The news hit the internet like a tidal wave and has since been investigated and confirmed by all the major news sites: Sherdog.com, MMA Weekly, MMA Fighting, take your pick. I wish it wasn’t true, fans and friends, but the facts don’t lie: Alistair Overeem is no longer a Strikeforce fighter.

Overeem is most famous for holding three belts at once: the DREAM Heavyweight Championship, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship, and the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship. At 35-11, Overeem hasn’t lost since 2007.

In all honesty, this is even more of a shocking loss than Cristiane Santos (and by the way, Santos still hasn’t officially signed to a new contract, so she’s still a free agent, meaning that I actually don’t have the worst timing ever). Whereas the release of “Cyborg” led me to believe that Zuffa wanted nothing to do with Strikeforce’s women’s division, the release of Overeem leads me to believe that Zuffa wants nothing to do with Strikeforce as a whole.

Honestly, how do you justify this as “business as usual”? How do you take the last big mega-star still in the Heavyweight tournament out of said tournament and then cut him entirely? This is bordering on insanity.

I honestly think Zuffa is beginning to systematically destroy Strikeforce in order to fold it into the UFC the second the Showtime contracts are done.

Just take a look at their current championships: the Heavyweight title is now vacated. When Dan Henderson fights Fedor Emelianenko, it’ll be the last fight on his contract. And with their previous history of bitter contract negotiations, there’s at least a fifty-fifty chance that the Zuffa brass will allow Henderson to walk with his championship too. Middleweight is “so far so good” with Ronaldo Souza as champion, but who can really challenge him? Then we have the Welterweight Championship which was also recently vacated when Nick Diaz signed to the UFC. And finally, we run into the same problem of a lack of competition for Gilbert Melendez, Strikeforce’s Lightweight Champion.

It honestly infuriates me that they’re being so transparent in their attempts to kill Strikeforce while still holding true to this “business as usual” nonsense. If Zuffa didn’t own Strikeforce, there would have been little chance that Overeem would have left, or Santos would have left, or Diaz would have left. Whether it was smart business or wasteful spending, Strikeforce did everything it could to keep its main attractions both in Strikeforce and happy with their paydays.

This news is still sending shockwaves throughout the MMA community, and rightfully so. This is the beginning of the end, fans and friends. With the champions departing in droves or not being able to come to new agreements, Strikeforce has nowhere to go and its fighters are left with nothing to fight for. As we all suspected, Strikeforce will more than likely cease to exist as soon as its deal with the Showtime network is over and done with.

Strikeforce and Zuffa really lost a lot of my respect for this. Alistair Overeem is one of my favorite fighters, and one of the few “best in the world” fighters Strikeforce has left to offer. Now that Overeem is gone, both the Heavyweight Grand Prix and the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship have lost all meaning to me. No matter who wins the tournament and/or the belt, I’ll always wonder “could they have beaten Overeem?” And pardon the language, but it’s a damn shame that I’ll never be able to know.

MMA Fighting gives us a pretty good breakdown on the situation. In an interview on “The MMA Hour” with noted journalist Ariel Helwani, Overeem stated that Strikeforce officials had contacted him to let him know that he would be fighting September 10, which is the rumored date when Strikeforce will hold the Heavyweight tournament semi-finals. Overeem didn’t agree to the bout, saying that he would rather fight in October.

Overeem was then apparently threatened with removal from the tournament if he decided to stand his ground. Overeem responded by saying that he didn’t like to be threatened. Zuffa’s response was pretty simple: we don’t make threats. A few hours after the interview with Overeem went out, it was reported and eventually confirmed that Overeem had indeed been pulled from the tournament and will now be replaced by undefeated prospect Daniel Cormier.

Part of me is completely baffled by this announcement, and another part understands it completely but doesn’t agree with it at all. The optimist in me has to wonder… why would you take out one of the biggest attractions of this tournament simply because he wanted to wait a month to fight? Whatever happened to negotiating with a fighter, whatever happened to give-and-take? Strikeforce used to bend over backward to accommodate their top-division fighters, and now one of the most exciting fighters of this tournament has been pulled simply because he wanted to fight in October and not September.

On the other hand, the realist in me knows that Zuffa wanted and perhaps even needed to make an example out of Overeem. This is the new regime, and they don’t play by the old regime’s rules. Apparently, if you’re a Strikeforce fighter you now fight when and where Strikeforce tells you, and if you don’t agree then there’ll be consequences. By singling out one of Strikeforce’s biggest stars, their Heavyweight champion in fact, Zuffa has sent the message that they’re not to be messed with and that no one fighter is more important than the organization itself.

Also, Overeem has made a good living in Japan, both in K-1 and Japanese MMA promotions, and his Strikeforce contract allows him to compete for other organizations. The UFC has been notoriously opposed to allowing their fighters to fight anywhere else. Perhaps that has something to do with the situation.

In the end, I have to say that I don’t agree with this decision at all. Alistair Overeem may not have given the best performance against Fabricio Werdum recently, but I was incredibly pumped up for what should have been an awesome striking war against Antonio Silva. I don’t think Overeem was making any huge demands, and I don’t think he was being unprofessional. I think the UFC saw an opportunity to make an example out of someone and they took it. And while it may be a smart business move, it certainly comes across as incredibly callous.

We head to MMA Junkie for a report that states that Strikeforce officials are looking to hold the semi-final round of their Grand Prix on September 10. As of this writing, a city, state, and venue are all unknown. In addition to those two fights, September 10 is also being targeted for other potential big fights, like Ronaldo Souza vs. Luke Rockhold, Muhammed Lawal vs. Roger Gracie, and Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle.

The four men advancing to the second round gave very interesting, very varied performances to make their way there. Sergei Kharitonov entered the tournament an unknown and proceeded to set himself up as a “dark horse” with a fantastic KO victory over former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski. Catch-wrestling specialist Josh Barnett dominated and submitted Brett Rogers. Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum both gave baffling performances in what is so far the weakest fight of the tournament, but Overeem did enough to win a decision. And in the biggest, best fight of his life, Antonio Silva managed to defeat MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko.

I’m really excited for this tournament, and I think these two fights would both be huge, absolutely huge, additions to what is looking to be a great September 10 card.

Something tells me that the winner of Kharitonov/Barnett will have a real shot at winning the entire tournament, no matter if it’s Overeem or Silva that they face. Josh Barnett looked excellent against Brett Rogers, and if for only a few minutes, he reminded us why so many people used to rank him very high on the Heavyweight charts. Meanwhile, Kharitonov showed off some very impressive, very technical striking against Andrei Arlovski. Although it seems to fit the typical “striker vs. wrestler” mold, I think this fight will be entertaining no matter where it goes or how long it lasts.

In regards to Overeem vs. Silva, I think this is the fight where Overeem will re-assert himself as a destroyer. A lot of people criticized Overeem’s performance against Werdum, but in my opinion, it takes two to tango. Overeem wanted nothing of Werdum’s ground game, and Werdum didn’t want to do anything except pull guard and hope Overeem followed him to the ground. The fact that an MMA fight always starts standing means that the ground fighter has to work to take it to the ground, not just pull guard over and over and over. So I honestly blame Fabricio Werdum more than Alistair Overeem.

Against Antonio Silva, Overeem will face someone who loves to strike and just happens to also be pretty good at the ground game. Silva will come out with something to prove and will probably try to knock Overeem out, and that’s going to give Overeem ample opportunity to show off why he won a championship in the most prestigious kickboxing organization in the world.

Overall, I’m very excited for these two fights, and if they occur as planned, September 10 could be the date for one of Strikeforce’s best cards of the year.

5. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson

It’s the last call for a legend, and one of the greatest MMA fighters in MMA history. If Emelianenko can’t beat Dan Henderson, I have a strong feeling that he’ll retire. And Dan Henderson is currently riding a major wave of momentum now that he’s Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight Champion. It’s going to be an awesome showdown between two of the best old-school MMA veterans still actively competing today.

4. Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

It may not have the bitter rivalry of the inevitable showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans… but this is certainly one colossal match-up. I honestly and fully believe that this fight will set the stage for years to come: depending on how Jones does against Jackson, we’ll know for sure whether or not Jones is “the chosen one” that will break the curse of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few fights. I definitely can’t wait to see this fight.

3. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami

Yushin Okami can’t beat Anderson Silva… right? Of course he can. Anybody can beat anybody, and anything can happen in Mixed Martial Arts. And this is a rematch that’s been years in the making. To a loyal contingent of fans, Okami is one of the most under-rated, under-appreciated fighters currently fighting in the UFC. To a vast majority of people, Anderson Silva is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. Any time Anderson Silva fights, you can definitely expect it to chart high on my lists like this. The fact that there’s such an interesting story between Okami and Silva is just icing on the cake.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

Now this is a fight everyone can really dig their teeth into. Alistair Overeem has been living up to his nickname “Demolition Man” for a long time now, although he didn’t give the best performance against Fabricio Werdum. Meanwhile, Antonio Silva gave arguably the best performance of his life when he defeated Fedor Emelianenko. Whether you’re an Overeem fan, a “Bigfoot” fan, or simply a fan of great fights, this should definitely be the premiere showdown for the rest of Strikeforce’s year.

And my number-one most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011 is…

1. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

The night Nick Diaz faced Paul Daley, I was on the edge of my seat from the moment that fight started. When Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre goes down, I won’t even need a seat. I’ll be too busy pacing back and forth. I’ve followed Nick Diaz for a long, long time, and in that time, he’s changed from one of the fighters I absolutely despise to one of only a handful of fighters I consider my favorites. Even though he’s incredibly controversial and one of the biggest “bad boys” in MMA, I just can’t help but love Diaz’s take-no-prisoners style and his gruff type of “us against the world” affection that he shows to both his fans and his teammates. I know that Nick Diaz is a legitimate “best in the world” athlete, and I want him to prove that against Georges St. Pierre. But to do that, he’ll have to beat a man that I consider one of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists of all time. This isn’t just my most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011, it’s probably my most-anticipated fight of the last few years. Everything, and I do mean everything, will be on the line when Nick Diaz fights Georges St. Pierre.

5. Conor Heun battling past what could be a broken arm to beat Magno Almeida.

Although Strikeforce’s preliminary card available on HDNet wasn’t as good as the UFC’s preliminary events, this fight in particular stood out as the best the prelims had to offer. Conor Heun is one tough fighter, with serious fighting skill. He was taken to the limit by Magno Almeida, who had him in deep, deep trouble several times with several good submissions. After the end of the fight, it became clear that Heun’s arm was either dislocated badly or perhaps even broken. Yet he struggled on and won the fight, and that’s something you have to both respect and even admire.

4. Chad Griggs dominating Valentijn Overeem.

A lot of people continue to count out Chad Griggs, but he just continues to prove everybody wrong. Griggs basically came out of nowhere, and now he’s finished three straight opponents. With this fight, I think I’m finally ready to start taking Griggs seriously as a “dark horse” Top 10 Heavyweight in Strikeforce. He’s not there yet, but he deserves a high-caliber opponent in his next outing. Seeing Griggs go out and knock somebody senseless once again was a big highlight of the night.

3. Josh Barnett obliterating Brett Rogers.

Brett Rogers was once one of Strikeforce’s biggest attractions, and now he’s lost three of his last four bouts. Even worse, all three of those bouts have seen him controlled and finished, with his flaws becoming clearer and clearer. Against Barnett in particular, it became painfully evident how one-dimensional Rogers really is. The highlight of this fight came when Rogers charged in with a full head of steam… only for Barnett to counter and land in Mount as if it were nothing. That’s pure domination, and it made for an entertaining fight.

2. Jorge Masvidal outclassing KJ Noons.

I don’t like Jorge Masvidal, I’ve made that abundantly clear for some time now. But in this fight with KJ Noons, he earned a measure of respect from me. Who knows? Perhaps Masvidal could one day become one of those fighters I used to hate but then ended up accepting, like Tito Ortiz or Nick Diaz. However, I don’t think he’ll ever fully undergo a Diaz-like transformation, where I used to loathe him and now I can’t wait to see him fight and consider him one of my favorite fighters. But in the end, respect is due: Jorge Masvidal didn’t just beat KJ Noons, he outclassed him. I didn’t think that was possible, but apparently it is.

And my personal pick for the best moment of “Overeem vs. Werdum” is…

1. Josh Barnett’s post-fight speech.

Aside from how the main event went down, this is what’s on everybody’s mind right now. Did Barnett go too far? Is there any place for a “promo” in MMA? Doesn’t that borrow a bit too much from pro wrestling? Or was it an inspiring speech by a controversial man that remains a great fighter and a very entertaining speaker? Does one great fight and one very interesting speech make up for a career defined by a series of steroid scandals? I don’t know, but I do know this: Barnett’s speech was definitely the best moment of this entire event.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from “Overeem vs. Werdum”.

Next for Valentijn Overeem: Strikeforce may or may not decide to keep “the other Overeem” employed. If they do, he’ll serve a decent role as a gatekeeper until he loses a few in a row. If they don’t, he’ll go back overseas and compete in smaller organizations.

Next for Chad Griggs/Brett Rogers: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. I think that Griggs is due for a shot to get into the upper-echelon. Plus, this fight would prove once and for all if Brett Rogers has anything left to give. If Rogers wins he takes the first step on a badly-needed comeback, if Griggs wins he continues his Cinderella story and emerges as a legitimate top Strikeforce Heavyweight. It’s a win-win.

Next for Jeff Monson: If Strikeforce doesn’t keep Monson employed, he’ll drop to Light Heavyweight and go back to demolishing people in smaller promotions and fighting three or four times per month (yes, per month). If they do keep him employed, Monson will likely be dropping to Light Heavyweight anyway, unless Strikeforce wants him to stay at Heavyweight. Either way, I think either division could use a veteran talent like Monson and I hope Strikeforce keeps him employed.

Next for Daniel Cormier: In terms of his immediate future, I think Cormier will be the first man that receives a phone call if any of the remaining Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix participants gets injured. If everyone stays healthy, Cormier may get a Heavyweight like Andrei Arlovski, and it’s possible that a showdown with Chad Griggs could be in his future.

Next for Josh Barnett: A battle with Sergei Kharitonov, who has as much knockout power as Brett Rogers and a whole lot more experience. Barnett put his “catch wrestling” system on display against Brett Rogers, and he showed that his style is still very effective. If Barnett can use his powerful base and ground prowess to get Sergei to the floor, it’ll then just be another waiting game until Sergei slips up and gets himself caught in a submission.

Next for Fabricio Werdum: I honestly don’t know what to think about Fabricio Werdum now. I don’t know how some people are saying that Werdum won against Overeem. For the majority of this fight, Werdum’s only response to Overeem’s striking was to pull guard. Werdum simply looked like he didn’t want to fight. Other than a rematch with Fedor Emelianenko, I have almost zero interest in Fabricio Werdum right now.

Next for Alistair Overeem: Antonio Silva, another tough opponent in a long line of tough opponents that will help Overeem establish his legacy and assert his dominance. Even though Silva is an accomplished grappler, I think both men will come out looking for the KO the moment the cage door closes. With this victory over Werdum, Overeem has got to be the favorite to win the entire tournament. He’s certainly who I’ve got currently pegged to emerge the victor.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

Alistair Overeem defeats Fabricio Werdum via Unanimous Decision. Josh Barnett defeats Brett Rogers via submission (arm triangle choke) at 1:11 round two. Jorge Masvidal defeats K.J. Noons via unanimous decision. Daniel Cormier defeats Jeff Monson via unanimous decision. Chad Griggs defeats Valentijn Overeem via TKO at 2:08 round one.  Gesias Cavalcante vs. Justin Wilcox results in a no contest because of an accidental eye poke in round two. Conor Heun defeats Magno Almeida via unanimous decision. Nah-Shon Burrell defeats Joe Ray via unanimous decision. Isaac Vallie-Flagg defeats Brian Melancon via split decision.

I was able to watch the preliminary card of this event on HDNet, and it’s very apparent that Strikeforce’s prelims are not at the same standard of the UFC’s. Nothing was bad, I did enjoy myself, but nothing came out and stole the show. The preliminary card was about as average as it gets, with some good fights and some decent ones. But “UFC Prelims LIVE” prelims outright steal the show occasionally. Those fighters are the the ones getting more and more post-fight award bonuses, they’re my “dark horse favorite”. The commentary team of Mike Schiavello and Bas Rutten were amazing as always, though.

Although it only took him one round instead of what I predicted, I did predict that Griggs would stop Overeem if he started landing. This fight proved that Valentijn Overeem will continue to be a hit-or-miss fighter until he retires. Chad Griggs is quickly becoming a “dark horse” contender in Strikeforce, and I’m increasingly interested in seeing him fight.

