Author: Jordy McElroy

Strikeforce Results: Josh Barnett Surpasses Overeem as the Tournament Favorite

Josh Barnett’s Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout against Brett Rogers was just another day at the office. The former UFC champion warmed up prior to the fight backstage in a mini wrestling bout, which involved some vintage Ric Flair …

Josh Barnett’s Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout against Brett Rogers was just another day at the office.

The former UFC champion warmed up prior to the fight backstage in a mini wrestling bout, which involved some vintage Ric Flair chops and a backbreaker finish.

After the warmup, Barnett entered the cage to compete on North American soil for the first time in over two years. His return didn’t disappoint as eager fans watched him put on a technical clinic and pick up the second-round submission victory Rogers.

While many will always criticize Barnett for testing positive for banned substances on three separate outings, it would be incredibly foolish to dismiss his skills. There aren’t many world-class wrestlers in the heavyweight division, and Barnett is one of the few fighters that fits that bill.

He has the ability to take down and control any fighter in the entire tournament. The only fighter with the ability to seriously threaten from his back is Fabricio Werdum, but he was ousted by Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in Saturday’s main event.

With the semifinal bouts finally set, who should be the favorite to win the Grand Prix?

Overeem walked into the American Airlines Center on Saturday night with that honor, but after his performance against Werdum, it’s hard not to like Barnett’s chances.

It’s definitely understandable why some may disagree with that statement. Werdum is a much better fighter than Rogers. With Overeem defeating the tougher opponent, how can Barnett surpass him as a tournament favorite?

There isn’t a single easy bout in this tournament, but Barnett is on the most favorable side of the bracket. After an incredibly tough bout against Werdum, Overeem now faces an even stiffer challenge stylistically in Antonio Silva.

Meanwhile, Barnett coasted through Rogers and slid into the semifinals slot against Sergei Kharitonov. There are a plethora of media outlets deeming Kharitonov as the dark horse of the tournament. The Russian Kickboxer is an attractive pick, and he certainly has the skills to make waves in the tournament.

Still, Kharitonov has shown his struggles against strong grapplers, most recently in his April 2009 submission loss to Jeff Monson.

It isn’t far-fetched to think Barnett gets the fight to the ground and locks up another submission or grinds out a unanimous decision.

Overeem is still one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world, but he doesn’t have the same aura he did before he fought Werdum. As fans watched “Ubereem” dominate all comers, his problems in past fights somehow disappeared without ever being tested, until now.

Overeem still showed cardio issues and a tendency to fade as a fight goes into deeper waters. He also showed some major holes in his striking defense. Barnett most likely wouldn’t be able to exploit Overeem on the feet, but he should be able to take the fight to the floor and wear the big man down.

Silva could pose problems for Barnett, but he already showed that he was susceptible to being put on his back in his bout with Werdum back in November 2009.

Barnett isn’t the popular choice. Despite his extended WWE-like post-fight promo, most fans will continue to root against him. He has definitely talked the talk. Can he finally walk the walk?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Strikeforce Results: Win over Werdum Puts Overeem Behind Velasquez and JDS

To those riding the Alistair Overeem hype train, are you still on board?Surely, a few “faithful” fans tiptoed off the bandwagon after watching his lackluster performance on Saturday night in his Strikeforce Grand Prix quarterfinals bout with Fabricio W…

To those riding the Alistair Overeem hype train, are you still on board?

Surely, a few “faithful” fans tiptoed off the bandwagon after watching his lackluster performance on Saturday night in his Strikeforce Grand Prix quarterfinals bout with Fabricio Werdum.

The highly anticipated bout turned out to be a back and forth slop fest that invalidated Josh Barnett’s claims that the best heavyweight in the world would come out of the Strikeforce tournament.

It was still a major victory for Overeem, who avenged a May 2006 loss and picked up his first win over a ranked heavyweight. The win vaults “The Demolition Man” up the heavyweight ranks, but it won’t be as high as some presumed.

