5. Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 132

I admit, part of the reason why this fight got on this list is because I’m vindictive. I really, really don’t like Dong Hyun Kim. I don’t like his style, and I certainly didn’t like the trash-talking he did before this fight. I wanted Carlos Condit to KTFO him, and then Carlos Condit went out and KTFO’d him. It was an awesome moment and a big step forward in Condit’s career, and I think Condit deserves a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship because of it. So while part of the reason is mean-spirited, I think this fight definitely deserves a spot on this list based on its merits, its dramatic finish, and what it did for the career of Condit.

4. Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben at UFC 132

The shortest of the three one-round fights featured on this list, Silva vs. Leben earns a spot as one of the best fights of the month because we got exactly what we paid for. We knew how good both Silva and Leben were at brawling, and we all hoped that they’d meet in the middle at the sound of the first bell and start throwing bombs. And that’s exactly what they did, resulting in a spectacular KO of Silva in under thirty seconds.

3. Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader at UFC 132

Just about everyone, even me, had this fight pegged as the final loss of Ortiz’s UFC return and perhaps the final fight of his career. Instead, Ortiz showed up like a man possessed and promptly destroyed Bader faster than even current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. It’s incredibly rare to see a fighter virtually resurrect himself with one performance, but that’s exactly what happened here and that’s exactly why this fight gets a spot on this list.

2. Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 132

The previous three were all one-round fights, but their dramatic ends and the fact that all three fights featured major stars is reason enough to put them on this list. This, however, was a five-round war of attrition that saw both men pushed to their absolute limits. Above all else, I think this fight, the main event of UFC 132, proved that lighter-weight fighters are here to stay and can be just as exciting as any of the larger weight divisions.

And the number-one best fight of July 2011 is…

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson”

This was honestly the only fight I felt really moved by that didn’t take place at UFC 132, which I think was one of the best events in UFC history. Nothing else besides this fight matched up to the excitement and anticipation of the previous four encounters. But this fight definitely stood out above the previous four as an amazing encounter between two veteran legends. It was a finish I’ll never forget and that will likely inspire debate for years to come. It was a fantastic one-round fight, and definitely the best fight of the month.

And what about you, fans and friends? What were some of your favorite fights of the month?

The Under-Appreciate Undercard Award: The prelims of “Fedor vs. Henderson” receives this award for having several interesting outcomes and great finishes… but only for the people in attendance. For the viewers watching at home, like so many non-UFC events the prelims were nowhere to be found. It’s too bad, too: there were three finishes, two of which came in the first round, and one of which was a gigantic upset that came in at just fifteen seconds. Add in a controversial win for Gesias Cavalcante against Bobby Green, and you’ve got a recipe for a show that really should’ve been seen.

The Scott Smith Award For Most Inspiring Comeback After Getting Your *** Kicked: No one. Not even Scott Smith, the inspiration behind this award, was able to make a comeback after getting pummeled. Quite the opposite in fact: instead of spending three rounds getting beat down and then mounting an improbable highlight-reel comeback… Scott Smith just spent three rounds getting beat down. It’s unfortunate, and I think it sends the message that perhaps 170 just isn’t working for Smith.

The “What Did You Expect?” Award: This one goes out to all the fans critical of Tyron Woodley following his performance against Paul Daley. Don’t even try to kid yourselves: we all knew Woodley wanted to take this to the ground. When you have a fighter like Daley that is so very good in one area and so very bad in another, of course you want to take him out of his element. You’d have to be crazy (or Nick Diaz) to not try and do so. The only thing that surprised me in this fight was Paul Daley’s improving takedown defense. It wasn’t the prettiest, flashiest, or most entertaining performance, but Tyron Woodley got the win and he did it his way.

The New Face of Women’s MMA Award: This one goes out to new Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion Meisha Tate. By the way, it feels great to finally stop calling that the Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship. It may not be “business as usual”, but thanks go out to Zuffa for being the ones more than likely behind that name change. Anyway, with Cristiane Santos still in contract disputes and Gina Carano more than likely taking time off to promote her movie, Meisha Tate became the de factor Face of Women’s MMA at “Fedor vs. Henderson”. Here’s hoping she brings some stability to her division and starts racking up defenses on her belt.

The “Thanks for the Memories” Award: Fedor Emelianenko, plain and simple. Whether or not he retires is open to debate, pretty fierce debate right now in fact, but if I ever met the man in person and could only say one thing to him, “thanks for the memories” would honestly be it. I know people will still be debating the merits of Fedor Emelianenko by the time we’re all old men watching UFC 350 as it’s directly streamed into our brains, but for me? There was nothing like watching Fedor Emelianenko fight in his prime. That’s something I will never, ever forget.

So that’s what I think. And remember, it’s all in good fun… mostly.

It’s that time once again. Another major MMA event has come and gone, and it’s time for my unofficial “Best Performance of the Night” award. Considering how many interesting performances were turned in during Strikeforce’s “Fedor vs. Henderson” event, it was definitely a bit of a challenge to single out one fighter and give him (or her) this award. But even though I’m going with the obvious pick, I feel perfectly fine in doing so. Here’s why Dan Henderson’s amazing stoppage win over Fedor Emelianenko took home “Best Performance of the Night”.

Let’s begin as we always do: by putting the situation into context.

Coming into this bout with Fedor Emelianenko, longtime MMA veteran Dan Henderson was on a serious upswing. He took a few steps back when contract negotiations with the UFC broke down and he went to Strikeforce only to lose to Jake Shields, but even that only momentarily deterred the wily veteran. All told, Henderson had won five out of his last six fights with three (T)KO’s before stepping into the cage with Emelianenko. And in that time, Henderson managed to both revitalize his career and claim the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship.

His opponent, Fedor Emelianenko, was at a crossroads. The man once hyped as an inhuman wrecking machine had been made to look human on not one but two separate occasions. Many people thought it was a fluke that Fedor Emelianenko lost the first time. Many people considered that a multitude of factors led to him losing a second time. Many people seemed unable to grasp even the notion of Emelianenko losing a third time.

Of course, the flip side of the argument contended that Emelianenko was never all that great and that his recent troubles were proof positive that he was all hype and nothing but hype. It’s one of the great ironies of the sport that a man so humble and sincere remains one of the most polarizing figures in MMA today. Emelianenko fans are just about rabid in their adoration, the cynics almost equally as fervent in their hate. But both could agree on one thing: this fight would decide the future for Fedor Emelianenko.

And in one of the best performances of his career, Dan Henderson defeated “The Last Emperor” and he did something no man, not even the gargantuan behemoth Antonio Silva, had ever been able to do: he didn’t just rock Emelianenko, he legitimately knocked him unconscious.

It was one of the most hectic, intense first-round fights in recent memory. It began with both men throwing bombs, it nearly ended with Henderson going down and out. But Henderson managed to stay alive and get back to his feet, nailing an uppercut that caused Emelianenko to go limp and face-plant the canvas. What followed was a stoppage that many contend was early, although some contend was justified.

As I said in the past, I’m deliberately choosing to stay out of this argument because, as a realist, I honestly think there isn’t much of a point. I won’t stop people from arguing, I won’t even argue against the arguing (try to wrap your head around that), but I will focus on the bigger picture. And the bigger picture is this: in a career that spans decades, promotions, championships, brutal wars, brilliant knockouts, and everything here, there, and in-between… this was one of the proudest moments of Dan Henderson’s career.

That’s what I’ll be taking away from this fight. Feel free to argue about whether or not the stoppage was early, but at the end of the day, let’s give credit where credit is due. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Dan Henderson deserves this award for “Best Performance of the Night” at “Fedor vs. Henderson”.

5. Tarec Saffiedine’s second-round beatdown of Scott Smith.

Tarec threw everything except the kitchen sink at Scott Smith and Smith just wouldn’t stay down. It takes a lot of power to KO someone like Smith, and Tarec just doesn’t have it right now. Still, I think that the combined power of his second round flurry would’ve stopped a good amount of opponents. Even if he didn’t earn the stoppage, Tarec Saffiedine gave Scott Smith one hell of a beating, most notably in Round 2. It was such a heinous beatdown that one judge even scored the round a 10-8, and it was definitely one of the best moments of the night.

4. Tim Kennedy’s fired-up post-fight speech after beating Robbie Lawler.

Tim Kennedy is a warrior, there’s no other way to describe him. He’s tough as nails, and he handily won a fight while bleeding like a faucet. Afterwards, he gave a very passionate speech about the armed forces. A few people are already saying that Kennedy may have gone a bit overboard, but I disagree. Kennedy gave a great post-fight speech after a very complete performance against a very tough challenger.

3. Paul Daley actually showing some takedown defense and making his fight with Tyron Woodley competitive.

A made a certain bet with a certain friend that Paul Daley couldn’t defend a certain number of takedowns. Lo and behold, he actually defended far more of them than I ever thought possible. It still wasn’t enough to save him from a loss, but still, it was more than enough to give him a serious shot of defeating Tyron Woodley. Daley even embraced Woodley after three rounds of Woodley trying to do nothing but take him down. Not only is Paul Daley seemingly maturing, he also seems to be evolving and finally learning good takedown defense. That was a big surprise to me, and it deserves a spot on this list.

2. Meisha Tate submitting Marloes Coenen.

Speaking of unexpected occurrences, who thought that Marloes Coenen would end up getting submitted my Meisha Tate? Especially after Tate spent almost an entire round on her back defending submissions. Other than the obvious first-place winner, this was the most unexpected outcome of all the “Fedor vs. Henderson” fights.

And my personal pick for the best moment of “Fedor vs. Henderson” is…

1. Dan Henderson dropping and stopping Fedor Emelianenko.

How could anything else be number 1? For his entire career, Emelianenko has never been stopped due to strikes. Practically no one has even wobbled his chin. But at least for a few seconds, Emelianenko was legitimately knocked unconscious. The debate on whether or not this was an early stoppage still rages, but it was undoubtedly a moment we’ll be talking about for months. So of course it takes the top spot on this list.

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

Next for Scott Smith: Smith just hasn’t looked that good in Strikeforce’s Welterweight division. With Smith getting up there in years and now having a three-fight losing-streak, I think a return to Middleweight is called for. Aside from Robbie Lawler, Tim Kennedy, Ronaldo Souza and a sparse handful of others, Strikeforce’s Middleweight division is pretty barren right now. If Strikeforce doesn’t release Smith for his three-fight losing-streak, I think Smith should jump back up in weight and fight Melvin Manhoef.

Next for Tarec Saffiedine and Tyron Woodley: Each other, with the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Championship on the line. My early prediction for this fight is that Woodley’s takedowns are just too good right now, and let’s not forget that Woodley has already beaten Tarec. I smell a repeat performance with Woodley winning the vacant championship in a fight that honestly probably won’t be that good.

Next for Tim Kennedy: A rematch with Ronaldo Souza and another chance to claim the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. With how close their first fight was and the experience Tim Kennedy has shown in his recent fights, I’ve got a good feeling about this rematch. It’ll probably be just as neck-and-neck as their first encounter, and I think Kennedy has a real shot at dethroning Souza.

Next for Marloes Coenen: I think the Bantamweight experiment just isn’t working for Coenen, so like Scott Smith, a jump back up in weight is called for. Coenen should fight Amanda Nunes, who hasn’t been seen since her amazing first-round KO win.

Next for Meisha Tate: A rematch with Sarah Kaufman, who already holds a victory over Tate. That should be a pretty fun fight so long as the right Tate and the right Kaufman show up. When Tate is not afraid to go for broke, she can and does finish fights. When Kaufman isn’t afraid to strike, she can and does put on entertaining fights. Hopefully this fight ends up delivering.

Next for Dan Henderson: It’s a tricky situation that “Hendo” finds himself in. He could wait on the sidelines and face the winner of the upcoming Roger Gracie vs. Muhammed Lawal bout. Other than that, I’m drawing a blank on worthy contenders for Henderson’s throne. Ovince St. Preux is a distant possibility, he’s on a good win-streak but he’s competed mostly on “Challengers” shows. It’s honestly really tough to say what the future holds for Henderson right now.

Next for Fedor Emelianenko: Retirement, plain and simple. You could make a case for him sticking around for one more fight and possibly a rematch with Henderson, but in all honesty, I just want Fedor Emelianenko to retire right now. I think he has nothing left to prove and that it’s become clear that his advancing age has begun to wear down on him. Although I’ll always enjoy watching him fight, I just don’t want to see Fedor lose anymore. So I think it’s time for him to call it a career.

Dan Henderson defeats Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (referee’s stoppage due to strikes) at 4:12 of Round 1. Miesha Tate defeats Marloes Coenen by submission (head and arm choke) at 3:03 of Round 4. Tim Kennedy defeats Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision. Tyron Woodley defeats Paul Daley by unanimous decision . Tarec Saffiedine defeats Scott Smith by unanimous decision. JZ Cavalcante defeats Bobby Green by Split Decision of Round 1. Tyler Stinson defeats Eduardo Pamplona by KO at :15 seconds of Round 1. Alexis Davis defeats Julie Kedzie by unanimous decision. Derek Brunson defeats Lumumba Sayers by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:33 of Round 1. Gabriel Salinas-Jones defeats Bryan Humes by submission (brabo choke) at 1:19 of Round 3.

