Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov, the next leg of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, may seem pointless now that Alistair Overeem is out of the tournament and into the UFC, but in reality you do not want to miss this event if you are a fan of mixed martial arts, the main event between Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov is one reason why.
The fight between Barnett and Kharitonov almost sounds like it’s from a previous era of MMA, but in some way it is.
The two fighters are some of the last members of the old guard from Pride who are still prominent in the current heavyweight MMA scene. These fighters won’t have much time left in the limelight so being able to see them fight (when it still matters) is a treat that no MMA fan should scoff at.
In addition to this, both fighters are highly accomplished and a fight between them is quite intriguing.
Barnett is one of the few MMA fighters with catch-as-catch-can wrestling (or just catch wrestling) as a base for his skillset. Such a unique MMA upbringing gives Barnett great submissions but also the ability to get the fight to the ground, something which many high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players seem to lack.
Kharitonov, on the other hand, is more experienced in the striking game. He has excellent boxing skills, heavy hands, and trains with the fabled Golden Glory camp out of Holland, where the cream of the kickboxing crop train.
Despite the fact that it appears to be a classic “striker vs. grappler” match, it’s deeper than that; both men can do it all, they just have different strengths.
What this means for the fight is that it will be a chess-match dictated mostly by Barnett. He will spend most of his time on the outside periodically throwing combinations in order to set up a shot or a clinch from which he will perform a takedown.
Kharitonov likely won’t move forward too aggressively as to avoid Barnett ducking under his strikes and landing a takedown.
The fight will be an exciting mix between Kharitonov’footwork and counterstrikes versus Barnett’s combinations and takedown attempts. If a winner has to be chosen, Barnett will win via unanimous decision or late TKO.
Bleacher Report’s Matthew Saccaro