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.

Despite suffering a loss upon his debut to fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum, he has since rattled off an impressive three-fight win streak which includes wins over UFC vet Mike Kyle, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, and most recently a second-round TKO victory over the legendary Fedor Emelianenko.

And despite all of his recent success, and his impending tournament performance, Silva still has his eyes on one man that he has seen as an unprofessional man in this sport: Brock Lesnar.

Now a semi-finalist in the upcoming Strikeforce eight-man heavyweight grand prix after his dominating performance over “The Last Emperor”, Silva has put the whole division on notice. However one man he hopes is playing close attention is Lesnar, the former UFC titleholder who most recently suffered the only loss of his career, a first-round TKO to current champ Cain Velasquez, last October.

“I’ve never had issues with anybody, I’ve always respected everybody, but as a professional I believe it’d be interesting fighting Brock Lesnar”, said Silva who spoke with TATAME.com about his desires to face Brock in the future.

“I don’t agree that Brock is the second on the ranking, it doesn’t make sense. This fight would be interesting so I put Brock on the place where he was supposed to be… It really doesn’t make any sense”.

In the past, Silva has stated on several occasions of his desire to face Lesnar, specifically because of his in ring antics which have had him reprimanded by UFC President Dana White, most notably his UFC 100 post-fight interview where he besmirched Bud Light, one of the leading sponsors of the UFC, or prior to that where he yelled in the face of a badly beaten Frank Mir just moment’s after their bout’s conclusion.

Brock has often at times been unable to shed his WWE persona, however only time will tell, especially with the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter” where the North Dakota native will be coaching opposite of top contender Junior dos Santos. The two will later meet in the cage this June in Vancouver, Canada at UFC 131.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Silva’s comments regarding fighting Lesnar? Is it a fight you would like to see, and how do you see the fight going? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

And apparently, the American Top Team has heard enough of it.

In fact, the Brazilian juggernaut is open to a rematch with the former PRIDE heavyweight champion, should the two meet again in the foreseeable future.

Silva met with Emelianenko on February 12 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey where he was able to dominate Fedor in the second-round of their heavyweight tilt, mounting the Russian and dropping heavy bombs. Eventually, the fight was halted in between rounds on the Doctor’s advice when Fedor’s right-eye had swollen shut due to the mounting blows.

Several outlets had the fight even at one round apiece, and have speculated the outcome of the match should Emelianenko had been granted to return for a third-round.

“Personally, I rather enjoyed that fight, and if Fedor would like a rematch, I would graciously and respectfully grant him one,” said Antonio who spoke with <a href="http://mmajunkie.com/news/22527/strikeforces-antonio-silva-if-fedor-emelianenko-wants-a-rematch-bring-it-on.mma”>MMAJunkie.com through his manager Alex Davis who helped interpret.

“I don’t think it would be in his or his camp’s best interest, but that’s not for me to decide. It would set the record straight though.”

Since the loss, the Fedor’s second-consecutive defeat, the former consensus number one heavyweight fighter has hinted towards retirement, much to the disdain of fans. However, his legacy will remain intact. Undefeated in 10 years of competition and legendary battles with some of the world’s best fighters have cemented his place in history as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Silva’s comments? Would it be wise of Fedor’s camp to take a rematch with “Big Foot”? The Brazilian likely came into their heavyweight tilt with about 50-pounds over the relatively small Fedor, who usually walks into the cage at 230-pounds at best.

For the time being, Antonio will continue on with the coveted eight-man grand prix as he moves on to the semi-finals where he will meet with the winner of a match pitting Fabricio Werdum against champion Alistair Overeem in their quarter-final bout. Fedor remains the top-alternate in the tournament, as per Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Sound off in the comment section below.

Certainly sounds weird, doesn’t it? But here’s a snippet of an interview one of Fedor’s trainers recently had over at Lifesports.ru, with English translations courtesy of MMA Mania: “…Certain technologies might have been used – certainly, not the ones that would be visible to an open eye. Most likely, they were psychological technologies that influenced both fighters from the distance of the crowd. For this reason Fedor simply wasn’t himself during fight.”

Recently, the manager of Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva responded to these bizarre claims over at “The Underground”, the popular message board/forum of Mixed Martial Arts.com. Alex Davis had this to say regarding the accusation: “Jeez!! I got cought! I will have to come out with the truth now! I hired a Macumbeiro ( Brazilian wicth dr) and we killed a black chicken on the cross roads. After this,over a few beers, I showed the witch Dr Fedors fights, and he was worried that a chicken wouldnt be anough, so we went out and killed a black goat , just to make sure! Very potent stuff! Realy messed Fedors brain waves up! We wanted to try that other military stuff Voronov is talking about,but its expensive technology and we were broke! The chicken and the goat came out way cheaper. Witch Dr is a friend, did it for a few beers and an autograph!”

Obviously, the humor of this situation is not lost on Antonio Silva’s camp.

And to be quite honest, that’s really the only way you can react to this kind of accusation.

I mean, what else are we supposed to believe? That Team Silva had some sort of hypno-ray that influenced Fedor from a distance? Some sort of mind-control device that affected how Fedor fought? It’s stuff right out of a science fiction novel, and it’d be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. No, wait, it’s still pretty hilarious.

This just comes off as total “sour grapes” on the part of Fedor Emelianenko’s camp. Not only is it a very weak excuse, it’s also a pretty bizarre one and I just can’t see anyone taking this notion seriously. I certainly don’t. As one of the biggest Fedor fans you’ll ever meet, even I can admit that Antonio Silva bested Fedor. I’m not looking for excuses to try and diminish what is definitely the biggest accomplish of Silva’s MMA career. I give credit where credit is due, and if Emelianenko’s camp can’t extend that simple common courtesy, that certainly says a lot more about them than it does Fedor Emelianenko.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your reaction to this accusation and the response from Silva’s manager?

Not only is he one step closer to the finals of this prestigious heavyweight Grand Prix, which features some of the best fighters in the world, but Silva also defeated former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko in the process.

The Brazilian juggernaut utilized his size to keep Emelianenko on his back for nearly the entire second-round, mounting the Russian, brutalizing him with a heavy dose of ground-and-pound that left his right eye nearly swollen shut and beaten red. Ringside officials called a halt to the bout, and Silva was declared the winner. However, Antonio lament’s that should Emelianenko had return for the third round, he would have risked more than a loss, but his eye.

Brazilian media forum TATAME caught up with Silva after his win over “The Last Emperor” and he had this to say about Emelianenko, should he have continued into the third-round.

“Many said he could’ve returned for round number three, but I’ll tell you something… Because of Fedor’s heart and his attitude as a professional, he’d have returned for sure, but he hadn’t conditions to fight, because if he returned, he’d have lost his eye, because I’d keep trying to hit it all the time”, said Silva.

“The doctors are there for it, to talk with the athlete and don’t let him to get hurt”.

I for one wasn’t opposed to the stoppage. I was actually proud that Fedor showed the kind of heart and desire to continue in the fight, as the 265-pound Silva gave him plenty of opportunities to quit during the bout, however Emelianenko survived a ground-and-pound barrage, and a deep arm-triangle choke.

So if it was up to Fedor, he would have returned for the third-round, and who knows what would have happened there. In fact, a lot of people had Fedor taking the first-round and Silva with the second obviously, so it could have been anybody’s fight at that point.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Silva’s comments? Do you agree with his assessment of the bout? Sound off in the comment section below.

At first glance, it’s easy to write off someone like Antonio Silva. The man is freakishly tall, with a monster reach advantage and humongous fists. It’s almost too easy to look at a fighter like that and immediately label him a freakshow. It’s a label that “Bigfoot” has been trying to shrug off since he started fighting, and at “Fedor vs. Silva”, he ripped that label off once and for all.

Leading up to this fight, many people simply didn’t expect Antonio Silva to win. Most fans are willing to give credit where credit is due, however, even those fans have a “yes, but” approach to Antonio Silva. Yes, he was the EliteXC Heavyweight Champion, but he tested positive for a banned substance post-fight and we’ll never really know if he was or wasn’t on anything. Yes, he beat Andrei Arlovski, but that victory came at a time when Arlovski was two fights into a pretty huge downward spiral. Yes, Silva dominated Mike Kyle, but Kyle is usually a Light Heavyweight and had Silva in serious trouble in the early minutes of their fight.

Much of this wasn’t even said in that disrespectful of a manner, but rather as some open and honest “tough love”. Was Silva really ready to make that jump into the shark tank and challenge the best Heavyweights Strikeforce has to offer? Was he really ready to take on a legend like Fedor Emelianenko? All these questions and more swirled around “Bigfoot” before he entered the cage… and all of them were answered by the time he left the cage.

Now more than ever, Antonio Silva proved that he is a complete Mixed Martial Arts fighter. Silva held his own against Fedor Emelianenko’s stand-up game, which is something only a few people have been able to say in the history of Fedor’s vaunted career. In fact, many people believe that Silva outright beat Fedor in the first round thanks to his head movement, the amount of clean, hard strikes he landed, and his ability to control the pace of the fight and where it went.

Then Antonio Silva did what no man has ever been able to do: he outright dominated and humbled Fedor Emelianenko.

Emelianenko has had some close calls and hard-fought wins in the past, but no one ever put a beating on him like Antonio Silva. Silva performed near-flawlessly in the second round, mounting Emelianenko and nearly submitting him on more than one occasion. By the end of the round, one of Emelianenko’s eyes was swollen shut. The doctor had seen enough, and Antonio Silva became the first and only man to ever legitimately beat Fedor Emelianenko primarily due to strikes.

In beating Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva defied all of our expectations and emphatically set the benchmark for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. By dominating and finishing the legendary Fedor, Silva is now the man to beat, even moreso than Fabricio Werdum. Werdum submitted the legend… Silva bashed its face in and in the process shattered the hopes of the legion of Fedor fans expecting a grand comeback that would begin with Fedor rolling through “Bigfoot”.

So not only did Antonio Silva score the biggest win of his life at “Fedor vs. Silva”, he did it by putting on the best performance of his entire career. Without a doubt, Antonio Silva fully deserves my “Best Performance of the Night” award.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who would you give this award to if you had the chance, and why?

5. Gina Carano announcing her return to Strikeforce.

It’s been rumored to happen for quite some time, and at Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Silva”, the woman known as “The Face of Women’s MMA” announced her impending comeback. Carano’s return is sure to guarantee some great fights in the future, and if it ever happens, a rematch with Cristiane Santos would likely earn main event status once again. I think Women’s MMA needs Gina Carano, so I can’t wait to see how she handles her comeback.

4. Shane del Rosario trapping and tapping Lavar Johnson.

Shane del Rosario and Lavar Johnson were in the middle of a pretty entertaining stand-up war when the fight ended up going to the ground. In an excellent display of his constantly-improving skills, Shane del Rosario flawlessly transitioned to mount and locked in a tight armbar that Johnson had no choice but to tap to. The win was another important milestone in the continuing evolution of SDR, who once again proved why everyone is probably going to be talking about him a whole lot more before 2011 is through.