For two rounds of their three-round fight, Tarec Saffiedine put on the best performance of his career against Scott Smith. I never doubted Tarec’s skills as an upcoming Mixed Martial Artist, I only thought he wouldn’t be able to contend with Smith’s versatility and veteran status. Nothing could be further from the truth: round 2 in particular was a perfect example of Tarec showing signs of becoming a champion one day. He may’ve played it a bit safe in Round 3, whether it was in fear of a comeback or simply because his assaults on Smith gassed him out a bit, but still, I think Tarec definitely earned his shot at the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Championship.

The same can’t be said for Tyron Woodley, sadly. Don’t get me wrong, I knew exactly what would happen. I was surprised that Daley’s takedown defense had gotten that good, but still, Daley’s Achilles Heel will always, and I do mean always, be the ground game. To be honest, I was surprised Daley didn’t pull another Josh Koscheck moment since Woodley wanted absolutely nothing to do with Daley’s stand-up and even employed some “Lay and Pray” tactics a few times. I’m not too high on “T-Wood” right now, but a win is a win and he’ll probably be fighting Tarec for the vacant strap.

Tim Kennedy and Robbie Lawler had a very hard-hitting war that I enjoyed for the most part. There’s not much I can say about it in particular, it was just a good fight on many different levels even though it wasn’t a “great” fight per se. Kennedy’s fired-up post-fight speech combined with his toughness displayed against Lawler definitely makes me believe that Kennedy is ready for another shot at Ronaldo Souza and the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship.

It’s too bad that Marloes Coenen had one good fight at 135 and has now had two bad fights at 135. Well, this wasn’t a bad fight entirely, she did have Tate in a lot of trouble a few times. But I think the drop to 135 is really beginning to slow Coenen down, and without the belt and with Cristiane Santos still a free agent, maybe a return to 145 is called for.

And the main event… what to say about the main event. If this truly is the last we’ve seen of Fedor Emelianenko, at least he went out on his shield. I know the subject of whether or not the stoppage was early is already lighting up the internet, but allow me to say this: as a realist, I won’t debate the stoppage because nothing I say or do will change the fact that Henderson won.

Instead, I only wish to remember the good days. I’ll always remember Fedor Emelianenko as a humble man, who had a shroud of mystery put on him by the media thanks to his ability to absolutely destroy people. But underneath that shroud was one of the kindest, gentlest souls that ever fought for a living. Fedor Emelianenko is still the greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time, and he’s a pretty amazing person as well. And that’s what I’ll remember most about him. And that’s all that matters to me. And frankly, I think that’s all that really should matter.

Whether he retires or not, I’ll never forget Fedor Emelianenko. “Fedor vs. Henderson” was a pretty good event overall, even with the bittersweet finale that may have seen Fedor’s career come to a close.

5. This could be one of Strikeforce’s last mega-cards.

With much of the internet still reeling from the news of Alistair Overeem’s departure, and with both Fedor and Henderson rumored to be walking from Strikeforce if they lose this fight or even if they win, this just might be the beginning of the end for Strikeforce. Luckily, this event is packed with stars. As the roster continues to get whittled down, that’s going to cause Strikeforce to spread out more of their bonafide stars in order to make individual shows more appealing. “Fedor vs. Henderson” is an interesting mix of veterans, legends, prospects, and championships… and it may be one of the last of its kind.

4. The winners of the two Welterweight fights will likely face each other for the vacant championship.

With Nick Diaz leaving for the UFC and leaving the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship behind, you have to think that this is the only path to take that makes sense. So, with that said, that should motivate all four men (Paul Daley, Tyron Woodley, Scott Smith, and Tarec Saffiedine) to come out guns blazing and looking to assert themselves in the post-Diaz era of Strikeforce Welterweights. And that should make their fights even more exciting.

3. The winner of the Middleweight fight gets to rematch Ronaldo Souza.

Robbie Lawler and Tim Kennedy are two very different fighters that posed two very different threats to Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza. Even though he beat them both, both Lawler and Kennedy are top-division fighters and it only makes sense to put them against each other with the winner getting a rematch against “Jacare”. This is an interesting fight that could end in many different ways, so it’s definitely worth watching.

2. Marloes Coenen and Meisha Tate will more than likely be fighting for the future of Women’s MMA.

Since being acquired by Zuffa, Strikeforce has reduced its focus on its women’s MMA division, some would say drastically. But if anything can make the Zuffa brass think twice about abandoning WMMA, it’s this fight. These are two of the best and most popular female fighters in the world going toe-to-toe for what could be five full rounds. It should be a great fight, and it should also be a firm indicator on what will happen to WMMA in the immediate future.

And the number-one reason to watch “Fedor vs. Henderson” is…

1. The main event, period.

I’ve talked about this event for so long and through so many articles that I’ve honestly ran out of things to say. Well, almost. So to end my pre-event coverage on “Fedor vs. Henderson”, let me say this: I wish neither man had to lose. I’ve followed both of them for a long, long time, and I’m proud to consider myself a fan of both. If this fight lives up to the hype, it should be one of the best, most nostalgic fights of the year. There’s no way I’m missing this one.

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

Scott Smith vs. Tarec Saffiedine: I’ve just got to go with the veteran here. I think Saffiedine will eventually work his way to the top or near it, but it won’t be against Strikeforce’s “Comeback King”. Tarec will make Smith work for it, but Smith has been in there with the best and he’s even beaten a few of them. Humbling losses aside, Smith still commands my respect for continually facing the best for the last several years running. Scott Smith wins by TKO in Round 2.

Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley: We all know what’s going to happen here. Tyron Woodley is going to take Daley down and keep him there. It’s going to be the Josh Koscheck fight all over again, except maybe with more Ground and Pound. The only hope Daley has is to nail that massive bomb and walk away with a first-round KO. All other outcomes end with Tyron Woodley taking home the Unanimous Decision.

Tim Kennedy vs. Robbie Lawler: Tim Kennedy displayed some good striking against Ronaldo Souza and has always been a good ground fighter, so I think he’ll be pretty evenly-matched against Robbie Lawler. I think Kennedy has better wrestling than Lawler, so Kennedy will stand for a bit but shoot for and keep getting the takedowns once he feels Lawler’s power. Like Daley/Woodley, Lawler has go to nail that bomb. Otherwise, Tim Kennedy is too versatile and well-rounded. Tim Kennedy wins by Unanimous Decision.

Marloes Coenen vs. Meisha Tate: Part of me wants to side with Tate, but I think the odds are just too stacked against her. I don’t think Tate has the punching power to knock Coenen out, and she’ll have problems getting the takedown due to Coenen’s long frame. Even worse, those long legs of Coenen will wrap up the smaller Tate before long and Tate will have to submit or risk either napping or something snapping. Look for Coenen to win by submission in either Round 2 or 3.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson: That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I hate to have to pick between two of my favorite fighters, and I do hope that this fight lives up to its potential. I’m echoing the sentiments of my friend here: if this fight sucks, I’ve lost all faith in Strikeforce.

That said, my stance on this subject remains unchanged: I’ll always believe in Fedor Emelianenko. I think Emelianenko is going to beat Henderson, but I think it’s going to be a complete war of attrition. Fedor’s combined assaults both on the feet and on the ground will just be too much for Henderson, the grizzled veteran. In the end, my prediction is that this will be a “Fight of the Year” candidate and that Fedor Emelianenko will win by Unanimous Decision.

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

5. Fedor Emelianenko may have his eyes on retirement rather than this fight.

It pains me to start off this list with this reason, it really does. Remember, I consider Fedor Emelianenko the greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time. But I just can’t shake the feeling I got when Fedor openly talked about retiring following his tough loss to Antonio Silva. Fedor has always been mentally strong, but part of me believes that his heart may not be in it anymore, in full or in part. That’s just a suspicion, though, which is why it’s starting off this list.

4. Dan Henderson is riding a wave of momentum not seen since the PRIDE days.

I think even his three-fight win-streak in the UFC that included his monster KO over Michael Bisping doesn’t quite come as close to Henderson’s current streak. Henderson has looked like a force that can’t be stopped in Strikeforce’s 205 division, he made quick work of both Renato Sobral and Rafael Cavalcante. Henderson isn’t just the best fighter at 205 in Strikeforce, he’s one of the best fighters in Strikeforce period. And that’s a huge motivational advantage going into a big fight like this.

3. If you’re a good enough fighter and you’re not dealing with a gargantuan weight difference, size honestly doesn’t matter.

As I’ve described before, a twenty-five pound weight difference is downright minuscule compared to a fight where an average Heavyweight fights this “new breed” of Heavyweight that has to cut weight to get to 265 and actually has skill. Let’s not forget, many fighters have moved up in weight to challenge themselves against the best and a few have had very memorable runs because of it. And let’s not forget that this sport of ours was practically founded on the principle that size doesn’t matter… just ask Royce Gracie.

2. No matter how old he is, no matter how good the chins of his opponents are… if Henderson hits you with that bomb, you’re done.

The last three wins of Dan Henderson’s career have all come by (T)KO. And the one TKO should’ve realistically been a KO, since all three of those wins were “KTFO” moments. Dan Henderson still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, that’s the only way he can still nail that bomb after all these years. Everyone knows it’s there, everyone tries to avoid it, but when it connects, you can’t do anything about it because you’re too busy losing your grip on consciousness. Fedor Emelianenko has never been properly stopped due to strikes, but if Henderson nails that killer hook, he’s got a chance of crumbling Fedor’s seemingly-impervious chin.

And the number-one reason why Dan Henderson could beat Fedor Emelianenko is…

1. Fedor Emelianenko is on a two-fight losing-streak.

Did I expect Fedor Emelianenko to retire (technically) unbeaten? I honestly did. Even with my “anything can happen in MMA” stance, even with my “if you’ve never been knocked out before you just haven’t met the right striker” stance, even with all of that… I never expected Fedor Emelianenko to lose. Now he’s lost twice. The enigma has been solved, “The Last Emperor” has been taken from the throne. It’s now undeniable that Fedor Emelianenko can be beaten. And that’s the biggest reason why Dan Henderson could beat Fedor Emelianenko.

5. Since he’s getting older, Light Heavyweight is a better weight for Dan Henderson and at 205 the weight difference isn’t as bad as people assume it to be.

Think of it this way: at 205 going up against Fedor at 230, Henderson has to cope with a weight difference of twenty-five pounds. When Fedor was 230 going up against Antonio Silva, who has to cut weight to 265 and probably weighed somewhere around 280 when he stepped into the cage, Fedor had to deal with anywhere from a thirty-five to fifty pound difference. The last time Henderson fought at Middleweight, he began to show signs of slowing down. Henderson looks healthier at Light Heavyweight, he’s been dominant so far in Strikeforce at Light Heavyweight, and the weight disparity is in line with what most smaller Heavyweights have to deal with when going up against the “new breed” of hulking behemoth Heavyweights that have actual skill on top of their mountains of muscles.

4. The UFC itself has done this.

It’s funny that a lot of people are criticizing this fight when in fact the UFC has done something like this and worse, even. If having a champion move up in weight to take on a larger opponent is the basis for a “freak show” fight, then fights like BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre 2 was a “freak show” fight, or Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin, or Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin. In fact, you could make a serious argument that Silva/Irvin was more of a “freak show” fight than this fight, because Irvin had done absolutely nothing to earn a shot against Silva and the fight was booked primarily to steal viewers from the Affliction promotion.

3. Fedor Emelianenko has never been the biggest Heavyweight.

As I mentioned in my first part of this two-parter, the fact that Dan Henderson has fought at Middleweight is the biggest reason why this fight could be perceived as a “freak show” fight. But let’s not forget that Fedor Emelianenko has never been the largest, most muscular Heavyweight. At a chubby (most would say “healthy”) 230, people have been thinking that Fedor Emelianenko could and maybe should cut to Light Heavyweight ever since Werdum beat him. Although Dan Henderson is a smaller fighter, make no mistake: Fedor Emelianenko is not Brock Lesnar or Antonio Silva.

2. Dan Henderson has talked about the possibility of fighting Fedor in the past.

How is it a “freak show” fight when one of the fighters has specifically mentioned in several interviews all throughout the years that he’s interested in facing his opponent? Henderson may not have seriously pursued a fight with Fedor until Strikeforce offered it to him, but he was always open to the possibility of fighting “The Last Emperor”. No one is being forced to fight here, they both want to fight each other in order to test their skills and get another great fight on their amazing, star-studded records. That doesn’t sound like a “freak show” fight to me at all.

