· Strikeforce Heavyweight Tourney Set, First Round Pairings Announced
They said it couldn't be done, but it is, in fact, done.
Strikeforce announced today that it will hold an eight-man single elimination heavyweight tournament starting in February. Slated to compete are arguably the top eight heavyweights in the organization, including Champion Alistair Overeem and Fedor Emelianenko.
The first round matchups are as follows:
- Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva (Feb. 12, New Jersey)
- Sergei Kharitonov vs. Andrei Arlovski (Feb. 12, New Jersey)
- Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum (TBA)
- Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers (TBA)
Emelianenko (31-2, 1-1 SF) debuted with Strikeforce in 2009, defeating Brett Rogers via TKO. "The Last Emperor" then took on Fabricio Werdum as a heavy favorite this past June, but he was stunned by the former jiu-jitsu world champion with a triangle submission in the first round. Fedor had won 27 straight fights and had not lost since a doctor stoppage due to a cut in 2000. Emelianenko and his management company M-1 Global then re-entered negotiations with Strikeforce and Showtime, and the top heavyweight eventually re-signed.
Silva (15-2, 2-1 SF) fought in EliteXC and Sengoku before signing with Strikeforce, ranked as one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport for years. He lost to Werdum via decision in his Strikeforce debut, but "Bigfoot" has rebounded with back-to-back victories over Andrei Arlovski and Mike Kyle, setting up a fight with Fedor in the tournament's quarterfinals.
Kharitonov (17-4, 0-0 SF) signed with Strikeforce in 2010, but he has yet to compete for the organization. A longtime Pride fighter who has spent most of his career in Japan, Kharitonov will actually be making just his second appearance in the United States when he faces Arlovski in March. His most recent appearance was just last week when he knocked out Tatsuya Mizuno with a devastating knee in the first round of their "Dynamite!! 2010" bout. The noted samboist and kickboxer is actually a teammate of Overeem.
Arlovski (15-8, 0-2 SF), a former UFC heavyweight champion, has lost both of his fights in Strikeforce since signing with the organization in 2009, but he receives a spot in the tournament based on his ability to be an exciting fighter. Once one of the most feared strikers in the sport, Arlovski has already faced four tournament participants: Silva, Rogers, Emelianenko, and Werdum. He lost to all but Werdum.
Overeem (34-11, 3-0 SF), the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, recently made history as the fist man to hold three championships at one time. "The Reem" has been the Strikeforce champion since 2007, when he defeated Paul Buentello to take the title. He has actually defended the title just once, a first round TKO over Brett Rogers last May. Overeem has been busy in the last month, winning the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 championship in early December before taking out former UFC prospect Todd Duffee at "Dynamite!! 2010" last week.
Werdum (14-4-1, 3-0 SF) started his career in Pride before signing with the UFC, where he went 2-2 in the organization before leaving to sign with Strikeforce. Since then, the former jiu-jitsu world champion has flourished, winning three consecutive fights culminating with his monumental victory over Emelianenko last year.
Barnett (29-6, 0-0 SF) is actually currently under suspension from the California State Athletic Commission stemming from a failed drug test before a planned 2009 bout with Emelianenko, but he is slated to appear in front of the commission next month to re-apply for his fighter's license. The sometimes pro wrestler hasn't lost since a 2006 defeat at the hands of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, winning six straight fights in that span.
Rogers (11-2, 2-2 SF) started off his career as one of the sport's top prospects, but he ran into Fedor Emelianenko in 2009, stopping his undefeated streak. Despite losing, Rogers was awarded a title shot against Overeem in May, which he also lost via TKO. "The Grim" has since rebounded with the first decision victory of his career over Ruben "Warpath" Villareal at a W-1 event in October.
“I can’t think of a better way to start 2011 than with this major announcement,” said Ken Hershman, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports.