3. Chad Griggs and Gian Villante swinging for the fences.

Who doesn’t appreciate a good brawl? I can appreciate and enjoy the finer aspects of the fight game, of course, but at the end of the day, isn’t it just plain fun and exciting to see two men swing for the fences and not back down until one goes out? Chad Griggs seemed to be the polar opposite of the tentative fighter we saw beat Bobby Lashley, and while Chad’s win didn’t have much finesse to it, it perfectly displayed Griggs’ serious punching power and formidable heart. It was a one-round war of attrition, and it was definitely one of the best fights of the night.

2. Sergei Kharitonov crushing Andrei Arlovski.

If you didn’t know who Sergei Kharitonov was before “Fedor vs. Silva”, you certainly know now. Sergei gave fans a rude awakening when he put Andrei Arlovski to sleep. Sergei didn’t seem the least bit hurt by Andrei’s punches, he held his own very well, and when the opportunity presented itself, Kharitonov had the kind of killer instinct necessary to quite possibly make a deep run in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, despite the fact that he’s still a “dark horse” candidate. Even though it broke my heart to see Andrei lifelessly gazing up at the lights again, there’s no doubt that this KO was one of the best moments of the night.

But of course, the number one spot just has to go to…

1. Antonio Silva stopping Fedor Emelianenko.

Even if Fedor Emelianenko chooses not to retire coming off of this loss to “Bigfoot”, I truly think we witnessed the end of an era when Silva stopped Fedor. Fedor simply looked… human. From arguably losing the stand-up battle to having his eye swollen shut and reduced to mush when the fight hit the ground, Fedor was a far cry from his previous years of dominance while Antonio Silva put on the best performance of his life. This is a fight we’ll all be talking about and dissecting for a long, long time. It takes the top spot quite easily.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What are your top/favorite moments from “Fedor vs. Silva”?

“Something went wrong from the very beginning, and I didn’t manage to readjust myself.  Maybe it’s the time to leave.”   Then after questioning, Fedor further reinforced the possibility of retirement.  “Yes, maybe it’s the last time.  Maybe it’s high time.  Thank God for everything.  I’ve spent a great, beautiful, long sport life.  Maybe it’s God’s will.”

As usual, there will be a lot of questions about Fedor after this fight.  He was beaten up in that second round pretty badly.  This will cause some to question if he was ever really that good, if his dominance was simply due to fighting mostly overseas rather than in the UFC. 

Not a chance.  After all, it would seem important to remember that all great combat sports athletes, beyond the very rare ones that retire early (Rocky Marciano, anyone?), lose some fights toward the end of their career.  Whether it’s age, the sport passing them by, or a combination of the two, it’s to be expected.  To truly gauge a fighter’s worth, you need to look at their prime, not necessarily the end of their career.

And when you do that, Fedor Emelianenko really has been the best heavyweight MMA fighter of all-time, bar none. 

Fedor started his MMA career with a 32-1 record while fighting, for the most part, in high level promotions.  His only loss during that stretch was to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, which was controversial in that an inadvertent elbow strike opened up an existing cut, forcing a stoppage.  Of course, later Emelianenko avenged that loss.  During his pre-PRIDE and PRIDE days, Fedor defeated high profile fighters like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice by decision), Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (decision), Renato Sobral (decision), Ricardo Arona (decision), Semmy Schilt (decision), Heath Herring (TKO), Mark Coleman (twice by armbar), and Kevin Randleman (kimura). 

And by the way, that whole if he fought in the UFC during his prime thing just doesn’t apply. After all, remember who the UFC heavyweight champions were during the days when he was top dog in PRIDE.  From 2003-2006, Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski were generally the guys who reigned supreme.  And as everyone knows, Emelianenko later stopped both of them while fighting for Affliction.

In the end, during his long prime Fedor was the best MMA heavyweight in the world.  He has already proven this.  Sure, times have been tough lately.  But that’s generally the case with fighters; it’s to be expected at the end of their careers.  So until a heavyweight fighter comes along and does something remotely close to what Fedor has accomplished, his status as the best MMA heavyweight of all time is secure.

Next for Valentijn Overeem: I think it’s still a fair question to ask how much Valentijn has left in his tank. He beat someone who’s completely clueless on the ground with a submission that anyone half-decent knows how to break. Nevertheless, he certainly seemed to be holding his own while standing. If “Oldereem” does end up replacing an injured Heavyweight Grand Prix participant, I honestly don’t see him making it past his first fight in the official tournament.

Next for Andrei Arlovski: Retirement. I hate to say it, but at this point it’s better to go out with whatever dignity you have left than to follow in the footsteps of people like Tim Sylvia, finding steady work on the regional circuit but never coming anywhere close to capturing your former fame. With this loss, his third stunning KO loss in his four most recent fights, Arlovski has now officially become an after-thought in the Heavyweight division. As a fan of Arlovski, there’s only so many times I can bear seeing him lifeless on the floor with that glazed look in his eyes. It’s time to pack it in.

Next for Sergei Kharitonov: With his dominating performance over Andrei Arlovski, Kharitonov has now officially become many people’s “dark horse favorite”, including mine. I think Kharitonov does have a chance, however slim, to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. It will all depend on who he faces next: if it’s Brett Rogers, that’s an awesome brawl and I have both men dead even. If it’s Josh Barnett, Barnett’s wrestling will be a formidable (though not impossible) challenge for Kharitonov. Either way, it’s going to be an interesting next couple of fights for Sergei and his new fans.

Next for Fedor Emelianenko: I honestly don’t know, and I suppose this is the question that everyone wants answered. I certainly don’t want him to retire, but I could understand why he did if he chooses to do so. Regardless, I still consider Fedor Emelianenko the greatest MMA fighter of all time. Two losses at the end of a brilliant career should not diminish the incredible victories Fedor has on his record. If this really is the end, I guess all that’s left to say is “thanks for the memories”.

Next for Antonio Silva: With this win over Fedor, Antonio Silva has finally achieved his dream: he is now unquestionably a top-division Heavyweight fighter. It’s been a long and slow journey up the ranks, but Silva has grown from humble beginnings as a “freakshow fighter” and emerged as one of the best Heavyweights on the planet. No matter who Silva ends up fighting next, they’re in for a war. With his crushing victory over Fedor Emelianenko, Silva is now on the short-list of the most likely candidates to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think is next for the winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Silva”?

Antonio Silva defeats Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 3. Sergei Kharitonov defeats Andrei Arlovski by KO (Strikes) at 2:49 of Round 1. Shane Del Rosario defeats Lavar Johnson by Submission (Armbar) at 4:31 of Round 1. Chad Griggs defeats Gian Villante by TKO (Strikes) at 2:49 of Round 1. Valentijn Overeem defeats Ray Sefo by Submission (Neck Crank) at 1:37 of Round 1. John Cholish defeats Marc Stevens by Sumbission (Kneebar) 3:57 of Round 2. Igor Gracie defeats John Salgado by Submission (Arm Triangle) at 3:04 of Round 2. Sam Oropeza defeats Don Carlo-Clauss by Verbal Submission (Strikes) at 4:10 of Round 1. Josh LaBerge defeats Anthony Leone by TKO (Cut Stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 1. Jason Maclean defeats Kevin Roddy by Split Decision.

I really enjoyed the three reserve bouts that started off the evening, and I think it’s a testament to Strikeforce’s booming nature that so many of their main card fights are ending via stoppage. It appears that Valentijn Overeem does have some gas left in the tank, while Chad Griggs looked infinitely more impressive in his win over Gian Villante than he did when he defeated Bobby Lashley. And then we saw the continuing evolution of Shane del Rosario. While I hope that no one in the main Heavyweight Grand Prix gets injured, the quality of the reserve bouts leads me to believe that we may still be in for some very interesting fights if any of the major players do have to pull out.

It broke my heart to see Andrei Arlovski get knocked out again. It’s hard to see a fighter you once really enjoyed watching continue to stumble again and again. At this point, I just don’t want to see Arlovski get knocked out again. I understand that he’s still immensely popular and that he can probably find fights for the next several years based on his popularity alone. But I just don’t want him to. My knee-jerk reaction, which I’m sure I’ll contemplate a lot in the next several days, is that Andrei Arlovski may be better off retiring.

And in the main event, we saw what could be the end of Fedor Emelianenko. A close first round was followed by a dominant round by “Bigfoot” that seemed to sap all the will out of Fedor. I don’t know who would have won if the fight had gone a third round, but I suppose that doesn’t really matter anymore. Like the loss to Arlovski, I’m heartbroken that one of my favorite fighters lost and lost in a big way.

I honestly don’t know where Fedor goes from here. As a fan, I certainly don’t want him to retire. But looking at it honestly and openly, I could see why he would. If this was the final time we see Fedor Emelianenko compete, at least he went out with the heart and determination that made him a champion. There’s not an ounce of quit in Fedor Emelianenko, and he remained active until the end. No excuses and no regrets: thank you, Fedor.

While I’m pretty sad that two of my favorite fighters won’t be able to continue in this Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, I think this show was the colossal success that it needed to be. Once again, every single one of the main card fights ended via stoppage. Every fight had something to offer, every fight was exciting. Regardless of who wins, this is going to be an utterly amazing tournament.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of “Fedor vs. Silva”?

For preliminary action you can check out HdNet at 7:30pm EST, and for the main-card fighters, tune into Showtime, beginning at 10pm EST.

Preliminary fights (HdNet):

-Jason McLean vs. Kevin Roddy (145-pounds)

Round 1: Kevin Roddy gets brownie points from me by coming out to Korn. Don’t judge me. Inside low kicks traded by both men in early action. Low kicks are landing for McLean. Uppercut misses for Roddy. Kevin catches a kick and works McLean to the cage, then breaks away. Roddy continuing to paw away with the jab. Tentative first few moments of action here. And just as I say that Roddy storms through with a flurry and throws a high kick, though it’s deflected. McLean lands a solid takedown in the final moments of the round. 10-9 for Roddy based on aggressiveness.

Round 2: High kick again for Roddy deflected. A four punch combo lands for Kevin, however Jason takes it well. It looks like McLean is having a hard time with the reach advantage, with Roddy continuing to extend the jab and land some solid low kicks. McLean answer with a flurry, though there’s little there. Roddy catches the shorter fight with a kick to the boys and the action is halted temporarily. “Oh’s” resonate in the arena once the replay airs. McLean drops Roddy with a stunning right hook. Kevin regains his composure and scrambles to get back to his feet. Straight to the body lands for McLean, followed by an overhand right. McLean catches another low kick at the bell, however takes the round 10-9.

Round 3: Anybody’s fight at this point. High kick misses again for Roddy who’s missing the shorter McLean. He should abandon them at this point. Right hook lands for Jason, who goes for a takedown. In a scramble, Roddy lands on top in half-guard. Roddy mounts and unleashes some great ground and pound. Roddy takes his back and is fishing for a rear-naked choke. Jason is defending well. McLean rolls him over and Roddy quickly throws up an arm bar, though he doesn’t have enough time. Fighters.com scores the round for Roddy 10-9, and 29-28 for the fight.

