With a series of shocking developments and interesting finishes, the first round of strikeforce’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix is now in the history books. Four men survived the first round: Sergei Kharitonov, Antonio Silva, Josh Barnett, and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem. We even know what second-round fights will take place: Overeem faces Silva while Kharitonov will go up against Barnett. But, until today, we didn’t know exactly when these fights take place. But in a new report it’s been revealed that September could see these two massive fights go down. Here are all the details. ...

It’s that time once again, fans and friends. Another major MMA event has come and gone, and it’s time for my unofficial “Best Performance of the Night” award. Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum” featured several strong performances, so it was tough to choose just one to highlight. We saw Chad Griggs blast apart Valentijn Overeem, Daniel Cormier dominate Jeff Monson, and Jorge Masvidal outshine and outclass KJ Noons. But it all paled in comparison to one man’s complete domination of a hulking behemoth with dynamite in his hands. Here’s why Josh Barnett’s submission win over Brett Rogers took home “Best Performance of the Night”. ...

Strikeforce’s “Overeem vs. Werdum” event has so far received some very diverse reactions. Many people argue over how the main event between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum went down, with many agreeing that it was a bad fight that proved relatively little for both fighters. But this wasn’t a one-fight show, and we did see several entertaining finishes. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about in the following weeks? Here’s my take on the matter: my top 5 best moments of Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum” was an interesting event dominated almost completely by Heavyweight fighters. We saw some good fights, some interesting finishes, and a main event that honestly fell far short of expectations. Now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold now that the Quarterfinals of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix are over? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

After a month-long hiatus, upstart promotion turned Zuffa-owned Strikeforce returned last night with its “Overeem vs. Werdum” event. In a night that saw many interesting fights, fans got to see big submissions, tough three-round wars, and a very bizarre performance in the main event. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary on Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

Today, June 18, 2011, Strikeforce will hold its highly-anticipated “Overeem vs. Werdum” event, featuring the final two match-ups of the opening round of Strikeforce’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix. Also, the card features hot prospects like Daniel Cormier, grizzled veterans like Jeff Monson, and former title challengers like KJ Noons. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to watch “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

We’re now only a few days away from Strikeforce's “Overeem vs. Werdum” event. In the main event, Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem will step into the cage against Fabricio Werdum. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett takes on Brett Rogers. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum”. ...

It’s that time again, fans and friends: once more we dive head-first into my series “A Closer Look”. For the last few articles I’ve been focusing on the upcoming Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum” event, and with the star-studded event now only two days away, “A Closer Look” is now two entries away from completion. All that’s left to cover are the two Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix match-ups, which are the final two quarterfinal bouts in what should be the greatest Strikeforce tournament ever, and perhaps one of the best MMA tournaments ever as well. So let’s begin with Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers. ...

Josh Barnett is a very controversial man, for several reasons. First and foremost, his checkered past and history of steroid use has caused him to be completely alienated by a strong contingent of anti-fans. Secondly, Barnett is prone to bizarre interviews where he claims that he wants to decapitate his opponents and drink their blood. One of the biggest rumors surrounding Barnett’s upcoming strikeforce debut in a fight against Brett Rogers was that he wouldn’t be licensed in time and would have to pull out of the fight. It’s now been revealed that that’s not the case, and Barnett recently shared some interesting thoughts on his upcoming opponent. Here are all the details. ...

And now, fans and friends, it’s time for the second half of my traditional two-part “start of month” posts. After previewing the major cards set to go down this month, it’s now time for me to give my thoughts on what my favorite fights will be. June is a huge month for MMA: at one point, there’s going to be three different events from three different companies in three days. It doesn’t get much more crazier than that. So with all the can’t-miss events heading our way, what are the absolutely-can’t-miss fights? Here’s what I think. ...