And the number-one reason why this isn’t a “freak show” fight is…

1. It’s two legends fighting each other.

Fedor Emelianenko has earned my respect throughout the years. So has Dan Henderson. Since practically the start of their careers, both men have been fighting the top competition in the world, in rings and cages throughout the world. Both are veterans of many, many fights and both hold a commandingly positive record that is highlighted by brilliant finishes, dramatic submissions, and even amazing come-from-behind victories. If that’s the formula for a “freak show” fight, then I’ll dare to say it: I’d like more of this kind of “freak show” fight.

The Event: Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson, currently scheduled for July 30, 2011 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The main card will be broadcast live on the Showtime network starting at 10 PM ET and PT.

Why You Should Care: The main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson is a “dream fight” for any longtime follower of the sport. If that wasn’t good enough, you’ve also got a championship on the line. And to top it all off, you’ve got a trifecta of interesting non-title match-ups that will more than likely determine the next people to compete for a Strikeforce championship.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko needs a win badly, and Dan Henderson wants to beat the MMA icon in hopes of becoming one himself. They’ll come out of their corners of the cage without any hesitation and looking to dramatically finish each other. It’s a battle of legends, and it has all the makings of a legendary fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: So far, Marloes Coenen has been both hot and cold at 135 pounds. She’ll need to be on her A-game when tackling the unique challenges that Meisha Tate poses. This is simply a matter of the two best fighters in a division fighting each other, and this fight has several interesting possibilities that should all make for an excellent encounter.

Why You Should Watch This Card: With just one event, Strikeforce will bring some stability after the Zuffa purchase shook the promotion to its core. With this event, we’ll know where both Fedor and Henderson stands. We’ll know if championship-level women’s fighting has a place near the top of an MMA card. We’ll know who will challenge for the Middleweight Championship, and we’ll also probably know the two men who will battle to win the vacant Welterweight Championship. There’s a lot on the line for this event, and if that motivates all the fighters to bring their best, this should be one of the best cards of the year.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly can’t think of a reason, so I’m taking the road far less traveled and omitting this section from this entry into my “Crash Course” series. No matter who you are, you should probably watch this event. It’s just that good.

Closing Thoughts: Outside of the UFC, I have to say that this is my most-anticipated event for the rest of the year. I sincerely hope that my favorites like Fedor Emelianenko pull through, and I look forward to what should be some very memorable encounters. With the way Strikeforce has changed since the Zuffa purchase, many people think that Strikeforce is on life support and will be gone soon. But even if Strikeforce will soon be no more, at least it’s going to go down in a blaze of glory, promoting great events and awesome fights up until the very end.

5. Henderson is only two fights removed from a humbling loss to Jake Shields.

Believe me, I can and will discuss how Fedor losing two straight could end up being a major advantage for Henderson when I post that topic tomorrow. But let’s not forget that Henderson had one good round against Jake Shields before spending the next four on his back, getting dominated. Let’s also not forget the two very tough losses Henderson was handed in the UFC. It may not be the biggest advantage, which is why it starts out this list, but the fact that Henderson has been beaten eight times and even humbled a few times should give Emelianenko some sort of mental advantage.

4. Fedor’s chin is outstanding.

After two rounds of being absolutely dominated by the behemoth known as Antonio Silva, Fedor Emelianenko wanted more. At one point, Antonio Silva had Fedor Emelianenko in Full Mount and was unloading on him with massive punches from his pair of gargantuan fists. It was a situation that a few of Silva’s opponents had found themselves in before… and they all got knocked out. Emelianenko’s chin is still great to this day, so even if Henderson is able to drop the bomb, Fedor just might be able to power right through it.

3. Emelianenko’s top game is quite good, and he’s always had a slippery bottom game.

Emelianenko has always had a fantastic top game, and he’s never stayed on the bottom for long. That wasn’t true against Antonio Silva, but there’s a reason for that. As much as I like Antonio Silva and respect his skills as a ground fighter, the fact that he probably weighed in excess of 280 pounds when he stepped into the cage against Fedor was the chief reason why Fedor couldn’t get out from under him. Against Henderson, Fedor has a real shot of keeping this fight wherever he wants it and getting out of any of Henderson’s successful takedowns.

2. Emelianenko will likely have a size/strength advantage.

Being a bit shorter or a little less heavier didn’t matter as much back when Fedor was ruling over PRIDE FC with an iron fist, since most (if not all) of the guys with freakish physiques were glorified “freak show” fighters. But in today’s world of massive Heavyweights that are world-caliber fighters, Fedor’s relatively smaller size has begun to give him problems. He won’t have those problems against Dan Henderson, and for the first time in a while, Emelianenko will face someone that is actually smaller than him. And that’s a pretty big advantage.

And the number-one reason why Fedor Emelianenko could beat Dan Henderson is…

1. It’s Fedor Emelianenko.

You can love him or you can hate him, but I truly consider Fedor Emelianenko the greatest Mixed Martial Arts fighter of all time. That’s just how I feel, and I honestly don’t know if anything will ever be able to change that opinion. Win or lose, Fedor Emelianenko is a champion. He’s an incredibly humble man, and a true ambassador of the sport. Others may have left him, but I’ll always believe in Fedor Emelianenko. Because it’s Fedor. And that’s the best reason why he could beat Dan Hendrson.

5. There’s really nobody for Henderson to face in the Light Heavyweight division.

The one flaw that continues to hamper Strikeforce time and time again is the relative weakness of most of their weight divisions. At 205 specifically, no one (and I do mean no one) has been able to hold onto that championship. Even worse, they keep winning it in dominant fashion only to get humbled and lose it in their next fight. Realistically, Henderson has to wait for some upstart 205’ers to work their way up the card or else face a host of former champions whose prestige took a real hit when they lost the title.

4. All the other good Heavyweights for Fedor to beat are either tied up in the Grand Prix, recovering from losses, or fighting elsewhere.

Alistair Overeem is pretty angry at Strikeforce right now and has signed to fight at another organization, although he’s contractually allowed to do so. Even Andrei Arlovski is going to fight in another promotion soon. Everyone that won their first fight in the Grand Prix is still in the Grand Prix, everyone else just got done fighting and needs time to recover. The other Strikeforce Heavyweight fighters aren’t really big enough names to deserve a fight against Fedor.

3. This is the last fight of Dan Henderson’s contract and Zuffa needs an excuse to let him go if he plays the same card twice.

When Dan Henderson has to renegotiate his contract with the now Zuffa-owned Strikeforce after this bout, it may open up old wounds. Remember, the UFC practically forced Henderson to sign with Strikeforce. The UFC didn’t take too kindly to Henderson holding out for more money, so they promptly showed him the door despite the fact that he was coming off of one of the best knockout victories of his career. Zuffa would look like an even colder corporation if they let Henderson walk as a Strikeforce champion. But if he’s coming off of a humbling loss and still asks for more money? That may be a good enough reason to let him go, even with the title.

2. Fedor Emelianenko is on a two-fight losing-streak.

What do you do with the man who commands the highest pay rate in the company but has lost two fights in humbling fashion? You give him a third fight against an opponent where his reputation will be even more damaged if he loses… and then you cut him. This is a win-win situation for Zuffa, who gets to reduce at least one of the highest salaries in Strikeforce. And believe me, given their history, Zuffa will be more than happy to cut Fedor on the heels of a three-fight losing-streak.

1. Dan Henderson has fought at Middleweight.

Try as I might, I just can’t take this away from the cynics. It’s true: Dan Henderson is a smaller fighter. He’s a Light Heavyweight at best, and he’s taking on a man that routinely weighs in at 230. The blow is softened somewhat when you realize how good of a fighter Henderson is… but still, this is the strongest indicator that at least part of this fight has a “freak show” factor.

Dan Henderson is a veteran of almost forty fights, and has been competing in Mixed Martial Arts since 1997. Henderson would compete for the UFC twice, both times at UFC 17, before embarking on a Japanese excursion that would carry him into the new millennium and beyond. In one of the most legendary MMA promotions of all time, PRIDE FC, Dan Henderson set himself apart as one of that organization’s best fighters.

Henderson fought everyone, and I do mean everyone, in PRIDE. He even once held two titles at the same time in the organization. Henderson would transition to the UFC and promptly lose back-to-back fights, although he would rebound with three straight victories. In the UFC, Henderson’s crowning achievement was an amazing KO win over Michael Bisping at UFC 100. After contract negotiations between Henderson and the UFC broke down, “Hendo” would end up signing to Strikeforce and is now currently the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion.

His opponent, Fedor Emelianenko, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Mixed Martial Arts fighters of all time. Until 2010, Emelianenko carried an astounding 31-1 record. Even more astounding, many fans believe that he was technically undefeated due to the nature of his loss (it takes some explaining, so look it up if you’re interested). But then Fabricio Werdum shook the world as we knew it and submitted Fedor Emelianenko in the first round. And then Antonio Silva brutalized Emelianenko for two rounds and forced a doctor’s stoppage at the start of the third.

For so long, it was simply assumed that it was impossible for Fedor Emelianenko to lose. Now he’s lost two fights in a row, and both have been stoppages. I’m not the only one that believes that Fedor will retire if he loses this fight. Thankfully, I’m also not the only one that believes that this is going to be an incredible fight.

I really want Fedor Emelianenko to win this fight, and I think he can. He’ll definite have a size advantage, that’s for sure. He’ll be able to stand and trade with Henderson without fear of being bullied in the way that “Bigfoot” Silva was able to bully him. Emelianenko also has a great ground game considering he’s going up against the wrestling-based Henderson.

But Henderson can seize the moment if he wants to badly enough. He’s looked great in his last two fights, and I think we’re right in the middle of Dan Henderson’s big comeback. If Henderson doesn’t let the pressure get to him, he definitely has a shot at beating “The Last Emperor”.

In the end, this should be an incredible fight and it’s one of those fights where I wish neither man had to lose. There’s no way I’m missing this one.

5. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson

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

4. Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

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

3. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami

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

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

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

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

1. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

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

5. Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson”

Say what you will about Paul Daley, and I’ve personally said plenty in my time, but the man is an entertaining fighter. His recent loss to Nick Diaz was one of the most exciting one-round fights of the year. Meanwhile, Tyron Woodley has been making waves on the lower-level “Challengers” shows with his growing skill and his finishing ability. With Daley’s original opponent bowing out, this is the opportunity of a lifetime for Tyron Woodley, especially now that the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship has been vacated. And that, combined with the fact that Paul Daley is rarely not entertaining, should result in one heck of a fight.

4. Pat Curran vs. Ronnie Mann at Bellator 47

Whoever wins this fight has got to be the favorite to win the entire “Summer Series” tournament. Both men gave fantastic performances in their first-round fights, and have been giving fantastic performances for quite some time. I don’t know what to expect from this fight, but only because both men are so versatile and can finish their opponent in so many different ways. It’s going to be an all-out war, and it should be one of the best fights of the month.

3. Marloes Coenen vs. Meisha Tate at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson”

In the fight that won her the championship, Marloes Coenen proved that her long arms and legs coupled with her skills as a veteran are enough to beat just about anybody. In her first defense of the championship, she proved to have the heart of a champion and never gave up, winning her fight in the fourth round despite being picked apart up until that point. Now, Coenen faces Meisha Tate, one of the most popular and well-rounded women’s fighters in Strikeforce. Can Coenen deal with such an all-around threat, especially after her image took a not-insignificant hit in her last fight? It’ll certainly be interesting to find out.

2. Joe Warren vs. Patricio Freire at Bellator 47.

As the saying goes, the “stars are aligned” for this fight and I’m thinking Freire will be able to take Warren out. Joe Warren’s last fight was one big blunder of a Bantamweight debut, prompting me to “award” Joe Warren my “Flop of the Month” for May 2011. And Patricio Freire has been looking all kinds of excellent lately. Whoever wins this fight will undoubtedly be the best Featherweight in Bellator, and it should be quite the rematch.

And my number-one most-anticipated fight of July 2011 is…

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson”

This will be the fight that decides Fedor Emelianenko’s future. I can’t stand Fedor’s cynics, and it really angers me to think of what they’ll say if Emelianenko loses to a Dan Henderson that comes in at Heavyweight. But if Dan Henderson beats Fedor Emelianenko, it’ll be one of the biggest wins of his career and a crystal-clear statement that he’s back and better than ever.  But if Fedor Emelianenko beats Dan Henderson, he still might retire. I just don’t know what will happen to Fedor Emelianenko, even if he wins this match. And with Fedor one of my favorite fighters and one of the fighters I personally consider as a “best of all time” Mixed Martial Artist, there’s absolutely no chance that I’m missing this fight.

And there you have it, fans and friends!

We head to MMA Fighting for the official word. According to their report, an injury has forced “Cyborg” Santos to pull out of his upcoming fight with the British knockout artist. It is currently unknown who will replace Daley, it’s not even known whether or not Daley will still be competing on the card.