Official Result: Jason McLean takes a split-decision (29-28, 28-29, and 29-28)

-Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone (145-pounds)

Round 1: Again, brownie points are awarded to Leone for his choice of the classic “Notorious B.I.G” as his walkout anthem. Anthony feeling the love from the crowd here, as the New York native. Hard low kick lands for LaBerge. Another one catches Leone’s attention. Both men jockey for position against the cage, and eventually break away. Boo’s from the crowd wake up these featherweights, as they exchange in a quick flurry. Leone beginning to work in low kicks. Anthony initiates a takedown and catches a nice kneefollowed up by some hard hammer fists from Laberge. Leone is bleeding bad, however secures LaBerge’s back and scores the takedown. He settles in half-guard and eventually works to side-mount. Looks like he’s just holding for position here so far. Fighters.com scores the first round to Laberge, 10-9, based on damage.

Round 2: Doctor’s are taking a good look at Leone and his nasty cut, which appears to be on the bridge of his nose. Could be broken, and they stop the fight.

Official Result: Rd. 1 at 5:00 TKO/Doctors Stoppage, winner LaBerge.

-Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza (155-pounds)

Round 1: Don Carlo extremely reminiscent of UFC fighter Clay Guida with his robust mane of hair. “The Carpenter” would be proud. Oropeza the crowd favorite here. Sam works Carlo to the cage and works in some short punches to the body and knees as well before breaking away. Spinning back fist BARELY misses for Oropeza. Sam looking much more fluid on his feet, looking to pick his spots and bouncing around on his toes. Solid hook to the body lands for Sam. Don Carlo continues to trudge in with hooks though nothing lands. A high kick from Orpeza catches Carlo with his knee as he’s diving on a takedown. Sam follows him to the ground, takes his back and unleashes a heavy dose of ground-and-pound. Referee has seen enough and calls a halt to the bout.

Official Result: Sam Orpeza defeats Carlo via TKO at 4:10 of the opening round.

-Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado (170-pounds)

Round 1: These fighters are on the money tonight. Salgado walks out to Rage Against the Machine, my man. Igor gets a load ovation from the crowd. Igor presses Salgado against the cage, eats a knee however takes John’s back and hoists him for a ride, slamming him to the canvas. Igor immediately works to the back and searches for a rear-naked choke. Salgado defending well so far, and the Brazilian has a body triangle cinched up. Igor still hunting for that neck, though Salgado will not let up. The crowd boos the inactivity. Round ends with the Gracie fighter mounted and landing a few blows, though none of them “telling”. 10-9 for Igor.

Round 2: Low kicks traded early before Igor takes Salgado back to the ground with ease. Igor jockeys for position on the ground before transitioning to full mount very smoothly. Short punches to the body land for the New Yorker. Salgado scrambles and is in half-guard, however only momentarily before the Igor has him mounted yet again. He’s looking for an arm-triangle choke from the mount, before transitioning to side-mount to tighten the hold. Looks deep. And before you know it, Salgado is left unconscious on the mat. Fight’s over.

Official Result: Igor Gracie submits Salgado with an arm-triangle choke in Round 2, at 3:04.

-John Cholish vs. Marc Stevens (155-pounds)

Round 1: Stevens gets a warm reception from a responsive New York supportive crowd. This marks his first apperance inside the cage since his stint on “The Ultimate Fighter”. His opponent Cholish earns my respect with his Beastie Boys walkout tunes. John has the crowd on his side, as he is a product of the Renzo Gracie academy. A knee to the head prompts Stevens to shoot in, however is out muscled to the ground by Cholish, who settles in full guard. Cholish fishes for a guillotine choke early, the crowd roars as we all know Stevens’ problems with the particular submission in the past. John pushes away and lands some good strikes on the ground before Marc stand back to his feet. Cholish has Marc in a Muay Thai plumb, landing knees to the body, though Marc deflects most of them. Back in the center, Stevens looks for a high kick, but nothing there. John takes Marc down again, and this time ends up in side mount. Stevens regains half-guard, however Cholish is out working him on top with short punches and superior position. 10-9 Cholish, handily at that.

Round 2: A low kick early from Stevens is answered by another takedown by the Renzo Gracie protege. Short hooks on top from Cholish. Stevens looks for a triangle, though John shrugs it off and settles in half-guard. Cholish brings Marc’s head against the cage, and begins opening up with hooks to the head. Pace slows and the Referee stands them up. Kick to the body lands for Cholish. Marc catches a leg and takes Cholish down. In a scramble, John secures a leg and quickly forces a tap from a knee bar. Good stuff from Cholish, looking super impressive in his organizational debut.

Official Result: Second round Knee Bar submission 3:57

-Ray Sefo vs. Valentijn Overeem (heavyweight reserve bout)

Round 1: Round 1: Over hand right from Overeem countered by quick right hand from Sefo. Ray quick with the jab early on, keeping Valentijn at bay for the time being. Valentijn shoots and scores a takedown and has him pinned against the cage in side mount. Overeem immediately begins working Sefo’s neck, and with more brute strength then technique submits the Xtreme Couture product with a neck-crank in less than two-minutes in.

Official Result: Valentijn submits Sefo at 1:37 of the opening round with a neck-crank.

-Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante (heavyweight reserve bout)

Round 1: Yves Lavigne the third man in the cage as the next heavyweight contest is underway. Clinch early with Griggs getting the better of the exchange with some sharp hooks on the inside. Gian answers with knees to the body. Fast pace early on from the heavyweight, who would have known? Both men throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other. Griggs drops Villante with a right hook swung from the hip. Gian works back to his feet and is dropped again with a right hand. Some more punches follow, but it’s all academic. Extremely exciting performance turned in by Chad.

Official Result: Chad Griggs earns the TKO win at 2:49 of the opening round.

-Lavar Johsnon vs. Shane Del Rosario (heavyweight reserve bout)

Round 1: Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre for Johnson, good on you, sir. Punches traded early and Del Rosario clinches quickly and presses Johnson against the cage. Johnson scores the trip takedown and Rosario is on his back. They work back up the feet and Shane fires off a high kick. Johnson lands a good knee to the head followed by a strong hook to the body. Back against the cage, Shane is landing short hooks to the body then a knee high, though it misses the mark. High kick rocks Johnson and he clinches with Shane who later works the American Kickboxing Academy product to the mat, and quickly mounts. Ground and pound from up top scores for Del Rosario. Shane works for an arm bar from mount, locks it up and forces the tap.

Official Result: Del Rosario submits Johnson via arm bar at 4:31 of the first-round, keeping his undefeated record intact.

-Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (heavyweight grand prix quarter-final match)

Round 1: Russians flags galore as Sergei makes his way to the cage. Arlovski has the loudest applause this evening, with nearly everyone applauding him with a standing ovation. When you have your own walk out song dedicated to you, you know you’ve made it (Arlovski). Andrei looks extremely focused, but only time will tell if his demeanor will hold up. A high kick from Arlovski and a quick right hand land flush. Short uppercuts on the inside from “The Pitbull”. Sergei stalking the Belorussian, though has only landed some punches to the body. And just like that, Sergei lands a vicious combination against the cage, rocking Arlovski with a right hook. He’s relentless. He follows up with a barrage of strikes eventually dropping the former heavyweight champion. Additional blows leave Andrei out cold. Sergei makes an impressive Strikeforce debut with the vicious knockout, and hands Arlovski his fourth straight loss.

Official Result: Sergei defeats Andrei 2:49 of the first-round via knockout. With the win, Kharitonov now moves onto the semi-finals of the tournament and will face the winner of Josh Barnett/Brett Rogers.

-Antontio Silva vs. Fedor Emelianenko (heavyweight grand prix quarter-final bout)

Round 1: Scratch that. Fedor receives a ruckus ovation from the crowd here in East Rutherford. It’s obvious here who the crowd favorite is. Dan Margliotta is the third man in the cage, and he’ll need to be against these two hard hitting bruisers. Silva pawing away with a jab while Fedor wades in with hooks. Antonio tests the chin early with a big right hand, but Emelianeko is un-phased. Another right hand lands for “The Last Emperor” and he clinches, though Silva muscles him against the cage. Referee separates them and they meet back in the center. Both men winging punches, and Fedor doing his best Anderson Silva impression by bobbing and weaving out of the way. Antonio presses Fedor against the cage. Fedor holds on to a guillotine choke, and “Big Foot” pulls him to the ground. Fedor in half-guard searches for a kimura, though Silva uses the momentum to work back to his feet where he meets the Russian with a big right hand. Slugging against the cage, Silva eventually works the former PRIDE champion to the ground. Round ends with the Brazilian on top with a late takedown. Silva 10-9.

Round 2: Silva scores a takedown early and immediately settles into half-guard. Like a blanket the Brazilian is smothering Emelianenko. You can really see the size difference when both men are locked up on the ground togethor. Silva works to side mount, and eventually mounts the Russian. He takes his back briefly, but Fedor is surviving. Heavy ground and pound on top and it looks like Margliotta could be close to stopping this. Fedor surviving and Silva locks up an arm triangle choke. It looks deep, but the Russian survives. He’s still in this, and is looking to ride out the clock as Silva settles in half-guard again. Silva drops back for a knee bar, Fedor escapes and looks for one of his own, and the Brazilian reminds everyone he’s okay as he waves “no” to the crowd. Fight’s over. Fedor took some serious damage in that second-round and his right eye is swollen shut.

Official Result: Silva wins via TKO/Doctors Stoppage at 5:00 in the second-round. Antonio will now move on to the semi-finals and will face the winner between Alistair Overeem/Fabricio Werdum.

Strikeforce has pitted eight of some of the best heavyweight fighters on the planet to face off against one another over the course of the next few months, not only to determine a new tournament champion for the inaugural heavyweight Grand Prix, but arguably the winner of said tourney could be conceived as the best fighter on the planet.

And while the action takes place, Fighters.com will be there report it every step of the way.

Fedor Emelianenko steps back inside the cage following his upset loss to submission ace Fabricio Werdum last June. The defeat snapped a 10-year undefeated streak for the Russian heavyweight fighter, who at one time was thought to be not only the best heavyweight on the planet, but arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in his day.

The former PRIDE champion will be taking on one of his largest challenges to date, when he meets with American Top Team product Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. The Brazilian slugger is coming on the heels of a two-fight win streak with recent wins over former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski and top contender Mike Kyle. The two men will meet in the evenings main-event, as one of the four featured quarter-final matches in this prestigious tournament.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Arlovski will hope to snap a three-fight losing streak a he takes on K-1 and PRIDE veteran Sergei Kharitonov in the co-headliner for tomorrow’s all heavyweight main card. Andrei has hit a rough patch in his career, after racking five impressive victories, including knockout wins over Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson, and a decision win over Fabricio Werdum in that stretch. Losses to Fedor, Brett Rogers, and Antonio Silva have recently plagues the Belurussian, though he hopes to make a turn for the better with a win over the Golden Glory product in Sergei.

Kharitonov is fresh off a knockout win over Tatsuya Mizuno in DREAM. Mizuno came to prominence in the organization when he reached the finals of the light heavyweight grand prix, though he fell short in his goal to capture the crown when he was defeated by eventual titleholder Gegard Mousasi. The Japanese star hoped to bounce back with a win over the Russian, though Kharitonov had other things in mind. Continuing to improve his stand-up skills with the likes of K-1 stars Alistair Overeem and Gokhan Saki among others, Sergei used a vicious knee followed up by a small dose of ground-and-pound to record a knockout win.