Before the fight against Werdum, Overeem was pretty much the uncrowned king of the heavyweight division. He hadn’t defeated a ranked heavyweight, but the added size and incredible winning streak propelled the faith in most fans.

Despite victories over Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva and Overeem, Werdum came into the bout as a huge underdog. The majority of the media were calling for Overeem to walk through Werdum and pick up the first-round knockout.

Instead, fans were grounded by the slow battle between two cardio-depraved heavyweights. For those that have watched Overeem compete over the years, the bout against Werdum had a few sprinkles of déjà vu.

Overeem’s gas tank only held up a little over a round, and we started to see him fade as he has many times in the past.

He should definitely get props for hanging tough and earning the decision. The Overeem of the past would’ve looked for a way out.

Werdum’s performance was just plain awkward. He actually looked like the more efficient striker in the standup exchanges, but instead of working his strikes and capitalizing on a fading Overeem, the majority of his time was spent on his back smiling and pleading for Overeem to haplessly jump in his guard.

Plenty of fans have put Overeem on a pedestal as the best striker in the heavyweight division, but he was almost bested in the exchanges by a submission specialist. Werdum’s hands are definitely underrated, but he isn’t necessarily considered a world class striker.

What about guys like Junior dos Santos?

It only took Dos Santos a little over a minute to sing Werdum his lullaby at UFC 90. Overeem showed major defensive holes in his ability to block punches and effectively counter. Power is an incredible equalizer, but it can also work against you if you can’t land that fight-ending shot.

Overeem’s win puts him behind Cain Velasquez and Dos Santos in the heavyweight rankings. Die-hard Overeem fans will likely disagree, but the entire heavyweight division runs through Dos Santos and Velasquez, who have both consistently fought the tougher opposition.

Where does Overeem go from here?

He’s going to have a major task on his hands in dealing with “Bigfoot” Silva in the semifinals. Silva is another elite level striker that will capitalize on any lingering holes in Overeem’s standup.

It would be nice to see Overeem pump out a jab or utilize smaller strikes to setup bigger ones. He tends to wear himself out by only throwing power punches.

Regardless of his performance, Overeem 2.0 still has the potential to do big things in the sport.

If you’re still on the bandwagon, you may want to buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

15 Hollywood Actresses Who Would Make Great MMA Fighters

What does it take to be a MMA fighter? A person would have to be humble, a hard worker and pretty brave to say the least. This isn’t an application to become a WWE Diva or Lara Croft in the next Tomb Raider film. When you step into the octagon, there i…

What does it take to be a MMA fighter?

A person would have to be humble, a hard worker and pretty brave to say the least. This isn’t an application to become a WWE Diva or Lara Croft in the next Tomb Raider film.

When you step into the octagon, there is another human being standing across the cage coming to hurt you. There aren’t any storylines, breaks or smoke and mirrors. What you see is what you get.

Throughout generations, actresses have entertained millions by honing their craft and showcasing their hard work on the silver screen. While the majority of female actors are delegated to more sensitive roles, there are those who possess the brawn, beauty and wit to tackle the action genre.

How would a leading lady fare in an actual combat situation?

As long as Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos keeps her distance, it isn’t far fetched to believe that some actresses may be able to hold their own at a beginner’s level.

Some of these women are already gifted athletically, and all of them have starred in a film or television show that has required knowledge in a particular area of combat. Bear in mind, they would have to leave all forms of modern and medieval weaponry at home.

It probably still wouldn’t save them against Santos, but a BJJ instructor would most likely freak out if a student came to class with a samurai sword or a semi-automatic pistol.

Who are these ladies again?

Without further ado, here are 15 Hollywood actresses who would make great MMA fighters.

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Would a UFC-Strikeforce Merger Hurt the Sport?

The dream of every MMA fan is to see the best fights possible. In every professional sport, we get to see the best in the world compete against one another on a consistent basis. Unfortunately for MMA, there has always been a line in the sand when it c…

The dream of every MMA fan is to see the best fights possible.