Ironically, both men have one big thing in common: they both lost to Nick Diaz in supremely humbling fashion in their most-recent fights. Heading into his showdown with Diaz, Santos held a barely-positive record of 18-13 and was soundly trounced by Diaz before succumbing to a second-round armbar. Many felt that Strikeforce was grasping at straws when putting someone like Santos, a longtime journeyman, into such a pivotal match-up.

Diaz’s next opponent, Paul Daley, was much more of a threat to Diaz’s reign. In perhaps the most exciting single-round fight of the last several years, Daley and Diaz fought an all-out war that saw both men dazed and hurt several times. After coming back from the razor’s edge and avoiding the first real KO loss of his career, Diaz ended the fight in the first round, stopping Daley due to strikes and giving “Semtex” the first real TKO loss of his career.

I definitely would’ve liked to see this fight, but if one of these fighters had to get injured, I’m glad it’s Santos. I know that sounds pretty insensitive, but I can’t help the way I feel. I think Paul Daley is a great addition to Strikeforce’s roster and gives them a badly-needed injection of talent. I think Daley will be a one-dimensional striker for the rest of his life, but he’s so entertaining and usually so dominant in that one dimension that I just can’t hold it against him. If he does decide to take a new opponent for “Fedor vs. Henderson”, I’ll certainly enjoy watching him fight.

Meanwhile, Evangelista Santos has never struck me as anything more than an up-and-down journeyman whose performances vary wildly based on the quality of the competition he’s facing. Much like I consider Valentijn Overeem “the other Overeem”, I consider Evangelista Santos “the other Cyborg”.

Of course, the removal of Santos makes me wonder who’s ready and deserving of a shot against Daley. But that just makes me think of an even bigger question that needs to be answered: what’s left for Paul Daley in Strikeforce? I’ll go one step further: what’s left for any Welterweight in Strikeforce?

When will Strikeforce crown a new Welterweight Champion now that Nick Diaz has vacated the belt and signed with the UFC? And let’s be honest: that new champion is going to have a long, hard road ahead of him if he wants to emerge out of the shadow of Diaz. Nick Diaz was one of Strikeforce’s biggest stars and one of its top draws both in television ratings and live attendance/gate receipts. He was mathematically, figuratively, and literally the most-dominant champion in Strikeforce history. Whoever wins the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship now that it’s vacated… I’ll always wonder “could he have beaten Nick?”

And I have a sinking feeling that I’m going to answer “no” to that question, time and time again. So, really, where does the Strikeforce welterweight division go from here?

The news comes from the Twitter of noted MMA journalist, reporter, and author Jonathan Snowden. Snowden recently tweeted the following: “Sources close to both fighters tell me the Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson fight has been finalized for July 30th in Chicago on Showtime”.

If this report is true, an official announcement should come down the pipeline in the next few days/weeks. It was rumored that this fight would be the main event of Strikeforce’s first Pay-Per-View, but it appears that those plans have changed.

Even though a certain section of the fanbase remains pretty cynical about this fight, I honestly think it’s a very interesting match-up. Whether it’s at a catchweight or at Heavyweight, this fight has loads of potential.

I truly think that if Fedor Emelianenko wants to continue to compete at the highest levels in this sport at his age and at this point in his career, then he needs to start fighting smaller competition. It’s true that Emelianenko has felled giants before. But that was the past. That was then, and this is now. And in the here and now, we’ve seen the slow but steady evolution of the massive Heavyweight fighter. No longer do these fighters only have size as their strength, no longer are their gigantic muscles their only benefit. Now we’re seeing a new crop of Heavyweights that combined technique with power, and subtlety with aggression.

Case in point: Antonio Silva. Antonio Silva is a massive man, but that’s not all he has going for him. He’s got good cardio, impressive hand speed and power, a very good chin, and a startlingly-good submission game. Antonio Silva is good at almost everything, and while I wouldn’t go as far as to say that he’s the complete package, he definitely defies the stereotype that giant fighters are just “freak show” attractions.

In short: the Heavyweights may be getting bigger, but they’re also getting better. And that’s just not good for someone who traditionally always comes in near 230.

So, this fight with Henderson is a very smart move. In a perfect world, there would be two distinct Heavyweight divisions so as to eliminate these giant gaps in weight, to make sure that someone who naturally weighs 230 doesn’t fight against someone who cuts to 265 and then may weigh as much as 280 on fight night.  But that just doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon, leaving Fedor with one realistic option: fight smaller guys.

All things being equal, Fedor Emelianenko is still a great fighter. He made a mistake against Werdum, and he got manhandled by a much-larger Antonio Silva. Against Dan Henderson, he’ll have the chance to impose his will in the grappling and not have to deal with a mountain of a man taking him down and sitting on him. Dan Henderson is no joke, and he’s a pretty big threat to Fedor, but without any huge weight disparity between the two, this fight will be the competitive war that it rightfully deserves to be.

So not only am I looking forward to this fight, I can’t wait to see it. What about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on this latest news?

While Fedor may be arguably in the “twilight” of his career, he still manages to entice fans both with his aura and fighting ability, which has laid waste to some of the greatest heavyweight of all time, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mark Coleman (twice) and former PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix 2006 Champion, Mirko “Cro Cop”.

However, negotiations have come to a stand still and now that strikeforce (the San Jose based organization whom houses both Henderson and Emelianenko) has been acquired under the Zuffa banner, CEO Lorenzo Fertitta will now step in now to help expedite the process.

UFC President Dana White confirmed with MMAJunkie.com that Lorenzo is now working closely with the parties involved on behalf of Henderson and Emelianeko in order to make what would be a historic fight now possible.

“Lorenzo’s working on it,” said the UFC head honcho. “Me getting anywhere near that thing? You’ll never see that fight.”

White has had some choice words for both men in the past, however since Henderson and Fedor are both now under the Zuffa banner, it looks like Dana will have to play ball, and now part of that will be for him to take himself out of the equation as far as negotiations are concerned. White and Fertitta have been known to play off of each other, a sort of “good cop, bad cop” dynamic duo. Where one person fails, the other will succeed.

Henderson, the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, has said that he would be willing to move up to the heavyweight division in order to take on the former PRIDE champion, though the bout has not been pegged to any specific weight-class as of yet.

The match is said to take place later this summer on July 30th and could be the organization’s first foray into the Pay-Per-View market. With Henderson and Fedor possibly headlining, it will be interesting to see how PPV numbers will do with both of these legends already well respected and known throughout the mixed martial arts community.

Sound off in the comment section below.

Let’s start with something we can all agree on: it’s always big news when a champion or former champion moves up or down in weight. People love to talk about Anderson Silva’s runs at 205 and when he’ll next return to Light Heavyweight, people are clamoring to see Georges St. Pierre jump up to Middleweight. In this case, we would be seeing a champion moving up and a former champion moving down.

Now, I know what some are thinking and have even said: isn’t this a bit unfair for Henderson? He’s competed as low as 185, after all.

To which I say: this isn’t Hendo’s first rodeo, and he’s made a career out of fighting at different weight classes. If anyone knows how to add or lose pounds the right way, it’s the man who once held a Middleweight and a Light Heavyweight Championship at the same time.

I wouldn’t consider myself a Dan Henderson super-fan, not like I consider myself a Fedor super-fan, but I certainly think he’s capable of adding ten or even twenty pounds from his current 205 frame and not losing a step in the process.

It would also be very interesting to see how Fedor Emelianenko does when he’s forced to cut weight. Maybe “forced” isn’t the right term, but I would definitely love to see a “leaner and meaner” Fedor Emelianenko. A lot of people have started calling Fedor “fat”, and I absolutely don’t agree with that. Just look at Tim Sylvia’s run at Super Heavyweight for an actual instance of a fighter totally letting himself go after a string of tough losses. But still, if this fight were to happen, and if it were to be at a catchweight, this would conceivably be the first time in his entire career that Fedor Emelianenko doesn’t fight at his natural weight. Try and tell me that’s not something you’d like to see.

Now, here’s something we as fans often do disagree about but also something I believe wholeheartedly: there’s still some fight left in Fedor Emelianenko. At the very, very least he still has at least one last, amazing performance in him. He may have made some mistakes in his last two fights, but a fighter like Fedor doesn’t simply fade off into the distance. If this fight does end up happening, trust me when I say that I know to my very core that Fedor will go out with a bang.

I respect Dan Henderson and like him as a fighter. I admire Fedor Emelianenko and all that he’s accomplished. If this fight is the headlining attraction of a Strikeforce Pay-Per-View, I honestly can think of only a handful of fights that Strikeforce could have made that would have possibly measured up. So long as all the dominoes fall into place, this could be one of the best fights of the year between two of the best veteran fighters still competing today. I can’t say I hope Fedor wins, I can’t say I hope Henderson wins. All I’m hoping for right now is that this fight does indeed happen.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on this potential match-up?

After his last loss against the aforementioned Silva, many speculated as to what would become of Fedor. Though he hinted towards retirement following the defeat, the Russian gathered himself and will still continue to compete.

Though no longer in the illustrious heavyweight grand prix which kicked off last February, there are still favorable matches that Emelianenko could partake in. One bout that is sure to satisfy the most hardcore of fans may be taking shape this July, as it appears that Fedor will be stepping in the cage against current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson.

The bout between these two legends has been rumored, or at least speculated, for sometime now, though nothing official has come to fruition.

Henderson recently picked up an impressive knockout win over former titleholder Rafael “Feijao”, one of the main training partners of pound-for-pound best Anderson Silva. The win helped extend a two-fight win streak for the Team Quest co-owner, and in the process, Henderson was become the organization’s new 205-pound champion as of this past March.

In recent interviews, Henderson has stated his desires of facing the heavyweight great, and said he would even be willing to move up to the heavyweight division in order to make the bout a reality. Realistically speaking, it would not necessarily be at a disadvantage should Henderson moved up in weight. Fedor has long been regarded as a fantastic fighter, though his pudgy exterior is evidence of a man who likes his food. Regularly weighing in at 230-pounds, should Emelianenko adopt a stricter diet, he could conceivably be a light-heavyweight fighter, which is an idea he has tied around with in recent memory.

Both men are scheduled to make their return come this July, for the same event which is scheduled for the organization’s first pay-per-view card.

Both men have verbally agreed to the match-up, and though nothing has become official yet, expect to see these two legends fight, most likely at a catch-weight, especially if the organization intends on stepping foot into the PPV field.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Who do you favor in the bout? And do you think Fedor should make a permanent move to the light heavyweight division? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Ovince St. Preux

OSP came from humble beginnings (he went 0-2 in his first two fights) but has now emerged as one of Strikeforce’s biggest prospects at 205. He’s won seven straight fights, all of which took place in 2010. He even once competed in Strikeforce three times in three months. OSP is young, hungry, talented, and dedicated. He’s built of the same stuff Mousasi is, although the two have very different styles. This would be OSP’s toughest test to date and a worthy replacement for Mike Kyle.

4. Roger Gracie

The Gracie name is undergoing a bit of a resurgence, and that’s mostly because of this man. Even I can admit that Gracie has begun to win me over: his ground game is what you’d expect of a Gracie, but dare I say it, his stand-up is evolving from “passable” to “good”. In submission fighting, Gracie’s record is 65-7. In MMA, his record is 4-0 with four submissions. Three of those came in the first round, one came in the second. Gracie is on such a hotstreak that not only do I think he deserves a shot at Mousasi, I think the winner of this match fully deserves a title shot.

3. Rafael Cavalcante

What better way to earn a shot at the championship than by beating a former champion? Cavalcante may have stumbled against Henderson, but he’s still one of the best Light Heavyweight fighters in Strikeforce. This would be a very interesting match-up and it would likely end with somebody face-down on the canvas. The big appeal of this match would be to see if Cavalcante’s massive frame and power punching can best Mousasi’s tactical gameplan and crisp counter-striking.

2. Muhammed Lawal

But if there’s one thing bigger than beating a former champion, it’s beating the former champion that became a champion by dethroning you. It’s been almost a year since Muhammed Lawal wrestled his way to a Unanimous Decision win over Mousasi, and since then Mousasi has competed on two separate occasions, winning bout bouts by first-round submission. Lawal has been sitting on the sidelines since August of last year, healing from an injury and his loss to Rafael Cavalcante. I can only think of one bigger match than these two making their Strikeforce returns against each other.

And the number-one opponent I’d like to see Gegard Mousasi face is…

1. Dan Henderson

If it happens, it honestly wouldn’t be the first time a fighter that was supposed to be fighting to crown the next challenger gets bumped up to being the next challenger. It also wouldn’t be the first time Strikeforce has given a title shot to a fighter that’s coming off of a loss. And as I said, Mousasi is coming off of a loss only in Strikeforce, he’s won two bouts overseas. I think this is honestly one of the most interesting fights Strikeforce could make at 205. The young, clever, versatile Mousasi would make a perfect foil to the old lion that’s got dynamite in his hands and a renewed fire in his heart.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who would you like to see Mousasi face now that Mike Kyle is injured?