The rest of the evenings matches on the main card will serve as the reserve matches for the heavyweight tourney, should anyone fall out due to injury or illness.

Here is the full card in it’s entirety, thanks to MMAJunkie.com:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

* Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals)
* Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals)
* Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)
* Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)
* Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)

PRELIMINARY CARD (HDNet)

* John Cholish vs. Marc Stevens
* Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado
* Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza
* Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone
* Jason McLean vs. Kevin Roddy

Fighters.com will be on the scene to report live play-by-play action, any post-fight findings and any special announcements as per the Strikeforce organization, so stay tuned for more.

Strikeforce has pitted eight of some of the best heavyweight fighters on the planet to face off against one another over the course of the next few months, not only to determine a new tournament champion for the inaugural heavyweight Grand Prix, but arguably the winner of said tourney could be conceived as the best fighter on the planet.

And while the action takes place, Fighters.com will be there report it every step of the way.

Fedor Emelianenko steps back inside the cage following his upset loss to submission ace Fabricio Werdum last June. The defeat snapped a 10-year undefeated streak for the Russian heavyweight fighter, who at one time was thought to be not only the best heavyweight on the planet, but arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in his day.

The former PRIDE champion will be taking on one of his largest challenges to date, when he meets with American Top Team product Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. The Brazilian slugger is coming on the heels of a two-fight win streak with recent wins over former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski and top contender Mike Kyle. The two men will meet in the evenings main-event, as one of the four featured quarter-final matches in this prestigious tournament.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Arlovski will hope to snap a three-fight losing streak a he takes on K-1 and PRIDE veteran Sergei Kharitonov in the co-headliner for tomorrow’s all heavyweight main card. Andrei has hit a rough patch in his career, after racking five impressive victories, including knockout wins over Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson, and a decision win over Fabricio Werdum in that stretch. Losses to Fedor, Brett Rogers, and Antonio Silva have recently plagues the Belurussian, though he hopes to make a turn for the better with a win over the Golden Glory product in Sergei.

Kharitonov is fresh off a knockout win over Tatsuya Mizuno in DREAM. Mizuno came to prominence in the organization when he reached the finals of the light heavyweight grand prix, though he fell short in his goal to capture the crown when he was defeated by eventual titleholder Gegard Mousasi. The Japanese star hoped to bounce back with a win over the Russian, though Kharitonov had other things in mind. Continuing to improve his stand-up skills with the likes of K-1 stars Alistair Overeem and Gokhan Saki among others, Sergei used a vicious knee followed up by a small dose of ground-and-pound to record a knockout win.

The rest of the evenings matches on the main card will serve as the reserve matches for the heavyweight tourney, should anyone fall out due to injury or illness.

Here is the full card in it’s entirety, thanks to MMAJunkie.com:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

* Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals)
* Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals)
* Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)
* Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)
* Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante (heavyweight-tournament reserve fight)

PRELIMINARY CARD (HDNet)

* John Cholish vs. Marc Stevens
* Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado
* Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza
* Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone
* Jason McLean vs. Kevin Roddy

Fighters.com will be on the scene to report live play-by-play action, any post-fight findings and any special announcements as per the Strikeforce organization, so stay tuned for more.

On Saturday night, Fedor Emelianenko will make his third appearance under the Strikeforce banner as he hopes to record a victory since an upset submission loss to Fabricio Werdum last June, with a win over Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. The Brazilian hopes to extend a two-fight win streak with a win over the Russian legend.

Also in action, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski looks to snap a three-fight losing streak as he takes on K-1 veteran and former PRIDE star Sergei Kharitonov in the evenings co-main event of the evening.

All main-card bouts will be in the heavyweight division, with the aforementioned bouts featuring Fedor, Silva, Andrei and Sergei kicking off the promotion’s inaugural grand prix, serving as the quarter-finals for the tournament. The rest of the bouts on the televised portion of the event will be reserve matches for the eight-man tourney, meaning should any participants fall ill or are deemed unable to continue in the GP due to injury, a winner of the reserve match could be elected to step in for said heavyweight.

Here are the weigh-in results in full, courtesy of MMAJunkie.com:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

* Fedor Emelianenko (230) vs. Antonio Silva (264) – heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals
* Andrei Arlovski (242) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (250) – heavyweight-tournament quarterfinals
* Shane Del Rosario (248) vs. Lavar Johnson (243) – heavyweight-tournament reserve fight
* Chad Griggs (229) vs. Gian Villante (227) – heavyweight-tournament reserve fight
* Valentijn Overeem (239) vs. Ray Sefo (249) – heavyweight-tournament reserve fight

PRELIMINARY CARD (HDNet)

* John Cholish (155.75) vs. Marc Stevens (156.5)^
* Igor Gracie (170.75) vs. John Salgado (170)
* Don Carlo-Clauss (170.4) vs. Sam Oropeza (169.75)
* Josh LaBerge (145.75) vs. Anthony Leone (146.2)*
* Jason McLean (145.5) vs. Kevin Roddy (145.75)

* – Leone has been give one hour to lose the remaining two-tenths of a pound
^ – Stevens weighed one-half pound over the contracted limit, but Cholish elected to accept the match-up

I don’t think I could ever accurately convey in words how big of a fan I am of Fedor Emelianenko. There are fans, and there are super-fans, and I’ve only ever considered myself a super-fan of two men: Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. I’ve followed Fedor Emelianenko for a long time, and throughout his entire fighting career he’s never ceased to amaze me. I can’t wait to see him return, because I think these really are the last few years of his career, and I don’t want to see Fedor sitting on the sidelines in contract negotiations when he should be doing what he does best. I think Emelianenko has a great shot of beating Antonio Silva, and I even think Emelianenko could go all the way and win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

But if Fedor does lose, at least he’s losing to someone like Antonio Silva. I’ve disagreed with “Bigfoot” in the past, I’ve even outright called him out on what I felt were some pretty idiotic comments, but I think Silva has really begun to emerge as a world-class fighter. This will be the toughest test of Silva’s career, and if he passes it, I think we as MMA fans have no choice but to accept “Bigfoot” as a top-ranked Heavyweight. My money is on Fedor, but I’d be lying if I said that I think Antonio Silva can’t beat Fedor Emelianenko.

I really wish I had more to say about Andrei Arlovski, but when he falls off the deep end, he falls off hard. Most of the time I really enjoy seeing Andrei Arlovski fight, and I personally think that the buildup leading to his fight with Fedor Emelianenko showed an Arlovski that was on the verge of an epic comeback. But unfortunately, we all know how that fight ended. Now Arlovski’s lost three straight, and I shudder to think what happens to him if Sergei Kharitonov makes it four in a row.

While I don’t think Arlovski would let himself go the same way that Tim Sylvia did, I do think Arlovski would mirror Sylvia and flop around the lower-tier promotions, winning some and yet still losing to fighters that don’t really register on anyone’s radars. It’ll be a sad sight to see, for sure, and I hope that future doesn’t come to fruition. I’ve got no major problems with Sergei Kharitonov, but nevertheless I sincerely hope Arlovski knocks him out. Because as an Arlovski fan, I don’t like imagining the alternative.

Overall, I’m very excited for this show. I think it’s going to be a great night of fights, and it’s going to keep Strikeforce on the hotstreak it’s currently on. I think we’ll see some epic KO’s before the night is through, and I think the Heavyweight Grand Prix will get off to an amazing start. It should be quite an event, so I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch this one.

And there you have it, fans and friends: my “finally final” thoughts on “Fedor vs. Silva”. What about you? Any last thoughts on this show?

Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo: I hate to say this considering how big of an Alistair Overeem fan I am, but Valentijn doesn’t give me a whole lot of reason to believe that he’ll be successful in Strikeforce. I don’t normally judge a book by its cover or judge a fighter solely by his record, but “28-25″ flashes at me like a bright neon sign, telling me that Overeem’s up-and-down career singles him out as a fighter that never fully realized his potential. Sefo will take a KO victory in the second round.

Chad Griggs vs. Gianpiero Villante: Griggs looks to breathe new life into his career and focus more on fighting now that he holds a victory over Bobby Lashley, while Gianpiero Villante simply hopes to make waves in his Strikeforce debut. Both men have only lost once, and both men have a majority of their wins by (T)KO. I’m honestly going to pick Villante to win, since Griggs didn’t impress me at all during his fight with Lashley and seemed to only win because Lashley was gassed out. Villante wins by first-round TKO.

Shane del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson: I’m a semi-fan of Shane del Rosario, and I think this is a big match for him. Rosario shines when the pressure is on, so look for him to continue his unbeaten streak even though Lavar Johnson has the makings of a tough challenge. Johnson has only lost three times in his seven-year career, and is currently on a seven-fight win-streak with all seven wins coming by way of (T)KO. This one may end up becoming the sleeper hit of the night. I’m picking Shane del Rosario to win by submission in the second round after a great first round of action.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov: I don’t think I’ll ever stop being an Andrei Arlovski fan, but even I can admit that the man is more than likely past his prime. It’s been over two years since Arlovski won a fight, although Kharitonov isn’t in the best position either, having taken several long layoffs throughout the recent years and having gone 1-1 in his last two fights. In the end, I think this will be a tough battle, but I just have to go with Arlovski. Andrei Arlovski wins by Unanimous Decision.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva: I believe in Fedor Emelianenko. I won’t say “I still believe” because that insinuates that I once thought about no longer believing in him, and that never happened. I think Fedor Emelianenko is going to make his loss to Fabricio Werdum a distant memory by putting on a classic performance against the super-tough Antonio Silva. Emelianenko will duck and dodge, counter at will, and eventually Silva will find himself dazed and confused and on the ground, where Fedor will lock up his favorite and deadliest submission. Fedor Emelianenko wins by Armbar in Round 1.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? When it comes to “Fedor vs. Silva”, who do you see winning, how, and why?

5. What does “The Other Overeem” have left to give?

It’s tough to be the brother of a more-famous fighter, especially when you’re the older brother with more fights. At “Fedor vs. Silva”, Valentijn Overeem makes his Strikeforce debut only six days before he celebrates his fifteenth year as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. The brother to Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem has had a career that’s been filled with as many ups and downs as his 28-25 record implies. Now that he’s in Strikeforce, does Valentijn really have anything left to offer? It will certainly be interesting to find out.

4. The continuing evolution of Shane del Rosario.

He’s not a known name in Strikeforce just yet, but Shane del Rosario has the potential to be a major player in Strikeforce’s Heavyweight division within the next few years. The man is unbeaten at 10-0 with ten stoppage victories, only one of which has ever escaped the first round. If Rosario wins his reserve bout, he may be the first one Strikeforce gives a call if any of the main fighters get injured. And if that happens, we could be talking about Shane del Rosario a whole lot more before the year is over.

3. Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov should be an amazing brawl.

Both men are “dark horse” picks to win this tournament, but that doesn’t mean that their fight against each other will be bad. Actually, this quite possibly may be the best fight of the night. Combined, these two men hold a total of nineteen wins by (T)KO. Both men are both incredibly motivated to win this fight: if Arlovski loses it’s his fourth loss in a row and it’ll basically signify his removal from Heavyweight relevancy. Kharitonov, meanwhile, is fighting for mainstream MMA relevancy to begin with. At least on paper, this should motivate both fighters to push themselves to new heights and give us a fantastic war.

2. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finally gets started.

This is an incredibly important milestone for Strikeforce, and if you tune in to watch this show, you’re literally watching history in the making. I believe Strikeforce is strong enough that this tournament isn’t a “make or break” type of deal, but if it lives up to its potential, this will be the largest step Strikeforce has yet taken to emerge as a viable alternative to the juggernaut that is the UFC. Without hyperbole, this one show may set the standard for an entire year’s worth of fights and events. It’s definitely one of the biggest factors to tune in and see what happens.

And the number one reason to look forward to Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Silva” is…

1. The return of Fedor Emelianenko.

There is only one Fedor Emelianenko, and I (like many) consider him the greatest Mixed Martial Artist ever. And even if you personally don’t, you can’t deny the significance of this match. Does Fedor still have “it”? Can he rebound after such a deflating loss? Is the magic gone, or will his first legitimate loss push Fedor to come back strong and possibly better than ever? Whether you love him or hate him, everyone wants to know what’s left for Fedor, and now we’ll finally get a chance to find out.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Silva”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Silva”, scheduled for February 12, 2011 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Select preliminary fights will be shown live on HDNet starting at 8:00 PM ET. The live main card will be broadcast on Showtime starting at 10:00 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: This event starts off the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, the biggest MMA tournament in ages. Eight of Strikeforce’s best Heavyweight fighters will compete to determine who is the best in the world, with the winner getting a shot at the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship. This card also features the legendary Fedor Emelianenko as well as major Strikeforce stars like Andrei Arlovski and Antonio Silva.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva will step into the Strikeforce cage fully prepared for the toughest test he’s ever been faced with… and that’s exactly what he’ll get. Expect Silva to come on strong and try to beat Fedor Emelianenko, expect Emelianenko to dazzle fans once again with his surprising speed, takedown ability, and powerful hands. It probably won’t last very long, but the pace of this match should be outstanding and it should be an awesome fight in general.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Both Andrei Arlovski and Sergei Kharitonov know where their bread is buttered, and they’ll both step into the Strikeforce cage looking to knock their opponent unconscious. This has a lot of potential to become a wildly entertaining brawl, and a war of attrition that only stops when one man is lying face-down on the canvas and far removed from his senses.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Both the main and co-main event are awesome fights that fully encapsulate just why so many Strikeforce fans can’t wait for this tournament to finally get underway. These are four of the best fighters Strikeforce has to offer, period, regardless of weight class, and they’re fighting each other in match-ups tailor-made to bring out the best in everyone involved. And in addition to all of that, you’ve got three “reserve bout” fights filling the rest of the main card that also feature some solid stars and should also result in several entertaining fights.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: It all comes down to personal preference. Do you still believe in Fedor Emelianenko? Do you think Antonio Silva deserves to be in a main event after coming so close to losing his last fight against a man that normally competes at Light Heavyweight? Do you still enjoy seeing Andrei Arlovski fight, even after all this time and all the KO losses he’s been through? Do you know who Sergei Kharitonov is? Are you o.k. with watching a Showtime card that consists completely of Heavyweight bouts? If you answered “yes” to more than one of those questions, this is the card for you. But if your answers to those questions were a mix of “no” and “maybe”, you might want to pass on this one.

Closing Thoughts: As a huge Strikeforce fan, I’ve spoken at length about my feelings on the Heavyweight Grand Prix. I devoted an entire fourteen-part “maxi series” to my varied picks and predictions, remember? Now that the first date of the tournament is finally almost here, I find myself waiting in excited anticipation. My gut and my heart tells me that this is going to be an awesome show, and I can’t wait to see it.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on “Fedor vs. Silva”?

Here’s what Finkelchtein had to say over at LowKick: “Two out of eight fighters in the tournament previously failed a drug test… We want fair competition for everyone, so that’s why I will ask the commission to perform a strict drug testing. Fedor is not using any kind of substance to enhance his performance, and will be ready for any kind of testing… Our organization paid a heavy price after the cancellation of the fight between Josh Barnett and Fedor…That’s why as a promoter and manager, I don’t want this to happen ever again.”

For those of you that need a quick history lesson, Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett have both had run-ins with positive steroid tests. To this day, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, the first and only EliteXC Heavyweight Champion, staunchly denies that he used steroids. Josh Barnett and Fedor Emelianenko were supposed to meet in the main event of the short-lived Affliction promotion’s “Trilogy” show, but Barnett failed a drug test days before the event was supposed to happen. The subsequent scramble to find a replacement opponent ended with the fight being called off altogether, and then the entire event soon received the axe. Affliction ceased operations as an MMA promotion shortly thereafter.

While I think that there’s always a kernel of truth in even the craziest conspiracy theory, so long as you know where to look, I do think that Vadim Finkelchtein has unfairly been put into the role of a scapegoat. Whenever an issue revolving around Fedor arises, a certain section of the fanbase practically falls over each other in their rush to blame Vadim. I absolutely do not think that Vadim is blameless, but I also don’t think that everything is as black-and-white as the cynics would have you believe. This is why I’m able to side with Vadim on this issue and don’t feel an ounce of regret in doing so.

I’m one of the many MMA fans that absolutely can’t wait to see this tournament. Remember, this is the guy that’s so pumped for this to go down that he wrote a fourteen-piece series on it. I hope that this tournament goes off without a hitch and gives us the dream matches we’ve been waiting years to see… because the alternative is quite grim.

If all doesn’t go according to plan, this could be as big a disaster for Strikeforce as Kimbo Slice getting KO’d in fourteen seconds was to EliteXC. If the credibility of this Heavyweight Grand Prix or its performers is called into question in any way, it will have ceased being the epic tournament we were all hoping for and it will become little more than a joke. And one of the easiest ways to ruin the credibility of this tournament is for one of its fighters to get caught with steroids.

So while I won’t point any fingers like Finkelchtein did, at the end of the day I do honestly and completely agree with him: there needs to be very strict drug testing to ensure that this tournament remains credible, and that no one is given an unfair advantage.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you agree or disagree, and why?

No stranger to the Grand Prix format himself, Emelianenko had competed in PRIDE’s first and only heavyweight tourney in 2004, unifying the titles and in turn captured the GP title to add to his long list of accolades and accomplishments in his career.

After his unbeatable persona was tarnished with his submission defeat to the hands of Fabricio Werdum last April, Fedor has made the most of his time training in preparation for the eight-man tournament, and in the process has broken ribs and faces en route to his February meeting with former EliteXC heavyweight champion, Antonio Silva.

MiddleEasy.com picked up the beat of the story from Lowkick.com where they were able to talk with Fedor’s coach Vladimir Voronin who described the Russian is anything less than what everyone already knew he was: an unsolicited badass.

“It was a great training camp, especially in Kislovodsk (Russia). Fedor successfully injured everyone”, began Vladimir.

“Broke someone’s ribs (Later in the press conference, Maxim Grishin thanked Fedor for broken ribs), busted someone’s face, so the work was good. In terms of technique, our base is the Universal martial art Sambo. There’s many techniques and still much to learn, so it’s all an ongoing learning process.”

While Fedor has stayed true to form with his Sambo background which his aided him through a ten-year undefeated streak as a professional, he also gave some insight on the heavyweight GP in it’s entirety, thanking his training partners for absorbing the unnecessary punishment and being coy as ever as far as who he expects to face next after Silva in the star studded heavyweight lineup, which features Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, Sergei Kharitonov, Brett Rogers, and friend Josh Barnett.

“There’s nothing new about my training. I really enjoyed my camp up in the mountains, in Kislovodsk”, said ‘The Last Emperor’.

“My sparring partners were Maxim Grishin and Kiril Sidelnikov, our young guys. We trained really hard, and I hope we’ll see the results in my fight.

“I don’t think it’s smart to talk about who’s the biggest challenge in this tournament. Right now, my biggest challenge is Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, because he’s my next opponent. I’m training hard for this fight and fully concentrated on my goal. If I beat Silva, I’ll study my next opponent, but if I fail – any talk about who’s the biggest challenge will be simply irrelevant.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the always stoic Emelianenko and his crushing ways during his training camp? How do you think he will fare in his fight against the gargantuan Brazilian, and who do you think will claim the GP in the finale? Sound off in the comment section below.

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?

The main event of the evening will pit for PRIDE heavyweight champion and all around mixed martial arts legend Fedor Emelianenko as he takes on former EliteXC titleholder Antonio Silva.

Along with heavy-handed stars, Strikeforce has now released the full-main card lineup with six additional fighters set to be featured on the Showtime broadcast.

The quarter-finals are set to begin first at the IZOD center on Feb. 12 first with former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski taking on PRIDE and K-1 veteran Sergei Kharitonov, with Emelianenko and Silva set to headline the N.J. event.

Additional heavyweight’s will be featured on the Showtime broadcast, though not officially part of the stellar Grand Prix, they may have a chance to vie for a spot in the tournament should a fighter fall out due to injury.

Chad Griggs who defeated Bobby Lashley in his last appearance in Strikeforce will be featured in a special reserve match with 7-1 Gian Villante.

An Overeem–not the Overeem–will be making his debut inside the cage as Valentijn will take on former kickboxing world champion Ray Sefo in a reserve match as well. Valentijn was scheduled to make his debut in the organization last December against Antonio Silva however bowed out due to injury and Mike Kyle stepped up to the plate. Overeem counts Randy Couture amongst his 16 career submission victories. Sefo is a perfect 2-0 since transitioning to MMA.

Finally a special attraction which will pit two stars from the Strikeforce Challenger Series will also go down at the IZOD center as Lavar Johnson takes on Shane Del Rosario. Johnson survived a brutal shooting in 2009 and was left in critical condition however survived to fight another day, and has gone 2-0 in 2010, both knockouts. Del Rosario remains undefeated in his career, and is currently 5-0 with the San Jose based promotion and is coming off of an impressive first-round TKO over Hawaiian striker Lolohea Mahe last July.

The full lineup in it’s order is as follows:

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (quarter-final)
Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov (quarter-final)
Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson (reserve match)
Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo (reserve match)
Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante (reserve match)

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the full lineup? East coast, buy your tickets. 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”?

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?

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?

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?

The former PRIDE champion was originally rumored to be facing the Brazilian several times, however all signs point to a Feb. 12 meeting at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

In addition to Emelianenko and Silva, a proposed match up pitting former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski against DREAM and K-1 veteran Sergei Kharitonov is also slated for the February event.

Sherdog.com was able to report the validity of the matches earlier today. In the case of Fedor and Antonio, the two heavyweight stars have been rumored to face one another for sometime now, and now looks like they will finally meet in New Jersey.

“The Last Emperor” has been on the sidelines since an upset loss to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Fabricio Werdum. The Brazilian stud was able to submit the Sambo expert with a tight triangle choke in just 69 seconds of the first round in their April meeting under the Strikeforce banner in 2010. The loss snapped a 10-year unbeaten streak for Emelianenko.

