Tag: Ovince St. Preux

Different styles make for an interesting fight.

Though Zuffa officials have yet to announce the fight, Sherdog.com reports that Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko have officially signed bout agreements to face one another. This match-up has been in the works for a while now and will add some major firepower to the July 30^th event at the Sears Center in Chicago.

This is a big fight for everyone involved. Following two consecutive stoppage losses to Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva, Fedor’s unbeatable mystique has been shattered. With Strikeforce’s top heavyweights competing in the Grand Prix Tournament from which he was exiled, this bout gives Fedor a shot at a meaningful win against a highly respected legend. After all the talk of his possible retirement from the sport, a victory here would prove that Fedor is still very relevant in the MMA landscape.

Henderson comes into this bout riding a two fight win streak that saw him exit the Nationwide Arena as the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Although the two will meet at heavyweight and Henderson’s title won’t be on the line, belts always lose a little of their luster when their owner suffers a loss.  [UPDATE: Scott Coker says this fight will take place at a catchweight of 220lbs).

The pairing also gives Strikeforce some much needed time to determine the number one contender at Light Heavyweight. The Mousasi-Kyle fight was expected to yield Henderson’s next opponent, but that bout got scrapped and replaced with Mousasi-Jardine, which resulted in a painful draw. This fight allows Henderson to stay active while Strikeforce determines a worthy challenger. To that end, some of the evening’s other fights should clear up the division’s hierarchy.

Other expected bouts for the event include:

Roger Gracie vs. Muhammed Lawal

JZ Cavalcante vs. Ovince St. Preux

Evangelista Santos vs. Tarec Saffiedine