedor, seemingly turning the MMA world upside-down overnight. Vadim Finkelstein, the premiere face of Fedor’s semi-notorious management team M-1 Global, recently commented on when Fedor would once again be stepping into action. And it’s going to be a lot sooner than I think any of us expected- according to Vadim, Fedor’s return will be on a New Year’s Eve super-card in either Japan or Russia. ...

The only man to ever be called Elite XC Heavyweight Champion, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva recently came down hard on industry insiders ranking current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar as the top Heavyweight in the world. Silva recently spoke to tatame.com and asserted that Fabricio Werdum should be the number-one Heavyweight following his surprise submission win over “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianeko, who had sat atop the #1 Heavyweight slot for several years running, at least according to many major news outlets and insider websites. Silva also expressed shock over a fighter having a 5-1 record being considered the best in the world. I, personally, am more shocked that people are taking Antonio Silva seriously when he says things like this. ...

As one of the biggest Anderson Silva fans walking the planet, I still find it hard to put into words how I felt for the majority of Silva’s recent fight with Chael Sonnen. “Speechless” comes close, as does “defeated”. “Disappointed” is a maybe, but you have to consider that the rib injury Silva went into the Sonnen fight with is rumored to keep him out until mid-2011. I think “humbled” is a pretty good one, too. This is why I’m honestly a bit shocked that many people still have Anderson Silva at the top of their Pound for Pound lists. As much as I love “The Spider”, and it’s bordered on hero-worship at times, we all need to admit that Silva is no longer the Pound for Pound king. ...

Fedor Emelianenko is not done yet…but he’s not UFC-bound either. M-1 Global, Fedor’s management team, recently released a statement saying that Fedor would like to sign a 4-6 fight contract with Strikeforce once his current deal with them expires. As expected, Fedor detractors have called this latest statement yet another admission that Fedor is ducking the UFC. As one of the biggest Fedor fans walking the planet right now, even I can admit that Strikeforce doesn’t have the kind of roster necessary to give Fedor 4-6 fights that are actually interesting. I’m being honest here: I’m trying to think of six fights involving Fedor against Strikeforce’s Heavyweight division that really interest me, and at the most I’m able to come up with three. ...

While most fans we're hoping for Fedor's inception into the UFC sometime ago, it looks like we will have to wait just a little bit longer than anticipated. Emelianeko, legend and former Pride and WAMMA heavyweight champion, is apparently in good standings with his new home with Strikeforce. ...

With the hype train behind Fedor Emelianenko now derailed, many are left wondering what happens not only to strikeforce’s Heavyweight division, but where Strikeforce as a whole goes from here. Some call Strikeforce a breeding ground for UFC cast-offs, while followers of the San Jose-based promotion are quick to point out that Strikeforce contains world-caliber champions and aspiring newcomers, resulting in fight cards that are a hit more often than not. Going forward, here’s what I think will be the keys to success for Strikeforce. ...