I feel bad for Jeff Monson, I knew he would get dominated but I still held out hope that maybe it wouldn’t happen. But it did, and Daniel Cormier once again proved that he’s an amazing talent. I sincerely hope Jeff Monson gets another shot in Strikeforce, though. Monson is considering a drop down to Light Heavyweight, hopefully that will be enough to get Strikeforce interested in booking Monson again.

As much as I dislike Jorge Masvidal, I have to admit that he impressed me by controlling and dominating KJ Noons, reducing the former champion to a bruised and bloody mess. I don’t want to say much more than that or else I’ll be in danger of starting a rant. I’ll end by saying this: Jorge Masvidal looked great, but I don’t see him beating Gilbert Melendez.

Josh Barnett… what to say about Josh Barnett. He’s a puzzling man. He’s controversial and brash and arrogant and he likes to cut shoot promos like he was back in a pro wrestling ring in Japan… but the man is still a brilliant fighter, he’s always been a brilliant fighter. Josh Barnett dominated Rogers and mounted him so easily that it looked like he was practicing the mount position with a sparring partner. I’m not sure if I’m fully ready to forgive Josh Barnett, but I have no problem giving credit where credit is due and recognizing greatness when it presents itself. And part of me quite frankly loves Josh Barnett, simply because he took the mic away from Gus Johnson for a few seconds.

And in the main event… well, the main event was just plain weird. What was Fabricio Werdum thinking? Honestly, I can’t remember another time when a fighter has pulled guard so many times. It was an incredibly bizarre performance. Overeem couldn’t really get going because whenever he started landing, Werdum would just pull guard again. It bordered on disgraceful. With this loss, I think Werdum’s five minutes of fame for beating Fedor Emelianenko may finally be over.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this event and I’m immensely happy that Strikeforce is putting on shows again. But man… what a weird main event.

5. The return of KJ Noons.

I’ve had my issues with KJ Noons in the past, but I’ve never had anything bad to say about his abilities. Noons is a championship-level fighter, and he’s heading back down to a weight class that is much more natural for him. His opponent, Jorge Masvidal, is a brash-talking all-rounder who’s just begging to be put in his place. Depending on who wins and how they win, the winner of this fight could very well get the next shot at the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

4. Can Jeff Monson beat Daniel Cormier?

Notice the wording of that sentence, and how it’s not “Can Cormier beat Monson?” As skilled as Jeff Monson is, Daniel Cormier is a huge threat to him. Cormier is a former Olympic-level wrestler, he’s never been submitted, he’s never even been beaten. He also has knockout power in his hands. Monson deserves another shot in a major promotion, but in order to do that he’ll have to find a way to beat one of the biggest, baddest, most “can’t-miss” prospects in the entire world, and not just Strikeforce.

3. What’s left for Josh Barnett and Brett Rogers?

Both men have fallen on very hard times of late: Brett Rogers is 1-2 in his last three with both losses by (T)KO stoppage. Josh Barnett has pretty much vanished from almost everybody’s radar. Can Rogers re-assert himself as the knockout artist that seemed destined to take Strikeforce by storm? Can Barnett remind everyone why he was once consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 best in the world, even Top 5, for several years? Whoever wins this fight will be given a second chance, the loser will only slide further into obscurity. And that kind of incredible motivation tends to result in spectacular fights.

2. Can Fabricio Werdum do the unthinkable… again?

Fabricio Werdum can’t beat Alistair Overeem… right? Of course not, Overeem is just too good… isn’t he? Admit it, fans and friends: when you think of this match and you’re an Overeem fan, you get an uneasy feeling in your gut and you wonder if lightning can strike twice and miracles do give repeat performances. I should know, I’m a gigantic Overeem fanboy and that’s exactly how I feel heading into “Overeem vs. Werdum”. I want to say I have complete and utter faith in Alistair Overeem, but in the back of my head, some part of my brain continues to whisper “anything is possible in MMA”. I don’t think Fabricio Werdum will beat Alistair Overeem… but I don’t know. I just don’t know. And I certainly want to find out.

And the number-one reason to watch this event is…

1. The return of “The Reem”, Alistair Overeem

Fans of Overeem know that despite all the cynics, Alistair Overeem is easily one of the Top 5 Heavyweights in the world. Some people thought  that the only reason he looked so amazing lately was because of the quality (as in, the lack thereof) of the opponents he had been facing, and then Overeem went out and demolished Brett Rogers and made it look easy. And yet Overeem still has his fair share of doubters and cynics. Me, personally? I think Overeem is going to prove everybody wrong once again, he’s going to dominate once again, he’s going to knock someone out once again… and I can’t wait to see it happen.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum”.

Valentijn  Overeem vs. Chad Griggs: I think this fight is going to be a tough war, and I think it has a good chance of going to a decision. Then again, it has a good chance of ending in the first round, too. I don’t think Overeem can knock Griggs out, Griggs has too tough of a chin. So here’s what I think: if Overeem’s chin holds up and he doesn’t get caught with a vicious counter, he’ll win by Unanimous Decision. But if Griggs starts landing, Griggs will win by TKO in either Round 2 or 3.

Daniel Cormier vs. Jeff Monson: This is a rare moment for me: my heart and my head are in total disagreement. I want Jeff Monson to win very badly, I think he’s sorely under-rated and is long overdue for a big comeback in a major promotion. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Cormier is the epitome of this recently-emerging new breed of wrestler, with ridiculously good wrestling skills and ridiculously good camps that know how to utilize that skill. And that new breed of wrestler is finding it easier and easier to neutralize anyone on the ground, even really good submission fighters. My heart wants Jeff Monson to win by TKO in Round 2 or Submission in Round 3, my head thinks both situations are far less likely than Daniel Cormier winning by Unanimous Decision. As much as I love being an optimist, I’m a realist first, so I’ll pick Cormier by Unanimous Decision.

KJ Noons vs. Jorge Masvidal: It’d be hard for me to pick against KJ Noons no matter who he was facing, but I’m practically giddy that I get to side with KJ Noons while consequently siding against Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal needs another rude awakening, he needs another “Inverted Triangle Choke” moment, and I think Noons is going to give it to him. Noons has KO power and is fighting in his domain, at Lightweight. KJ Noons wins by KO in Round 1.

Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers: In the end, I think experience will win out and Josh Barnett, for all his flaws, will prove that he’s still a Top 10 fighter. In this fight. I think Barnett is going to pick Rogers apart standing, avoiding any major one-hit KO blows before forcing the fight up against the cage. After that, Barnett will then smother Rogers with tight clinch wrestling and some precise, hard-hitting dirty boxing. Eventually Rogers will weaken and Barnett will take him down, and from there, it’s just a matter of transitioning from one submission or another once Rogers throws his hands up, shifts his weight, and attempts to buck off his opponent. Josh Barnett wins by submission in Round 2.

Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum: I’m not counting out Fabricio Werdum, I’d like to make that very clear before making this prediction. I just think Overeem is unstoppable and would be supremely shocked if Werdum beat him again. So, can Werdum defy the odds and make us all eat some humble pie once again? Certainly. But I think it’s far, far more likely that the second “Ubereem” starts letting the “Reem Hammers” go, Werdum isn’t going to get stunned and dropped, he’s going to get stone-cold KTFO’d. And unlike the fight against Fedor Emelianenko, Werdum won’t be able to stay conscious long enough to scramble and trap Overeem in a submission. Alistair Overeem wins by KO in Round 1.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

The Event: Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum”, currently scheduled for June 18, 2011 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Five free preliminary fights will be shown live on HDNet starting at 8:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card will be broadcasted live on the Showtime network starting at 10 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: This fight is packed with great Heavyweight talent, from young up-and-comers like Daniel Cormier to grizzled veterans like Jeff Monson. You’ve got former UFC fighters, former UFC champions, knockout artists, and submission specialists. And you’ve also got the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion competing in one of the two final quarterfinal bouts of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Don’t blink. Alistair Overeem is a juggernaut, a hulking behemoth, and virtually no one has been able to withstand his incredible blend of speed, technique, and massive punching power. But Fabricio Werdum is a submission wizard and has beaten Overeem once before. Whoever wins this fight will likely emerge as the favorite to win the entire tournament. It’s a fight that absolutely should not be missed.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Josh Barnett is a master of catch-wrestling, and his many years of experience means that he’ll know how to do with the awesome power of Brett Rogers. Brett Rogers has been outclassed and dismantled recently, but even if he is just a one-dimensional power-puncher, the power he packs into his punches is still phenomenal. Barnett has the technique, the savvy, and the mind to not only beat Brett Rogers, but possibly dominate him. But that all goes right out the window the second that Brett Rogers lands a good, solid punch to the chin. It’s just a matter of not giving “The Grim” that opportunity.

Why You Should Watch This Card: There’s just so much potential in all five of these main card fights. Plus you get several more fights for free if you’ve got an HDTV and are subscribed to HDNet. I encourage anyone wanting to know why to watch this card to take a look at my “A Closer Look” series, which gives a lot of detail on all five main card bouts and why you should be excited for them. To summarize: it’s the best of both worlds and all five of these fights should be vastly entertaining.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I can’t think of one, and that’s not the Strikeforce fanboy in me talking. Strikeforce has been on an incredible roll as of late, putting on amazing events back and forth and, to be honest, outright outshining the UFC on several occasions. If Strikeforce and the UFC were still separate promotions right now, I think this would be the type of show that turns a lot of heads and would have taken a huge step towards legitimizing Strikeforce as a very real, very powerful, very worthy alternative to the UFC. It’s one of the best-looking cards of the season, perhaps of the year, and it simply shouldn’t be missed.

Closing Thoughts: I can’t wait for this event, and I honestly feel like I’ve waited too long as it is. Strikeforce took a month off last month, and I’m ready for more Strikeforce. They’ve had so many awesome shows lately that my anticipation for their upcoming events has never been higher. Even though they now belong to Zuffa, for the time being Strikeforce is still Strikeforce, and Strikeforce is an amazing promotion that gets better on a per-show basis.

From the moment he first stepped into cages and rings around the world to compete as a Mixed Martial Artist, Fabricio Werdum took his exceptional gifts on the ground and used them to carve a path of twisted limbs and unconscious foes. Far from a one-dimensional submission specialist, Werdum quickly asserted his punching power in MMA as well: he scored his first (T)KO win and his first KO win in his third and fourth fights, respectively.

Werdum would eventually have a successful run in the legendary PRIDE FC promotion before being signed to the UFC. After losing his UFC debut to former champion Andrei Arlovski, Werdum established himself as a championship contender with back-to-back TKO victories over Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga. However, Werdum would end up leaving the UFC after only his second loss in the promotion. The man who beat him? A little-known Brazilian upstart named Junior dos Santos, who would later destroy everyone else in his path and emerge as one of the best Heavyweight fighters in the world.

But of course, Werdum bounced back. He landed in Strikeforce, and won back-to-back fights against Mike Kyle and Antonio Silva. And then, in one of the most-shocking upsets in the history of Mixed Martial Arts, Fabricio Werdum defeated Fedor Emelianenko in the first round. It took Werdum barely over a minute to trap Emelianenko in a Triangle Choke and force the stoic Russian to admit defeat. Werdum has been on the sidelines ever since, healing an injury.

His opponent, Alistair Overeem, requires virtually no introduction. It’d be easier to list off the championships he currently holds, because there’s three of them. Alistair Overeem is the current Heavyweight Champion of both Strikeforce and the Japanese-based DREAM promotion. He is also a K-1 World Grand Prix Champion.

After struggling to realize his potential for quite some time, after a series of tough defeats saw him bounce back and forth between Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight, Alistair Overeem has finally become the unstoppable wrecking machine many people thought he would eventually transform into. His recent return to Strikeforce saw him dominate and destroy Brett Rogers, at one point easily grabbing the formidable bulk of “The Grim” and tossing him aside as if it were nothing. Currently, Overeem is 9-0 in his last ten fights, with one bout being ruled a No Contest. He has finished all nine of those opponents, with eight first-round stoppages.

Heading into this fight, it’s hard to not see Alistair Overeem as an unstoppable, almost inhuman force of nature. I’m a huge fan of “The Reem” and I find it quite easy to buy into his hype, because it’s the kind of hype that is justly deserved. But I just don’t think I’ll ever fully count out Fabricio Werdum ever again.

If there’s a way to beat Alistair Overeem, Werdum is one of the few fighters best-suited to finding it out. He’s got a great submission game, but he also has formidable power in his hands. He’s also got a tremendous heart and a brilliant tactical mind. Werdum’s strategy may give him the keys to defeating Overeem and giving fans another monumental upset. But if Werdum doesn’t show up as the best fighter he’s ever been? “The Reem” is going to give his fans another dramatic, brutal first-round KO.

5. Fabricio Werdum has faced and beaten better competition in recent years.

This is something that a lot of Overeem’s cynics love to throw out there, but to be brutally honest… there’s some truth here. Aside from Brett Rogers, let’s look at some of the names Overeem has beaten recently: Todd Duffee? Kazuyuki Fujita? James Thompson? Gary Goodridge? Compare this to some of Werdum’s recent conquests: Antonio Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, even Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga in the UFC. Overeem may be a K-1 champion, but the hiatus he took from the sport to pursue that dream weighs heavily on the mind of many an Overeem cynic. And it honestly should.

4. Overeem hasn’t been out of the first round in almost four years, so Werdum may end up having a significant cardio advantage.

The last time a fight involving Alistair Overeem went to the second round occurred in 2007. The last time Alistair Overeem fought to a decision was all the way back in 2006. And as so many fight fans love to rightfully point out, with big muscles comes big power, but it also takes a whole lot of energy to move those muscles. Overeem is a physical specimen right now, he looks like a Greek statue. But what happens when/if this fight goes into deep waters? If anyone can truly test Overeem’s cardio, it’d be a fighter like Werdum. And Werdum just might be able to tire out his mammoth opponent.

3. Fabricio Werdum has already beaten (and finished) Alistair Overeem.

I cannot possibly understate the value of going into a fight knowing you’ve already beaten your opponent. It’s a monumental mental advantage, and it helped several fighters dominate a rematch when the first fight had them winning out narrowly (see Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn 2 and Frank Edgar vs. BJ Penn 2). Even better for Werdum, he didn’t just beat Overeem: he submitted him. It won’t be easy to do it again, but the simple fact that he’s already done it is a huge feather in Werdum’s cap.

2. Fabricio Werdum has one of the best ground games in any Heavyweight division in MMA.

As I’ve pointed out before, I tend to keep the term “ground wizard” close to my chest and only use it to describe the best in the game. And there can be no mistaking that Fabricio Werdum is a ground wizard. Of his fourteen wins, eight have come by submission. That’s double the amount of (T)KO victories he has and four times the number of his decision wins. Alistair Overeem may have incredible Ground and Pound, but you can simply never count out Fabricio Werdum when the fight hits the floor. Which brings me to my final point, in fact…

And the number-one reason Fabricio Werdum could beat Alistair Overeem is…

1. Fabricio Werdum has already done the impossible and achieved the unthinkable. He should never be counted out of a fight again.

If a fighter does the impossible and unthinkable, how can you ever again count them out of a fight? The phrase “anything can happen in MMA” has taken on an entirely new significance in just the past few years, and one of the chief contributing factors to that was Werdum’s surprise submission of Fedor Emelianenko, the first legitimate loss of Emelianenko’s career. Werdum knows what it takes to win when everyone else thinks he’ll be easy pickings, and that’s the biggest weapon he’ll have in his arsenal against Alistair Overeem.

5. Even with all he’s accomplished, Alistair Overeem is still hungry to prove himself.

As stated previously, Overeem is a champion in three separate promotions, one of which is part of an entirely different sport. But that’s not enough for Overeem: he just doesn’t want to stay champion and win this tournament. He wants to go on and unify his Strikeforce title with the UFC Heavyweight Championship. He wants to go down as one of the best Heavyweight fighters of all time. And when you set your sights that high and are as skilled as Overeem, the impossible becomes possible very quickly.

4. Fabricio Werdum has been out of active competition for very, very close to a year.

The last time Fabricio Werdum stepped into a Strikeforce cage, he did the unthinkable and submitted Fedor Emelianenko. That was then, this is now. And Werdum’s last fight was that fight, which took place on June 28, 2010. That’s about as close to a year-long layoff as it gets, and as I keep saying, ring rust is very real. Several notable fighters have proven me very right recently, the most-notable being Mauricio Rua. If Werdum shows up even a bit rusty, which is a real possibility, then Overeem may end up running away with this fight.

3. Alistair Overeem has a very, very smothering top game.

Alistair Overeem doesn’t like to posture up when he’s in your guard, he likes to keep things tight and land short, compact punches. He does this for two reasons: to avoid submission attempts, and because he can knock a man out at any distance, including ultra-short range. Even chest-to-chest, Alistair Overeem could probably knock out Fabricio Werdum with one shot. Overeem will have to constantly be on the lookout for submission attempts, yes, but if Overeem lands a solid punch on the ground, this fight has a high chance of being over in an instant.