In every professional sport, we get to see the best in the world compete against one another on a consistent basis.

Unfortunately for MMA, there has always been a line in the sand when it comes to delivering fans the dream match-ups they want to see.

While the UFC boasts the biggest stable of upper-echelon talent, there are a multitude of organizations around the world that harbor world class fighters.

A prime example is the San Jose based Strikeforce promotion, which rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the highly ridiculed EliteXC organization.

There are a plethora of major names in the promotion including Fedor Emelianenko, Nick Diaz, Alistair Overeem, and Gilbert Melendez.

Fans have dreamed about seeing these guys paired with marquee UFC names for surefire MMA blockbusters.

Earlier this year, the UFC took a giant step in making these dream match-ups a reality when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce.

The reaction from the news was reminiscent of Zuffa’s purchase of Pride in March 2007. Since the announcement, fans eagerly wait as UFC President Dana White works hard to deliver the fights they want to see.

On Oct. 29, the first superfight between the two promotions will occur when UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre defends his title against Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, who had to relinquish his belt to challenge GSP.

This fight marks the beginning of something special, and fans have every right to be excited for the future. There is nothing wrong with acquiring UFC-ready talent like Diaz, but a full-on merger between the UFC and Strikeforce has its downfalls.

What would happen to women’s MMA?

Since the February 2007 tussle between Gina Carano and Julie Kedzie, women’s MMA has grown considerably, and fans have generally accepted the ladies as viable competitors in the sport.

With Carano serving as the face of women’s MMA, the sport has introduced a multitude of other stars including Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, Marloes Coenen, Sarah Kaufman, and Miesha Tate.

The championship bout between Carano and Santos even served as the headliner on a major Strikeforce card in August 2009.

If a merger takes place, it could mean the end of women’s MMA in the mainstream spotlight. It isn’t that White and the UFC aren’t interested, but the amount of quality talent in women’s MMA simply isn’t there yet.

It’s been nearly a year since Santos’ last title defense, and Strikeforce is still searching for an opponent.

Women’s MMA is a growing project, and it will take time to bolster divisions. If you look at things from the other side of the spectrum, the opportunity to fight for the UFC and make more money could encourage more women to get involved in the sport.

Along with the uncertainty of women’s MMA, a merger could make it harder to distribute the spotlight amongst superstars and rising contenders.

With the addition of the featherweight and bantamweight divisions, UFC cards are consistently stacked. Fans used to wait around for maybe two or three big cards per year, but the influx of talent acquired from the WEC has generated an abundance of main card worthy match-ups.

With only five fights guaranteed to make it on pay-per-view, it’s tough to showcase every fighter. The UFC has done a tremendous job of turning to various outlets like Facebook and Youtube to stream the undercard of live events.

According to White, the UFC is close to adding a flyweight division. This is an entire division featuring a new stable of talent. If you add in the vast amount of talent from the Strikeforce roster, could the current UFC setup handle this amount of potential stars?

There could possibly be talk about extending the pay-per-view bouts or putting on more shows, but this decision would certainly require some major changes.

What about the entertaining talent that can’t cut it in the UFC?

The mantra for the UFC is usually three strikes and you’re out. As the divisions continue to grow, we could see fighters cut after one or two losses.

There is a multitude of entertaining talent that may not be able to cut it in the UFC. Diaz was a great example.

Towards the end of his UFC tenure, he lost three straight to Diego Sanchez, Sean Sherk, and Joe Riggs. Diaz used the EliteXC and Strikeforce promotions to build a name for himself.

He is now one of the biggest stars in the sport, and his success outside the UFC earned him the opportunity to challenge for a world title.

A true fan of the sport enjoys watching quality fights wherever they can be found. As are many others, Diaz is a quality fighter that garnered interest outside the UFC.

Why waste these guys?

As a fan, it’s great to have another medium to get your fill of the sport. If a fighter is cut from the UFC or a deal goes awry, people can still watch their favorite fighters compete in another mainstream promotion. A merger would kill that option for fans.