After debuting in the San Jose based organization in April of last year in disappointing fashion against then middleweight champion Jake Shields, the Team Quest co-owner has since rattled off a two-fight win streak inside the cage.

In that stretch, Henderson dropped his patented “H-Bomb” on those two foes, Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Rafael “Feijao”–whom Dan dethroned as the promotions light heavyweight titleholder.

Now, the living legend will be returning to the cage a little bit later this year, however upon his return he will have a bevy of contenders waiting on the wings to challenge him.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker appeared recently on the MMAWeekly.com Radio Show and spoke regarding his champion in Henderson. A front runner for the title shot will be the bout pitting UFC vet Mike Kyle against the former Strikeforce titleholder in Gegard Mousasi.

Said bout will be taking place come this April in San Diego, California. The main-event of the evening will pit welterweight champion Nick Diaz against one of his toughest challenges to date, as he will be taking on UFC cast out Paul Daley.

Mousasi will be looking to get his crack at the title again after he his strap in August of last year against wrestling powerhouse Muhammed Lawal. Since then, Mousasi has since rattled off a two fight win streak in Japan’s DREAM organization, where he submitted both Jake O’Brien and Tatsuya Mizuno en route to the 205-pound title.

Kyle, meanwhile, is coming off of a loss, though his performance was admirable and has kept him in the top of the light heavyweight class. In his last outing, Mike stepped up on short notice to face current heavyweight grand-prix semi-finalist Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. Early in the fight, Kyle managed to drop Silva early and controlled the rest of the frame from their on out. Silva was able to recover and mount an offense in the second-round, eventually mounting and finishing Kyle off with strikes on the ground.

Prior to the loss, Mike had compiled a five-fight win streak (not including a no-contest during the stretch) which included a submission victory over Abungo Humphrey under the Strikeforce banner.

Though it hasn’t been made official, the winner will almost certainly face Henderson as he returns in the fall.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Who do you think will come out the victory between Kyle and Mousasi? Sound off in the comment section below.

It’s no secret that UFC President Dana White is one of the most polarizing figures in the sport, and part of his obvious charm is his lack of any sort of censorship. When something is on his mind, he has no problem with freely expressing himself, even if it is at the expense of others, case in point is his disdain for such fighters such as Paul Daley, Josh Barnett and MMA personality Frank Shamrock–all of whom have a rocky past with the UFC head honcho.

And while Dana and current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson have had their own troubled past, don’t expect the former PRIDE star to completely rule out a return to the UFC, which could happen very soon.

Henderson was last seen inside the octagon in July of 2009, when at UFC 100 he created an instant highlight reel that fans still talk about, when he brutally knocked out now budding contender Michael Bisping in a middleweight bout. Dan has shown that his power carries over weight classes, as he has since captured the Strikeforce light heavyweight crown when he landed his same signature right hand to the dome of Rafael “Feijao”, wresting the title away from the dangerous Brazilian striker, who doubles as a training partner for pound-for-pound best, Anderson Silva.

His place within Strikeforce seemed secure for the time being, however Dan has since lamented that when his current contract with the San Jose based promotion is up–which holds one more fight–he would not close the door to a return to the UFC.

“I had no plans of leaving (Strikeforce), but I don’t know what this is going to do those plans, but I have one fight left on my deal and we’ll see what happens,” said Henderson, who recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com about his pending decisions.

At UFC 100, the Team Quest co-owner completed the final fight on his contract with the Zuffa owned organization and was able to field offers from outside organizations, which he did when he signed with Strikeforce for a larger lump sum–one of which the UFC was unwilling to match. And while Dana had panned Henderson in the press, the California native never held an bad feelings and knew that it was just all business.

“I’ve never said anything bad about them. I always appreciated everything they’ve done for me and for the sport. It’s just I was paid more money to go elsewhere, and that’s what I did. Dana’s the type that needs to talk a little smack if he doesn’t get his way, but I’ve got no hard feelings about anything.”

So when prompted if a return to the UFC and working with Dana White could be possible, Henderson quickly responded with “of course”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Would you like to see Henderson return to the UFC, or do you think his talents are best suited for Strikeforce? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to MMA Weekly to see what “Hendo” had to say regarding the situation. Henderson, who left the UFC amidst a very high-profile contract dispute, said, “It’s a little shocking. I had no idea… I don’t know what to feel about it, I don’t necessarily think, it might not be the best thing for the sport… I had no plans of leaving [Strikeforce], but I don’t know what this is going to do those plans, but I have one fight left on my deal and we’ll see what happens.”

Knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley, who was given a permanent ban from the UFC after a post-fight attack on Josh Koscheck, had this to say over at “The Underground”: “Business as usual, what if i dont wanna fight for DANA WHITE? …Someone better holla at my manager real quick… Dana white bans me for life from the UFC, Then buys STRIKEFORCE, and thinks im still gonna be EASY and fight on one of the most anticipated fights of the year (vs Diaz)? Which will no doubt make ZUFFA/Dana White money… Not sure what im gonna do right now, honestly…”

I can understand why a section of the fanbase is taking a strong negative stance against this latest bit of news. I can even understand why fighters like Henderson and Daley feel very uncertain about their futures right now. However, I think this all boils down to one thing: Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, not Dana White. And Zuffa, LLC is much more than just Dana White.

Although the UFC President is by far the most well-known of the bunch, Zuffa, LLC is still a four-part team: brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, White himself, and Abu Dhabi’s Flash Entertainment. The Fertitta brothers still own an overwhelming majority of Zuffa, and by extension the UFC. It’s easy to look at Dana White and assume that fighters like Henderson and Daley are as good as done for. But that’s simply not the case. Nothing is for certain right now, and while Dana White always seems to be perceived as the “Big Bad” to the type of underground fan that appreciates Strikeforce, in truth he’s just one cog, albeit a very, very vocal one, in a large, ever-spinning wheel.

I think Paul Daley would be making a serious mistake if he burned his bridge with Strikeforce, which according to White himself will continue to operate as a promotion, simply because Dana is now the man behind the curtain. Because honestly, what’s left for him? The UFC will never be an option again. He’s about to fight for a major championship of a major promotion. With no UFC and no Strikeforce, all that’s left for Daley are promotions like Bellator or international promotions like BAMMA, which he has expressed interest in. But either option represents a severe paycut compared to what he could be making as a Strikeforce headliner.

At the end of the day, I’m going to try and remain positive about this deal. It’s very easy and even understandable to have a strong negative reaction since this was so unexpected and very few people thought it would happen as quickly as it did. But it’s happening whether we like it or not, so I choose to think positive and hope for the best.

But what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on what “Hendo” or “Semtex” had to say?

While he hasn’t real gone anywhere, the Armenian has had to do a little bit of “redeeming” after a setback suffered in April of last year, where he lost the Strikeforce 205-pound title against world class wrestler, “King Mo”.

The title has been like hot potato since. Once Muhammed Lawal claimed the strap, he immediately lost it in his first defense when he took on Rafael “Feijao”, who later relinquished his strap against current champ Dan Henderson.

Now, Mousasi will look to find some consistency in a shaky division, after posting a two-fight win streak since his defeat to Mo, when he takes on perennial contender Mike Kyle.

Strikeforce officials announced the light heavyweight bout during their Showtime televised broadcast last weekend for “Strikforce: Henderson vs. Feijao”. While they haven’t necessarily eluded to the fact that this particular bout will be for the number one contenders spot, both Dan Henderson (the promotion’s current champion) and Mike Kyle have both suggested in multiple interviews that this bout could determine just that.

Mousasi was last seen in action under the DREAM banner in Japan where he made it to the finals of the promotion’s inaugural 205-pound Grand Prix, which Mousasi later cinched when he submitted Judoka Tatsuya Mizuno inside of the opening round. The win helped extend a two-fight win streak for the K-1 veteran, who has also clocked a submission win over UFC veteran Jake O’Brien during this stretch.

Kyle, meanwhile, is coming off of a spirited loss in his last performance. In December, Kyle was knocked out by current heavyweight Grand Prix semi-finalist Antonio Silva in the second-round. However, the result doesn’t tell the whole story. Early in the first-round, Kyle relied on his speed to keep Silva on his toes early on, and just as soon as the bout began, it almost ended. Kyle, a product of the American Kickboxing Academy, scored a hard right hand that sent Silva crashing to the canvas. The goliath heavyweight spent the rest of the round on his back, with Kyle pounding away. A little fatigued and having suffered a broken hand in the onslaught, fortunes were reversed in the second-round for Mike, who was mounted and later finished off with strikes. In defeat, he still gained much respect and his position amongst the top in his more natural division at 205-pounds.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor, and you think the winner should rightfully challenge Henderson in the foreseeable future for the belt? Sound off in the comment section below.

At the ripe age of 40, Henderson was able to nab his prestigious strikeforce light heavyweight title when he knocked out then champion Rafael “Feijao” in the third-round of their championship bout last weekend.

Since then, Gegard Mousasi and/or Mike Kyle have appeared as the front runners for Henderson’s newly acquired title, however the former PRIDE star may have other people in mind at this point. In fact, currently it’s the former consensus pound-for-pound best fighter in the world in Fedor Emelianenko, which has recently peaked Dan’s interest.

Recently, the Team Quest co-owner suggested that he would like to get a few more fights in before the year is out, and then have some time to spend in the pleasant surroundings of his budding family.

What that in mind, Henderson has never been one to shy away from a challenge, having competed in his career mostly as a middleweight, however has been inclined to take bigger challenges above his weight should the right opportunity present itself.

Chief among those challenges lies in “The Last Emperor”, the aforementioned Fedor Emelianenko.

“”Obviously, he’s still one of the top guys out there in the world, and it would be a huge challenge,” said Dan of the former PRIDE heavyweight champion, while speaking with MMAJunkie.com. “It would interest me to go up.”

While Dan would undoubtedly give up some size should he meet with Fedor in the heavyweight division, it wouldn’t be by too much. Fedor typically walks around about 230-pounds against Henderson’s 205. Keep in mind, it’s not as if Emelianenko, 34, is exactly the most “chizzled” star in the mixed martial arts world, to say the least.

However, if there was any fight that would lull Fedor back into the fight game and away from any conotation’s of possible retirement, it would surely be against a guy like Henderson, who is as endeared in the MMA community as himself.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Do you think this could be a fight that we see in the foreseeable future? Which weight class should this fight take place? Sound off in the comment section below.

Ricardo Almeida has won four of last five fights in the UFC, recently winning a unanimous decision over TJ Grant, which eased the blow of a high profile loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 117.  At 34, “The Big Dog” does not have any Randy Couture or Dan Henderson age-defying DNA to source and fully realizes it is go-time, right now, to start a win streak and return to the conversation at the top of the 170lb division.

“I don’t have another 10 years like a lot of these younger guys, I have to maximize everything I do. I definitely am not going to waste my time to please people.  I fight the way I fight. I fight to win and that is what I am going to do.”

Standing in the way of his fifth win since his return to the UFC after a run in Japan, is veteran Mike Pyle, who is trying to back up his upset victory over John Hathaway.  This UFC 128 battle also may be a gateway fight, with the winner securing a high profile main card opponent next time out.

“Pyle is someone who has been around a long time, he is a veteran.  That was his coming out party,  as far as the UFC is concerned. I just see him as someone a lot like myself.  He looked good against Hathaway, but he still did most of his damage with the takedown and when he had that triangle – the mount triangle with side control.”

While Pyle is fresh off a high profile main card win, the last time many MMA fans saw Almeida was in his surprising first round loss to Matt Hughes.  Almeida was in the best shape of his life for that fight, and the choke-out loss stung, but the veteran handled the outcome with perspective.

“Anytime you have a loss it is a little deflating, it is heartbreaking. I trained so hard for it … you lose, you have to get back and look at the mistake you made, whether it was preparation or execution mistakes.  At the same time you can’t hold on to it too long.  I got to make sure I don’t get caught with a left hook again. If I do, I don’t try to force my way out of the bottom and caught on a full head lock.”

Preparation and training should not be an issue for Pyle or Almeida.  Pyle is part of Xtreme Couture, the high profile team and gym in Las Vegas while Almeida has assembled an all-star cast on the East Coast that is known for their legendary workouts on Monday’s in NYC and Tuesday mornings in Hamilton, NJ at Ricardo’s gym.   The group is lead by Almeida, UFC Champion Frankie Edgar and includes Eddie Alvarez, Nick Catone and Kris McCray, for starters.

“For Frankie to alternate rounds with Eddie Alvarez to Chris Liguori then to me, the guys from New York come down, like Igor Grace, Gregor Gracie, Renzo Gracie.  On Monday’s, we go to NYC and train under John Danaher and Renzo; we train with all the guys up there … we got David Branch and Rafael Sapo.”