2. Overeem hasn’t lost in almost four years, and hasn’t been properly submitted in over five.

The last person to officially submit Alistair Overeem was Ricardo Arona, but that was due to strikes. The last person to properly submit Overeem was… Fabricio Werdum. And that was quite a while ago. Overeem hasn’t lost since 2007, and his opponents haven’t gotten past the second round with him since 2007. Other than one No Contest, Overeem has finished all of his opponents since 2007 in the first round. His last victory saw him finish his opponent in a mere 19 seconds. To say that Alistair Overeem is coming into this fight riding a wave of momentum is a vast understatement.

And the number-one reason Alistair Overeem could beat Fabricio Werdum is…

1. There are good strikers, and then there are great strikers. And then, above that, there’s Alistair Overeem.

I’ve made my thoughts known on the whole “K-1 Level” debate, but in a nutshell: I think a good striker is a good striker and saying a fighter’s striking is at a “K-1 Level” doesn’t mean anything. What matters is that Alistair Overeem is a champion kickboxer in the world’s most famous and most prestigious kickboxing organization. The man has muscles on top of muscles which are on top of other muscles, and he’s got hands of solid concrete. No one, absolutely no one, has shown an ability to take Overeem’s punches for a prolonged period of time. Pound-for-pound, Overeem is one of the best strikers in all of MMA right now. And that’s definitely the number-one advantage he has over the submission-based Fabricio Werdum.

5. Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers

Both men have an avalanche of questions surrounding their careers right now. Is Brett Rogers just a flash in the pan? Is Josh Barnett worth the risk, given his many scandals? The fight between these two should answer all that and more. If Brett Rogers can knock out a skilled wrestler like Josh Barnett, he’ll have given his career the shot in the arm that it so very desperately needs. The same goes for Josh Barnett if he’s able to beat the man who became famous as a wrecking ball on legs.

4. Pat Barry vs. Cheick Kongo

A lot of people don’t like Cheick Kongo, considering him a journeyman and one-dimensional. Both of those statements are not without merit, but when in his element and when against a certain caliber of opponent, Cheick Kongo is a great and very entertaining fighter. He’ll be in his element against Pat Barry, and Barry is the right kind of opponent for Kongo. Win or lose, it’s going to be a great war of attrition between two powerful strikers.

3. Junior dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin

Something tells me that this fight won’t go past the first round. I would only be slightly, slightly surprised if it went past the third minute. I’d be utterly flabbergasted if it went to a decision. These two men swing with bad, bad intentions, and they’ve left a trail of cracked chins in their wake. Junior dos Santos is an expert striker with smart timing, pacing, and laser precision. Shane Carwin can throw a whole lot of punches in a short amount of time (even if he gasses out immediately afterward), and any single one of them can knock a man out. It should be very violent and it will probably end very quickly, but it’s definitely one of the biggest can’t-miss fights of the month.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum

I truly believe that Alistair Overeem is unstoppable. He’s a champion in Strikeforce, in the Japanese-based DREAM promotion, and in K-1, which is the largest and most prestigious kickboxing organization in the world. But if anyone could stop him, it’d be someone like Fabricio Werdum, who possesses a tremendous heart, an iron will, and one of the best ground games in MMA, regardless of weight division. Whoever wins this fight has got to be the favorite to win the entire Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

And my personal pick for the number-one can’t-miss fight of June 2011 is…

1. Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Guida

A lot of people, even Clay Guida himself, are already calling this a Fight of the Year contender. Not only am I in that bandwagon, I’m up in front and leading the charge. Clay Guida may be a journeyman, but he’s one of the most entertaining journeyman fighters I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Anthony Pettis is an amazing fighter that has already given me a fight that I consider one of the best of all time. No matter who wins this fight, it’s a perfect match-up between two fantastic fighters. You absolutely must not miss this fight.

But before we begin, I’d like to say that his is a “fantasy list” and nothing more. I’m not saying these fighters would dominate in boxing, I’m not saying they’d be obliterated in boxing. These are just five fighters that I think have great striking that could possibly translate to pro boxing. It’s all in fun, and feel free to contribute your own lists and thoughts, but please, keep the arguing to a minimum. Let’s begin.

5. Nate Diaz

If Nick can do it, so can Nate. In fact, I think Nate would have more to gain as a pro boxer than Nick would, who’s putting a lot on the line when he steps into the boxing ring later this year. When Nate fights a pure striking contest, he shows flashes of brilliance that makes me think that he could one day fill the shoes of Nick. But Nate continues to struggle against dominant wrestlers, and when his opponents start to grind him out, he always makes the same mistakes because he keeps getting frustrated. I think it would be interesting to see what Nate would be able to do in a boxing ring, free from any of the burden of defending takedowns or trying to separate from a clinch.

4. Paul Daley

Paul Daley doesn’t strike me as a profoundly technical striker, he never has. But there is one thing nobody can ever take away from Paul Daley: the man has dynamite in his hands. In a sport filled with ridiculous nicknames, “Semtex” does a good job of describing the type of power Daley puts behind his punches. If only to see if that kind of gruesome knockout power would translate, I’d like to see Daley step into the boxing ring against some good competition.

3. Alistair Overeem

I know Alistair Overeem is a great striker, believe me I know. Not only is Overeem a Strikeforce champion and DREAM champion, he’s also a K-1 champion, which is the world’s largest and most prestigious kickboxing promotion. I say it’s time to see if Overeem can still be dominant when you take the “kick” out of “kickbox”.

2. Georges St. Pierre

A lot of people tend to criticize George St. Pierre’s striking, but I honestly think that’s one of the strongest and most versatile weapons in his arsenal. Let’s not forget the huge amount of jabs he landed on Josh Koscheck, so many that it broke his orbital bone. GSP’s nuances and technique may even be more appreciated by fans of “the sweet science”.

And the number-one fighter I’d like to see have at least one fight as a professional boxer before they retire is…

1. Anderson Silva

Before people even entertained the notion of Nick Diaz fighting as a pro boxer, everyone was talking about Anderson Silva wanting to fight Roy Jones, Jr. That fight never materialized, but only because Dana White put his foot down and didn’t allow it. I’d love to see “The Spider” get into a boxing ring, it could be against RJJ or anybody else. In terms of pure excitement and spectacle, I can’t think of anything better than the man with the longest win-streak in UFC history stepping into the boxing ring to test himself.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any MMA fighter you’d like to see strap on boxing gloves?

Before I begin, I’d like to point out that I’d like to see all five of these matches no matter when they happen and no matter who holds what championship in whichever division. Also, this list doesn’t take into account the army of dominoes that would have to fall into place for many of these fights to occur. In a perfect world where there are no such things as contract disputes and everyone can fight everyone else at their best, these are the five fights I want to see the most.

5. Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez

I think of this match and I can’t help but smile. I also can’t even begin to imagine the potential insanity both men could unleash in the cage against each other. Gilbert Melendez is Strikeforce’s best Lightweight by far, while Anthony Pettis has fully and finally reached top-division status after an amazing five-round war with Ben Henderson. This fight would probably set the standard for years to come.

4. Quinton Jackson vs. Muhammed Lawal

It’s two of the best characters in MMA fighting each other… what’s not to love? Also, let’s not forget that both “Rampage” and “King Mo” love to bang and would probably spend every single second of this fight trying to knock each other’s heads off. Plus, I can’t even imagine how awesome the pre-fight trash talk will be between these two. Nothing about this fight or its build-up would be pretty, but entertaining? This fight has that in spades.

3. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

Although I don’t have a problem with taking a firm and even controversial stance on important issues, I’m not so rigid in my opinions that a fighter has no chance of winning me over. To this day, Nick Diaz stands out as the clearest example of that rule: I once utterly loathed him, but thanks in no small part to his many brilliant performances, I now consider myself a fan. I’ll go even one step further: he’s one of my favorite fighters, and currently one of the best Welterweights in the business. I’d love to see him fight GSP, who is already regarded as one of the best ever. Both men have a shot at winning this match, and I think Nick Diaz is one of the last, great challengers for GSP at 170.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar

This is the kind of fight where you wouldn’t be surprised if the ground shook the first time these two colossal titans locked horns. And that’s really the best way to describe these two hulking behemoths: they have a physique right out of Roman legends. And let’s not forget that these are two of the top Heavyweights in the business. Despite constant abuse from his cynics, Brock Lesnar is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and one of the highest-drawing UFC stars of all time. Despite constant accusations of chemical enhancement, Alistair Overeem is a K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, and the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Champion. This would be an awesome match no matter where both men are at in their careers when it does finally get around to happening.

And my number-one pick should come as a shock to virtually no one that’s followed me and my musings for any prolonged period of time.

1. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko

When you talk about a “legacy fight”, this is what you’re talking about. Neither man has anything left to prove, both men will go down as one of the best in the history of the sport. However, I can and will admit that this fight doesn’t have the appeal it did back when Fedor was undefeated and Randy Couture was the UFC Heavyweight Champion. But none of that would matter if these two ever stepped into the Octagon against each other. I can’t think of a better way to end an era, as I think this fight would virtually close the book on Fedor’s and Randy’s careers. This fight still has an incredible amount of appeal, and it’s still easily the number-one “Strikeforce vs. UFC” fight I absolutely want to see.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What fantasy fights do you hope one day to see?

SBNation reports that Dave Meltzer, head of the Wrestling Observer newsletter, recently said that he had talked to Dana White and that White had personally picked Barnett to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Dana White also said that he believed that Barnett would meet Fabricio Werdum in the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix, effectively giving fight fans a complete look at how he thinks the Strikeforce tournament will shake out.

If you’ll remember, fans and friends, I put together a list of what I thought Barnett had to do in order to win the Heavyweight Grand Prix. As with all the tournament participants, I think Barnett has a shot of winning it all. It’s just that a lot of people, including me, believe that he has less of a perceived chance than some of the tournament’s heavy hitters, like Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. Then again, the same was said about Sergei Kharitonov and Antonio Silva, and we all know how those fights ended up turning out.

I think that it’s honestly very possible that Josh Barnett will end up in the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix. Brett Rogers has dynamite in his hands, of that there can be no doubt, but Barnett has tons of experience on him. I think “The Grim” is a tough test for anyone, but Barnett is the odds-on favorite to win the match and I like those odds.

Getting past Sergei Kharitonov will be equally tough, but if the fight with Rogers goes the way many think it will, what Barnett does to beat Brett Rogers will also work against Kharitonov. If Barnett can utilize his catch wrestling while weathering the storm of Kharitonov’s punches thanks to some good footwork and a solid chin, Barnett should end up neutralizing Sergei with some intense Ground and Pound.

But then we come to the finals, and that’s definitely where I find myself disagreeing with Dana White.

I hate to sound like an unabashed fanboy, but I absolutely believe that Alistair Overeem is going to be the one to win this tournament. Overeem knows better than to fall into Fabricio Werdum’s many traps, he’ll go in for the kill only when Werdum is already half-unconscious to begin with. Against Silva, even the mighty chin of “Bigfoot” won’t be able to withstand the blows of the K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. And in the finals, you’ll have Barnett face Overeem in a bout that shows Barnett’s true toughness, but eventually Overeem’s superior technique will shine through once again and Barnett will be dropped and stopped.

But of course, that’s just what I think will happen. So let’s get some debate going, fans and friends. Who do you side with, me or Dana White? Or do you think someone entirely different will win the Grand Prix?

Showtime clocked in with 1.1 million viewers for the Fedor / Silva fight.  This is a huge number and bodes well for continued support from Showtime and for the growth of Strikeforce.  However, the next round of fights in the Heavyweight tournament will reveal if Strikeforce can keep this level or if this is all due to the lure of Fedor.  While Dana White tweeted a smiley face… As Fedor went down, the UFC does have some competition here.  This heavyweight tournament has gravitas and respect.  White can’t dismiss this group of fighters as second rate.  With Barnett, Overeem, and Kharitonov still alive, the winner of this tournament will have a legitimate claim as best in the world.

Gian Villante has a lot to learn.  Villante lost badly to Chad Griggs in the second fight of the main card.  Villante had been knocking out guys easily in the Ring Of Combat.  Griggs, I would argue, does not have more athletic ability than Villante, but he was not intimidated by the bright lights and showed more conviction and purpose in his action.  Villante, who once told me that he prefers to just “bang”, must appreciate the need to game plan and strategize.  He will not last long, as a 225lb heavyweight, by simply unloading the chamber in the first minute of a fight hoping he lands something worthwhile.  Villante has the firepower to succeed, but does he have the brainpower to sustain a long career.

Andrei Arlovski may be done.  The way he went down, now the fourth time in a row, instantly had me thinking of Chuck Liddell and how his last several fights unfolded and how he seemed to check out on shots which five years earlier would have been absorbed as the fight continued.  It has to be hard to be near the end of a career, when your hand speed and power may still be intact but your chin just can’t defend itself the way it used to.

I hate the entrance staging Strikeforce employs to bring fighters into the cage.  It reeks of Vince McMahon and the WWE.  The cheapo fireworks and the fighters pimping and dancing up on the stage is a big negative.  There is no rule that Strikeforce can’t copy boxing and the UFC, allowing the fighter to enter on the ground floor surrounded by his team and fans.  This latter approach is just so much more authentic to the history of fight sports and just feels more like a true sport and less like an entertainment product.

Two names we should be hearing about for a long time to come.  John Cholish and Shane Del Rosario.  Cholish is the 155lb Cornell bred wrestler who works on Wall St. by day and trains at Renzo Gracie gym by night in Manhattan.  Cholish submitted Marc Stevens in round two his fight.  The 248lb Del Rosario looked composed and multifaceted, as he weathered the storm brought by Lavar Johnson to take the fight to his home base on the mat, to get the arm bar.

How bout it friends?  What was your big take away from last Saturday’s Strikeforce event?

Told through a translator, the following comes to us courtesy of “The MMA Hour” program and MMA Fighting: “[Alistair Overeem] is very strong and is a very serious fighter… The only question I have [is] how he managed to gain 20 kilos of weight in such a short period of time. But frankly speaking I don’t care, if he passes [the] drug tests successfully… All the sportsmen have to be clean and they have to work under equal conditions… I think the fight has to be honest.”

As an Alistair Overeem fan, I think it’s unfortunate that so many people still raise this question when it comes to the Strikeforce Heavyweight, DREAM Interim Heavyweight, and K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. But here’s the thing some of the stauncher Overeem advocates hate admitting: it’s unfortunate, but not uncalled for.

Gaining the kind of weight Overeem gained just isn’t normal. But it’s not impossible either. We’ll honestly never know if Overeem indulged in any chemical substance to become the bulky, speedy powerhouse he is today. However, I personally think that he’s done enough to earn our respect and a bit of leeway. Why are we so quick to assume that Overeem is shoveling steroids into his body non-stop? Has any concrete evidence ever been found, other than base speculation?

I think Emelianenko hit the nail right on the head when he said that it doesn’t matter so long as Overeem tests clean in the here and now. If it ever comes out that Overeem did do steroids in order to gain the considerable amount of weight he’s put on, then and only then do I think it’s fair to criticize and judge the man. But we shouldn’t assume the worst just because we have the option to.

At the end of the day, I’m really looking forward to seeing how Alistair Overeem fares in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. I’m looking forward to seeing how just about everyone does in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. And even though some of the fighters in the Grand Prix have been accused of and even tested positive for steroid use in the past, I think this tournament is such an important moment for Strikeforce that all involved should be given the benefit of the doubt. And if everyone does play nice and test clean, then Strikeforce fans are in for several amazing fights.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of the admittedly-large changes in physical appearance Alistair Overeem has gone through in the last several years? Does Fedor Emelianenko have a point?

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.

Something New: Gian Villante

Villante is a Long Island sports legend.  He was a stud linebacker at Douglas Macarthur High School and a top wrestler in the state during his prep years.  He followed that up as a first team 1-AA linebacker at Hofstra leading to a spot in the New York Jets Training camp.  The NFL ultimately passed on Villante and he turned to MMA.  He quickly started knocking guys out and won the Ring Of Combat Heavyweight title over Strikeforce vet, Mike Cook in early 2010.  Now, the big time beckons, and Saturday night he will face his first national audience test against Chad Griggs.  Villante should pass this test.  Griggs made his name stopping Bobby Lashley, but the weight of Viallante’s overall athletic talent should be too much.

