Report: Strikeforce planning heavyweight Grand Prix spanning three events in 2011
by Geno Mrosko on Dec 19, 2010 3:26 PM EST
Email
Print
A middleweight eliminator getting nixed this past year (2010) apparently isn't stopping Strikeforce from attempting to enter the tournament business.
According to a report from Tatame, Strikeforce is planning an eight-man heavyweight Grand Prix that will span three events and may also mark the promotion's first foray into the world of pay-per-view (PPV).
The match-up pitting Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Silva would be part of the tourney. Other fights reportedly in the works are Fabricio Wedum vs Sergei Kharitonov, Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers and Alistair Overeem vs Andrei Arlovski.
It would be an incredible feat if Strikeforce can pull it off, but should we expect that to really happen?
There are a few roadblocks to consider when imagining a Grand Prix taking place.
First of all, Josh Barnett showed up to his hearing with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) unprepared and was denied reinstatement of his license. He was however, granted a continuance but that obviously puts the kabosh on his participation -- at least in the near future.
Kharitonov is set to compete at Dynamite!! 2010 while Overeem is also rumored to be appearing at the event. There's also been little word on the return date of Werdum, although rumors have pegged March as a possibility.
It certainly wouldn't be impossible for Strikeforce to put this together but based on the turmoil in the heavyweight division as it stands now, it would seem an unlikely endeavor.
One can hope, though.
Keep it locked to MMAMania.com for more on this potential tournament as it becomes available.
43 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
It's really hard to picture Strikeforce pulling this off.
They can’t successfully schedule 1 HW fight and we’re to expect they can organize and execute an entire 8 man tournament? I’d love to see this come together, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
Really hard?
yea it aint happening. Let me think has strikeforce ever planned an ambitious GP with a fighters that are all generally very sensible and do what they ask? Yea the middleweight tourney seemed like that. But wait what happened there? And now they want to pull off a HW one revolving around M-1, K1, DREAM, Steroid Abuse case, US commissions, and worst of all showtime and possibly CBS. Coker just seems to love embarrassing himself. Maybe he gets off on it i dont know.
BIG NOG for Life
One Step closer to Gleison Tibau @ 145
If the round is too close, it's 10-10, NOT flip a coin 10-9 or late takedown FTW.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Dec 20, 2010 2:14 AM EST up reply actions
I too am skeptical of Coker being able to pull this off.....
however, if they are able to land this HAIL MARY…It would trump ANYTHING that the UFC can put out in 2011……….and for sure it would be a HUGE SUCCESS on ppv.
There is nothing that the UFC can do, to make me not dish out 50bucks to watch a event with those 4 heavyweight battles!
dout SF can pull it off, but there is nothing I would rather see then thee 8men BANG IT OUT!
God I miss PRIDE!!!! Most stacked cards in the history of mma!!!!
Yeah this is just a rumor at best
And really it is not a tournament just matching the best they have and the winners facing eachother like it is in the UFC.
"I felt like I was getting raped by Freddy Mercury"-Tank on losing to Dan Severn
all four of those fights
Would be absolutely amazing. Wow. If strikeforce pulls this off I’m all over it. Wow.
by AintNoSunshine on Dec 19, 2010 5:32 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Please let this happen. Please.
"People say that marijuana smoking is going to get in the way of my career. I say to them that on the contrary, my fighting career is getting in the way of my marijuana smoking." -Nick Diaz
by DetroitDrew1980 on Dec 19, 2010 5:38 PM EST reply actions
misguided
StrikeForce is just dropping buzzwords to garner attention. If they think this is going to buy them some time before this fan (and others like me) get completely out dated with my interest in their product – sadly mistaken.
The pool of names are the same ones we’ve been talking about for a year now. Just organize some fights and get the fuck to it. Overeem said after K1 he won’t be fighting for SF until April/May/June at the earliest. I’d like to Brett Rogers and AA sorted out and Overeem should be fighting Werdum – BAR NONE.
It will be Christmas 2011 before we know who the legit #1 HW is over there.