While the relationship between Josh Barnett and UFC President Dana White has been anything but "smooth", people change. Well, not White, who still insists that Barnett will never fight under the UFC banner, however Dana is in a precarious situation. Since the acqusition of Strikeforce over the weekend, Dana White and the other head honchos of the UFC have now made themselves responsible for the success of an entirely new organization, and with that it's fighters, which include the likes of Nick Diaz and Paul Daley, whom Dana has a less than comfortable relationship with. Chief among those rocky relationships is "The Babyfaced Assassin" who is once again a Zuffa employee, and though him and White have had their differences, Josh is now willing to play ball, and even make a return to the UFC in the future. ...

Judging from the views John Moody’s interview with Dana White received (over 40,000, congratulations John!), people are interested in what Dana White thinks of strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix. Recently, the always-controversial UFC President revealed who he think will win the Grand Prix, and why. And in a bit of a shocker, White picked a man that he’s had many troubles with in the past, a man that’s actually on the shortlist of fighters permanently exiled from the UFC: former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett. Here are all the details. ...

By John Moody Saturday’s Strikeforce event in New Jersey offers numerous reasons to plan your night around dialing up Showtime or finding your way in person to the Izod Center. Strikeforce is clearly making a play to carve out their niche as the home of the heavyweights. The current tournament starting on Saturday offers some the best talent in the division in Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, and Josh Barnett.  However, I see this sport through the personalities and the rolling state of a fighter’s career and the added drama that brings to the cage ... whether one needs a win to revive a career or stave off a second loss in a row to preserve his priceless cache. Saturday night offers up many of these storylines and more. ...

In certain circles, the name “Vadim Finkelchtein” is quite notorious and universally loathed. Finkelchtein is one of the driving forces behind M-1 Global, which doubles as a legitimate MMA promotion as well as the management team of Fedor Emelianenko. According to the cynics, Vadim can be blamed for everything from Fedor not competing in the UFC to Fedor’s prolonged absence following his shocking loss to Fabricio Werdum. But Vadim recently raised an interesting point as we head into the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, promising that M-1 Global will pursue vigorous drug testing for the tournament’s participants. ...

Hello once again fans and friends and welcome to the epilogue of "Heavy Wait: The Hunt for strikeforce Gold". Heavy Wait was a fourteen-part "Maxi-Series" designed to take an ultra-in-depth look at the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, featuring eight of the best talents Strikeforce has to offer and eight of the best Heavyweight MMA fighters in the world. Due to its sheer length and scope, I'm adding this special epilogue in order to compile all the pieces for any readers that missed a post, or for any new readers who wanted one convenient place to absorb all fourteen articles. So this unofficial entry into the "maxi-series" will do just that, as well as provide a few extra thoughts as a bit of a bonus. Let's get to it. ...

It’s finally here, fans and friends. With this fourteenth entry into the “maxi-series” called “Heavy Wait: The Hunt for Strikeforce Gold”, the end is now upon us. With this final article, I’ll have ended my ultra-in-depth look into the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. It’s been a taxing experience to examine something so closely from so many different angles, but it’s been an experience I won’t soon forget. So here it is, fans and friends: the finale of “Heavy Wait”, my final thoughts on the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. ...

Hello again fans and friends and welcome to the special three-part finale of “Heavy Wait”! “Heavy Wait” has been a “maxi-series” designed to give fans an ultra-in-depth look into the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix from my perspective: who I think will win, how I think they’ll win, and why I’m looking forward to this tournament so much. Because, don’t forget, one of the main goals of this “maxi-series” was to inject some positivity into a medium that so often only focuses on the negative. So let’s get the three-part finale started with something I know everyone is talking about: the dream matches they hope to see! Here are my Top 5 Dream Matches For The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. ...

Welcome back fans and friends to another edition of “Heavy Wait”, my “maxi-series” where I examine the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. With this eleventh edition of the series, I’ll have now covered all eight of the tournament’s participants, and given my thoughts on how they could possibly defeat all seven of their possible opponents. And last but certainly not least we have the man with dynamite in his hands that took Strikeforce and the MMA world at large by storm not too long ago: Brett Rogers. ...

Hello again fans and friends and welcome back to “Heavy Wait”, the “maxi-series” that takes an ultra-in-depth look into the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Today marks the series’ official entry into double digits, as I look at the final two combatants and once again talk about what I think they need to do in order to beat all seven of their possible opponents. Up next we have the one and only “Babyfaced Assassin”, UFC champion and PRIDE FC veteran Josh Barnett. ...