Silva, though, has fared better recently, notching up his second-consecutive victory under the Strikeforce banner. The American Top Team product was last seen inside the cage when he took on the resurgent Mike Kyle this past December. While “MAK” was pegged as an underdog heading into their heavyweight tilt, he acted like anything but a roll over when he knocked down “Big Foot” early with a crackling right hand. After a shaky first round where Silva spent most of his time surviving, he turned it all around when he was able to eventually work the fight to the mat and notch a quick TKO victory after Kyle was unable to defend himself from the ground-and-pound onslaught.

In the second-heavyweight quarterfinal, striking sensation Andrei Arlovski will put his new found chin to the test when he meets the gritty Sergei Kharitonov at the February event.

After posting a five-fight win streak beginning in 2006 (four of which came by some form of knockout) Arlovski succumbed to crippling knockout losses to hard hitters Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers consecutively. Andrei then attempted a comeback when he met with the aforementioned Antonio Silva this past May, who is regarded as one of the hardest hitting men in the heavyweight division. Absorbing many punches throughout the three-round tilt, Arlovski went the distance without being wobbled or knockdown throughout the affair, however went on to lose a decision. The loss is the Belorussian’s third in-a-row.

Kharitonov, though, will be the man to test the mettle of Andrei when they meet in East Rutherford. Sergei is coming off of a knockout victory over Tatsuya Mizuno on Decemeber 31 for DREAM’s annual “Dynamite!!” show. The year-end extravaganza helped the Russian cap off a hot-and-cold 2010 where the Golden Glory protege won two of his three professional bouts, albeit in different sports.

The win over the DREAM light heavyweight 2010 Grand Prix finalist was his lone mixed martial arts bout, however two other fights were contested under K-1 rules this past year, where the Russian went 1-1. He began his year right with a knockout victory over former Japanese prospect Takumi Sato, however succumbed to a knockout loss of his own at the hands of Singh Jaideep at K-1′s biggest stage, the World Grand Prix 2010 Final on December 11.

There is a lot of ways these bouts could play out, however all signs are pointing to knockouts galore amongst these hard hitting gentleman, and those in attendance for the East Rutherford affair (me) will be in for a treat.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match ups? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

However one thing that has been first on his “to do list” for a long time has been to fight legend and former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko.

Silva is currently riding a two-fight win streak under the Strikeforce banner. He extended his winning ways recently when he defeated “King of the Cage” light heavyweight champion and Strikeforce contender Mike Kyle earlier this month in St. Louis.

After battling back from some early adversity in the first round when Kyle knocked down the juggernaut heavyweight, Silva eventually worked Kyle to the mat in the second, mounted, and knocked him out with a heavy dose of ground-and-pound assault.

Now that a rumored Strikeforce heavyweight tournament has been rumored to begin as early as February with Silva taking on the Russian in Fedor, he will have his chance at establishing himself as one of the best heavyweight’s on the planet, and in fighting Emelianenko, he looks forward to beating up the legend.

“We were thinking about this fight for a long time, and Big Foot is preparing himself for it”, said Alex Davis, Silva’s manager who spoke with TATAME.com recently.

“It’ll be, when it happens, the greatest fight in his career. It’s a hard fight for anyone, Fedor is a legend, and he deserves to be to known as one.

Since a close loss to Werdum in his first fight under the Strikeforce banner in November of 2009, Silva overcome some difficult obstacles to get where he is today, and for that Davis thinks Antonio will have all the tools to defeat Emelianenko.

“I believe on Big foot a lot. I think that, on Werdum’s fight, Fedor made a little mistake, which Werdum used wisely to beat him”, said Davis.

“He’s much more prepared now… On Big Foot’s case, I hope he can really beat that guy up. Big Foot has plenty conditions to do it, he proved it on his last couple of fights, and (in his last fight with Kyle) he proved how brave he is when he’s in trouble.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Davis’ claims? Will Silva have a chance against the legend and move on in the heavyweight tournament, which fields fighters such as Josh Barnett, Sergei Kharitonov and reigning champion Alistair Overeem. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. The continued push to legitimize the various Strikeforce championships.

Strikeforce needs to find its footing in several of its major divisions, and I think 2011 will see a considerable amount of prestige added to a lot of Strikeforce’s championships. Now that Alistair Overeem has lived his dream and became a K-1 champion, he should be back in Strikeforce full-force in 2011. Ronaldo Souza will face Robbie Lawler in what should be an excellent striker vs. grappler match-up. Rafael Cavalcante will have a lot to prove but plenty of time to prove it as he eyes potential fights with Dan Henderson and several other high-profile Strikeforce Light Heavyweights. Then you’ve got Cristiane Santos dominating as always and Marloes Coenen realizing her full potential as a 135-pounder. It’ll be a great year for champions and championship defenses.

4. The continually improving quality of the “Strikeforce Challengers” series of shows.

I need a new underdog, fans and friends. Now that the WEC, my “little promotion that could”, has been folded into the UFC, I’m left without one. Heading into 2011, I think “Strikeforce Challengers” will fill that role quite nicely. The per-fight quality of these events keeps increasing, and the shows continue to showcase entertaining fights featuring up-and-coming fighters. 2011 has a great chance of seeing “Strikeforce Challengers” emerge as the show that everyone loves and not nearly enough people watch. And if they do fill that role, you can definitely expect to see me right back up on the soapbox and urging fans to give them a watch, vocally supporting them just as loudly as I did the WEC.

3. The return of Alistair Overeem.

Overeem has spent the last several years chasing a dream that’s kept him away from MMA for a considerable length of time, and now he’s finally lived that dream. Alistair Overeem is a K-1 champion, and now that he’s knocked that off of his bucket list, it’s very likely that we’ll see him fight a lot more often in Strikeforce. I’ve always been a gargantuan fan of “The Reem”, so his 2011 return to dominance is one thing I can’t wait to watch unfold.

2. The return of Fedor Emelianenko.

The only thing that really comes close to my excitement surrounding the return of Alistair is my excitement over the return of Fedor. I know how just saying the man’s name invites controversy and intense debate, but in the spirit of Christmas, I’m going to say the following: love him or hate him, people want to see Fedor return. I personally can’t wait to see him back in action, and I can guarantee that I’ll be glued to my TV screen from the moment I first hear his entrance music.

And my #1 spot goes to…

1. Several epic match-ups at Heavyweight, with or without the rumored Grand Prix.

This is not to say that I don’t want a Grand Prix, oh no. Rest assured: I want that Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. I want it bad. How could I not? Fighters like the aforementioned Alistair and Fedor, as well as Antonio Silva, Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, and Brett Rogers could all end up competing against each other. But my point is this: even if the Grand Prix doesn’t happen, we’ve got an incredible amount of amazing Heavyweight fights to look forward to in 2011.

So there you have it, fans and friends: part 3 is over and done with. Stay tuned for the finale of “All I Want for Christmas”, and until then, what about you? What are you looking forward to for Strikeforce in 2011?

Here are the highlights from an interview Silva recently had with MMA Junkie: “… Who wouldn’t want to fight Fedor, a living legend in the sport? …As well as being a great person, [Mike Kyle] showed that he was a very tough opponent… It was the first time (I had been hurt like that), but a fighter has to fight through the good and bad… [Fabricio Werdum] already showed the hole in [Emelianenko's] game, but until you get to the ground, it’s a long [fight] since it starts standing up.”

For those keeping score, this latest interview represents a near-complete 180 from Silva’s earlier, highly controversial statements regarding Emelianenko. In the past, Silva even went as far as to compare the long period of contract negotiations that went on to secure another fight for Fedor in Strikeforce to a soap opera drama. Either absence really does make the heart grow fonder, or nearly being KO’d by a Light Heavyweight really does a number on your ego.

I’m only half-serious, of course. Antonio Silva is a controversial man that has said controversial things in the past, so of course sometimes I agree and sometimes I disagree with him. But he has shown some remarkable improvements in his time with Strikeforce, and I think now more than ever that Antonio Silva is ready for an athlete the caliber of Fedor Emelianenko, or any of the other members of Strikeforce’s increasingly-amazing Heavyweight division. Whether or not he can beat them is something that can only be decided in the middle of the cage, but “Bigfoot” deserves his shot and I look forward to seeing him try to make a serious run to the top.

And I think that Silva may have more of a chance than most people seem to think. It’s true that Mike Kyle nearly KO’d him, but there’s a saying about horseshoes and hand grenades that sums up that fight pretty well. Silva proved that he can still absorb crazy amounts of damage to that thick skull of his, and he proved that you might as well just lay down and accept it if he starts raining down bombs on you, because trying to block them just doesn’t seem to work. If he continues to say controversial things that I don’t agree with, I’ll continue to call him on it. But at the end of the day, I respect Antonio Silva.

With rumors of Silva/Fedor and even the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, I think 2011 will be an amazing year for Strikeforce. Just off the top of my head, we could see Fedor vs. Silva, Silva vs. Josh Barnett, Josh Barnett vs. Alistair Overeem, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum, and much more. The promotion has slowly and quietly been amassing top-level Heavyweights for some time now, and it looks like 2011 will be the year where the promotion pulls the trigger and unleashes the full force of its acquisitions.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Silva’s recent comments?

Why? Because after “The Demolition Man” tore through this years’ K-1 World Grand Prix claiming the promotion’s GP heavyweight championship, he’ll be right back in action for another tournament of epic proportion’s.

It’s rumored that Overeem, in addition to 7 other high-profile heavyweight stars will be competing in an 8-man heavyweight tournament under the Strikeforce banner.

MiddleEasy.com picked up the beat from TATAME.com whom first reported the future Grand Prix, which is said to begin with an originally aniticapted fight pitting former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko against the former EliteXC heavyweight title holder in Antonio Silva.

The bout had previously been rumored for January however sources have since pegged the fight to take place in February of next year.

In March, Sergei Kharitonov is rumored to be facing Fabricio Werdum in the quarter-finals. The fight is actually a rematch of an earlier meeting in 2005, which the Russian fighter was able to claim a split-decision victory over the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

Also for the March Strikeforce event, which is rumored to coincide with the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, Brett Rogers is said to be partaking as well. He will be looking to get back in the win column with the San Jose based promotion, since dropping back-to-back fights against Emelianenko and Overeem, respectively. Rogers has since bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over journeyman Ruben “Warpath” Villareal. Brett will meet with top heavyweight star, Josh Barnett. “The Baby Faced Assassin” was in action last against Geronimo dos Santos, a Brazilian who’s faced the likes of UFC veterans Junior dos Santos (no relation) and Assuerio Silva. Barnett finished him in less than three minutes of the opening round via TKO.

And finally, current Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem will meet with former UFC heavyweight title holder Andrei Arlovski. Overeem capped off a perfect 2010 when he captured the K-1 World GP 2010 title, having defeated the likes of Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki, and Peter Aerts in a single night. In his lone mixed martial arts bout of the year, “The Reem” soundly defeated the aforementioned Rogers last May by first-round TKO, defending his Strikeforce title for the first time since capturing it in 2007 opposite of Paul Buentello.

Arlovski however, has seen better days. The Belorussian once held UFC gold around his waste, however is now the victim of unfortunate circumstances. The Sambo expert is currently riding a three-fight losing streak, with his most recent loss coming to the hands of top contender Antonio Silva last May, via unanimous decision. Andrei last claimed victory when knocked out UFC star Roy Nelson under the now defunct EliteXC banner, in 2008.