Something Old: Andrei Arlovski

Why did Arlovski leave the UFC after beating Jake O’Brien?  Was it career suicide?  It appears he chased the cash signing with the short-lived Affliction organization.  After two post UFC wins, Arlovski skidded with three straight losses, most recently to Big-Foot Silva last year.  Arlovski is still one the best boxers in the heavyweight class and carries loads of talent.   Can Arlovski recapture his earlier form?  If he can’t pass Sergei Kharitonov his career could be in the lower leagues if he chooses to carry on at all.  Arlovski carries a big name in MMA, but can the fumes of former glory carry this fight, or has he truly returned to peak form?

Fedor:

One word.  It evokes fear, adulation, respect, honor, but also now carries a question mark it.  Before his last fight and loss, the word “Fedor” also meant “invincible” to most MMA watchers.  However, Fedor Emelianenko must now do something he has not had to do in a long time.  He has to not just dazzle, but prove his last lost, via triangle choke to Fabricio Werdum, was an aberration and not a sign the legend’s best days are past.  If Fedor comes through this event, he will again be touted as the best fighter pound for pound on the planet and the mystique will be back.   Question? If Fedor wins this tournament is there any chance his M-1 Global management returns to negotiating with Dana White and the UFC.  After this tournament, there would be nothing left for Fedor to do but go the UFC.  MMA fanatics can only dream.

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What up folks.  Why are you going to watch Strikeforce on Saturday?

While “The Demolition Man” boasts the Strikeforce heavyweight title, he has also successfully parlayed his career into the kickboxing realm, picking up the most prestigious title with the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 championship in December of last year, defeating tough opponents in Tyrone Sponge, Gokhan Saki, and legend Peter Aerts en route to the title (all in one night).

Coupled with his improving jiu-jitsu skills, Alistair will use the upcoming Strikeforce heavyweight tournament in order to solidify himself as the true number one fighter on the planet in the MMA world.

“I’m very motivated, very healthy, very confident,” said Overeem, who spoke with MMAFighting.com in regards to his upcoming bout, a rematch with Fabricio Werdum in April.

“Everything is different now for me than when I fought Werdum. I was a light heavyweight then and I’m a heavyweight now. I’m much better than I was then.”

The Dutchman originally met with the submission specialist in 2006, succumbing to a kimura in the second-round of their heavyweight fight under the PRIDE banner. Both men have progressed leaps and bounds in their respective MMA careers, however all the buzz has been around Overeem, who has looked almost unstoppable since committing to the heavyweight division in 2007 full time.

In his last bout, Alistair, 30, deftly TKO’d Brett Rogers inside of the first-round. Rogers earned the title shot after knocking out former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in approximately 20 seconds, and followed up the win with a spirited performance against legend Fedor Emelianenko, however eventually yielded to strikes in the second-round.

Of his only two losses in his professional career, it was the loss to Overeem that seemed the most impressive, when “The Reem” made it look to easy defeating the knockout artist inside of the opening round.

And while he doesn’t necessarily hold any credible victories recently over big named talent, Alistair hopes this eight-man Strikeforce tournament, beginning with Werdum in the quarter-finals, will change all of that for the part-time K-1 star.

“Cain Velasquez is No. 1 now because I haven’t competed against the names”, said Alistair.

“So there is that argument, that I haven’t fought the caliber opponents I should — I wanted to, but either they wouldn’t fight me, or the schedule didn’t work out. But that’s what this tournament is about.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Overeem’s comments? Do you think him delivering the goods at the end of the eight-man GP make him the best fighter in the world, or will Cain Velasquez still hold that rank? The UFC heavyweight champion recently claimed the top status when he defeated former titleholder Brock Lesnar in an effortless TKO win last October. Sound off in the comment section below.

”I agree that Cain Velasquez holds the number one position; he had a very good year and beat the champion in very impressive fashion,” Overeem said.  “Now Cain is sidelined for the rest of the year and having the Strikeforce GP tournament in 2011 there is enough room to take that number one spot. The winner of the GP should be number one in the rankings because I still believe Strikeforce has the best heavyweight division in the world.”

First, Overeem is no doubt correct that Velasquez deserves to be ranked as the best heavyweight in the world right now.  We’re talking about a guy that over the last two years has dominated Denis Stojnic (TKO), Cheick Kongo (decision), Ben Rothwell (TKO), Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (KO), and Brock Lesnar (TKO).  Not to mention, he currently rules the roost in the top MMA organization on the planet.

On the flip side, Strikeforce heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, as great as his career has been, has only fought three times over the past two years, going 2-1.  What’s more, even his wins over Brett Rogers and Andrei Arlovski were rather close until rocket shots were landed, leaving some doubt in people’s minds; whereas all of Velasquez’s fights have been very one-sided.  Overeem has won five fights against competitors like Tony Sylvester (guillotine choke), James Thompson (guillotine), Kazuyuki Fujita (KO), Brett Rogers (TKO), and Todd Duffee (KO).  Further, he’s looked really good in doing it.  But when you look at the talent he’s gone up against, it fails terribly in comparison to what the UFC champion has taken on (at least in MMA).  Then, of course, there’s Fabricio Werdum, the fighter that defeated Emelianenko, ending his unbeaten streak by way of triangle armbar.  Werdum has gone 3-0 over the past two years with wins over Fedor, Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (decision), and Mike Kyle (guillotine choke).  Not a bad list of competitors.  That said, just previous to that string Werdum fell to UFC heavyweight Junior Dos Santos by TKO.  So even with the huge win over Emelianenko, he falls short, in my opinion.

Which leads to Overeem’s second statement- “Now Cain is sidelined for the rest of the year and having the Strikeforce GP tournament in 2011 there is enough room to take that number one spot. The winner of the GP should be number one in the rankings because I still believe Strikeforce has the best heavyweight division in the world.”

Hmmm…..Not a definite.  But is it possible?  Yep.

Keep in mind the sheer talent on display at the Strikeforce World Grand Prix.  A tournament with the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Sergei Kharitonov, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva, Josh Barnett, and Brett Rogers is nothing to scoff at.  Imagine for a second that Werdum were to defeat Overeem, Fedor (again), and another big name from the tourney in strong fashion.  Well, you could make an argument for him overtaking Velasquez.  The same could be said for another fighter, depending on who it is and how it all breaks down.

So whether you believe that the winner of the Strikeforce GP deserves the number one heavyweight MMA ranking or not, the idea isn’t all that crazy.  Which speaks, by the way, to just how awesome an idea the whole tourney is.  Can’t wait for this one to start.

In a new interview with MMA Weekly, Coker recently stated the following: “We’re having a couple conversations right now and we definitely want to travel to Canada at some point… We’d like to eventually this year take one of those legs [of the tournament] to Japan… With all the stars that we have and the fan base there for these fighters over there, I mean these fighters have a ton of fans in Japan. Why not go there and bring Strikeforce to Japan some time this year?”

I think an international expansion is always a risky endeavor, in business in general and especially when it comes to rising MMA promotions, but Strikeforce seems to be at just the right point to make it a successful venture. MMA is huge in Canada, and it’s definitely big enough for more than just the UFC. With the gangbuster numbers the UFC always seems to post up in Canada, it’s worth risking at least one show in Canada to see if Strikeforce can come anywhere close to duplicating those results.

Japan is far more of a gamble, thanks in no small part to what seems to be the crumbling FEG empire, which both famed kickboxing organization K-1 and upstart MMA promotion DREAM are a part of. The combat spots scene in Japan has been struggling in general ever since the fall of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion, which in its heyday sold out arenas in Japan with ease. However, Strikeforce does pack the double-punch of having both Alistair Overeem and Fedor Emelianenko as part of their roster. Overeem is a huge star in Japan, as both a fierce MMA competitor and a K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. And Emelianenko has always been incredibly popular in Japan. With those two anchoring a show, Strikeforce may be able to make something work if they move forward with a Japanese excursion.

In the end, I think an international Strikeforce show would really bolster the credibility of this already-amazing Strikeforce Grand Prix. This is supposed to be Strikeforce’s crowning achievement, and what better way to send that message than by booking their first international shows around this tournament? They certainly have the star power to do so, and I hope everything gets worked out before all is said and through.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Strikeforce’s plans to make their Heavyweight Grand Prix an international affair? Do you think Strikeforce would be successful in Canada and/or Japan? And what are some other international locations you’d like to see Strikeforce debut in?

Among Werdum and Alistair, Antonio Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, Sergei Kharitonov, Brett Rogers, Josh Barnett, and Andrei Arlovski are among the competitors in the upcoming tournament, three of which Fabricio has beaten in recent competition.

And for trainer Rafael Cordeiro, he believes that Werdum can shock the world once again, much like what the Brazilian did when he submitted the seemingly unbeatable Fedor Emelianenko last April.

“We’ve started his preparation as soon as he got better from his surgery. He’s super motivated for this fight, we have great training partners. Werdum will shock you once again”, said head trainer Cordeiro who spoke with TATAME.com recently about his student’s upcoming bout with the champ.

“The level of difficulty they’ll have to face in each fight will show us who the best in the world is. We’ll give our best to make Werdum proves he’s the best of this championship.

Though the match-up in of itself will not be contested for the promotion’s title, participating in this tournament, and winning no less will be a huge accomplishment for any one man. For Fabricio, he holds victories over the likes of Emelianenko, Antonio Silva, and another win over “The Reem” would be a great way to start his inception into the infamous Grand Prix, which has received lots of positive attention since it has been announced. It’s really a PRIDE-like throwback for most of the hardcore fans, and the fighters assembled for such a tourney make it that much more special, with former champions and top-10 talent riddled all over.

Werdum has the daunting task of finding a way to defeat the surging Overeem once again. The two met previously in 2006, with the multiple time Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion submitting the Dutch striker with a kimura in the second round. Now, over 4 years have passed and both men have improved dramatically, with most of the spotlight dawning Alistair as of late, since the goliath heavyweight has since been able to nab the DREAM interim title as well as the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 belt, defeating the likes of Tyrone Sponge, Gokhan Saki, and legend Peter Aerts all in one night to reign as king over the kickboxing world.

It will be pitted as a classic “Striker vs. Grappler” match, where it should be no surprise where either man would like the fight to play out.

So, MMA peeps, what do you like about Werdum’s chances against the Holland native? Will he be able to pull another submission out of his bag of tricks, or will Overeem crush the challenger with one of his lethal dose of knees and punches? Sound off in the comment section below.

In a new interview with MMA Junkie, Brett Rogers recently said the following: “I definitely want to go out there and bring the old me… I just need to show more and just gain that confidence with my right hand again… I’m definitely going to be prepared… I feel like I’m a little more focused, and I’m not trying to think as much. Before I was so into winning instead of just having fun. And this year, that’s all I plan on doing.”

Rogers is best known for catapulting to superstardom following an amazing twenty-two second KO over former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. Rogers went 10-0 as a professional Mixed Martial Artist, with all wins by stoppage due to strikes and eight of those wins occurring in the first round, before he ran into and was ultimately (T)KO’d by both Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem, both in championship bouts.

Standing in Brett’s way as undoubtedly his biggest obstacle at this early point in the comeback trail is another former UFC Heavyweight Champion, “The Babyfaced Assassin” Josh Barnett. Barnett is on a six-fight win-streak and hasn’t lost since December 2006. No date or venue has been announced for the fight as of this article’s publication.

In many ways, my feelings on Brett Rogers and his chances in this tournament are similar to the ones I have for Andrei Arlovski, which you can read here. To summarize: it may not be too terribly likely, but anything is possible in MMA.

Brett Rogers still packs a pair of viciously powerful fists, that hasn’t changed and it’s doubtful that it ever will. Against Fedor, Brett got caught with the perfect counter at the perfect time. Against Overeem, Rogers got taken down and manhandled by someone who is very adept at taking down and manhandling very large and powerful opponents. So I do think that both the pressure of the situation and the sheer talent of the men he fought combined to make two opponents that were simply too much for “The Grim”.

That could all change and change dramatically if Rogers stays focused, stays calm, and tries to pick his shots rather than swing for the fences.

I agree that Rogers needs to start swinging more, and I’m glad that he’s going to be bringing back that killer right hand of his. But regaining his spot near the top of Strikeforce’s Heavyweight division will be largely dependent on his ability to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Rogers winning the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix seems unlikely at this early stage, but it’s hardly out of the realm of possibility. It could be anyone’s ballgame by the time all is said and done.

So, what’s the most important thing to remember when it comes to Brett Rogers? I think there’s two things. One is that the man is very entertaining win or lose, so we should all be looking forward to seeing him mix it up with Strikeforce’s best. Two is that if you give Rogers the chance, he will knock your head off of your shoulders. Rogers is down but far from out, and everybody loves a comeback. I’ll definitely be looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Brett Rogers.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on the matter?

Let’s start with the meat of this post: what follows is a listing of all fourteen parts of the “Heavy Wait” series, and below that, individual links to each and every article. So without further ado…

Heavy Wait Part 1: What Will Happen If The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Lives Up To Its Potential

Heavy Wait Part 2: What I Like The Most About The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

Heavy Wait Part 3: What I Dislike About The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

Heavy Wait Part 4: What Fedor Emelianenko Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 5: What Antonio Silva Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 6: What Alistair Overeem Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 7: What Fabricio Werdum Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 8: What Andrei Arlovski Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 9: What Sergei Kharitonov Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 10: What Josh Barnett Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 11: What Brett Rogers Needs To Do In Order To Win It All

Heavy Wait Part 12: Top 5 Dream Matches For The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

Heavy Wait Part 13: Why Alistair Overeem Will Win The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

Heavy Wait Part 14: My Final Thoughts On The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

And now, for a few final comments.

It’s recently been announced that each tournament bout will have three five-minute rounds, and that the winner is effectively competing for a shot at the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship. So, in a nutshell, Alistair Overeem is competing to win his own championship, and if he loses, whoever beats him will have to beat him again. I know some fans are already shouting “typical Strikeforce” at this rather confusing turn of events, but to be completely honest, I’d rather have a tournament with some slightly confusing rules and some unfair possible outcomes rather than no tournament at all. I can’t say this is the most ideal situation, but I’m not going to pretend like it’s the end of the world either. I’m still going to watch this one with vested interested, and I’m still really looking forward to seeing all of Strikeforce’s best Heavyweights fight each other.

If I could pick one Strikeforce Heavyweight that’s in the reserves to make it into the official tournament, it’d be Shane del Rosario. Of course, I hope no one gets injured so that we, the MMA fans, can get the dream matches we all want to see. But if it has to be anybody, I’d like it to be him. I’m very impressed with the man and I think he has the potential to be a real threat in the Strikeforce Heavyweight division in the next few years. He probably wouldn’t win the tournament, but if he did get into the main tournament he’d fight tooth and nail and with every fiber of his being, and that would surely make for some very interesting and entertaining bouts.

So, that’s it fans and friends! One final time, I’d like to thank all of you who gave “Heavy Wait” a read. As always, I just have to ask: what about you? Any last opinions?

Though Overeem is the promotion’s reigning heavyweight champion, he will now be completing exclusively under the San Jose banner for the better part of 2011 as he is one of eight fighters participating in a historical heavyweight grand prix.

And while DREAM, K-1, or even Ultimate Glory may be beckoning for the Dutch striker to return to their organization’s, Overeem will only be seen in Strikeforce for the foreseeable future.

Scott Coker has been more then lenient with their champion. Since capturing the promotion’s title in 2007 with a second-round TKO win over UFC veteran Paul Buentello, Alistair went missing in action over the next couple of years. Transitioning part-time in the kickboxing world, Overeem had accomplished many great feats, including a first-round knockout victory over perennial top-heavyweight star, Badr Hari. The match took place at Dynamite!! 2008 under the DREAM banner in Japan for their annual year-end show.

He turned the victory into a budding kickboxing career and eventually claimed the most prestigious title in all of kickboxing when he won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010.

Prior to his run, he was last seen under mixed martial arts rules when he met with title challenger Brett Rogers last May. “The Grim” had just come off an impressive performance against Fedor Emelianenko where he was able to bloody up the stoic Russian in the first-round of their heavyweight affair, however succumbed to strikes in the second round. Overeem didn’t miss a beat, as he was able to man handle the goliath Rogers to the ground and eventually overwork over matched Brett with a TKO win inside of the first-round, barely breaking a sweat.

The title defense was his first and only one to date since capturing the title in 2007, and if Scott has it his way, Overeem will only be focused on Strikeforce for the majority of 2011.

“Last year, just to be very clear, we have a contract with Alistair, and he came to us and his manager is a very close friend and he said ‘look we want to fight in the K-1, it’s important to Alistair’ and so it happened and we were supporting of it, but this year it’s very clear that they need to support Strikeforce, and the participation in the tournament is going to require up to three fights and they committed,” said Coker who spoke recently with MMAWeekly.com.

“There’s no way that’s going to happen,” commented Scott on the potential of Overeem fighting elsewhere while the tourney is underway. “This tournament’s going to be taxing on these guys and there’s a lot on the line.”