Welcome back fans and friends to another edition of “Heavy Wait”. My little “maxi-series” focusing on the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix will soon be entering double digits, but not before we focus on Sergei Kharitonov. As before, today’s entry will look at what Sergei has to do in order to beat all seven of his possible opponents. While Kharitonov does seem to be the darkest “dark horse” of the tournament, as the saying goes, anything is possible in MMA. So let’s dive right into “Heavy Wait Part 9: What Sergei Kharitonov Has To Do In Order To Win It All”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another edition of “Heavy Wait”. We’re seven articles in to what I like to call my “maxi-series” focused on the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, and today marks entries eight and nine. I’ve now covered four of the eight athletes of the tournament and given my thoughts on what they need to do in order to beat all seven of their possible opponents. Now it’s time to focus on the second leg of the tournament, starting with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the seventh edition of “Heavy Wait: The Hunt for Strikeforce Gold”, a special “maxi-series” focusing on the fast-approaching Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Once again I’ll be looking at another gifted competitor in the tournament and carefully examining what he needs to do in order to beat all seven of his possible opponents. And now we come to the man who arguably scored the biggest upset in MMA history: the one and only “Vai Cavalo”, Fabricio Werdum. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another edition of “Heavy Wait”, a special “maxi-series” where I take an ultra-in-depth look into the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Why? Because it’s an amazing tournament featuring some of my favorite fighters, and I just can’t help but be incredibly interested in it. We’re now into the bulk of “Heavy Wait”, a special eight-part series where I examine what all eight participants in the tournament need to do in order to beat their seven possible competitors. Up next is the one and only “Ubereem”, Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem. So let’s dive right into “Heavy Wait Part 6”. ...

Hello again fans and friends and welcome to part 5 of “Heavy Wait”, my ultra-in-depth look at the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, an event that I along with many Strikeforce fans have incredibly high hopes for. Today on Heavy Wait, we’re diving right into the tournament itself, as I’m taking all eight participants and giving my thoughts on what I think they should do to beat all seven of their possible opponents. Up next is Antonio Silva, the “Bigfoot” that was the first and only EliteXC Heavyweight Champion. Let’s do this. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome back to the “maxi-series” called “Heavy Wait: The Hunt for Strikeforce Gold”. Last time on Heavy Wait, I addressed some of the negativity concerning the planned Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, but make no mistake, the goal of this series is to get everyone pumped up for what I just know will be an amazing tournament. Currently, I’ve addressed the possible negatives as well as going over the positives and what I think will happen if the tournament lives up to its potential. And now we get into the real meat of “Heavy Wait”: an eight-part series where I examine what each and every fighter in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix has to do in order to ultimately win it all. So let’s get started with one of the major names of the tournament: the one and only Fedor Emelianenko. This is “Heavy Wait: What Fedor Needs To Do In Order to Win It All”. ...

The announcement of the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix has taken the internet by storm, and with good reason. Many fans and insiders, including myself, are incredibly hopeful for the tournament and can’t wait to see what should be some stellar Heavyweight action. Recently, Strikeforce has overcome one major obstacle that could have prevented the tournament from ever happening, although a new potential threat has emerged. Here are all the details. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome back to “Heavy Wait: The Hunt for Strikeforce Gold”. While the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix sounds amazing on paper, I’ll be honest and admit that no tournament is perfect. Some cynics opposed to this tournament are already emerging, and it’d be a bit biased if I didn’t take time to address that section of the fanbase. In the spirit of examining every angle and really giving the Grand Prix an in-depth look, here are the five things I dislike the most about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. ...

Hello again fans and friends and welcome to the second part of “Heavy Wait”, my in-depth look at the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. The eight-man tournament featuring eight of Strikeforce’s best Heavyweight fighters should be one of the best things to ever come out of the Strikeforce promotion. But why, exactly, am I so hyped about this tournament? Let’s find out in part 2 of “Heavy Wait”: the five things I like the most about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. ...

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. ...