Eight fights with eight great fighters, competing towards—well, who knows what. This wouldn’t be the first time that Scott Coker and the fellow great minds behind the number two mixed martial arts promotion have concocted such a tournament. In 2007, a 4-man one night middleweight field was put together where eventually Jorge Santiago was left the victor, having defeated both Sean Salmon and Trevor Prangley by knockout. The American Top Team product got a shiny belt for his efforts, but nothing else came of it.

Whatever the case may be, we will all still bear witness to some extraordinary fights with a multitude of possible outcomes. A potential ex-teammate grudge match against Sergei and Fedor, Werdum vs. Overeem II, etc.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Who do you think will win their respective quarter final matches? Who do you see standing as the final two? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Antonio Silva is Ready for Top-Division Competition.

It’s been over a year since Silva lost to Fabricio Werdum. In that year, Silva has shown remarkable improvement in several major areas of his game. Against Andrei Arlovski, Silva beat a famed striker at his own game, and he even made it look easy. Against Mike Kyle, Silva proved that he could absorb a lot of damage, remain calm under pressure, and ultimately come back and win decisively. If thriving under pressure and outperforming a former UFC Heavyweight Champion isn’t good enough to get you a shot against your promotion’s top athletes, what is?

4. Alistair Overeem Needs Time to Heal From His Latest K-1 Excursion.

I won’t even call into question whether or not Emelianenko deserves a shot at the current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion. That’s a big enough debate as it is, for now, let’s just focus on a very practical reason why this fight wouldn’t have worked. Alistair Overeem just got done fighting three times in one night, he’d barely have a couple of weeks to both recuperate and train for what will undoubtedly be one of the toughest tests of his entire career. And not only is that not fair, it just doesn’t make sense.

3. Fabricio Werdum Remains on the Injured List.

I know, I know: it’s the rematch everyone wants to see. Trust me, I want to see it to. And it’s true that Werdum’s rumored return is sometime in early 2011. But according to reports, “early 2011” is sounding more and more like February or even March. I don’t think Werdum is foolish enough to rush his return, nor do I want him to. He’s coming off the biggest win of his life, he needs to come back at his best in order to fully capitalize on it.

2. Strikeforce Needs a Big Fight to Start 2011.

Strikeforce ended 2011 with the fantastic “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” event. Throughout the course of one night of fights, we got to see four memorable (T)KO’s, two of which (Paul Daley KO’ing Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler KO’ing Matt Lindland) will likely make it onto countless highlight reels for years to come. Strikeforce is riding a great wave of momentum going into 2011, so they need to start the year with a bang. And the return of Fedor Emelianenko would do just that.

But of course, my number one reason why this fight makes sense and should happen is…

1. Fedor Emelianenko Needs to Fight.

I’ve been saying this for a long time, but it’s never been more true: I don’t care who Fedor Emelianenko fights, I just want him to fight. He’s certainly not getting any younger, and while his actual date of retirement is anyone’s guess, let’s not kid ourselves: “The Last Emperor” is nearing the end of the line. And I don’t want to see one of my favorite fighters end his stellar career by sitting on the sidelines, waiting for his management team and Strikeforce to finally come to terms.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? What do you agree/disagree with, and how do you feel about Emelianenko/Silva in general?

While proposed match-ups with both Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum have failed to materialize for the immediate future, it looks “The Last Emperor” may next take on top heavyweight contender Antonio Silva in his return to the cage.

Fedor was last seen in action this past June when he was shockingly upset by the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion in Werdum, whom submitted Emelianenko with a swift triangle choke in just 69 seconds of the opening round. The loss was Fedor’s first and only legitimate loss as a professional mixed martial artist.

MMAWeekly.com first reported the validity of the proposed match up with sources close to the negotiation proceedings, and if everything goes as planned, Emelianenko can return as soon as January 29 for a Strikeforce event which is rumored to take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Cali.

While Emelianenko remains one of the worlds top heavyweight superstars, much of his allure as a seemingly unbeatable fighter was quickly evaporated with the loss to Werdum, who in his tenure with the UFC went a meager 2-2 inside the octagon with losses to Andrei Arlovski and Junior dos Santos.

The Russian fighter now has a chance to redeem himself when he meets with former EliteXC heavyweight champion, Antonio Silva.

The Brazilian was last seen in action when he defeated Strikeforce light heavyweight contender, who stepped up as a last minute replacement for an injured Valentijn Overeem in the heavyweight contest.

Early on Kyle was able to dictate the pace of the fight with his quick punches, and eventually connected on a strong right hand that floored the Brazilian in the opening moments of the first round. After a scary first frame turned in that Mike totally dominated from start to finish, Silva was able to regroup and come back stronger for the second round. An early takedown helped Antonio bring the fight to his realm, where he was able to mount Kyle and eventually TKO the American Kickboxing Academy product for the win.

Silva has now won two-in-a-row with the win over Kyle since a decision loss to Werdum in November of 2009.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the possible heavyweight clash? Will Fedor return to top form, or will Silva rattle off his third victory and clinch a possible title shot? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are some quotes by Kyle courtesy of the one and only Sherdog: “I had to go out and believe in myself and leave it all in the ring… He was better than me tonight… Once my right hand broke, mentally, I felt like I couldn’t do nothing to him… I didn’t want to quit out there. There have been fights in the past where I’ve quit, and I believe that [AKA teammate] Cain Velasquez beat that quit out of me.”

It should be noted that while Kyle has fought at Heavyweight several times in the past, he’s mostly known as a Light Heavyweight fighter. Kyle also took the fight with “Bigfoot” on short notice after Silva’s scheduled opponent Valentijn Overeem (brother to current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem) pulled out with an injury. Kyle was on a four-fight win-streak leading up to this bout.

When you consider all of that, I think Mike Kyle performed admirably against Antonio Silva. Kyle very nearly won the fight everyone expected him to lose, but in the end he punched himself out and Silva capitalized in the second round. It’s not his fault that Silva has a granite chin and can absorb ridiculous amounts of punishment. I don’t see how you can fault Kyle for that, Kyle was dropping bombs with reckless abandon and I think you can even quite possibly make a case that the fight should have been stopped in the first round.

I gained a lot of respect for Mike Kyle after this fight, and most importantly, I think a lot of other people did too, including the top brass at Strikeforce. With this fight, Kyle proved that Strikeforce can depend on him and that he can deliver an entertaining fight on short notice, even in the weight division he only competes in sparingly. I think Kyle would be a great opponent for fighters like Gegard Mousasi or Muhammed Lawal: former champions that were recently humbled and could use a big win over a good fighter in order to put themselves right back “in the mix”. And if Kyle wins, he sets himself up as the next big Light Heavyweight contender.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the future holds for Mike Kyle, of that I’m fairly certain. I think 2011 could be a huge year for him, despite him finishing 2010 with a loss. But what about you, fans and friends? Were you impressed by Kyle’s performance against “Bigfoot”? How far do you think Mike Kyle will go in Strikeforce?

Next for Antonio Silva: A champion is made by scoring a big win, but the mark of a true champion is the ability to survive and even thrive under pressure. In his fight with Mike Kyle, Antonio Silva proved once and for all that he’s ready for the best Heavyweights in the game. He remained calm under pressure, he absorbed a massive amount of damage, and he came back to emphatically put an end to Kyle. By the end of 2011 we’re going to see Antonio Silva challenge for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship.

Next for Mike Kyle: A quick trip back down to the land of the Light Heavyweights. Mike Kyle showed a lot of potential against “Bigfoot”, so I’m hopeful for his future. In Strikeforce’s increasingly-stacked Light Heavyweight division, I think Kyle could be an important test for many of Strikeforce’s best. Expect him to get an opponent the caliber of Gegard Mousasi or Muhammed Lawal sooner rather than later.

Next for Robbie Lawler: Somebody big, that’s for sure. Lawler has certainly earned his spot at the top of the division with his crushing KO of Matt Lindland. I don’t honestly have any particular opponent in mind, just a general feeling that 2011 will see Lawler emerge as a true top-division athlete and even a potential title challenger.

Next for Paul Daley: If Strikeforce wants to get the most out of their investment, if they want to keep duplicating the great performance Daley gave against Scott Smith, then Paul Daley needs to dine on a steady diet of striking-based fighters for the foreseeable future. The good thing about that is that there’s no shortage of those in Strikeforce’s welterweight division. If Strikeforce can convince KJ Noons to stay at Welterweight, Noons/Daley is the obvious move going forward. If not, Daley may even get an immediate title shot.

Next for Scott Smith: Smith will be a perennial gatekeeper until one of two things happen. The first and more unlikely situation is that Smith goes on a prolonged losing streak and/or abandons his entertaining fighting style and gets fired. That’s unlikely because Smith always entertains and he has beaten some good competition in his day. The second and most likely scenario is that Smith gets a chain of wins going, gets another shot at the top of the division, but is ultimately cast back down after another humbling (T)KO loss. I know that outlook seems a bit bleak, and as a sorta-kinda Scott Smith fan, I do hope that “The Comeback King” ends up proving me wrong.

Next for Dan Henderson: 2011 will be a banner year for “Hendo”. I’ve got some pretty high hopes for the man. With his mind set and his body healthy, Hendo should quickly become a force to be reckoned with in Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight division. Before 2011 is through, I have a strong feeling that we’ll see Dan Henderson challenge for the championship or win it outright.

So that’s what I see when I gaze into the crystal ball, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and even some of the losers of Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu”?

Dan Henderson defeats Renato Sobral via KO (strikes) at 1:53 of Round One. Paul Daley defeats Scott Smith via KO (strikes) at 2:09 of Round One. Robbie Lawler defeats Matt Lindland via KO (strikes) at 0:50 of Round One. Antonio Silva defeats Mike Kyle via TKO (strikes) at 2:49 of Round Two. Ovince St. Preux defeats Benji Radach via Unanimous Decision. Fernando Bettega defeats Wayne Phillips via Split Decision. Justin Lawrence defeats Max Martytniouk via Technical (accidental illegal kick) Unanimous Decision. Patrick Cummins defeats Terrell Brown via TKO (strikes) at 2:44 of Round One. Cortez Coleman defeats Lucas Lopes via Submission (guillotine choke) at 2:04 of Round One. Matt Ricehouse defeats Tom Aaron via Unanimous Decision. Mike Glenn defeats Lee Brousseau via TKO (strikes) at 2:00 of Round One. Booker DeRousse defeats Colton Cole via TKO (strikes) at 3:04 of Round Two. J.W. Wright defeats Josh Epps via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:29 of Round One.

This was an awesome, awesome event. Ovince St. Preux vs. Benji Radach was the worst fight on the card, and the worst thing about that fight? It was average. For this event, “average” just wasn’t good enough. I was out of my seat the second Mike Kyle landed a big right that nearly finished Antonio Silva, and I didn’t leave the edge of my seat for the rest of the evening.