Coker feels that Alistair understands the significance that such a tournament carries. It’s reminiscent of the PRIDE days where some of the best fighters in the world were assembled under one roof to determine who is the best. Former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianeko, former UFC heavyweight titleholders Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski are among just the few names that are featured in this historical tourney.

“To put these 8 guys together it’s a very special moment in time,” said the CEO. “These guys are still in their prime and they all have their own history getting to this tournament, but this tournament will clearly state who the best heavyweight fighter in the world is.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Coker’s remarks? Should Overeem be exclusive to Strikeforce for the remainder of the year or would you like to see the Dutch striker fight elsewhere? Sound off in the comment section below.

Alistair Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, through a monkey wrench into the whole scheme of things when he proclaimed that he would also like to participate in the tournament which features a who’s who of mixed martial arts talent: Fedor Emelianenko, Sergei Kharitonov, Andrei Arlovski, Brett Rogers, Josh Barnett, Antonio Silva and Overeem’s next opponent, Fabricio Werdum.

While Scott Coker, the CEO of the San Jose based promotion, stated that since Overeem would be fighting Werdum in the quarter-finals, he had hoped that the fight could be contested for the promotion’s heavyweight strap, however those plans have since been nixed.

“All quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be scheduled for three, five-minute rounds,” said Coker who recently clarified the format of the heavy-heavyweight schedule in 2011 . “The tournament final will be five, five-minute rounds for the Strikeforce world grand prix championship.”

The winner of the heavyweight grand prix is set to get the first shot at Alistair Overeem for the division’s title, though the lines become blurry since “The Demolition Man” is now part of the tournament. If Alistair loses in the grand prix, he will still retain his title–but what if he loses in the quarter or even in the semi-finals and the person that beat him doesn’t win the grand prix?

Overeem, you certainly made a mess of things, though the addition of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 champion is certainly an added bonus to an already star-studded line up.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? How would you have formatted the Grand Prix should your champion chose to partake in it as well? Sound off in the comment section below.

I’ll start off with this: I’m a Strikeforce fan for several reasons, and I wish them nothing but the best when it comes to this tournament. Writing so much about this tournament has really helped me figure out just why I’m looking forward to it so much, because as I’ve said in the past, I’m incredibly hopeful about this tournament. If I had to narrow it down to one single sentence, it’d be this: I love the idea of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix because it’s wonderfully simplistic.

It’s as simple as this: Strikeforce has a fantastic roster of Heavyweight fighters, and now they’re all going to fight each other. It sounds so simple on paper, but anyone with even a small knowledge of how promoting works knows that the simplest ideas are usually the hardest ones to put together. I know some fans are thinking the following: everyone wants to see these guys fight each other, why is it so difficult to get them to fight each other? To which I say: there are a lot of reasons, and in fact, the situation is far more complicated than most can even imagine.

I absolutely do not believe that this tournament was easy to put together. I think it took a lot of careful negotiating, I think Strikeforce had to navigate some very difficult political waters to put this all together. But they did, it’s happening, and I couldn’t be happier. We’re getting what we want, we’re practically guaranteed some of the best, most interesting Heavyweight fights since the fall of the legendary PRICE FC promotion, and for that we should all be both incredibly thankful and incredibly hopeful. I sure am.

I know I could be criticized of sugar-coating this tournament and blowing its appeal out of proportion, but is it really so bad to get my hopes up? In a medium filled with journalists and fans that routinely and almost-exclusively focus on the negative, shouldn’t someone out there bring a little positivity to the mix? I’m not saying that we should be all “sugar and rainbows” when it comes to everything, since controversial topics do need to be examined and critical thinking can lead to progress. But negativity for the sake of negativity just leaves everyone feeling like crap.

If you’ve followed me at all during my time writing for fighters.com, you know that I absolutely do not shy away from a controversial topic, and that I’ve had a strong negative reaction to several stories and/or controversies in the past. But that’s more about me not having a problem loudly stating and vigorously defending my opinion, rather than me being a negative person. You can call me an aspiring journalist, an opinion columnist, a blogger, or any number of other terms that describe a person that does what I do, and many of you have called me all manner of four-letter words, but first and foremost, I consider myself an MMA fan.

And the MMA fan in me knows that this will be an amazing tournament.

So I think it’s time we all live a little, fans and friends. Let’s get our hopes up and believe that this tournament will fully live up to its potential. There’s always the chance that it won’t, but just this once, let’s all remember what brought us here in the first place: amazing fights that feature incredibly gifted individuals. I love the idea of this tournament. I can’t wait to see it happen. I believe in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. And so should you.

And finally, I’d simply like to thank everyone that’s followed “Heavy Wait”. I’ve had a lot of fun writing this fourteen-part “maxi-series”, and I’m very thankful that it’s gotten the kind of attention and reaction that it has. So whether you agree or disagree with anything I’ve said throughout these long articles, I’d just like to say: thanks for reading.

And that’s it, fans and friends! “Heavy Wait: The Hunt For Strikeforce Gold” has reached its official conclusion. So, for one last time, here’s my question: what about you? What are your feelings on the Heavyweight Grand Prix? And now that it’s all over, what did you think of “Heavy Wait”?

Although only some of you know how I feel on the matter, I’d like to point out that I’ve never believed in the whole “K-1 Striking” thing. For those that don’t know what I’m talking about, the gist of it goes like this: whenever people compare and contrast the striking games of fighters, certain fans will always bring up that an MMA fighter has “K-1 Level” striking. This generally means that they’ve competed and won in K-1, which is considered the highest level of kickboxing and the best kickboxing promotion in the world.

My main problem with that method of thinking is the following: just having competed in K-1 doesn’t make you an excellent striker. Think of it this way: I believe that being successful in K-1 doesn’t make you an amazing striker, instead, being an amazing striker means that you’ll be successful in K-1. That’s my outlook in a nutshell, and I bring this up because many people believe that Alistair Overeem’s “K-1 Level” striking will be too much for many Heavyweight participants to handle.

To which I say: I fully agree that Overeem’s striking will be one of the major reasons why he’ll win it all. Overeem is a K-1 World Grand Prix champion, meaning that he’s such an amazing striker that he’s now unquestionably one of the best kickboxers in the world. And unlike some K-1 kickboxers that try to transition to MMA only to fizzle out, Overeem was first and foremost an MMA fighter that tried K-1, and not vice versa.

Overeem’s striking is downright scary no matter where he competes, and that’s the main reason why I think he’ll win this tournament. He has the ability to one-hit KO practically anybody in this tournament, and if he begins to lose an engagement, his amazing size and musculature means that he can muscle his way out of almost any compromising position. He also has an amazing array of deadly strikes, from knees to the gut to knees to the head, from straight punches and jabs to looping hooks and monstrous uppercuts. I just don’t think any of the other seven Heavyweight Grand Prix participants have such a diverse array of killer strikes and crippling blows.

And if the fight gets to the ground, Overeem’s gigantic frame and years of experience have allowed him to outright dominate and smother opponents almost as large as he is. His Ground and Pound is vicious, and he can power his way out of virtually any disadvantageous ground position. The only real threats to Overeem on the ground are Fedor Emelianenko and Fabricio Werdum, and even then, a smart and calculating Overeem should be able to find a way to combat their high level of ground game prowess.

There’s no stopping Alistair Overeem. There, I’ve said it. It’s what I believe wholeheartedly, and this is coming from a massive Fedor Emelianenko fan. Overeem has all the tools, and he’s been implementing them the right way for so long that he hasn’t lost an MMA bout in over three years. He currently holds three Heavyweight championships, one of which is in an entirely different sport, all of which are a testament to his ability to finally and fully put all the pieces of the puzzle together and realize the potential he’s been chasing since he moved up to Heavyweight full-time. It’s Overeem’s time now, and that fact will be solidified when he wins the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

At least, that’s how I see it all going down, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think will win it all, and why?

5. Sergei Kharitonov vs. Brett Rogers

Just imagine the potential of this match if it turns into a brawl. Brett has a good chin, even though he’s been TKO’d twice recently. Once was due to a huge counter, another was due to some dominant ground control. A close-quarters brawl favors neither outcome, instead, slugging it out is where Brett seems to shine brightest. This one would be bloody and brutal, neither man would give an inch and eventually someone would fall face-first to the mat. But not before we got an incredibly wild brawl that would probably end up being a highlight of entire tournament.

4. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett

It’s the match that pretty much killed a promotion, and for several reasons I’d love to see Fedor take on Barnett. These two have a long history that spans all the way back to the PRIDE FC promotion, and after the beating Fedor gave Andrei Arlovski back in 2009, many at the time thought that Josh Barnett was one of the last credible threats to Fedor Emelianenko’s unquestioned dominance. Even though it was one of the chief contributing factors to the fall of the short-lived Affliction promotion, this is one fight I’d thoroughly enjoy seeing even with its somewhat morbid backstory.

3. Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett

This is another Affliction-inspired match that I hope sees the light of day. Before Barnett/Fedor there was Barnett/Arlovski, the fight was scrapped due to low ticket sales for the planned Affliction event this fight was supposed to headline. Still, this fight has a lot of potential for many different reasons. First and foremost, it should end up being a wildly entertaining brawl between two veterans that are known for their fierce determination and heart. For that reason alone, I’m already looking forward to this match and really hoping that it ends up happening.

2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum

I’m trying to think of a bigger rematch in MMA that could possibly be put together, and nothing comes close to Emelianenko/Werdum 2. It doesn’t get much better than seeing the second chapter of the most unexpected rivalry in MMA history. Can Werdum do the seemingly-impossible once again? Or will Fedor’s previous years of flawless performances return in full force? It’s the rematch that everyone wants to see, and that definitely includes me.

But my top pick simply has go to go to…

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Alistair Overeem

It seems as if this is the one bout that just about everyone is universally looking forward to, and I just can’t help but join in on the festivities. In this bout, we see someone who I consider the greatest Heavyweight fighter of all time (and the greatest MMA fighter of all time, period) face the man that I and many others are predicting will dominate the Heavyweight rankings for years to come. There’s just too much to look forward to in this match: how will Fedor’s chin hold up to Overeem’s hands? Will Overeem’s K-1 prestige keep Fedor’s deceptively deadly striking at bay? Who wins this one on the ground? Without a doubt in my mind and without an ounce of hyperbole, I think this fight could end up being one of the greatest MMA fights of all time. It takes the number one spot quite easily.

So that’s one part down and two to go as we count down to the finale of “Heavy Wait”, fans and friends. As always, I just have to ask: what about you? Play matchmaker for a bit and let me know: what fights do you hope to see happen?

When the Dutch heavyweight star isn’t in the cage, he part-time’s as a kickboxer–not just any kickboxer, but one of the best in the world. In fact, his recent accolades as an athlete now include Overeem cleaning house at the K-1 World Grand Prix in 2010, defeating the likes of Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki, and multiple tournament champion Peter Aerts en route to capturing the most prestigious title in the sport.

Although “The Demolition Man” only made one appearance in the mixed martial arts world last year, with a savage first-round TKO victory over top-10 fighter Brett Rogers last May under the Strikeforce banner in defense of his heavyweight crown, Overeem will now return in March for what will begin a busy year for the multiple-promotion-champion, in hopes to solidify his spot as the best in the world.

After capturing the Grand Prix title in K-1, Alistair upped the ante later that December when he swiftly defeated UFC veteran Todd Duffee under the DREAM banner when the two goliath’s met at the annual “Dynamite!!” show on December 31. It took Overeem all but 19 seconds to knockout Duffee, and in doing so claimed the promotoin’s interim heavyweight crown.

However, outside of his fight with Rogers, Overeem has been lurking for another prominent heavyweight fight to take up in the MMA world. Now, the native of Holland will have his opportunity this March when he is scheduled to take part in the promotion’s heavyweight Grand Prix, which features the likes of former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko, K-1 vet Sergei Kharitonov, former UFC champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett, the aforementioned Brett Rogers, former EliteXC champ Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum–Overeem’s next opponent.

The two heavyweights met originally in 2006 under the PRIDE banner, and the Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion was able to submit Overeem with a second-round kimura. Now the two men are some of the most touted men in their class, specifically Werdum who was able to upset the seemingly unbeatable Fedor with a 69-second triangle submission last April.

Alistair requested the match when Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker met with the Dutch heavyweight while the two were in Saitama, Japan for the Dynamite!! show. Overeem will now get his wish, and in turn will vie to be the best.

“I have been looking for a big fight for more than a year now,” said the Strikeforce champion who recently spoke with MMAJunkie.com.

“Tournament or no tournament, Werdum was going to be my first fight in Strikeforce.”All the fighters in that tournament are good, so there are no easy fights,” said the Dutch star. “I’m a little surprised about it, and I don’t know why this bracket is designed this way, but my job is to fight. I’m not picking opponents, so if that’s the way they made the bracket, so be it.

“I can show the American fans that I’m the No. 1 fighter of Strikeforce. Entering such a tournament is not only great for the MMA fans but also a great way to prove that I’m the best fighter in the world.”

So, MMA Peeps, what do you make of Alistair’s comments? Would you rank him the best in the weight class should he defeat all of his opponents in this PRIDE-esque Grand Prix? Sound off in the comment section below.

And don’t forget, this section of “Heavy Wait” follows a modified “Top 5” format.

Fedor Emelianenko: Don’t even try to throw haymakers, Fedor’s counter-striking is too good. Don’t take it to the ground, either, Fedor has too many submission options. Brett’s best bet is to smother Fedor against the cage, and when that happens, Brett needs to knee Fedor’s gut and try to bust him open with short-arm punches, even elbows. I just don’t see Brett KO’ing Fedor, so Brett would be best served to “embrace the grind”, as the saying goes.

Antonio Silva: The giant likes to brawl, I say: give him that brawl. Dig those heels in, load up with the power punches, and have at it. Silva’s long arms mean that his punches hurt no matter where they’re thrown, but they hurt the most when he swings them from afar. Brett needs to close the distance and dirty-box with Silva. He should try to take Silva to the ground at least once, just to see if he can control the big man and dish out some Ground and Pound. It’s going to be a down-and-dirty fight, Rogers will do best if he embraces that fact.

Alistair Overeem: Do not, absolutely do not allow Alistair Overeem the chance to close the distance and grapple. Overeem is a monster Heavyweight, but his chin is not made of granite. Rogers needs room to throw, because if it becomes a close-quarters brawl, Overeem’s K-1 background will be too much to handle. “The Grim” should use jabs to create distance, he shouldn’t leg kick because he doesn’t want to risk being taken down, and when Overeem tries to rush in and engage, Rogers needs to counter quickly and move away if Overeem’s chin holds up. If he keeps this strategy in mind, eventually Rogers can clip Overeem in an exchange and get the TKO.

Fabricio Werdum: I think the key to victory here will be if Rogers can land damaging shots without telegraphing them. If Werdum gets too comfortable with Brett’s rhythm, he’ll be able to counter Brett, and eventually one of those counters will involve a takedown. Rather than headhunt, Rogers should land cumulative damage to all areas of the body, softening Werdum up for a late-round TKO. Going for the brilliant KO may have brought Rogers to the dance, but it opens him up to far too many negative outcomes if he tries it against someone as versatile and tough as Werdum.

Andrei Arlovski: Andrei will be too focused on not letting history repeat itself, so if he shows up in any proper shape to fight, Rogers shouldn’t immediately bull-rush and hope that lightning strikes twice. Not now, not after he’s lost two straight by TKO. What Brett needs to do is pace himself and, although it goes against his nature, look to take this fight to the ground. With Arlovski’s outright abandonment of the ground game in his recent fights, Rogers would be best served taking Arlovski down, controlling him on the ground with his power and bulk, and then dishing out some brutal Ground and Pound until Arlovski’s lights are once again turned out.

Sergei Kharitonov: In a way, my thoughts on Rogers’ strategy against Kharitonov is very similar to the strategy I think he should use against Antonio Silva. If Sergei wants to brawl, Brett should meet him in the middle of the cage and start slugging it out. But if Sergei switches modes and instead tries to tactfully take out “The Grim”, Rogers should also change up his gameplan and focus on the ground game. Even if he’s not successful with his takedown attempts, it’ll bring both men right back into a close-quarters exchange, and that should favor Rogers.

Josh Barnett: The key to victory here is pretty simple: counter often, don’t get taken down, and don’t get lured into a brawl. Make no mistake, Rogers should still look for the (T)KO, but Josh Barnett fights best when he’s in a bloody brawl. It brings out his killer instinct and warrior spirit, so if Rogers wants to make a definitive statement, he needs to try to counter-KO Barnett instead of slugging it out and seeing which one of their chins holds up, because nothing short of a straight KO will take Barnett out after he gets fired up.