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
BZ-Not trying to instigate, but I know you're a Reem fan so I want to ask...
Why do you think Reem won’t fight over here until later in the Spring? He’s ready to fight MMA again right away, so why not come defend the belt over here? I’m an innocent until proven guilty kind of guy, but the way he avoids America is sketchy to me.
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious."-Michael Scott
Not BZ but I can take a whack at this one . . .
Why do you think Reem won’t fight over here until later in the Spring?
Prior to the K-1 Grand Prix Finals he said he wouldn’t be fighting in Strikeforce until around May. Hopefully he’ll get and accept a fight offer earlier since he’s obviously decided to return to MMA right away, but that’s what he stated previously.
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
he is going to fight in an nma bout in the nYE Dynamite show, and he just got done 3 fights in 1 night 2 weeks ago in K-1...
Roids or not, with a scheule like that, the man will need to take at least a month off of training before he gets back into a training camp for a spring return in SF!
So, the fact that he wont return to SF until spring, doesnt mean he needs to cycle off of roids…but hey, what do I know?
Ok, but why did he say that before, other than to have a built-in excuse.
I know he said that, my question is, since he obviously is in fighting shape and ready to get back into MMA, why wait for a few months to come back to the states? Sorry guys, but the more I think about it, the weirder it is to me.
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious."-Michael Scott
He was not scheduled to fight in the Dynamite show at least when he was in the K1 tournament as he stated after the tournament he would be able to fight in SF?
Why fight in Dynamite when you can be fighting in SF? He could fight on the February card that Fedor and Bigfoot are on and if what he says is true about wanting to fight Fedor he could call him out that night? That would be perfect! What kind of fight does Dynamite have that is so important?
"I felt like I was getting raped by Freddy Mercury"-Tank on losing to Dan Severn
Puck he has comittements to the Japanese Orgs
They are his gravy train.. not Coker.
He’s not an idiot and he truly doesnt give a crap about his “nay” sayers (lol).
But seriously… he’s the type of guy that will make a choice about whats best for him on his terms. Thats all.
And in that way – he and Fedor are perfect opponents.
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
That could be true Zino, I don't know what he gets paid in Dynamite compared to SF?
"I felt like I was getting raped by Freddy Mercury"-Tank on losing to Dan Severn
I am beyong doubting him. And yeah Dice - I am a fan. But he's never been caught doing anything wrong
Watch his interview with the Voice. He says it’s just good genes, diet and excercise. The guy just won the K1 GP in Decemember – he will fight a CAN in japan sometimes in the next 60 days… So why is Spring ’11 so hard to accept?
He has a family to take care of… recovery to consider… and preperation for a more legitamite title defence….
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
Not hating, BZ. I knew you were a fan so I was simply looking for some insight. I've watched enough interviews with athletes to know that they aren't going to tell on themselves.
I’m not convinced he’s clean or that he’s using, I just think it’s weird he has no problem fighting 8 times a year overseas, but only fights in America after taking a few months off. Like I said, innocent until proven guilty, just seems strange. I also can’t believe that people put Fedor on blast and say he shouldn’t be top ranked, but say that Overeem is top-5.
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious."-Michael Scott
I can see fans thinking he is top 5 HW calibure Dice but I agree he has not proved it and shouldn't be based on opinions on how well he would do if he ever did face a top five HW.
"I felt like I was getting raped by Freddy Mercury"-Tank on losing to Dan Severn
Oh, I agree. I think he has top-5 talent. I would like to see him beat another top-10 fighter before we talk about top-5 for him.
And it’s amazing that so many people talk about Fedor being a can crusher, and yet Overeem never gets brought up in those conversations.
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious."-Michael Scott
like you have already hinted
I think there is a lot of weight thrown behind his activity in K1 and MMA when it comes to MMA rankings.
I am guilty of it.
He has also DESTROYED the opponents put in front of him in MMA.. which he should have. But delivery is all the matters. He didn’t leave any question marks in those bouts
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
Except for the question of when he's going to face a more credible opponent . . .
