Any time a monumental upset takes place in mixed martial arts, it’s pretty much mandatory to start up the discussion about where the fight falls on the list of biggest upsets of all time.
With Fabricio Werdum’s Strikeforce win over Fedor Emelianenko …
Any time a monumental upset takes place in mixed martial arts, it’s pretty much mandatory to start up the discussion about where the fight falls on the list of biggest upsets of all time.
With Fabricio Werdum‘s Strikeforce win over Fedor Emelianenko on Saturday, the debate began as soon as the shock of seeing Fedor tapping out wore off: Was this the biggest upset in the history of the sport?
This is just one Top 10 list. Yours will likely differ in inclusions, snubs and placement. There have, of course, been plenty of other notable upsets beyond this set, some of which are listed here as Honorable Mentions. But like unofficial pound-for-pound lists, big upsets like Werdum over Fedor are a part of what keeps MMA fans debating. So let the discussion begin.
(photo courtesy Esther Lin/ Strikeforce)
Last night the Earth was without oxygen for just a second, as thousands upon thousands of MMA fans worldwide gasped in unison, while seeing Fedor Emelianenko tap out to Fabricio Werdum’s first round triangle-choke. Yes, many acknowledged the skills of Werdum heading into the bout, but few expected him to hand […]
(photo courtesy Esther Lin/ Strikeforce)
Last night the Earth was without oxygen for just a second, as thousands upon thousands of MMA fans worldwide gasped in unison, while seeing Fedor Emelianenko tap out to Fabricio Werdum’s first round triangle-choke. Yes, many acknowledged the skills of Werdum heading into the bout, but few expected him to hand Fedor his first ‘legit’ loss in over 30 fights (some may have been hoping- right Dana?)
So, what the eff is next for “The Last Emperor” now? The script seemed to be that Fedor would beat Werdum and then fight Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem. Well, considering that the winner of last night’s bout was supposed to fight Alistair, Fabricio is a lock for a title shot right? And Fedor will have to look elsewhere in the Strikeforce heavyweight division? Umm, seems not necessarily….
In a few reports today, it looks like the general ‘vibe’ stemming from last night’s post-fight press conference, is that Strikeforce is open to giving Fedor a rematch with Werdum. Both men said they’re willing, and while discussing the promotion’s heavyweight picture, Strikeforce boss man Scott Coker was quoted saying this (thanks to MMA Junkie for the quote):
“To me, Fabricio and Fedor is going to be a mega-fight that we should promote,” Coker said. “I also think that Fabricio vs. Alistair, the rematch against our champion, is something Alistair is going to want and would be another big fight. I think that the fight between Fedor and Alistair should still happen, as well.”
So, while Coker didn’t commit to an immediate rematch, he didn’t say that Alistair vs. Werdum was a lock either….Guess only time (with M-1 Global’s two huge cents in there) will tell.
(…. ….*crickets* …. …. PhotoProps: Strikeforce)
In the days and weeks following Fedor Emelianenko’s stunning loss to Fabricio Werdum inside the Strikeforce cage on Saturday night, some jerk with a website or internet radio show will proba…
In the days and weeks following Fedor Emelianenko’s stunning loss to Fabricio Werdum inside the Strikeforce cage on Saturday night, some jerk with a website or internet radio show will probably try to tell you that he saw this coming. When that happens it will be important for you to remember that, aside from a very, very select group of individuals, those people are goddamned liars.
In retrospect – and retrospect always feels cheap – maybe it’s not shocking that Emelianenko lost a fight down the stretch of his storied MMA career. Regardless of the nonsensical stuff Frank Shamrock told us at the top of last night’s broadcast about Fedor’s “impenetrable shield of invincibility,” Emelianenko himself has taken pains to remind us again and again that he is, in fact, just a man; a man who puts his traditional Russian garments on one leg at a time like everybody else.
But to lose this fight? Admit it, you didn’t see that coming.
Filed under: Strikeforce, M-1 Global, NewsThe best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts lost in a shocking upset on Saturday night, as Fedor Emelianenko was submitted by Fabricio Werdum early in the first round of their Strikeforce fight in San…
The best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts lost in a shocking upset on Saturday night, as Fedor Emelianenko was submitted by Fabricio Werdum early in the first round of their Strikeforce fight in San Jose.
Fedor knocked Werdum down with a combination of hard punches at the start of the fight, doing exactly what he wanted to do and taking control early on. But then he made a huge tactical error, going to the ground with Werdum, who’s the best Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner in the sport.
Fabricio Werdum defeated Fedor Emelianenko on Saturday night in what may have been the biggest upset in MMA history at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum. The video is here.
Fabricio Werdum defeated Fedor Emelianenko on Saturday night in what may have been the biggest upset in MMA history at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum. The video is here.
Fedor entered the fight with a 31-1 record, and the one loss was highly controversial, as he was cut with an illegal elbow strike. But there’s nothing controversial about this one: Werdum is the best Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner in the world, and he showed it by sinking in both a triangle choke and an arm bar and forcing Fedor to tap at the 1:09 mark of the first round.
Any time a monumental upset takes place in mixed martial arts, it’s pretty much mandatory to start up the discussion about where the fight falls on the list of biggest upsets of all time. 
The best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts lost in a shocking upset on Saturday night, as