And so that wraps up the eleventh entry into the “Heavy Wait” series, fans and friends. Check back tomorrow for the three-part finale! And what do you think? What does Brett Rogers have to do to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

As always, this portion of “Heavy Wait” follows a modified “Top 5” format.

Fedor Emelianenko: Damn the consequences and go for broke. If Fedor wants to strike, start striking. If he wants to make it a ground war, follow him to the ground and try to get the best of him. There’s no one perfect way to beat Fedor Emelianenko, but Barnett can afford to take chances and play Fedor’s games until one man comes out with the clear advantage. Barnett has the heart, will, and skill to beat Fedor Emelianenko, so for this fight, it all comes down to Barnett’s physical and mental preparation. If he trains like this is the biggest fight of his life and fights like this is the biggest fight of his life, he’s got a shot.

Antonio Silva: I think effective cage control is Barnett’s best bet for taking out “Bigfoot”. Barnett needs to shove Silva against the cage and keep him there, peppering him with knees and punches until Silva inevitably shoves Barnett off of him. Constantly using his strength to push Barnett away will both tire out and frustrate Silva, and he’ll likely start headhunting. If Barnett can avoid any flurries and continue to close the distance, he should be able to dirty-box his way towards a very convincing Unanimous Decision victory.

Alistair Overeem: I think Barnett’s best shot of winning is to figure out what Overeem wants to do and then counter that. He may lose some points or even a round adopting this reactionary gameplan, but it’s realistically one of the few options Barnett has. Whatever Overeem wants to do, Barnett needs to do the opposite in order to keep Overeem guessing and throw off his timing.

Fabricio Werdum: It’s all about attacking at angles and not letting this one get to the ground, which Barnett should be able to do since he has a good wrestling game. So long as he uses his wrestling in reverse in order to keep it standing, Barnett should be able to beat Werdum. Trading in the clinch or against the cage is a bit iffy, Barnett may want to risk it but he also may be taken down because of it. If Barnett keeps his distance but also keeps active, he should be able to out-strike Werdum and may do enough cumulative damage to score a late-round TKO.

Andrei Arlovski: Don’t give Arlovski a chance to get comfortable, because he’s still a pretty dangerous striker. Barnett should look to land peppering blows to throw Arlovski off his gameplan. Barnett should focus on short, close-quarters engagements and try to get the best of Arlovski when the two start trading. Arlovski is a better technical striker but Barnett is a better brawler, so the key here is to lure Arlovski into his world while not getting lured into Arlovski’s.

Sergei Kharitonov: This is one fight that Barnett can afford to take to the ground, because realistically, Barnett has never been submitted: his first submission loss was an injury, he second was a submission to strikes. Barnett should be able to wrestle Kharitonov to the ground, and he should also be able to nail some good Ground and Pound while also avoiding any submission attempts.

Brett Rogers: Rogers has shown a susceptibility to counter-strikes, so Barnett should focus on that almost exclusively if he faces “The Grim”. It’s been a long time (over four years) since Barnett last lost by TKO, so only a full-on power shot that lands flush stands any chance of wobbling Barnett. Josh should absorb as little damage as possible while counter-striking, but he should also know that eventually Rogers will land something. If Barnett can lure Rogers into continually swinging for the fences, and not get KO’d in the process, eventually Rogers will tire himself out and then Barnett can launch a final counter-striking flurry to get the TKO.

And so, that wraps up the tenth edition of “Heavy Wait”. But as always, fans and friends, I just have to ask: what about you? What do you think Josh Barnett needs to do in order to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

As always, today’s entry will follow a restructured “Top 5” format.

Fedor Emelianenko: Sergei’s best chance against Fedor is standing up, on the ground Fedor is too controlling. The key here is finding out what Fedor does and doing the opposite. If Fedor wants to get into a striking exchange, Sergei should fight defensively and counter-strike. If Fedor wants to pick his shots, Sergei should try to lure Fedor into striking exchanges. By forcing Emelianenko to constantly change his gameplan while attacking “The Last Emperor” throughout with hard and smartly-timed shots, Sergei just might have it in him to beat Emelianenko.

Antonio Silva: Sergei has fought giants before, so he’s definitely got some experience fighting an athlete like Silva. Kharitonov may have the best shot at finishing the fight if he takes Silva down and starts hunting for a ligament. Don’t forget, Kharitonov has as many wins by submission as he does by (T)KO, and he’s submitted some big giants. If Sergei can work his way into mount, he may be able to finish Silva with some brutal ground and pound, and if he can’t, he should work for an armbar.

Alistair Overeem: Even though Sergei is a very credible threat standing up, Overeem is just too good on his feet. He hits too hard, his precision and technique is too good, and he requires virtually no room to throw a KO strike, whether it be a knee or a fist. It’ll definitely be a hard-fought war on the ground that Kharitonov may or may not win, but even that is better than a one-sided thrashing, which Sergei will more than likely receive if he tries to beat Overeem standing up.

Fabricio Werdum: Werdum will inevitably shoot for a takedown, and when that happens, Sergei needs to make him pay. The key here will be to block the takedown and then grapple with Werdum very briefly in order to set up a dirty-boxing exchange. Sergei should avoid the leg kick as well: if he wants to use his legs, he needs to either utilize the high kick or attempt to knee Werdum in the face while they exchange in the pocket. Sergei’s best bet is to grind away with Werdum and look for a lucky shot, because even if it doesn’t come, Sergei could win on points alone so long as he makes Werdum play his game and doesn’t get lured into playing Werdum’s.

Andrei Arlovski: Sergei is going to need room to strike, because Arlovski’s chin held up to Antonio Silva’s fists when Silva attacked from short range. Sergei needs to try and constantly create distance, but he should also try hard not to telegraph his punches. It’s all about finding the sweet spot and catching Arlovski at the right time, with the right strike, utilizing the right momentum. Sergei needs to pick his shots, but the second an opportunity presents itself, he should let loose full-force and look for the stoppage.

Josh Barnett: Sergei needs to counteract Barnett’s brawling style by focusing on tact rather than brawling right back. If Sergei picks his shots, he probably will lose a few stand-up encounters but stands a better chance at landing that one big shot right on the sweet spot. If Sergei lures Barnett into thinking he’s winning, eventually Sergei can clip Barnett with the shot that matters most, and then follow it up for the TKO.

Brett Rogers: Sergei needs to dig in and brawl with Rogers for several reasons. For one, Sergei’s chin is very tough and should hold up to repeated blows in the pocket. Second, Rogers punches hard period, but he punches hardest when he has room to throw. If Sergei forces Rogers to dirty-box, he may end up getting the better of him. In particular, Sergei should look to stuff Rogers against the cage, and when Rogers attempts to shove Sergei off of him, Sergei should look for the counter-KO.

And that’s the end to part 9, fans and friends. But what do you think? What does Sergei Kharitonov need to do in order to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

Remember, this sub-section of “Heavy Wait” uses a modified “Top 5” format.

Fedor Emelianenko: Never, never ever (and I do mean never) throw another flying knee at Fedor Emelianenko. Just don’t do it. Arlovski looked to be doing a pretty good job against Fedor before he was on the wrong end of what many consider the year’s best KO. Arlovski needs to avoid running into any of Fedor’s power punches period, and that applies to a lot more than just not doing any stupid flying knees. Arlovski needs to circle away constantly from Fedor’s power shots and open him up with peppering strikes. Arlovski’s best chance of beating Fedor is to constantly figure out Fedor’s range and constantly adapt to Fedor’s changes.

Antonio Silva: What does that first “M” in MMA stand for, again? Arlovski’s main fault in his first fight with Silva is that he used an ultra-traditional boxing stance. It’s time to mix it up to bring the big man down, because Arlovski’s chin seems able to withstand Silva’s blows. Arlovski should start taking more chances. He also needs to attack at angles, utilize leg kicks and knee strikes and, for the sake of my sanity, he needs to remember that he’s got a pretty good Sambo background. Even if he pops right back up or forces “Bigfoot” to stand right back up, some good takedowns go a long way.

Alistair Overeem: I hate to say this, but I’m having a hard time picturing Andrei Arlovski beating Alistair Overeem. Arlovski’s best bet may simply be to pull the trigger the second the first bell rings and go for broke. Arlovski shouldn’t give Overeem a chance to get comfortable, and he shouldn’t give Overeem a chance to take the lead. I know this is pretty much a “Hail Mary” as far as fight strategies go, but it’s honestly one of the few ways I think Arlovski could beat Overeem.

Fabricio Werdum: Arlovski needs to keep it standing, but he also should play it smart. Werdum probably won’t KO him, but unless Arlovski is sure that Werdum is a few punches away from going into the land of dreams, he should follow Werdum to the mat with an extreme level of caution. Likewise, Arlovski would be best served stuffing takedowns rather than trying to force Werdum to eat a knee, because there’s always a chance that Werdum will simply absorb that knee, continue to drive through, and score the takedown. As a pure stand-up affair, Arlovski has all the tools necessary to once again beat Fabricio Werdum.

Sergei Kharitonov: It’s all about counter-striking until an opportunity presents itself, and then bull-rushing to get the finish even if he absorbs some damage when doing so. Sergei swings wildly and hits hard, but Arlovski has fought and beat opponents who use that style, so he’s very familiar with what Sergei brings to the table. If Arlovski uses his head and not his heart, he stands a very good chance of beating Sergei.

Josh Barnett: I think Arlovski can afford to slug it out with Barnett if Barnett tries to brawl, but Arlovski needs to back up and adjust the second he feels that he’s not getting the better of the striking game. Barnett is a gamer, he won’t go down easy and he’s not really fighting to his full potential until he tastes his own blood. If Arlovski continues to win exchanges in the pocket, he should stick to engaging and engaging frequently, and if he doesn’t, he may be better suited to adapting frequently and focusing more on counter-striking Barnett.

Brett Rogers: Arlovski needs to not give Rogers one single chance to bum-rush, because if he does “The Grim” can always hit another fast flurry that knocks Arlovski down and puts him out. If Rogers comes in like a bull, Arlovski shouldn’t even try to counter, he should either shoot for a takedown or get out of the way. The key here is to play the matador: Rogers will come in headhunting, hoping for history to repeat itself, and if Arlovski knows what’s good for him he’ll duck, dodge, and land peppering shots until Rogers tires himself out. When that happens, then it’s time to let loose and look to win some rounds or even possibly finish Rogers.

So there you have it, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think Arlovski’s chances are in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

When Werdum shocked former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko, everyone was left in awe, but also left wondering where the Brazilian would go from there.

Did an impending title fight against Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem loom on the horizon for the Brazilian? Will Werdum rematch Fedor, and if so, be able to defeat him again?

Instead, we were left wanting when the Jiu-Jitsu specialist was sidelined due to injury for the rest of the year, however he will now be returning for arguably one of the greatest tournament’s ever assembled in the realm of mixed martial arts, and he thinks he can take it all.

“From the injury I’m totally recovered, but I still ain’t on my best physically. I’m training enough to get it back”, said Werdum who spoke with TATAME.com regarding his rehabilitation process since after having surgery on a lingering elbow injury.

“Everyday I go to Huntington Beach to train with Rafael (Cordeiro). I train with him from 11am to 1pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I have a special training with Jason Miller and Mark Muñoz. We do a sparring and train Wrestling with Muñoz.”

Now back in the grind of training, “Vai Cavalo” is expected to return as early as March when he is scheduled to take on current Strikeforce champ Alistair Overeem. The two men met before, years ago under the PRIDE banner in 2006 in very familiar settings. Both men participated in the organization’s Openweight Grand Prix, where Werdum bested the Dutch striker with a kimura in the second round.

Overeem has evolved a lot since then, winning the European Abu Dhabi Combat Club Qualifier’s a few years ago, submitting all three of his opponents, and recently captured the K-1 World Grand Prix title in December, besting fighters such as Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki, and Peter Aerts en route to the prestigious kickboxing title.

With all of his recent accolades though, even Werdum is not impressed and expects a repeat performance of their 2006 meeting.

“The fight will be very tactic, it’ll be like the one of 2006 and I’ll catch him again, you can bet on it”, said Fabricio.

“I’ll beat him with my game plan and smartness. The longer it gets, the better it is for be because he has a background that proves he’s not resistant. I’ll tire him up, bring him to the ground and finish the fight.

Overeem is just the first step in completing a tournament filled with a bevy of ultra-talented heavyweights, those of whom include the aforementioned Emelianenko, former UFC champions Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski, the hard hitting Brett Rogers, K-1 vet Sergei Kharitonov, and finally former EliteXC champ Antonio Silva.

Werdum, though, believes in his obvious Jiu-Jitsu skills (citing the fact that he’s a multiple time ADCC champion) and his ever improved stand up arsenal which has come leaps and bounds thanks to Rafael Cordeiro, the former head trainer of the Chute Boxe academy.

“It’d be a dream come true wining this GP”, said the 33-year-old.

“I’ve fought only one GP, which was Pride’s, in 2006, when I beat Overeem on the first phase and then lost to (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) on the second one. Back than I lacked experience, but today, being trained and more experienced, I have the weapons to win this GP.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Werdum’s comments? His BJJ skills are without question–he submitted “The Last Emperor” so that should be evidence enough. But do you think he has what it takes to make to the finals of one of the greatest tournaments in recent memory? Sound off in the comment section below.

And remember, this sub-section of “Heavy Wait” features a modified “Top 5” format. Let’s dive right in.

Fedor Emelianenko: Werdum stands the best chance of winning if he does his best to make the impossible happen again. Werdum needs to lure Emelianenko into a war of attrition on the ground, because that type of fight simply favors the submission specialist. As great as Emelianenko’s ground game is, if Werdum is given fifteen minutes to work off his back, he can catch Fedor again. The key here will be avoiding Fedor’s hardest shots and most brutal Ground and Pound, in order to have a clear head. If Werdum isn’t rocked early and often, if he’s in full control of his mental faculties as the fight continues to go to the ground, eventually Werdum will force open an opportunity or be presented with one, and that’s when he should explode and go for a submission.

Antonio Silva: Effective grappling is the key to neutralizing many of Silva’s more-obvious advantages, like his crazy reach. Werdum needs to attack at angles and constantly hunt for the takedown, but he should also do his best to switch gears constantly in order to confuse “Bigfoot” and add an element of surprise to his takedown attempts. If Werdum simply shoots and shoots often, it leaves him open to too many possible counter-shots. The key to victory here will be Werdum’s versatility at setting up his takedowns and smothering his opponent.

Alistair Overeem: It’s all about catching Overeem on the ground. Even if it means jumping into guard, Werdum can’t give Overeem a chance to get the better of him standing up. Overeem is a K-1 Champion, and Werdum’s striking has always teetered somewhere between “average with flashes of slightly-above-average” and “slightly underwhelming”. Even if he has to eat some Ground and Pound, Werdum needs to take this one to the floor and constantly hunt for submissions whether he’s on top or on his back.

Andrei Arlovski: Hit smarter, not harder. Arlovski is still a pretty good striker, I just don’t think Werdum can beat him on striking alone. Arlovski has virtually abandoned his ground game, Werdum should utilize that every chance he gets. If it goes to the ground, Werdum should look to Ground and Pound Arlovski and get a dominating Unanimous Decision victory. If Arlovski leaves himself open Werdum should of course try to lock something in, but if Werdum wants to guarantee victory, an active ground game spent mostly on top looks to be the easiest way.

Sergei Kharitonov: Sergei likes to throw bombs; Werdum needs to make him pay for doing so. Werdum needs to close the gap, and when Sergei begins blasting, Werdum needs to smother him against the cage, take him down, and work for a submission. Sergei’s chin is too good, Ground and Pound should only be used to open Kharitonov up for passes. Werdum needs to get Sergei in mount, pound on him a little, and when Sergei tries to buck Werdum off or give up his back, Werdum needs to latch onto an arm or lock in a choke. If Sergei gives Werdum even the slightest opening for a submission, Werdum should pursue it vigorously, because he’ll get it eventually.

Josh Barnett: Werdum should play the striking game only until he figures out Barnett’s methods. Werdum should be able to hold his own against Barnett standing up, he’ll most likely lose a round but I don’t see Barnett being able to straight KO Werdum. Werdum needs to take a round to dodge, counter sparingly, and figure out Barnett’s gameplan. In the later rounds, Werdum needs to pounce, countering Barnett constantly and shooting for a takedown the second Barnett gets a bit too overzealous. Werdum needs to figure out Barnett’s aggressive style and then use it against him, because if he does, he stands a good chance of winning it two rounds to one, or possibly winning via submission if Barnett gets careless enough.