If there is strength in numbers, then Team Almeida is a growing power and should be ready for the UFC 128 challenges ahead in Mike Pyle for Almeida, Dan Miller for Nick Catone and Gray Maynard for Frankie Edgar at UFC 130.

“It is a big family,” Almeida notes, “with each training camp we get higher and higher.  This is the first training camp we do all the sparring together.  We do all the strength and conditioning together. It is a big push for all of us to pick up the guy next to you.  All the time you are pushing him and he is pushing you.  It is bringing the whole team to a whole different level.”

With his crew in the corner, Almeida can’t wait to fight again in his backyard, just up the turnpike in Newark, NJ.

So, what can we expect from Almeida in round one against Mike Pyle?

“I always bring the pressure forward.  If Pyle has a chink in his armor, he does not do so well against pressure. You can expect me to come forward and push for the grappling.”

–

Who will win – Almeida or Pyle?  Why? How?

First up is the question of the all-mighty dollar. MMA Junkie brings us the official fighter salary totals of Strikeforce’s most recent event, and they stand as such.

Dan Henderson: $250,000 (no win bonus) defeated Rafael Cavalcante: $28,000

Marloes Coenen: $10,000 (no win bonus) defeated Liz Carmouche: $5,000

Tim Kennedy: $50,000 (no win bonus) defeated Melvin Manhoef: $10,000

Jorge Masvidal: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) defeated Billy Evangelista: $20,000

Roger Bowling: $7,000 (includes $3,500 win bonus) defeated Josh Thornburg: $2,000

Jorge Gurgel: $8,000 ($4,000 win bonus) defeated Billy Vaughn: $1,500

Jason Freeman: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Jason Riley: $1,500

Brian Rogers: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Ian Rammel: $1,500

Mitch Whitesel: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Marc Cofer: $1,500

John Kuhner: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated J.P. Feity: $1,500

In addition to those figures, we also have MMA Junkie to thank once again for the official list of fighter injuries and medical suspensions resulting from “Feijao vs. Henderson”. Here they are in their entirety:

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante is suspended 60 days for precautionary reasons due to his knockout loss. Jorge Masvidal is suspended indefinitely until his hand is cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Billy Evangelista is suspended indefinitely until his eyes are cleared by an ophthalmologist. Billy Vaughan is suspended 30 days for precautionary reasons. Jason Riley is suspended indefinitely until his eyes are cleared by an ophthalmologist; he is also suspended 30 days for precautionary reasons due to his TKO loss. Ian Rammel is suspended indefinitely until medically cleared. Mitch Whitesel is suspended 90 days per the Ohio State Athletic Commission’s mandatory rest period for accumulated bouts. J.P. Felty is suspended 60 days for precautionary reasons due to his knockout loss.

There’s nothing too serious on the injured front, a lot of precautionary layoffs and not much else. Depending on what the doctors say, “indefinite suspensions” could end up being a few weeks maximum. Regardless, I wish everyone the best and hope that everyone is back in the cage healthy and ready before long.

In regards to the fighter’s salaries, I’m honestly bordering on angry at how little Marloes Coenen made. I rarely criticize Strikeforce, but honestly: look at that number and then ask yourself why Cristiane Santos hasn’t stepped into the cage in so long. It’s clear as day. I rarely criticize Strikeforce, but as a converted Marloes Coenen fan, I hate to see her pocket ten thousand as a champion while the other champion of the night, Dan Henderson, made twenty-five times more than her. Twenty. Five. Times.

Now, I know what the response to that is going to be: Marloes Coenen is not Dan Henderson. And I most definitely agree. But even when you consider that, just look at some of the fighters who made more money than her. Billy Evangelista? Jorge Masvidal? Evangelista doubled her paycheck, Masvidal tripled it. Are those seriously two names you think of when you think “champion”? After her incredible come-from-behind victory at “Feijao vs. Henderson”, I certainly think of “champion” when I think of Marloes Coenen.

But what’s your take on this, fans and friends? As I said, I rarely criticize Strikeforce, so I honestly am wondering if I’m misguided in whole or in part, or even if I’m outright wrong, when I accuse them of mistreating Coenen. Let the opinions fly.

First up are the live attendance figures of Strikeforce’s latest “Arena Series” shows, courtesy of MMA Junkie. According to their report, “Feijao vs. Henderson” drew 7,123 fans to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Next up are the TV ratings for the event, again brought to us by MMA Junkie: “Feijao vs. Henderson” averaged 412,000 viewers during the course of its live broadcast on the Showtime network. According to the report, that number is almost half that of the “Fedor vs. Silva” card Strikeforce held in early February.

These numbers do seem a bit deflating at first glance, but I’m actually quite positive about how this show performed. Remember, this is the first event that Strikeforce has ever held in Ohio. When you think of it that way, the live attendance seems like a pretty respectable number. And even if you’d consider this number a loss, you have to at least admit that it’s not a very big one.

Likewise, the ratings decline from this show compared to “Fedor vs. Silva” also doesn’t seem so bad if you put everything into context. As much as I respect all parties involved, there simply wasn’t a whole lot of hype surrounding this main event, nor the co-main event. Rafael Cavalcante was an unproven champion, while Henderson’s status as a top-division star was iffy at best: he scored a big KO over Renato Sobral, but before that he suffered a very deflating loss to Jake Shields.

Also, there just wasn’t a whole lot of hype over Marloes Coenen defending her championship against Liz Carmouche. The main reason for this was simply a matter of timing: Coenen’s expected opponent, Meisha Tate, pulled out very close to fight time and Strikeforce was left to scramble together some promotion for Carmouche. And while Carmouche did prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s one of Strikeforce’s top females, Strikeforce simply didn’t have enough time to properly promote this match-up.

Consider that, and consider the promotion behind the start of Strikeforce’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is easily one of the biggest MMA happenings of the year, and at “Fedor vs. Silva” in particular, Strikeforce had months and months to promote the return of Fedor Emelianenko, who fought for the first time since his dramatic submission loss to Fabricio Werdum.

At the end of the day, I’m going to go ahead and call this one a success for Strikeforce. It’s certainly a step in the right direction, and it continued the amazing streak Strikeforce has been on lately, with a majority of their televised fights not going to the judges, with many of them ending dramatically. I’ve still got a lot of faith in Strikeforce, and I still think they’re going to have an amazing year.

But what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on the numbers for this show?

At the ripe old age of 40-years-old, Henderson showed the mixed martial arts world that he still has plenty left in the tank.

Against arguably one of his most dangerous opponent’s, “Hendo” was able to weather an early storm from the Brazilian banger in Rafael “Feijao” and eventually recorded a signature KO win, courtesy of his devastating right hand. With the victory, Henderson not only claimed the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, but has become the recipient of the totally superficial “Knockout of the Night” award.

While Strikeforce does not carry the same model that the UFC does in handing out performance bonuses, I thought it would be only prevalent to highlight some of the stronger performances of last Saturday’s showtime card.

After suffering a surprise knockdown in the first-round of the 205-pound title match, Henderson stormed back in the second-round, wearing down his opponent through clinch work and successive takedowns, courtesy of his Olympic wrestling career.

Eventually, the Team Quest product was eventually able to setup the infamous right hand with a inside leg kick, sweeping Rafael’s head, planting him face first on the mat. Henderson, always the finisher, followed his opponent to the mat, took back-mount and unleashed six more telling blows, leaving little doubt that he had truly become the new Strikeforce light heavyweight champion,

And for that, he deserves the evening’s “KO of the Night”–MMA peeps, do you agree? Sound off in the comment section below.

The Maiquel Falcao Award For Best Fighter That Coasted To A Victory Simply Because He Didn’t Want To Risk Losing: Jorge Masvidal, who was a classless act through and through in his Strikeforce debut. I’ve had my issues with Masvidal in the past, and nothing he did at “Feijao vs. Henderson” changed my opinion. In fact, I now think even less of Masvidal, and the only opponents I look forward to seeing him fight in Strikeforce will be the ones that will either knock him out or choke him out.

The Cheick Kongo Award For Outstanding Achievement In The Art Of Turtle Mimicry: Melvin Manhoef, as if there could be anyone else. Manhoef and Kongo are so cut from the same cloth that they could be clones of each other. On the feet, they’re wrecking machines. On the floor, they’re still pretty good so long as they’re on top. But the second they get put on their backs on the ground, you might as well give yourself a bathroom break, because you should know by now what’s going to happen. It’s a real shame that Manhoef’s Achilles Heel is weaker than ever, because Strikeforce could really use a great stand-up fighter like him.

The Anderson Silva Award For “Hail Mary” Submission Of The Night: Marloes Coenen, who was pretty much a female Anderson Silva facing a female Chael Sonnen. Like Sonnen, contender Liz Carmouche outright dominated the fight and shut down most, if not all, of the champion’s offense. But like Silva, Coenen never let her will break and always hunted for the submission, eventually getting it late into the fight, in the championship rounds no less. It was a win that proved once again that true champions never give up.

The Last Punch You’ll Never See Award: Dan Henderson, who continues to find a way to land his massive right despite the many years where that one punch has been his calling card. Henderson’s entire fighting stance focuses on keeping that right hand cocked and ready, and yet most of his opponents just haven’t found a way to avoid it. It really is the last punch you’ll never see, even though it’s Henderson’s pride and joy. It’s a tribute to Henderson’s lasting ability, and looking forward, it’s the one thing all Strikeforce Light Heavyweights should be in constant fear of. Because the second you doubt its power, the second you think you’ve found a way to consistently dodge it… that’s the one second you get before you’re on the floor wondering what just happened.

The Gus Johnson Award For Outstanding Achievement In Failing As An Announcer: Mauro Ranallo, for his incessant and idiotic branding of Dan Henderson’s right hand as the “H-Bomb”. This is by far one of the stupidest, most ridiculous nicknames I’ve ever heard in MMA, and that’s saying quite a lot considering how MMA is the home of the goofy nickname. Ranallo is trying way too hard to get this nickname to stick, and I cringe every time I hear it.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. And remember, it’s all in good fun… mostly What about you? Any thoughts/opinions ready to be shared?

As always, let’s give the situation a little context before we dive into the fight itself. Coming into this bout, Rafael Cavalcante was a 10-2 champion, with one loss by disqualification, and was a full decade younger than Henderson. Not so long ago, Cavalcante was being tapped as the next big breakout star that fans should absolutely pay attention to.

Then, of course, he suffered a major TKO loss to Mike Kyle. But that loss was a distant memory in the weeks leading up to this event. What was far fresher in the minds of many fans was Cavalcante’s performances after that loss: three straight (T)KO wins, including one over Muhammed Lawal to win the championship. Like Cavalcante, “King Mo” was regarded as a can’t-miss prospect. And when Cavalcante beat him, many thought that it was the win that signaled that “Feijao” had reached the potential he had shown before his dramatic loss to Kyle.

And then there was Dan Henderson.

“Hendo” had a pretty rough time in his Strikeforce debut: after nearly finishing Jake Shields, he then spent much of the next five rounds on his back with Shields punching him in the face. It was one of the most deflating losses of Henderson’s long career. But in typical Henderson fashion, he rebounded and went on to KO former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Renato Sobral in his second fight under the Strikeforce banner. However, fans still wondered: would Henderson be able to deal with a savvy young champion? He wasn’t able to against Shields, after all.

But in the end, Henderson sealed his comeback by taking “Feijao” into the third round and then knocking him out fifty seconds in. Not only was it another amazing KO from the Olympic-level wrestler, it was a testament to Henderson’s heart and willpower. Henderson spent much of Round 1 and Round 2 recuperating from a punch that nearly knocked him out, and when it was finally time for Henderson to take the lead and start swinging leather, Cavalcante was hit so hard that he turned a full one hundred and eighty degrees before falling to the mat.

And that’s power, my friends. The power to not just survive, but thrive when you yourself were on the brink of defeat just a few minutes ago. The power to look Father Time in the eyes and say “not yet”. The power to one day break the curse of Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champions losing their belts in their first defense.

That’s power. That’s Dan Henderson.

And that’s all I really have to say. I had my doubts, and I couldn’t be happier that “Hendo” shattered them. It was no contest: Dan Henderson fully deserves my unofficial “Performance of the Night” award.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you think gave the best performance at “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

Next for Melvin Manhoef: Most likely Manhoef will return to Japan, whether to compete in K-1 or the Japanese-based DREAM promotion. In his immediate future, Strikeforce should entertain the idea of booking a rematch between him and Robbie Lawler. Considering how dramatic their first fight was, and how “Ruthless” is coming off of a loss, I think a rematch makes sense. If not, Manhoef needs another stand-up brawler that won’t take the fight down. That’s where he shines brightest, and that’s where Strikeforce will get the most mileage out of him. The only problem is that Strikeforce doesn’t have many of those fighters in their Middleweight division.