There are plenty of things the UFC could do to avoid spreading the sport too thin. The promotion could introduce a minor league similar to the Strikeforce Challengers series, or Strikeforce could be left intact as a smaller promotion under the Zuffa umbrella.

As for now, White is firm in his statement that the promotions will continue to work as separate entities.

How long will that last?

Only time will tell.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Josh Barnett: ‘Strikeforce Grand Prix Will Decide the No. 1 Heavyweight in MMA’

The upcoming showdown between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos may decide the next UFC heavyweight champion, but Josh Barnett believes the ongoing Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix will determine the best heavyweight in the world. “I absolutely be…

The upcoming showdown between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos may decide the next UFC heavyweight champion, but Josh Barnett believes the ongoing Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix will determine the best heavyweight in the world.

“I absolutely believe that the winner of this tournament is the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. Anybody that comes out on top of this has the experience, or got the track record, and it will be proven without a doubt.,” Barnett told MMAWeekly Radio.

“I think I’m fighting in the toughest collection of heavyweights just about ever assembled. To say otherwise would be a real travesty and would definitely show bias.”

With the tournament including world-class names like Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva, it’s hard to argue with Barnett.

The majority would still claim that the entire heavyweight division goes through Velasquez and dos Santos, but the Grand Prix winner could certainly make a case for the top spot.

It’s rare to see any stable compete with the UFC, but the Strikeforce heavyweight division more than holds its own. There are five heavyweights from both promotions that split the top 10 rankings of most publications.

On June 18, the Grand Prix continues with two major quarterfinal bouts. While Overeem squares off in the main event against Werdum, Barnett will have to find a way to deal with heavy-handed slugger Brett Rogers.

“He’s far from being one of the best guys out there in its entirety. What I mean by this is to be consistently one of the best guys,” said Barnett. “I think if he touches you he can knock anybody out, but I don’t think even he would be willing to say that he’s acquired all the skills that are necessary to be the best fighter in the world at this point.”

Rogers surprised the MMA world with his June 2009 upset over Andrei Arlovski. Since the victory, “The Grim” is 1-2 in his last three fights, with the losses coming to Emelianenko and Overeem.

There have been comparisons between Rogers and two-time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Mighty Mo, who was a previous opponent of Barnett’s, but other than explosive punching power, Barnett still sees Mighty Mo as the more complete fighter.

“I think Mighty Mo is a tougher opponent than Brett,” Barnett said. “Mighty Mo actually has a pretty decent wrestling background, and he’s a K-1 level kickboxer.”

The winner of Barnett and Rogers will move on to face Russian kickboxer Sergei Kharitonov in the semifinals. While he has been subject to his fair share of criticism, Barnett has continuously proven himself as an upper-echelon heavyweight.

Saturday night marks his first step towards redemption.

“He’s still fairly young, not real young to this sport, but he doesn’t come there with the pedigree that I do. So, by all means I should take him out, but nothing’s to be said until the fight actually goes down. Anything can happen out there in the ring,” stated Barnett.

“I think the best Brett Rogers is going to show up come June 18. So when I go out there and beat him, I’m going to beat the best Brett there’s ever been.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Strikeforce Overeem vs. Werdum: Ranking the Top 10 Strikeforce Heavyweights

The UFC may bolster the thickest stable in every weight class, but Strikeforce more than holds its own in the heavyweight division.
The infusion of guys like Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva has turn…

The UFC may bolster the thickest stable in every weight class, but Strikeforce more than holds its own in the heavyweight division.

The infusion of guys like Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva has turned a dying division into Strikeforce’s premier weight class.

On June 18, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix continues with two monumental quarterfinal match-ups.

The June outbreak of MMA keeps on rolling, and it’s Strikeforce’s turn to host the festivities. In preparation for the upcoming event, Bleacher Report counts down the top-10 fighters on the Strikeforce heavyweight roster.

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