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
50 % of the blame there should directed at Coker
Alistair owns the rest.
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
Sounds fair to me.
And I can understand it from Alistair’s standpoint. If he can make the same money regardless of his opponents, fighting guys that take less time to prepare for and who are less risk is a good financial move. However from a fan’s perspective I think we all want to see him consistently fight top-10 fighters.
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
And this is the problem with SF's HW division
As talented as it may be their HW’s rarely fight and when they do I don’t think SF has much say.
He has also DESTROYED the opponents put in front of him in MMA
I would hope so against the fighters he has been, the last time I seen him face a top ten fighter was Rua and Rua had enough power to KO Overeem many of the HW’s today have more power than Rua and even though he’s bigger his chin is still his chin. Even when he faced Buentello, Buentello got the better of him standing and that proves MMA striking is a different world from K1. None of the opponents he destroyed are worth mentioning as top HW fighters.
"I felt like I was getting raped by Freddy Mercury"-Tank on losing to Dan Severn
his chin is still his chin
True, but it does look bigger and more muscular.
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
Puck
but Alistair had a lot of demons and was not the same machine he is now.
His little girl was born, His mom was dying of cancer and various other distractions. His LHW days were not his best…
Lets get serious…. If Buentello and Reem get booked tomorrow – who are you betting on.
No Pressure, No Diamonds - Thomas Carlyle
I was so happy to read the title but then
I realized none of the opening round match ups are even fair fights. We all know whos supposed to win each match and they want Fedor to win the whole thing even though I think he might get “injuired” before he has to fight Overroids.
So glad we don't have to see James Toney's fatass anymore.
Shouldn't that be how the first rounds of tournaments are? Usually the mismatches happen in the early rounds, with the hope being that we get the top guys fighting in the semi's or championship.
"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious."-Michael Scott
Yeah, with the guys they have competing the match-ups make sense.
However, I think his point about the unworthiness of the bottom half is valid. I would prefer to see a 4-man mini tournament between Overeem, Fedor, Werdum and Silva to eliminate the less intriguing first round fights. Then, they could simultaneously run a 4-man mini tournament with Barnett, Rogers, Kharitonov and Arlovski with the winner being a legitimate contender and earning a title shot. But I certainly wouldn’t complain if they were able to make this happen; as mismanaged as their HW division has been, this could be great to sort things out.
"Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute
guverbob...what the fuck do you expect?
In every single tournament/play off structure….all the mismatches happen early. Its designed to have the best fighters/teams meet in the later rounds……..
I dont get your post at all dude!
FYI: with those 8 Hw banging it out, an upset can happen in anyone of those 1st round match ups!
This is the moron who defends Fedor.
No wonder your never around anymore, your dumb as fuck.
So glad we don't have to see James Toney's fatass anymore.
So Arlovski
has lost three in a row, and get’s to fight Overeem….sounds about right!?!?!?!
Myth: Three Americans die every year from rabies. Fact: Four Americans die every year die from rabies.
one problem with this
Unless they are banking on the Reem to lose his first match how will this work?
With the win over the legend Matt Hughes the gates are slowly being greased. Soon it will be time to open the Shit gates once again.
Reem and Fedor would have to lose their first fights for this to work
unless this tourny runs for 4 years
With the win over the legend Matt Hughes the gates are slowly being greased. Soon it will be time to open the Shit gates once again.
If somehow they could get all the fighters to agree,you know what happens?
M1 would want to re negotiate after every fight fedor wins. They would never pull it off. M1 would never let it happen!
My question is
If by some miracle this gets done, how would it work? Do all the fights happen on the same night!?
If so, then that gives Overeem a huge advantage.
"in this day and age of "let's erect a statue"-isn't it time Jerry Reinsdorf is honored" - The Swirsk
by RogersPark Kris on Dec 20, 2010 11:22 AM EST reply actions
Read the title again.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
MMA Mania
by Geno Mrosko on Dec 20, 2010 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on MMAmania.com
Related FanShots on MMAmania.com
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