Next for Tim Kennedy: If Strikeforce can convince Jim Miller, Kennedy and “Mayhem” to determine the next Middleweight contender makes the most sense. However, anything can happen when it comes to Jason Miller, and this fight was supposed to happen once before. If it fails to materialize, I think Kennedy made a big enough statement against Melvin Manhoef to earn another shot at the championship outright.

Next for Marloes Coenen: The person she was originally expected to face: Meisha Tate. Depending on the timing of this bout and how fast Tate recovers from her current knee injury, this very well may be a fight that sees Tate come in after a year-long absence. If that happens, ring rust and Coenen’s impressive size, reach, and submission game may be too much for the scrappy Tate to handle. Either way, it should be another excellent bout that stands a great chance of stealing the show.

Next for Rafael Cavalcante: I think it would be very interesting to book a rematch between Rafael Cavalcante and Muhammed Lawal. If “Feijao” beats “King Mo” again, it’s a firm step on the comeback trail. The same goes for “King Mo” beating Cavalcante. If not Lawal, then perhaps Renato Sobral. Either way, look for “Feijao” to bounce back from this loss and face a pretty tough opponent in his next bout. From here on out, it’ll only be Strikeforce’s best for “Feijao”.

Next for Dan Henderson: Henderson will likely meet the winner of the upcoming Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle bout. In Mike Kyle, Henderson faces a man ten years younger than him, but a veteran nonetheless, and someone who loves knocking people out. Against Gegard Mousasi, “Hendo” faces a man fifteen years younger that many once considered the future of the sport. Although I personally believe he’ll be the one to break “the curse”, there’s definitely a chance that Henderson’s first title defense will be his last. Both men pose very interesting, very different threats to the newly-minted champion.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

5. Tim Kennedy submitting Melvin Manhoef.

Once again Tim Kennedy put on an excellent display of heart and talent when he stepped into the cage against one of the most dangerous pure strikers in MMA: Melvin Manhoef. And for a while, Manhoef seemed to be controlling the fight. At one point, Manhoef nailed a leg kick so vicious that Kennedy’s leg gave out right underneath him. But like the warrior that he is, Kennedy survived Manhoef’s initial onslaught, took him down, and choked him out. At “Feijao vs. Henderson”, anyone who thinks Tim Kennedy isn’t one of Strikeforce’s best Middleweights got a firm reminder that they’re wrong.

4. Everything Liz Carmouche did up until she was submitted.

I was honestly shocked at Liz Carmouche’s performance against the very tough Marloes Coenen, but in a good way. Carmouche simply seemed to have all the answers. Coenen has a big reach advantage? Carmouche closed the distance and kept it a close-quarters brawl, which she was winning. Coenen has super-long legs? Carmouche simply powered out of anything and everything. It was a dominating performance, and it set Carmouche up as one of the can’t-miss females of Strikeforce’s growing female divisions.

3. Rafael Cavalcante nearly knocking out Dan Henderson.

Sometimes even a jaded internet journalist can have his jaw hit the floor. That’s pretty much how I reacted when “Feijao” landed a punch that sent “Hendo” crashing down to the canvas. It was one of those “OH!” moments, and as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I shouted (and yes, I literally shouted) when it happened. It was a firm reminder that Cavalcante packs quite a punch, and the tense few seconds between the punch connecting and Henderson recuperating were some of the most thrilling seconds of the night.

2. Marloes Coenen submitting Liz Carmouche.

A true champion doesn’t just survive under pressure, he/she thrives. And that’s exactly what Marloes Coenen did against Liz Carmouche. Coenen was down but never out, she was beat up but never beaten. A true champion never gives up and always looks to finish no matter what position he/she is in, and that determination and sheer willpower allowed Coenen to trap Carmouche in a Triangle Choke and make her tap. Marloes Coenen is definitely one of the best female fighters in Strikeforce, and seeing her win was a big highlight of the night.

And my personal pick for the best moment of Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson” is…

1. Dan Henderson knocking out Rafael Cavalcante.

As a fan of the old-school through and through, it really didn’t get much better than seeing Dan Henderson earn yet another KO in his long line of KO victories. And he won another championship to boot. MMA may have found itself another ageless wonder in Dan Henderson, and I can’t wait to see how far Henderson goes as a Strikeforce champion. I believe in Henderson, and I think he could be the one to “break the curse” and become the first-ever champion to successfully defend the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship more than once.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”. But what about you? What do you think everyone will be talking about in the days/weeks to come?

Dan Henderson defeats Rafael Cavalcante by KO (Strikes) at 0:50 of Round 3. Marloes Coenen defeats Liz Carmouche by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 1:29 of Round 4. Tim Kennedy defeats Melvin Manhoef by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:41 of Round 1. Jorge Masvidal defeats Billy Evangelista by Unanimous Decision. Roger Bowling defeats Josh Thornburg by Unanimous Decision. Jorge Gurgel defeats Billy Vaughan by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at :44 seconds of Round 1. Jason Freeman defeats Jason Riley by TKO (Strikes) at 1:52 of Round 1. Brian Rogers defeats Ian Rammel by TKO (Strikes) at 4:23 of Round 1. Mitch Whitesel defeats Marc Cofer by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:55 of Round 1. John Kuhner defeats JP Felty by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 4:31 of Round 2.

To be completely and bluntly honest, I wasn’t a fan of Jorge Masvidal coming into this fight and I’m certainly not a fan of him after this fight. This was a typical performance from a guy that just oozes cockiness out of every pore. He clearly won, but he displayed very little killer instinct. The only good thing I have to say about this fight is that the other fights made up for it.

I knew Melvin Manhoef was done for the second his fight with Tim Kennedy hit the ground and Manhoef wasn’t on top. Any longtime Manhoef fans knows what to expect when that happens. Manhoef has some good takedown defense thanks to his tree trunk legs, which is also why he has some of the most vicious leg kicks in the business, but as far as submission defense goes? It’s just not there. But I will give credit where credit is due: Tim Kennedy is a warrior and once again displayed why people should really start considering him one of Strikeforce’s best at 185.

As a converted Marloes Coenen fan, I never lost hope and I was positively thrilled when Coenen snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Liz Carmouche is definitely the real deal, and I think this performance has easily set her up as one of the best female fighters in all of Strikeforce. However, as the old saying goes… it’s not over until it’s over.

And in the main event, Dan Henderson added another championship to a trophy case that by now must be overflowing. There’s really no other way to describe Henderson’s victory than to say that he fought like the champion he is. He fought through a rough stretch where he was dropped, he got his wits back, he readjusted, and eventually, the cinder block masquerading as his right hand found a home on Rafael’s chin. I honestly don’t know if Henderson will be the one to break the Light Heavyweight curse, but if he does? It wouldn’t surprise me. And I certainly wish him all the best.

Overall, this was another very solid event courtesy of the folks at Strikeforce. Strikeforce has been hitting it out of the park a whole lot lately, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. But what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

In the Nationwide Arena, two titles will be on the line as 205-pound champion Rafael “Feijao” of the famed Blackhouse camp will be taking on arguably his toughest test to date as he meets with former dual PRIDE champion Dan Henderson, and in the co-main event Marloes Coenen will be defending her women’s welterweight crown against the undefeated Liz Carmouche.

All competitor’s were on weight for tonight’s festivities.

Also on the main card, former title challenger Tim Kennedy will be taking on K-1 veteran Melvin Manhoef in what promises to be an explosive middleweight affair, and undefeated prospect Billy Evangelista will be meeting with the returning Jorge Masvidal in a pivotal lightweight match up.

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

MAIN CARD

* Champ Rafael Cavalcante (204.5) vs. Dan Henderson (204.5) – for light heavyweight title
* Champ Marloes Coenen (135) vs. Liz Carmouche (134) – for women’s welterweight title
* Tim Kennedy (186) vs. Melvin Manhoef (185)
* Billy Evangelista (155.5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (155)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Roger Bowling (170) vs. Josh Thornburg (170)
* Billy Vaughan (152.5) vs. Jorge Gurgel (155)
* Jason “Jay” Freeman (221.5) vs. Jason Riley (259)
* Ian Rammel (180.5) vs. Brian Rogers (184.5)
* Marc Cofer (185) vs. Mitch Whitesel (182.5)
* J.P. Felty (170.5) vs. John Kuhner (170.5)

I find myself pretty conflicted when it comes to the Tim Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef match-up. Part of me definitely wants Manhoef to win, because when he’s “on”, the man is a destroyer and incredibly entertaining. Up until Robbie Lawler KO’d him, Manhoef looked amazing in his Strikeforce debut. I think Strikeforce needs someone like Manhoef in their growing Middleweight division, someone who will always go after it and brings Strikeforce some international appeal. Manhoef may always be a one-trick pony, but I respect him for constantly trying to finish his fights.

But then again, I’ve also got a whole lot of respect for Tim Kennedy, and that’s only partially because of his history as a decorated war veteran. Most of my respect for him has to do with what he’s shown inside the Strikeforce cage: he’s a pretty humble person and also as tough as they come. He came pretty close to beating Ronaldo Souza, and he’s definitely emerged as one of Strikeforce’s premiere Middleweight fighters.

All I hope is that this fight turns out to be as entertaining as I think it will be.

I’m also really looking forward to seeing Marloes Coenen back in action. I’m definitely a converted fan, and I think it’s going to be very interesting to see how Coenen performs now that she’s a champion. She’s got quite a tough battle ahead of her: Liz Carmouche is no joke, and I can see her beating Coenen if presented with an opportunity to do so. This is definitely worthy of co-main event status, and I look forward to seeing the women steal the show once again.

Dan Henderson vs. Rafael Cavalcante is another one of those fights where I really don’t want either man to lose. I really respect Dan Henderson, and part of me feels an outright obligation to support the old-school fighters simply because they’re trying their best to stay relevant in today’s world of rapidly-evolving, ever-changing techniques and styles.

However, Rafael Cavalcante is a very entertaining fighter and I think he has it in him to be a dominating champion. This fight is very, very important for him: it’s going to set the tone for the rest of his championship reign, if he does manage to beat Henderson. Since its inception, the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division has never had a truly dominant champion, in fact, only one champion has ever successfully defended his championship after winning it. I absolutely believe that Cavalcante possesses the heart, talent and raw potential to turn that tide… all that’s left for him to do is seize the opportunity.

In the end, I’m definitely looking forward to this card. It’s not the greatest Strikeforce card ever, but sometimes the events that don’t feature the absolute best also end up being really solid and entertaining. I have faith in this card and faith in Strikeforce in general, so I feel confident in saying that we’re going to have a fun, free night of fights on our hands.

And that’s that, fans and friends. But what about you? Any last thoughts on “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Masvidal: It’s tough to say, really. Evangelista has never lost, but as a whole, Masvidal has fought (and sometimes beaten) higher quality competition. However, every time I think of Jorge Masvidal, my mind goes to one of two places: one is his recent, deflating loss to Paul Daley. The other is the epic Inverted Triangle Toby Imada used to choke Masvidal unconscious. I think it’ll be a tough fight for both, but in the end I think Billy Evangelista will win by Unanimous Decision.

Tim Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef: I hate to pick against Tim Kennedy, really I do. But Melvin Manhoef’s Achilles Heel comes in the form of two fighters: submission specialists, and strikers with epic one-hit knockout power. Tim Kennedy is neither of those things. Here’s what Kennedy is: he’s a very tough brawler with good hands, good cardio, and not an ounce of quit in him. But Manhoef is simply far better in the stand-up game. This will be the dominating victory that his loss to Robbie Lawler should have been. Melvin Manhoef wins by TKO in Round 1.

Marloes Coenen (c) vs. Liz Carmouche for the Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship: This will all come down to experience. Both women want this championship badly, but Coenen has over four times as many fights as Carmouche. Coenen knows both defeat and victory, and she’s a force at 135 given her size, reach, submission ability, and power. Carmouche isn’t going down without a fight, so expect a tough first round. However, it’ll all end before the third round. Marloes Coenen wins by Submission in Round 2.

Rafael Cavalcante (c) vs. Dan Henderson for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship: And now we get to the million-dollar question of today’s “Picks and Predictions” post. I’m honestly a bit conflicted: I wouldn’t call myself a super-fan of either of these two, but I honestly don’t want either of them to lose. I respect Dan Henderson a lot, he’s a great veteran and he can usually still go. I also think Rafael Cavalcante has all the makings of a great and prestige-building champion. Both of these two match up so well with each other, so it’s a pretty difficult choice to make. I could easily see this fight going either way, I can even see it ending by dramatic finish in any round at any time, but because I have to choose, I’m picking Rafael Cavalcante by Split Decision.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What are your picks and predictions for Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

5. Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson at UFC: “Fight Night 24”.

Both men are at a pretty interesting crossroads in their careers right now. Dan Hardy was the tough Brit who would never quit and had an iron chin… until Carlos Condit knocked him out. Anthony Johnson was supposed to be the next big can’t-miss prospect at Welterweight… then Josh Koscheck submitted him in November 2009 and “Rumble” hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since. Both men have a lot to prove in this fight, and it should be a fantastic fight.

4. Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland at UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”.

This entry definitely makes the list mostly because I’m an unabashed WEC fanboy, but this is one occasion where I have no problem letting my fanboy flag fly free. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for Urijah Faber, and I think he’s found his fire again after dropping down to Bantamweight. I’m really looking forward to seeing Faber debut in the UFC and letting all the non-WEC UFC fans know what they’ve been missing, especially given the disappointing debut of Miguel Torres.

3. Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann at “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”.

I’m going to enjoy this fight even if Diego Sanchez loses, simply because it has all the makings of an epic encounter. This is the type of match perfect for the main event of a TV card: it’s two semi-big names in a smartly-booked fight that plays to both men’s strengths. Whoever emerges the winner takes a big step towards championship relevancy, and this should motivate both men to perform at their best. And when they perform at their best, they’re very entertaining. And performing at their best against each other? That will be even more entertaining.

2. Dan Henderson vs. Rafael Cavalcante at Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”.

As a massive fan of the old school, part of me really wants Dan Henderson to beat Rafael Cavalcante. But as a moderate fan of Rafael Cavalcante, another part of me wants “Feijao” to beat Henderson in order to both legitimize his championship reign and bring stability to Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight division. It’s a tough fight to call, and it could go either way, and very few things are for certain until these two step into the cage. But one thing is for certain: if it lives up to its potential, this will be an awesome match.

And by quite a large margin, my number-one most-anticipated fight of March 2011 is…

1. Mauricio Rua vs. Jon Jones at UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones”.

I’ve talked about this match a whole lot, and I’ve had to deal with my fair share of criticism for my views. But I can’t wait to be proven right, because I wholeheartedly believe that I know exactly what is going to happen. I think Mauricio Rua’s mega-hyped comeback is all smoke and mirrors, and I think Jon Jones will prove once again that he’s the future of the Light Heavyweight division. A new era is about to dawn: Jon Jones will break the streak of Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few defenses, a chain that has remained unbroken since Quinton Jackson famously dethroned Chuck Liddell all the way back in 2007. I absolutely cannot wait for this match.

And there you have it, fans and friends! But what about you? What bouts are you most looking forward to for March 2011?

5. Is Jorge Masvidal really ready for the big time?

I’ve had my disagreements with Jorge Masvidal in the past, but in general, I don’t think of him as a boring fighter. But the fact remains that Masvidal registers relatively low on my radar. That may change soon, depending on his performance at this event. Masvidal faces the very tough Billy Evangelista at “Feijao vs. Henderson”, and if he’s able to win dramatically, we could see him become an overnight star in Strikeforce’s admittedly-shallow Lightweight division.

4. Once again Strikeforce has booked a women’s MMA fight with serious show-stealing potential.

I’ve said this before, but it does bear repeating considering the harsh stance I took against her in the weeks leading up to the fight where she won the championship. So here it is again: I’m a converted Marloes Coenen fan. Not only was her win against Sarah Kaufman a very dominating performance, it was also a very entertaining fight. On March 5, Coenen faces an opponent that’s never been beaten and has finished four of her five professional MMA bouts. I learned a while back that the women are pretty good at stealing the show, so I’ve got high hopes for this match.

3. Can Melvin Manhoef erase the mistakes he made in his Strikeforce debut?

Up until the last few seconds of his fight with Robbie Lawler, Manhoef debuted in Strikeforce the best way possible: by pummeling and even outright dominating one of Strikeforce’s bigger names at Middleweight. Of course, that fantastic debut would come screeching to a halt when Lawler landed a Hail Mary blow that put Manhoef down and out. Has Manhoef learned from his mistakes? Can he really beat the tough Tim Kennedy, especially now that he (Manhoef) is on a two-fight losing-streak? It’ll certainly be interesting to find out.

2. How many tricks does the old dog still have up his sleeve?

Even the staunchest Dan Henderson supporter has to admit that he’s been pretty hit-or-miss since the legendary PRIDE FC promotion went under. The hits: a brilliant performance against Michael Bisping, a huge KO win over Renato Sobral. The misses: deflating losses to both Anderson Silva and Jake Shields, two opponents that managed to thoroughly dominate Henderson before their fight was through. So which Dan Henderson shows up to take on Cavalcante? It’s arguably the biggest question that needs to be answered at this event, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m going to be tuning in.

And the number one reason to watch this show is…

1. The ascension of Rafael Cavalcante.

It’s the big leagues for “Feijao” now, and there’s no going back. At one time Cavalcante was supposed to be the next big thing, and once again he’s been put into that position. Not only does a big win over Dan Henderson stabilize and legitimize Rafael Cavalcante, it stabilizes and legitimizes the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division as a whole. This will be the toughest test of Cavalcante’s career, and I can’t wait to see him prove himself or die trying.

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

The Event: Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”, also known as Strikeforce: “Columbus”, currently scheduled for March 5, 2011 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The main card will be broadcast live on the Showtime network starting at 10 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: There are a lot of questions surrounding the two champions defending their titles at “Feijao vs. Henderson”. Is Rafael Cavalcante really championship material, especially considering how the last two Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champions (Gegard Mousasi and Muhammed Lawal) lost the title in their first defense? Did a drop to 135 truly resurrect Marloes Coenen? These are important questions that all Strikeforce fans should be thinking about, and they’ll be answered at this show.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Dan Henderson wants to capitalize on the wave of momentum he’s riding since knocking out Renato Sobral, and he wants to do it by knocking out Rafael Cavalcante and becoming the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Meanwhile, Cavalcante wants to legitimize himself as champion and would do just that if he were to finish the grizzled MMA veteran. Both men have a whole lot riding on this match and should show up at their best, and if they do, Strikeforce fans are in for one epic encounter.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Marloes Coenen will look to duplicate her recent performance at Strikeforce: “San Jose”, except now she’ll try to do it against the unbeaten Liz Carmouche. Coenen will use her long reach to constantly assault Carmouche while taking minimal damage herself, and if the fight goes to the ground, Coenen’s sizable frame and long legs make her a submission threat to anyone. As a finisher, Carmouche will come in looking to swing leather. It has all the makings of a great brawl.

Why You Should Watch This Card: If you’re a Dan Henderson fan or an old-school MMA fan in general, you really should think about watching this card. This may or may not be Dan’s “swan song”, this is the fight that will once and for all prove if Dan Henderson can still be a force in today’s MMA. In addition to that, Strikeforce has put together several solid fights, including another championship bout, to anchor this championship bout.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: Unless you’re a fan of Women’s MMA (and you should be, by the way), this is pretty much a one-fight card. Most mainstream fans either don’t know or don’t really care about Jorge Masvidal and Billy Evangelista. Tim Kennedy certainly turns a few heads since he’s a war veteran and a pretty solid fighter, but anybody who hasn’t followed the international scene only knows Melvin Manhoef as the guy that put a beating on Robbie Lawler right before Lawler KO’d him. Strikeforce is saving all its best talent for the upcoming second part of the opening round of their Heavyweight Grand Prix, and depending on how you feel about that, you may not lose too much sleep if you miss this card.

Closing Thoughts: I honestly like how this card is shaping up, and I think Strikeforce fans are going to be treated to a very fun night of fights. All the fights sound very solid on paper, and in particular, I’m really looking forward to the two championship fights. Strikeforce has been on an incredible hotstreak lately, with many awesome shows, so I have faith in their ability to put on quality shows even if this card in particular isn’t as filled with as many A-list talents as their last major outing.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your thoughts on this upcoming card?

March 3, 2011: “UFC  on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”: A reinvigorated Diego Sanchez looks to stake his claim to the UFC Welterweight Championship by beating Martin Kampmann, an always-dangerous elite-level 170 pounder that most recently nearly spoiled the UFC debut of Jake Shields. Former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles will also be making his UFC debut, taking on the super-tough Damacio Page. Other interesting bouts include Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman and Joe Stevenson vs. Danny Castillo.

March 5, 2011: “Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson”: Former PRIDE FC and UFC veteran Dan Henderson looks to make the most out of his most recent comeback by taking the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship away from the man who just won it, the tough and talented Rafael Cavalcante. Also, former Strikeforce Middleweight Championship contender Tim Kennedy will be in action, taking on Middleweight powerhouse and wrecking machine Melvin Manhoef. Other interesting bouts include Jorge Gurgel vs. Tyler Combs and Marloes Coenen defending her Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship against Liz Carmouche.

March 19, 2011: “UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones”: Mauricio Rua makes his long-awaited first defense of his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against the man many consider the future of the division, Jon Jones. Also, WEC legend Urijah Faber makes his long-awaited UFC debut against the tough Eddie Wineland, who is on a four-fight win-streak. Other interesting bouts include Nate Marquardt vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama and Mirko Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub.

March 26, 2011: “UFC Fight Night 24: Nogueira vs. Davis”: Grizzled veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira looks to remain relevant in the UFC’s super-competitive Light Heavyweight division by beating the fast-rising Phil Davis. Also, former UFC Welterweight Championship contender Dan Hardy takes on Anthony Johnson in what should be a fantastic war. Other interesting bouts include Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan and Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier.

And now, here are some thoughts on how I think the month of March 2011 will unfold.

I think “UFC on Versus 3” will be a quality event from top to bottom, and I also think that Sanchez will more than likely beat Kampmann. Urijah Faber will also most likely win his UFC debut too. While I think Dan Henderson is definitely on the comeback trail, I think he’s being given a title shot too soon, and I also think that Cavalcante will be able to beat him. It seems as if Strikeforce is trying their hardest to make “Hendo” a champion after going through so much to acquire his services, and I just don’t see that happening.

I’ve already vocally supported Jon Jones and picked him to win against Mauricio Rua, and I’d just like to note that nothing has happened to change that opinion. Mark my words: “Shogun” will have nothing for “Bones”. I also think Brendan Schaub is going to KO Mirko Filipovic. And finally, I think Davis may have it in him to beat “Little Nog” by Unanimous Decision so long as he doesn’t get careless on the ground. Because if he does, Nogueira could end it anywhere at any time.

All in all, it looks to be a great March 2011, fans and friends! But what about you? How do you think the month will shake out, and what’s your take on this new series?

Officials confirmed the fight following the post-fight proceedings for their most recent event, which was held at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California with a dual-title headliner featuring both Nick Diaz and Ronaldo Souza successfully defending their titles against Evangelista Santos and Robbie Lawler, respectively.

The bout between the two heavy-handed strikers will taking place this March, to coincide with the Arnold’s Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Cavalcante recently captured the light heavyweight strap when he knocked out then-undefeated star “King Mo”, with a barrage of knees and elbows in the third round of their championship bout, last August.

Since then, Henderson, a former PRIDE welterweight (183-pound) and middleweight (205-pound) champion, has become the number one contender to the promotion’s light heavyweight belt. Dan first debuted for Strikeforce last April in a disappointing-upset decision loss to then middleweight champion Jake Shields, however the Team Quest co-founder has since rebounded with a knockout win over perennial contender and former champ Renato “Babalu” Sobral last December, in a rematch that was more than 10-years in the making.

The two-men are to serve headlining duties for the “Strikeforce: Columbus” event in Ohio on March 5 at the Nationwide Arena to coincide with the annual Arnold’s event, which has usually been a hotbed for the mixed martial arts community to rally together for a great weekend of festivities. The Ultimate Fighting Championship has regularly made the Arnold’s a stop on their yearly-calender with their sell-out events, however the worlds leading mixed martial arts promotion will be skipping the festival in 2011.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the light heavyweight tilt? Who do you think will win? Sound off in the comment section below.

The event is rumored to take place on March 5 to coincide with the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio at the Nationwide Arena.

MMAFighting.com has been able to confirm the title fight with sources close to the event.

The former dual PRIDE champion was last seen in action when he defeated former rival and former Strikeforce champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral on December 4. Dan wasted no time in finishing the Brazilian submission specialist when he knocked out Sobral inside of the first-round with less then two-minutes of ring time clocked in.

The win helped set up a light heavyweight showdown with reigning champion Rafael Cavalcante. The Black House product was last seen in action in August of last year when the Brazilian defeated former titleholder Muhammed Lawal who is better known simply as “King Mo”. A considerable underdog against the heavy-handed wrestling Olympian, Cavalcante made quick work of Mo, knocking him out with a barrage of knees and elbows in the second-round.

A match pitting Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem is also rumored for the March event–which will also be a featured title fight as well as a quarter-final match up for the heavyweight Grand Prix which will run its course through 2011.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the 205-pound title fight? Will Henderson be able to defeat the Brazilian, or will Cavalcante be able to successfully defend his title and venture into the deeper waters of the weight class (ie Gegard Mousasi, Mike Kyle, Muhammed Lawal, Ovince St. Preux etc.). 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?

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?