As an MMA fan first and foremost, I can’t help but vault onto the Strikeforce bandwagon and even lead the charge into 2011 after an event of this caliber. Every single fight lived up to its potential. Antonio Silva came back from the brink of defeat and cemented his status as a top-level Strikeforce Heavyweight. In this fight, Silva proved that he can take a huge amount of punishment and still fight back to not only win, but finish his opponent.

Things just got crazier from that moment on. Robbie Lawler taking out Matt Lindland with a beautiful diving strike was fantastic. What wasn’t so great, however, was the fact that Lindland looked like a corpse after Lawler got through with him. I’m a sucker for the epic KO’s, but I’m not a bloodthirsty savage, so rest assured, I breathed a big sigh of relief when Lindland regained his faculties.

That sigh was quickly turned into a gasp as I was greeted with another epic KO courtesy of the one and only “Semtex”. To be honest, Paul Daley has got to be the absolute worst opponent Scott Smith could have faced: Daley has one-hit KO power no matter how hard your chin is or how many comebacks you’ve made. So long as Daley can keep the fight standing, the world may be his oyster in Strikeforce.

And finally, we had the triumphant return of Dan Henderson: to the Light Heavyweight division, to Strikeforce, to MMA relevancy as a whole. I had a lot of faith in “Hendo” heading into this fight, and I’m honestly not surprised that he came through in a big way when his situation looked so bleak. 2011 has the potential to be a huge year for Dan Henderson.

And what about you, fans and friends? Were you as impressed with this show as I was?

Headliner’s Dan Henderson and Renato Sobral were green lighted for the event when the two light heavyweights came in under the required 205-pound limit.

Strikeforce debutant Paul Daley successfully made the 170-pound limit, which in the past he has notoriously struggled with weighty issues however came in at 169 pounds for the welterweight contest.

And Scott Smith, who spent nearly his entire career as a middleweight, easily made the transition to the welterweight class when he came in at 170-pounds on the nose.

Here are the entire weigh-in results in full, thanks to MMAJunkie.com who was on scene when the fighters hit the scale.

MAIN CARD

* Dan Henderson (204.5) vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (202)
* Paul Daley (169) vs. Scott Smith (170)
* Robbie Lawler (186) vs. Matt Lindland (185.5)
* Mike Kyle (219) vs. Antonio Silva (263)
* Benji Radach (205.5) vs. Ovince St. Preux (205.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Fernando Bettega (170.25) vs. Wayne Phillips (171)
* Justin Lawrence (155.5) vs. Max Martytnuk (154.5)
* Terrell Brown (208.25)* vs. Patrick Dummins (205.5)
* Cortez Coleman (184.75) vs. Lucas Lopes (185)
* Tom Aaron (155.5) vs. Matt Ricehouse (156)
* Lee Brousseau (204) vs. Mike Glenn (207.25)
* Booker DeRousse (185) vs. Coltin Cole (185.5)
* Josh Epps (127.5) vs. J.W. Wright (130.5)

* – Missed weight on initial attempt; has two hours to make 206-pound limit

“Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu” takes place at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri and marks the promotions last event before we head into the new year.

The Event: Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu 2”, also known as Strikeforce: “St. Louis”. It takes place December 4, 2010 from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis Missouri. The five-fight main card will be broadcast on the Showtime network.

Why You Should Care: This event has a little something for everyone. If you’re a fan of old-school MMA, you’ve got two great veterans fighting in the main event, Dan Henderson and Renato Sobral. You’ve also got Matt Lindland trying to get a big comeback going by taking on the heavy-handed Robbie Lawler. And if you love seeing a great brawl, you’ve got Paul Daley vs. Scott Smith. If you’re a fan of the big men, they don’t get much bigger than “Bigfoot”, Antonio Silva, and he’ll be taking on rising star Mike Kyle.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Renato Sobral vs. Dan Henderson is a rematch that’s been over a decade in the making. Both men are at a crossroads in their career: recent losses have called into question their ability to compete at a championship level, and a big win here could eliminate any doubts and firmly put the winner “into the mix”. Both men will more than likely look to finish this fight quickly and in dominating fashion in order to stay afloat in the increasingly-competitive Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: I’m not sure what main card fight will officially be given co-main event status, but either way, there are some great fights on this card besides the main event. Paul Daley vs. Scott Smith will be an all-out war and I’d be surprised if it made it out of the first round. Daley, the controversial knockout artist who famously got a lifetime ban from the UFC when he attacked Josh Koscheck after their fight, will be looking to make his debut one to remember. Then you’ve got Matt Lindland vs. Robbie Lawler, which also has all the makings of a fantastic brawl.

Why You Should Watch This Card: You’re in for a fun night of fights if you decide to watch Strikeforce. Every main card fight has the potential to end quickly, and just about all the main card fighters are known to put on exciting performances. They may not be the biggest stars that Strikeforce could bring to the table, but they’ve all set a great precedent of entertaining fans time and time again.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: There’s only one major reason you should possibly skip this card, and it has nothing to do with Strikeforce itself. The UFC will be holding its own event on December 4, “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”, a live night of fights that closes out the latest season of the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter” and crowns the season’s champion. In the battle of UFC vs. Strikeforce, Strikeforce ultimately has the bigger names, but the UFC does have several great-sounding fights lined up for their event.

Closing Thoughts: In the end, I think Strikeforce has the better card when compared to the UFC’s outing for December 4. I don’t mean to say that the UFC card is bad, though, there are actually several fights on that card that I’m really interested in. But Strikeforce simply has more to offer: bigger stars, a better main event, etc. If you could only watch one, I’d suggest watching Strikeforce. It really has all the makings of a great event.

So, that’s it on my end, fans and friends. What about you? Which show will you be watching December 4?

Antonio Silva vs. Mike Kyle: Silva has become quite the controversial figure in the last few months, as he’s repeatedly called out and even at some points tried to discredit huge names like Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, and even Brock Lesnar. And while I absolutely believe that Silva is not up to their level just yet, I also absolutely believe that Mike Kyle isn’t up to Silva’s level. Silva is within shouting distance of the upper-echelon, Kyle’s run to the top never fully materialized. Expect to see “Bigfoot” Silva win by Round 2 TKO.

Paul Daley vs. Scott Smith: Someone’s getting KO’d in the first round, and my money just has to be on the guy that’s never been KO’d before. Daley is an incredibly dangerous striker and Scott Smith is crazy enough (some would say “foolish enough”) to stand and bang with just about anybody in order to try and make the fight exciting and score a big win. Despite the fact that I don’t think Daley will ever be anything other than a dead fish on the ground, “Semtex” has dynamite in both hands and Smith will practically be serving up his chin on a silver platter thanks to his willingness to engage. Paul Daley wins by Round 1 KO.

Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Lindland:  This is another good match featuring some great strikers, but I don’t see this one ending definitively. I can’t really pick out one reason why I feel this way, it’s more like a bunch of small reasons coming together. I think both men are going to absorb a lot of damage, and while there may be some close calls here and there, I think these two are going to grind out a decision. My gut and my head favors Lindland due to his vast experience and his sheer toughness. Matt Lindland wins via Unanimous Decision.

Dan Henderson vs. Renato Sobral: I’ve still got plenty of faith left in Dan Henderson. I won’t say “the best is yet to come”, I think any fan of the man knows that we’re probably past that point. But that doesn’t mean that Henderson is done as an elite-level Mixed Martial Artist. Everything that’s been reported leading up to this card leads me to believe that we’ll see the old, beastly “Hendo” re-emerge against Sobral. Dan Henderson wins by KO in Round 2.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. Now it’s your turn to take the crystal ball out and/or consult your inner Nostradamus. What do you think will happen at Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu”?

The older brother of the Strikeforce heavyweight champion in Alistair, was scheduled to make his organizational debut on Dec. 4 opposite of contender Antonio Silva, however Valentijn has since bowed out of the heavyweight clash due to an elbow injury.

Kyle, a product of the famed American Kickboxing Academy, steps up for the heavyweight bout on just five-days notice, after having competed primarily in the 205-pound class for his most recent performances.

“MAK” originally began his career as a heavyweight slugger, a fighter with enormous potential but lacked the attitude or aptitude to put it altogether. Now, Kyle finds himself at the pinnacle of his career. 8-1-1 over his last ten bouts, the lone loss came to heavyweight star Fabricio Werdum, whom in last performance submitted Fedor Emelianenko in the first-round of their June clash.

Kyle has recently picked up two belts to add to his budding mixed martial arts career. After capturing the “King of the Cage” light heavyweight title when he defeated Bellator veteran Tony Lopez, Mike claimed the XMMA 205-pound title in his last outing, finishing Aussie Steve Oliver inside the first round via TKO.

Among his career wins, Kyle counts a second-round TKO victory over current Strikeforce champ Rafael Cavalcante among his standout victories (the win came under the Strikeforce banner).

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Will Mike provide a suitable opponent for Antonio, even as a heavyweight? Sound off in the comment section below.

MMA Weekly reports that Valentijn, the older brother of current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem, has been forced out of his upcoming bout with the only man to ever hold the Heavyweight Championship of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, Antonio Silva. The exact injury he suffered has not been disclosed.

The man I’ve come to call “the other Overeem” will celebrate his fifteenth year as a professional Mixed Martial Artist when the calendar turns to 2011. Throughout his long career, Overeem has experienced virtually everything one could ever hope and even dread to experience as an MMA fighter. He’s fought over fifty times. He’s fought all over the world, and several times he’s competed in high-profile matches against high-profile competition in high-profile promotions. He once held a seven-fight win-streak, and fought seven times in one year. He’s also lost almost as many as he’s won, at one point even losing six fights in a row.

Clearly, this is a man with a gigantic amount of experience. Unfortunately, this is also a man with a gigantic amount of missed potential. Valentijn Overeem is the very definition of a high-and-low fighter. He’s 2-0 in his last two, 2-2 in his last four, and 4-6 in his last ten matches. Overeem clearly knows how to put some wins together, and he’s looked incredibly dominant at certain points in his career, but when this man loses, he loses big and loses often.

But at the end of the day, I suppose he’s warranted a spot in Strikeforce. If the UFC is willing to bring back stars like Gilbert Yvel and Paul Buentello, then Valentijn Overeem certainly isn’t hurting anybody by stepping into the Strikeforce cage and seeing how much is left in his tank. In fact, I think Valentijn and “Bigfoot” could have had a pretty exciting fight if it had happened. I think that Silva ultimately would have won, most likely by a crushing KO, but still, the fight would have been well worth watching.

It’s hard to say where Valentijn goes from here. He’s had an amazingly long career, and that’s both a positive and a negative. I don’t think we’ll ever see Overeem challenge his brother for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship, and I honestly don’t think that Valentijn will ever emerge out of the shadow of Alistair to the point where I’ll stop referring to him as “the other Overeem”. But at the end of the day, Valentijn Overeem is an exciting fighter with a history of looking to either knock someone out or get knocked out himself. No matter how you feel about him or about Strikeforce giving him a shot in their promotion, you’ve simply got to respect the man’s will and tenacity. While I won’t hold out any high hopes for Valentijn Overeem, I’ll certainly tune in to see how he does when/if he ever does get the chance to step inside the Strikeforce cage and test his skills.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about Valentijn Overeem and his chances in Strikeforce’s growing and wildly-competitive Heavyweight division?