Brett Rogers: The gameplan that Werdum needs to beat Sergei almost-perfectly applies to Brett Rogers as well. I would only caution Werdum not to take as many chances, because Rogers hits a bit harder and he’s shown an ability to get good ground guys off of him so long as they’re not hulking behemoths like Alistair Overeem. Rogers may be able to buck off Werdum a few times, he may even power his way out of a submission or two, but Werdum should still stick to taking the big man down. Eventually, Rogers will tire himself out and practically gift-wrap a ligament to Werdum. And when that opportunity presents itself, that’s when Werdum should try to finish the fight.

So, fans and friends, that wraps up Part 7 of “Heavy Wait”. We’re now four competitors down with four to go. And what about you? What must Fabricio Werdum do in order to win it all?

Remember, this sub-series of “Heavy Wait” follows a modified “Top 5” format.

Fedor Emelianenko: This is the match that everyone wants to see, and believe me, it’s the one I’m most eagerly anticipating. For this fight, Overeem needs to use his size to get the better of Emelianenko and use his brain to know when to switch gears. Overeem is a K-1 Champion, but Fedor could still get the better of him standing up. If that happens, Overeem needs to try and slam Fedor to the ground and implement his Ground and Pound. If Fedor begins working for submissions or blocking most of Overeem’s punches, Overeem needs to stand back up and try the striking game again. It’s going to be a multi-faceted fight, and the winner will be the one who utilizes all facets of the MMA game to their utmost.

Antonio Silva: Overeem needs to close the distance and do it quickly, Silva can’t be given room because he’s become really good at utilizing what is normally a sizable reach advantage. Overeem may be best served taking this one to the ground; he’s shown a lot of skill in maneuvering and even overpowering big men on the ground. Overeem is not Mike Kyle, and that’s said with absolutely no disrespect towards Mike Kyle. But the point stands: if Overeem gets a chance to land a Ground and Pound barrage, he will stop Silva. If subjected to repeated blows, Silva’s impressive chin will falter to Overeem’s gigantic, well-placed fists.

Fabricio Werdum: Going to the ground with Fabricio Werdum is a risky endeavor, no matter how skilled you are. If Overeem tries to implement his Ground and Pound, he’ll have to avoid submission attempts constantly. I honestly think Overeem stands the best chance of winning if he forgoes the ground game entirely and focuses on one-hit KO’ing Werdum. I think Overeem needs to pepper Werdum in order to make Werdum attempt a takedown. And when that takedown comes, Overeem needs to launch a knee right into Werdum’s dome and score a KO. On the feet, Overeem should be able to maul Werdum. On the ground, it’s anybody’s ballgame. I think Overeem is best suited playing it safe and keeping it standing, in order to advance in the tournament and hopefully one day win it all.

Andrei Arlovski: I hate to do this to Arlovski, I’ve actually really enjoyed watching him fight throughout the years. But Overeem needs to headhunt the second the first bell rings, because if he does, he’ll get a first-round KO. Overeem is simply too good of a striker, he’s too powerful, he swings too hard and with too much precision. Arlovski is going to crumble the second Overeem lands a semi-powerful shot, so Overeem’s best bet is to bull-rush and end this before it has a chance of beginning.

Sergei Kharitonov: Counter, counter, counter. And then counter again. One of the reasons Overeem won the K-1 World Grand Prix was his ability to block and/or dodge and then unload with a barrage. Sergei is crazy enough to come out throwing bombs, Overeem needs to play it smart and maybe even play a bit safe, because Sergei will get frustrated and he will tire himself out. And when that happens, Overeem should immediately switch tactics and go for the kill, because he’ll likely get it.

Josh Barnett: It may be time to brawl if Overeem fights Barnett. Barnett has a good ground game, but Overeem’s ground game is very under-rated. Barnett does have KO power, but Overeem’s tactile style has made him a K-1 World Champion. If this turns into a war of attrition, Overeem’s striking game almost eclipses Josh Barnett’s. Overeem should go for the KO, for sure, but if he doesn’t get it, he needs to dig his heels in and switch modes, engaging often and trying his best to get the better of every encounter.

Brett Rogers: It’s all about utilizing his effective grappling and dirty-boxing. Overeem knows how to beat Rogers, he can do it again if he sticks to closing the gap and not giving Rogers a chance to load up, arch back, and try to land some bombs. Overeem needs to take Rogers down with authority and once again utilize his dominant top control to score a TKO victory. Even as a K-1 Champion, Overeem should not get overconfident and engage in a brawl, since Rogers still has dynamite in his hands. Overeem’s best bet is to take it to the ground, smother Rogers, then Ground and Pound him until the ref breaks it up.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What does Overeem have to do in order to win it all?

Fedor Emelianenko: Silva needs to throw bombs, but more importantly, he needs to throw them with precision and accuracy. Fedor knows what it takes to submit a big man on the ground, but he hasn’t faced a big man with the kind of skill that Silva has. If it goes to the ground, Silva needs to be very, very careful. Standing up, Silva needs the confidence to take chances, because he just might get them, and when you’re Antonio Silva, everything you throw is thrown with lots of power and plenty of bad intentions.

Alistair Overeem: Above all else, Silva needs room to throw. If Overeem closes the distance and turns this into a grappling match, Overeem will knee Silva all to hell, plus, Overeem possesses uncanny short-arm KO power: he knocked Todd Duffee out and barely had a few inches to swing. Silva needs to make the absolute most out of his reach advantage, because the last thing “Bigfoot” needs is for Overeem to dirty-box with him.

Fabricio Werdum: It’s all about control. Silva needs to control where this fight goes, he needs to control where he positions himself, and he needs to control his opponent. If Werdum starts advancing, start throwing bombs to back him up. If Silva gets cornered, he needs to immediately switch to “takedown defense” mode, because we all know what’s coming. On the ground, Silva needs to smother Werdum and, above all else, protect his various ligaments at all times.

Andrei Arlovski: With the confidence he gained from beating Arlovski the first time, I think Silva can afford to open up with his striking and really try to KO Arlovski the second time around. Silva knows he can last against Arlovski for three rounds, so he can certainly do the same thing again if he wants to, more than likely it’ll work and he’ll win again. But if he wants to make an emphatic statement, he should hunt for Arlovski’s chin, which remains suspect, and look for the KO that he stands a good chance of getting.

Sergei Kharitonov: It’s a battle of staying power vs. stopping power. Silva needs to tire Sergei out because, let’s be honest, Sergei has one thing and one thing only going for him: his punching power. If Silva can avoid the early-round onslaughts, he should be more than able to tire Sergei out and dominate the next two round with relative ease.

Josh Barnett: Silva needs to prepare for a war of attrition, because I think that’s exactly what this match will be. It’ll be a give-and-take affair with both men really dishing it out and taking it in. The key to Silva’s victory in this fight is that he needs to remain calm and not let the multiple exchanges fluster him and cause him to start getting sloppy. Silva stands the best chance of beating Barnett if he comes in mentally and physically prepared for a tough three-round war.

Brett Rogers: I honestly think “Bigfoot” has the best chance of winning if he takes this fight to the ground. Rogers still has a whole lot to learn when it comes to fighting off of his back, and if the Mike Kyle fight proved anything, it’s that Silva can outright blast through his opponent’s blocks and score a TKO. If Silva can keep Rogers on the ground, he should get him there early and often, and consistently look for the stoppage victory while doing so.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Do you see Antonio Silva winning it all? And if you do, what do you think he’ll have to do in order to beat his many possible opponents?

This eight-part series will feature a restructured “Top 5” format in order to give fans a quick rundown on what I think a Heavyweight Grand Prix participant needs to do in order to beat all seven of his possible opponents. Everything else is pretty much self-explanatory, so let’s get right to it.

Antonio Silva: Fedor needs to avoid Silva’s hands as much as possible. The man is a gargantuan behemoth, any shot he throws hurts simply because of how big he is and how long his arms are. If it goes to the ground, Fedor needs to grab one of those arms quick and get an armbar, or else Silva may be able to finally crack Fedor’s chin with those big fists of his. If Fedor relies on his super-effective counter-striking, it should come through for him.

Alistair Overeem: Fedor needs to find some way to crack Overeem’s chin, and he needs to do it early. If Overeem is caught in the early minutes of the bout, it’s going to be very demoralizing to him even if he survives. If Fedor can test Overeem’s chin and weaken his resolve, he should be able to come through with a Unanimous Decision win. Going for the power KO or submission simply leaves Fedor open to too much, the master strategist must stick to his gameplan or else Overeem stands a good chance of winning.

Fabricio Werdum: Two words: don’t grapple. As hard as this is to say as a Fedor fan, Emelianenko should abandon the ground game entirely and focus on his stand-up, which is far superior to Fabricio Werdum’s. I honestly don’t think Fedor should even risk it if he knocks Werdum down, anything less than a straight KO leaves too much of an opportunity for the impossible to repeat itself. If Fedor plays it safe and stays on his feet, this fight is his to win.

Andrei Arlovski: It’s time to be aggressive, you can’t duplicate magic and Andrei Arlovski will probably never throw another flying knee at Fedor ever again. If Fedor gets one clean opening, Arlovski is as good as KO’d. What Fedor should do is hunt for such an opening, because if the first fight proved anything, it’s that Arlovski could possibly take Fedor to a close decision but lacks the power to outright KO him. With the power clearly in Fedor’s hands, he honestly stands the best chance of winning this fight if he starts headhunting.

Sergei Kharitonov: Kharitonov is the odd man out in this tournament, but he still poses a threat to Fedor as a high-level striker. But Fedor has beaten high-level strikers in the past, and the gameplan he used against them should be the one he uses against Kharitonov. If Fedor can duck, dodge, and counter, Sergei realistically doesn’t stand much of a chance.

Josh Barnett: Again, it all comes down to crafting a good gameplan and sticking to it. These two probably won’t knock each other out, but Fedor should do his best to take a commanding lead by smothering Barnett on the floor and countering him on the feet. If Fedor is able to assert his control on Barnett early and often, Barnett won’t be able to do much to regain the favor of the judges.

Brett Rogers: Just like when he beat him the first time, Fedor Emelianenko needs to fight smarter, not harder. He needs to avoid Brett’s bombs, out-grapple him when he can, and look to land the same sweet counter that nearly knocked Brett’s head off his shoulders in their first encounter.

So, that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What does Fedor have to do to beat the various opponents he may end up facing before all is said and through?

5. The chances of seeing Fedor/Werdum 2 anytime soon look pretty remote.

Quite a lot has to happen before we get to see the rematch to arguably the most shocking upset in MMA of all time. If Fedor Emelianenko beats Antonio Silva (likely), Fabricio Werdum would have to beat Alistair Overeem (not so likely). If Overeem beats Werdum, Silva would have to beat Fedor (again, not so likely). Both Fedor and Werdum would have to be injury-free following their bouts, and with both men’s history with injuries, it’s basically a toss-up. There is potential that we’ll finally get to see this match, but there’s also a strong potential that we’ll have to continue to wait.

4. Who is Sergei Kharitonov, again?

The last time Sergei Kharitonov competed in America was in 2007. While his record and the quality of opponents he’s beaten are certainly good enough to earn him an entry into this tournament, at the end of the day, his name value in America is basically non-existent. This is supposed to be a Heavyweight Grand Prix featuring Strikeforce’s best and brightest, and “brightest” refers to their popularity and relevancy to the fans. And Kharitonov simply isn’t relevant to a vast majority of American MMA fans.

3. It’s clear that Arlovski/Barnett wasn’t made due to the fact that nobody would be interested in Kharitonov/Rogers.

Why do I have to wait a round to see Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett? That’s a great fight and it would have made the Grand Prix feel even more special if it was an opening bout. But Brett Rogers has been dealt two deflating losses recently and, as already stated, many fans simply aren’t familiar with Kharitonov. Rogers and Kharitonov are the odd men out in this Grand Prix, and it’s clear that Strikeforce didn’t want to risk a lack of interest in the tournament by having them fight each other in the first round.

2. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship is basically being vacated.

A lot of people are using the term “classic Strikeforce” when it comes to the fact that the Heavyweight Championship is pretty much being vacated at the start of this tournament. Alistair Overeem just got done winning the K-1 World Grand Prix, he should be ready to commit to MMA full-time for the foreseeable future. I was really looking forward to seeing him defend his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship, and now he’ll have to get through several fighters to claim the championship that’s already his.

And the #1 thing I dislike about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix is…

1. Since anything can happen in MMA, it’s going to take a lot of dominoes falling into place before we get all our dream-matches.

Fedor/Werdum 2 is such a huge match that I had to single it out specifically, but in general, the “anything can happen” nature of a tournament leaves open several very negative possibilities. Let’s not forget, the UFC ran into several massive roadblocks back in their early tournaments: at one point a man won a UFC tournament despite the fact that he had never competed a single time during the event. There’s a lot of veteran talent on this card, and while that should mean great fights, it also means that a lot of these fighters are more susceptible to injuries. And of course, there’s always the potential for an upset. So while I’m looking forward to the Grand Prix with some incredibly high hopes, I have to admit: there’s a lot that could happen before all is said and through, and there’s a lot that could sideline the dream matches I’ve waited years to see.

So, fans and friends, agree or disagree? What don’t you like about Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix?

5. Even the fill-in matches in case someone gets injured look pretty appealing.

Currently, the reserve bouts for this tournament include Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson and Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo. And, to be honest, all four men definitely deserve to be in reserve bouts. They aren’t well-known enough to warrant a slot in the main tournament. Nevertheless, both fights should be very entertaining, especially Shane Del Rosario’s, who could become a major star in the near-future.

4. If it all works out, we’ve got some incredible dream-matches to look forward to.

The one thing I hear fans consistently talk about in regards to this tournament is the crazy number of dream-matches we might get because of it. Depending on who wins, we could be looking at anything from Andrei Arlovski vs. Brett Rogers 2 to Fedor Emelianenko vs. Alistair Overeem. We might see Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett, or even Alistair Overeem vs. Josh Barnett. With eight of the best Heavyweight fighters Strikeforce has to offer all possibly fighting each other, the possible dream-matches that could happen are one of the best reasons to watch this tournament.

3. On paper, every single fight has something to offer and has the possibility of being wildly entertaining.

Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum is an interesting rematch with both men at very different points in their careers from when they first met. Fedor Emelianenko will face a tough opponent in the iron-chinned Antonio Silva, while “Bigfoot” faces the toughest test of his life when he fights Fedor. Andre Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov should be a fantastic brawl, Brett Rogers vs. Josh Barnett should be a great brawl too. At least on paper, I wouldn’t miss a single one of these fights even if they weren’t part of a larger tournament, and several could outright headline a stand-alone Strikeforce show.

2. It’s nostalgic as all hell, and as a PRIDE fan it’s basically required viewing.

The hardcore MMA fan in me just can’t resist the possibility of an MMA tournament featuring top competition. After the amazing tournaments held in the PRIDE FC promotion, anything with “Grand Prix” in its title and related to MMA practically becomes required viewing.

And the #1 thing I like the most about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix is…

1. It’s finally happening.

Let’s not mince words: Strikeforce had a rough 2010. Fedor lost right when he finally looked to be becoming a legitimate American draw. The man that beat him, Fabricio Werdum, was out the rest of the year with an injury. The brawl at Stikeforce’s “Nashville” event got them kicked off of CBS. They brought in Dan Henderson, cast Jake Shields as the sacrificial lamb, and then Shields promptly beat Henderson and left to the UFC with the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. But the past is the past, the puzzle pieces are all finally coming into place, and this long-rumored tournament is now fact, not fiction. As a Strikeforce fan, I sincerely feel that this is the best move Strikeforce has made since acquiring the bulk of the assets of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you like the most about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

5. Strikeforce will be back on national television.

If this tournament lives up to its potential, what we’ll be getting is all the best Strikeforce talent competing against each other in fantastic matches, with several fights getting into Fight of the Year contention. And that’s incredibly appealing to a network like CBS, which has engaged in a prolonged political war with Strikeforce ever seen the notorious post-fight brawl that broke out at Strikeforce “Nashville”. Money talks, and if the Grand Prix delivers big ratings for Showtime, CBS is going to want some of that action, and more than likely we’ll see Strikeforce back on CBS, perhaps even before the tournament is over.

4. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship will become the organization’s most prestigious championship.

Strikeforce’s other divisions do have a lot of good talent, but the Heavyweight division is where all the top stars and notable names are. Now that they’re all going to fight each other, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship stands to become a hotly-contested and highly-valued title. It even has the possibility of becoming one of the biggest championships in the entirety of MMA, not just in Strikeforce.

3. Both Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem will be able to shrug off the cynics that say they don’t fight enough.

