("In Stary Oskol, these ARE weights.")
Fedor Emelianenko did a rare fan Q&A session this week on a Russian website championat.ru where he opened up about a lot of interesting topics, including his thoughts on Cain Velasquez, the prospect …
("In Stary Oskol, these ARE weights.")
Fedor Emelianenko did a rare fan Q&A session this week on a Russian website championat.ru where he opened up about a lot of interesting topics, including his thoughts on Cain Velasquez, the prospect of universal champions and whether or not he is considering signing with the UFC over Strikeforce.
I apologize for the somewhat shoddy translation in advance. I was pressed for time since the interview was three pages long, and Fedor likes to talk in Russian slang, but the overall messages are there.
Check out the translation after the jump: Here are Fedor’s thoughts:
Filed under: StrikeforceWith Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett among the names on the promotion’s roster, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has singled out his heavyweight division as the one he’s most excited for in 2011….
“I think we’re going to finish [2010] off strong and I look forward to 2011 cause I think the thing we’re getting real excited about is our heavyweight division,” Coker said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “And I think you’re going to see some great heavyweight matchups that people have been dying to see in the past.”
Although Coker would not reveal any exact details, announcements could be made as soon as Dec. 4 during the promotion’s year-end “Henderson vs. Babalu” event.
Filed under: StrikeforceThe list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and J…
The list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. Hot prospects Daniel Cormier and Shane del Rosario. And the champion, K-1 wrecking machine Alistair Overeem.
The biggest question facing Strikeforce is whether it can actually get all of those fighters — and Antonio Silva and Brett Rogers and Lavar Johnson and so on — into the cage, fighting each other. The heavyweight talent is there. The heavyweight fights came all too infrequently in 2010, and as we take a look below at the state of Strikeforce’s heavyweight division, we offer some suggestions on what should happen in 2011.
Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsAlistair Overeem’s next MMA fight could be as soon as Dec. 31, but his next Strikeforce appearance will not be until next spring at the earliest.
“I will be ready for Strikeforce as soon as I would say April, May, June,” …
Alistair Overeem‘s next MMA fight could be as soon as Dec. 31, but his next Strikeforce appearance will not be until next spring at the earliest.
“I will be ready for Strikeforce as soon as I would say April, May, June,” Overeem said Monday on MMAFighting.com’s The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
This time frame for his Strikeforce return would mean that it will take Overeem roughly 3 1/2 years to make his second belt defense.
The soonest Overeem could compete in MMA would be at Dynamite!! on New Year’s Eve, but his participation in the Dec. 11 K-1 World Grand Prix Final event in Japan takes priority over his spot on Japanese MMA’s biggest mainstream show of the year.
(Smile, and the whole world smiles with you. Except for Scott Coker, who might be throwing himself off a bridge at this point. / Photo courtesy of sports.sho.com)
With his left elbow healthy again following surgery, you’d figure that Fabricio Werdum …
(Smile, and the whole world smiles with you. Except for Scott Coker, who might be throwing himself off a bridge at this point. / Photo courtesy of sports.sho.com)
With his left elbow healthy again following surgery, you’d figure that Fabricio Werdum would be itching to get back in action and challenge Alistair Overeem for Strikeforce’s heavyweight title, or take that rematch with Fedor Emelianenko that he wanted for some reason. Well, yes and no. Yes, he wants to fight. But no, he’s not going to fight any of those dudes in Strikeforce — mainly because he doesn’t have to. Werdum laid out the situation to Sherdog in an article about his recent BJJ seminar world tour:
“I used this trip to make a couple of good contacts in Abu Dhabi and Japan. Strikeforce want me to return in March against Fedor [Emelianenko] or [Alistair] Overeem, but I’m looking forward to having a fight before that one. I don’t have an exclusive contract with Strikeforce, only for the U.S., and I got a nice proposal in Abu Dhabi and another one in Japan…My arm is 100 percent now and I feel that by February, I’ll be ready to fight in Abu Dhabi or Japan."
MMA Fix is back with 10 Questions. This time UFC Heavyweight, Brendan Schaub takes time to answer in his own written words, questions on his speculated fight with Frank Mir, his thoughts on Brock Lesnar proving size isn’t enough, Fedor Emelianenko in the UFC, and how he knew when Gabriel Gonzaga was […]
ByJoyce Lynda Valdes
MMA Fix is back with 10 Questions. This time UFC Heavyweight, Brendan Schaub takes time to answer in his own written words, questions on his speculated fight with Frank Mir, his thoughts on Brock Lesnar proving size isn’t enough, Fedor Emelianenko in the UFC, and how he knew when Gabriel Gonzaga was in trouble with his “eyes rolling back” during their UFC 121 fight. Gonzaga has since been cut from the UFC promotion.
1. Congratulations on your UFC 121 victory over Gabriel Gonzaga.What was your biggest challenge with Gonzaga?Have you looked back at the fight and seen a way you could have finished him?
