(You know, there probably is a dude out there whose ‘ultimate fantasy’ involves Arianny Celeste and a few thousand limes, and when he sees this video he’s going to absolutely lose his shit. Props: officialbudlight)
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
– Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum Head to Head: Who Will Win This Saturday? (LowKick)
– TUF 12 Winner Jonathan Brookins Returns to Featherweight This September Against Eric Koch (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Shane Carwin: “I Can’t Recall Much of the Fight” (5thRound)
– UFC May Enlist Retired NBA Superstar Shaquille O’Neal as Ambassador (MMA Fighting)
– Brendan Schaub: ‘A Win Over Nogueira Puts Me Right In The Number One Contender’s Spot’ (MMA Convert)
– Shane Del Rosario Discusses His Injury, Recovery, and the ‘Supremacy MMA’ Video Game (TheFightNerd)
– Is the Lightweight Division Really the Toughest in MMA? (MMA Mania)
– The 25 Greatest “Changing of the Guard” Fights in MMA History (BleacherReport.com/MMA)
– Jorge Masvidal Talks to Us About Streetfighting, Machetes and Making KJ Noons Shoot on Him (MiddleEasy)
(You know, there probably is a dude out there whose ‘ultimate fantasy’ involves Arianny Celeste and a few thousand limes, and when he sees this video he’s going to absolutely lose his shit. Props: officialbudlight)
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
– Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum Head to Head: Who Will Win This Saturday? (LowKick)
– TUF 12 Winner Jonathan Brookins Returns to Featherweight This September Against Eric Koch (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Shane Carwin: “I Can’t Recall Much of the Fight” (5thRound)
Filed under: StrikeforceAfter a far-too-lengthy delay, Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament is finally about to return, with the final two first-round fights taking place on Saturday in Dallas, as Alistair Overeem rematches Fabricio Werdum and Josh Bar…
After a far-too-lengthy delay, Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament is finally about to return, with the final two first-round fights taking place on Saturday in Dallas, as Alistair Overeem rematches Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett takes on Brett Rogers.
What: Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum
When: Saturday, the undercard begins on HDNet at 8 PM ET and the main card starts on Showtime at 10.
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
Predictions below.
Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum This matches up the best striker in the heavyweight division in Overeem with the best grappler in the heavyweight division in Werdum. The first time these two fought, in Pride in 2006, Werdum’s grappling got the better of Overeem, who tapped to a kimura in the second round.
But Overeem is a much, much better fighter now than he was then. For one thing, he’s gone through an extraordinary physical transformation and is packing on about 30 pounds more muscle. For another, he has refined his kickboxing to the point where he won last year’s K-1 World Grand Prix Final. Werdum isn’t facing the same Overeem he was in Pride.
Werdum is also coming off the biggest win of his career, against Fedor Emelianenko a year ago, but I can’t help but question whether the long layoff since the Fedor fight is going to be a problem for Werdum, who hasn’t always stayed in top shape between fights. I like Overeem to smash Werdum and make a strong case that he’s the most dangerous heavyweight in all of MMA. Pick: Overeem
Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers Barnett is a heavy favorite and has accomplished far more in his MMA career than Rogers, but I’m just not convinced that he still has it anymore: After getting busted for steroids before a planned fight with Fedor two years ago, Barnett has only fought twice, and although he won both, neither was against good opposition. I see the heavy-handed Rogers pulling off a surprise TKO win. Pick: Rogers
K.J. Noons vs. Jorge Masvidal Noons is fighting for the first time in 2011 after a very active 2010 saw him win three fights and then lose a hard-fought decision to Nick Diaz. Masvidal took it to Billy Evangelista in winning a one-sided unanimous decision in March, but I like Noons to stand and bang with Masvidal and win a decision. Pick: Noons
Daniel Cormier vs. Jeff Monson One of the best prospects in the heavyweight division in all of MMA, Cormier is a great wrestler who should have no trouble taking Monson down and controlling. At his best, Monson is a good enough submission grappler to threaten anyone on the ground, but at age 40 Monson is no longer at his best. Pick: Cormier
Valentijn Overeem vs. Chad Griggs A year ago, Strikeforce signed Griggs as nothing more than a warm body to throw in the cage with Bobby Lashley. But Griggs surprised everyone with an upset of Lashley, then won another fight with Gian Villante in February. Now he gets Valentijn, Alistair’s older and less talented brother, and I think he’ll make it three in a row in Strikeforce. Pick: Griggs
Filed under: StrikeforceAlistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers will highlight the next Strikeforce event on June 18 in Dallas to determine the remaining two semifinalists in the 2011 Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers will highlight the next Strikeforce event on June 18 in Dallas to determine the remaining two semifinalists in the 2011 Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Overeem, the current Strikeforce heavyweight champion, will look to avenge a 2006 submission loss to Werdum at PRIDE Total Elimination Absolute in Japan.
Women’s MMA superstar Gina Carano will also make her return after taking time off fighting to act in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming film, Haywire.
Strikeforce President, Scott Coker announced today that Alistair Overeem’s Heavyweight Title is not on the line during the eight-man Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. Instead, there will be a separate Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and Tournament Champion. The winner of the tournament will then go on to fight Overeem for the Strikeforce Heavyweight belt, unless the […]
Strikeforce President, Scott Coker announced today that Alistair Overeem’s Heavyweight Title is not on the line during the eight-man Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. Instead, there will be a separate Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and Tournament Champion. The winner of the tournament will then go on to fight Overeem for the Strikeforce Heavyweight belt, unless the winner of the tournament is Overeem. In such case, Coker says:
“If Overeem wins, he’s not just the best MMA or K-1 fighter, he can say he’s the greatest martial arts fighter in the world,”
That is, in a world without Georges St. Pierre, Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva…
After a far-too-lengthy delay, Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament is finally about to return, with the final two first-round fights taking place on Saturday in Dallas, as 