Fedor has been embroiled in contract negotiations ever since losing to Fabricio Werdum, while Overeem has been off in Japan hunting down a K-1 championship. Now that Fedor and his management team have signed a new contract, Emelianenko should be able to make a deep run in this tournament and compete multiple times in 2010, maybe even multiple times in one night. The same goes for Overeem: now that he’s won the K-1 World Grand Prix, he should also be able to fully commit to MMA and fight several times in 2011. Not only will this give both men a big popularity boost with the casual fans, it’ll rebuild some of their lost credibility with a section of the more hardcore MMA audience.

2. Strikeforce will prove that it has one of the best Heavyweight divisions in the entirety of MMA.

There’s really no effective counter to this argument if the tournament lives up to its potential. You could say that a lot of these fighters used to be in the UFC, but the UFC is the largest and longest-lived organization in the history of this sport. If all eight fighters give their all, what we’ll get is a firm indication that Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Division is one of the best in all of MMA.

1. Strikeforce will take a big step in becoming a viable alternative to the UFC.

Those that thought the battle-lines were already drawn haven’t seen anything yet. If this tournament lives up to its potential, the war over which promotion is better will reach a fevered pitch. Sides will be taken, stances will be declared, and arguments will abound. And that’s a great thing for Strikeforce, because controversy creates cash. Strikeforce still probably won’t be on equal footing with the UFC even if this tournament lives up to all of its potential… but mark my words, they’ll be within shouting distance.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What’s your early opinion on the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

In a new interview with Fight Opinion, Duffee recently shared the following sentiments: “…Obviously, I’m extremely disappointed. I feel like I’m a much more talented fighter than I got the chance to show… I wasn’t prepared… I think I trained seven days for this fight and it definitely showed… It was a great opportunity to fight in Japan. It’s been a dream of mine… There’s no regrets, you know. It happened. You just got to move past it and I’ll definitely be back.”

I was one of the many that boldly predicted that Todd Duffee basically stood no chance against Alistair Overeem, who defended his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship, won the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship, and with the win over Duffee, won the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Championship all within one calendar year. There seemed to be no stopping Overeem, who basically shrugged off Duffee’s blows as if they were nothing. I think Duffee is still very much a work-in-progress fighter, and to be perfectly honest, Overeem was so many leagues above him that it’s not even funny.

In regards to Duffee himself, I think he’s simply another victim of the persistent problem that plague all gigantic muscle-bound Heavyweight fighters: the dreaded cardio monster. Only the best Heavyweights know how to pack on the muscles while simultaneously not gassing horrendously once the fight gets out of the second round. And other than the three-round loss that got him kicked out of the UFC, Duffee’s only been past the first round one other time in his career, and that fight lasted only a minute into Round 2.

In a way, I’m actually a bit sympathetic to Todd Duffee. A lot of people are quick to point out that he’s a victim of his own hype. The cynics believe that he should have gotten right back into the Octagon after KO’ing Tim Hague in seven seconds rather than what he did do, which (if you believe the rumors) was stall out contract negotiations for almost a year in order to chase bigger paydays and more meaningful opponents, all while “hiding” under the guise of dealing with some injuries. Even the always-controversial UFC President Dana White stated that Duffee had an attitude problem.

Well, that all may be true, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that Duffee has an amazing amount of potential and can very well turn it all around given the right team and the right motivation. Duffee has only been fighting for three years, and he’s only twenty-five years old. He’s young and inexperienced, he may be a bit brash, he may even have let the hype and the fame get to his head… but the potential is there.

I think 2011 will prove once and for all what the future holds for Todd Duffee. Everyone knew Overeem would beat him, so I really can’t hold that loss against him. If Duffee excels in the underground circuit and gets back to his winning ways, we may see Duffee back in a major MMA promotion before the year is through. His future can still be quite bright, so long as he finally gets around to fully taking control of it.

And what about you, fans and friends? Are you hopeful or disinterested in Todd Duffee’s chances in 2011?

Next for Josh Thomson: Thomson had a very up-and-down 2010, so look for him to try to kick off 2011 with authority and really make an effort to become a championship contender once again. Thomson went 2-1 in 2010, albeit one of those wins was over Gesias Cavalcante in a highly controversial bout that went to the judges. But if we’re playing that game, it can also be said that Thomson took his “DYNAMITE!!” fight on short notice. I think Thomson is going to have a great 2011, and it’ll begin with a rematch with Cavalcante.

Next for Gegard Mousasi: Mousasi shined in his K-1 bout at “DYNAMITE”, and he’s on a two-fight win-streak since famously losing his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship to Muhammed Lawal. I think the time is right for Mousasi to jump right back into the shark tank in Strikeforce. Mousasi’s potential is still sky-high, and if he pursues another shot at a title with the same fervor he’s been winning fights since losing the title, Mousasi may end up becoming the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion once again in 2011.

Next for Marius Zaromskis: The DREAM Welterweight Champion needs to stay in Japan for as long as he can, even for the entirety of 2011, in order to wipe away the disastrous run he had in American MMA. Now that Zaromskis is back in the winner’s circle and competing in the promotion that made him famous, he should stay in Japan and rebuild his credibility the same way he emerged as a champion in the first place: by taking on good competition and knocking them senseless. If Zaromskis gives me one year in Japan defending his belt, I think 2012 would be a banner year for him.

Next for Shinya Aoki: It’s going to be a rough 2011 for Shinya Aoki. He went 3-1 in MMA in 2010, but his one loss more than overshadowed his three wins. Plus, Aoki lost by KO at “DYNAMITE!!” in a strange kickboxing/MMA hybrid bout. So Aoki has been KO’d once again, and once again questions have surfaced regarding Aoki’s relevancy in the increasingly-crowded Lightweight rankings. Putting it plainly: as gifted as Aoki is on the ground, he’s still got a suspect chin and utterly atrocious stand-up. In the near future, he’ll plant his flag firmly in DREAM and go into 2011 trying to regain his credibility by quickly submitting opponents.

Next for Alistair Overeem: The sky is the limit for Alistair Overeem. Overeem’s stellar 2010 run was one of the best in the entirety of MMA or K-1, since he added an MMA championship, a K-1 championship, and defended his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship all in one year. People are finally getting clued in on what “The Reem” is all about, and I can’t wait for Overeem to come back to Strikeforce and dominate. As hard as it is to believe, Overeem says his 2011 will be an even bigger year than his 2010, and you know what? I think he’s right. Overeem will defend his championship against Strikeforce’s best in 2011, and in the process, we MMA fans will be treated to some of the best non-UFC fights that have ever happened since the fall of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of “DYNAMITE!! 2010”?

Alistair Overeem defeats Todd Duffee via KO in Round 1 to become the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Champion. Marius Zaromskis defeats Kazushi Sakuraba via TKO in Round 1 to retain the DREAM Welterweight Championship. Tatsuya Kawajiri defeats Josh Thomson via Unanimous Decision. Kazuyuki Miyata defeats Caol Uno via Unanimous Decision. Hiroyuki Takaya defeats Bibiano Fernandes via Unanimous Decision to become the DREAM Featherweight Champion. Jason High defeats Hayato Sakurai via Split Decision. Hiroshi Izumi defeats Ikuhisa Minowa via TKO in Round 3. Sergei Kharitonov defeats Tatsuya Mizuno via KO in Round 1. Satoshi Ishii defeats Jerome Le Banner via Unanimous Decision. Andy Ologun defeats Katsuaki Furuki via Unanimous Decision. Hideo Tokoro defeats Kazuhisa Watanabe via Submission (Armbar) in Round 3. Gegard Mousasi defeats Kyotaro via Unanimous Decision. Akiyo Nishiura and Tetsuya Yamato ends in a Majority Draw. Yuichiro Nagashima defeats Shinya Aoki via KO in Round 2.

Part of me wishes that I was still as dedicated of an insomniac as I was a few months ago, because this sounded like a fantastic night (or if you’re an American MMA fan, a fantastic early morning) of live action. According to reports, it took all of nineteen seconds for “The Reem” to dispatch of Todd Duffee, the man who set the record for the fastest KO in the UFC in his first UFC fight and then got KO’d himself in almost-as-dramatic fashion in his second UFC fight. Overeem promised that 2011 would be even bigger of a year for him than 2010 was, and when you consider that Overeem’s 2010 saw him successfully defend his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship while adding a DREAM Interim Heavyweight Championship and the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship to his trophy case… that’s just downright scary.

Also according to reports, former top-ranked Lightweight Shinya Aoki put on quite the bizarre show in his “mixed rules” bout, the first round of which was kickboxing-only. Aoki reportedly clinched like his life depended on it and even resorted to outlandish moves like dropkicks in order to run out the clock and get to the second round, which was an MMA round. Of course, Aoki would get blasted full-force when shooting in for a takedown and get knocked out cold. With another KO loss on his record and the memory of his crushing defeat at the hands of Gilbert Melendez still fresh in the minds of many, it’s become apparent that Aoki is going to struggle to secure his spot near the top of the Lightweight rankings for the foreseeable future.

All in all, this looked to be a great event featuring several notable bouts, so I look forward to tracking down a copy or a replay of it and giving it a watch. But what about you, fans and friends? If you stayed up for the broadcast, do you think the show justified missing a night’s rest? And if you didn’t, what did you think of the show in general?

A big sticking point for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Champion was to fight for the vacant DREAM heavyweight title, should he fight at the promotion’s year-end show.

Overeem will in fact vie for the organization’s heavyweight strap, albeit in interim form when he takes on former UFC star and rising prospect Todd Duffee tonight at the Super Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Both “The Demolition Man” and Duffee made weight for their heavyweight contest, as well as all other competitors for tonight’s epic card.

Here are the entire weigh-in results in their entirity as produced by MMAJunkie.com:

* Champ Bibiano Fernandes (62.7kg/138.2lb) vs. Hiroyuki Takaya (62.9kg/ 138.7lb)
* Tatsuya Kawajiri (70kg/154.3lb) vs. Josh Thomson (70kg/154.3lb)
* Jason High (75.6kg/166.7lb) vs. Hayato Sakurai (76kg/167.6lb)
* Akiyo “Wicky” Nishiura (62.8kg/138.5lb) vs. Tetsuya Yamato (63kg/138.9lb)@
* Champ Marius Zaromskis (75.7kg/166.9lb) vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (76kg/167.6lb)
* Satoshi Ishii (105.7kg/233lb) vs. Jerome Le Banner (120kg/264.6lb)
* Alistair Overeem (118kg/260.1lb) vs. Todd Duffee (113kg/249.1lb)
* Shinya Aoki (70kg/154.3lb) vs. Yuichiro Nagashim (70kg/154.3lb)+
* Kyotaro Fujimoto (104kg/229.3lb) vs. Gegard Mousasi (97kg/213.8lb)@
* Sergei Kharitonov (n/a) vs. Tatsuya Mizuno (100kg/220.5lb)
* Hiroshi Izumi (101kg/222.7lb) vs. Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa (87.5kg/192.9 lb)
* Hideo Tokoro (63kg/138.9lb) vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe (63kg/138.9lb)
* Kazuyuki Miyata (64.8kg/142.9lb) vs. Caol Uno (65kg/143.3lb)
* Katsuaki Furuki (76.5kg/168.6lb) vs. Andy Ologun (75kg/165.3lb)
* Bob Sapp (n/a) vs. Shinichi Suzukawa (n/a)^

Gegard Mousasi, DREAM’s light heavyweight champion will be competing against K-1 heavyweight champion Kyotaro Fujimoto in a kickboxing match held under K-1 rules. This will mark the second time that Mousasi has competed in the kickboxing on a Dynamite!! show. His first appearance was in 2008, when Gegard defeated veteran Musashi (no relation) in a savage first-round knockout victory. The result was considered a major upset and should the Armenian defeat Kyotaro, the promotions champion, he should consider a career in the K-1 realm, much like Overeem.

Additionally, Bob Sapp and Shinichi Suzukawa are also featured in a special-rules contest, as both men will be competing with no gloves. Though traditional closed-fist strikes are not allowed for the open-weight meeting, palm strikes are allowed.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of tonight’s night of fights? If it wasn’t for the UFC overshadowing most MMA fans radar for the time being, Dynamite!! 2010 is the card to watch for the year. Sound off in the comment section below.

After weeks of rumor and speculation, MMA Junkie reports that DREAM officials have announced that Alistair Overeem will indeed be taking on former UFC fighter Todd Duffee at “DYNAMITE!! 2010”. Contrary to previous reports, the officials did not announce that the fight would be for a proposed DREAM Heavyweight Championship. Todd Duffee, who went 1-1 in the UFC and put himself in the history books both times, will face by far the biggest threat of his career when he tangles with “The Reem”.

What an interesting journey it’s been for Todd Duffee. Duffee debuted at UFC 102 against Tim Hague… and then proceeded to knock him out in seven seconds. With that KO, Duffee officially holds the record for the fastest KO in UFC history, and loudly proclaimed that he was looking for top competition after KO’ing Hague. What followed was a prolonged period of contract negotiations that ultimately resulted in a match-up with Mike Russow almost a year later. Russow would go on to KO Duffee in one of the most dramatic comebacks ever witnessed in an MMA fight. Shortly after losing to Russow, Duffee was releasd from his UFC contract.

In regards to this particular fight, my feet are so firmly planted in Alistair’s camp for this bout that I’m basically digging myself into the ground. I absolutely do not believe that Todd Duffee has any chance of beating Overeem. If it happens, it’d have to be by some kind of miracle flurry that lands square on Overeem’s chin. That’s the only hope I think Duffee has, and it’s a remote one at best.

I really can’t give enough praise to Alistair Overeem, even though I think he needs to get his muscular behemoth self back into Strikeforce and fighting the best competition the non-UFC world has to offer. I don’t see anyone outside of Strikeforce’s best being able to break the incredible hotstreak Overeem has been on for years. He threw the gargantuan Brett Rogers around like a child, he most recently beat three men in one night, he’s a champion in MMA and a champion in kickboxing. Todd Duffee looks to be little more than a small roadblock that’s going to get run over and completely obliterated.

Now that this fight has been confirmed, I suppose I’ll have to live with it. As I said in the past: when it comes to Alistair Overeem, it’s “Strikeforce or bust” for me. I don’t think Overeem gains anything by taking or even winning this fight, and no matter how slim of a chance Duffee has, I can only imagine what kind of damage it would do to Overeem’s career and standing in the Heavyweight rankings if Duffee ended up beating him. I’m supremely confident in Overeem, though, and I’ll watch this fight simply because I like watching Overeem fight no matter who he’s fighting. Just don’t blink when you watch this one, fans and friends, because Overeem is most likely going to eat Duffee alive.

But of course, that’s my opinion. What about you? What are your thoughts on Duffee/Overeem now that it’s been confirmed?

Jerome Le Banner vs. Satoshi Ishii: If you’re a fan of “striker vs. grappler” match-ups, you really can’t ask for more, since this fight pits a famous K-1 fighter against an Olympic gold medalist in judo. Both men are on a three-fight win-streak, but it’s been four long years since Le Banner has competed in an MMA setting. The amount of ring rust he’ll have going into this bout is all I need to know to predict that Ishii will win by submission in Round 1.

Sergei Kharitonov vs. Tatsuya Mizuno: Mizuno’s 8-6 record speaks for itself. While Kharitonov never fully emerged into the world-beater than many fans expected he would one day become, the fact remains that he’s faced a lot of high-level competition and even beaten a few of them. Even with a year-long layoff working against him, I think Kharitonov will win by TKO in Round 2.

Josh Thomson vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri: It’s going to end quickly, it’s going to end violently, and it’s going to be an absolute blast to watch. Kawajiri is going to come out headhunting and won’t stop until he gets the KO, that’s who he is and why he’s so entertaining. But Thomson is an expert on the ground and his striking game is downright under-rated. If Thomson can avoid any Hail Mary flurries as he shoots in or works his game, this should be a one-sided match. Thomson wins by submission in Round 1.

Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya: My opinion on this fight closely mirrors my opinion on the Thomson vs. Kawajiri encounter. I think the pivoting point of this match will be whether or not Fernandes can once again avoid Takaya’s punching power while getting him to the ground. Fernandes has an excellent submission game and enough top control to grind out a decision if he’s not able to secure anything. While their first fight ended in a close Split Decision, I think Fernandes is going to take this one with a first-round submission.

Marius Zaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba: It’s going to be an electric fight, that’s for sure. Marius Zaromskis desperately needs to get back in the win column, he basically shot himself in the foot with his US excursion. Considering how he went 0-2-1 with both losses being by TKO, that shot might as well have been from a shotgun. Sakuraba, meanwhile, is staring down retirement and this will probably be the last time he’ll ever fight for a championship. I hate to say it, but I think a deadly animal is always deadliest when cornered, and Zaromskis has a long, long time to land his patented head kick. Marius Zaromskis wins by brutal head kick KO in Round 1.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What kind of outcome do you think we’ll see when it comes to the big matches of “DYNAMITE!! 2010”?