BS: Biggest challenge I had with Gonzaga was his leg kicks, I worked on countering his leg kicks all camp and I had success doing that early in the fight but after a while he landed a couple of good ones..dude kicks like a monster. In regards to finishing him if I had 10 more secs in the 1st rd when I dropped him it would of been over. I could tell he was in trouble from his eyes rolling back.
2. You have said your last couples of fights were unsatisfying, perhaps because yourTKO victories came within seconds of the first round. Your bout with Gonzaga was a full three round brawl leading to a Unanimous Decision. Let’s switch the tables though, what would you say is a worse loss for a fighter, a knockout or a decision loss?
BS: Def. a knockout loss because at least in a three round decision a fighter has a chance to showcase his skills and hard work. In a quick knock out especially at heavyweight the better man doesn’t always win(s), anything can happen with 4 oz. gloves on.
3. You have mentioned that a match-up with Frank Mir would be your ideal next fight.Are you already in talks about your next fight?
BS: Haven’t heard anything from the UFC regarding my next match up. I grew up a big Frank Mir fan and it would be an honor to fight him, that being sad Dana White said in Frank’s last fight he was dissapointed and it was three rounds of sparring. If they give me a shot I gaurantee you it wont be a boring fight. I’ll bring the pressure!
4. Do you agree with Dana White’s comments on Mir after his win over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic?White said: “I have no clue about Frank. To talk the stuff he does, and then fight like he fought, that’s a little frustrating. Once Cro Cop stuffed his takedown attempt, his heart fell out on the floor. If Frank Mircan’t bully you, his heart shrinks to the size of the Grinch’s. If he can’t take you down, his heart shrinks to the size of a pea…”
BS: The night he fought Cro Cop, yes! But not in Mir’s enitre career. He’s been through some wars and has been one of the big stars of the division for a long time.
5. We understand that in order to move up in the division, winners should be matched with winners and fighters coming off losses should be matched with each other, as well.But Shane Carwin just pulled out of his fight with Roy Nelson due to a back injury.How much would you like to offer up a rematch with Nelson?
BS: If the UFC calls me I’m in! But my goal is to be the heavyweight champ not revenge losses. *Note: Nelson’s UFC 125 intended bout has since been scrapped from the card.
6. Does it seem the UFC Heavyweight division is a bit slimmer these days considering the pool of choices for your next fight? (i.e…Frank Mir, Ben Rothwell. Randy Couture–depending on where he’s at right now…)
BS: I think the heavyweight divison is the best it’s ever been right now! It’s a great time to be a heavyweight and there are a ton of exciting match ups.
7. Jake Shields has said that even if Josh Koscheck managed to win the title fight against GSP, he’d prefer fighting St. Pierre because to beat him would hold more prestige.Would you say Brock Lesnar, regardless of his recent title loss is the most prestigious Heavyweight?
BS: Ya i agree Brock brings the most eyeballs to his fights and he is the biggest name regardless win or lose.
8. What did you think of the Velasquez/Lesnar bout?Do you think Brock’s fight with Shane Carwin exposed a lot of his holes? Some say that fight with Carwin should have been stopped in the first round…
BS: Cain looked great! Speed kills the big monsters and that fight proved it, just shows that being big isn’t gonna cut it as a heavyweight anymore. Gotta be able to move and do it all! Carwin def. gave the blue print on how to beat Brock.
9. As a Heavy weight, how do you feel about Fedor Emelianenko?Are his days as a P4P top fighter over?Would you like to see him added to the UFC Heavyweight mix?What about Fabricio Werdum?Does he belong in the UFC?
BS: I would love Fedor to come to the UFC! It’s the only way to see if all the hype is real. Competeing in the UFC is the only way to prove that. Fedor has beat some of the best in the world but unless you’re in the UFC you cant be #1 every other organization is the minor leagues. I’m a big fan of Werdum, but he’s had his shot in the UFC so I’m not as excited if he came back to the UFC, but he is a stud.
10. Finally, you signed with MC Hammer’s Alchemist Management.How are things shaping up for you with that and is Hammer training with you at all?Could you maybe teach him some jitz and in return he teaches you that awesome dance from the “Can’t Touch This” video?
BS: Alchemist is a team MChammer is the social network guy and face of the company along with Jeff, Lex Mcmahon is my MMA agent and everyday guy, Cherie who came over from Tapout is the glue to Alchemist dealing with everday operations and knows just about everyone in the business. Alchemist is changing the game in regards to agents and managers involved with MMA thier a team with a lot of fire power. Only agency that would compare to them would be in the NFL or NBA.
With 
The list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. Hot prospects Daniel Cormier and Shane del Rosario. And the champion, K-1 wrecking machine Alistair Overeem.
MA fight could be as soon as Dec. 31, but his next Strikeforce appearance will not be until next spring at the earliest.
