Ray Sefo vs Valentijn Overeem booked for Feb. 12, more details emerge on Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament

by Geno Mrosko on Jan 5, 2011 11:36 PM EST in Strikeforce News

While the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament is now official, there are plenty of details still emerging regarding the particulars of the way the Grand Prix will play out.

One of the questions surrounding the tournament is what will happen in the event that one of the competitors in the eight-man field cannot compete, whether that be due to an unforeseen injury or failure to obtain a license to fight.

Don't worry, though, Strikeforce has you covered.

The San Jose based promotion will have alternate bouts that will determine fighters who will step up in the event they are needed to fill in. The first of those will be the previously announced Lavar Johnson vs Shane Del Rosario fight.

The winner of that contest will be first in line to step in as an alternate if called upon.

The second alternate fight will see K-1 veteran Ray Sefo take on Valentijn Overeem, brother of Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and tournament participant Alistair Overeem.

MMAWeekly.com brought word of the match-up and a few other details about the highly anticipated Grand Prix.

Both the Johnson vs Del Rosario and Sefo vs (the other) Overeem fights will take place on the Feb. 12 Strikeforce card set for East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The main card of that event will feature all heavyweights as two quarterfinal bouts will round out the show. Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Silva will headline with Andrei Arlovski vs Sergei Kharitonov serving as the co-main event of the evening.

The other quarterfinal fights, Alistair Overeem vs Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers, are being targeted for an April event, as opposed to the initially rumored March 5 event Strikeforce is holding in Ohio.

Company CEO Scott Coker also made note that heavyweight prospect Daniel Cormier, who fights Devin Cole at Strikeforce Challengers 13 on Jan. 7, may also be tapped as an alternate for the tournament.

Whew.

While it is a challenging undertaking, if it goes smoothly, it could be one of the most successful in the history of the organization.

Stick to MMAMania.com for any updates on this historic event.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I have a strong feeling this is gonna fall apart quickly

by MrLopez on Jan 5, 2011 11:47 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Shit makes no sense.....

I was sayin to ANS eariler why not book Daniel Cormier vs someone like Big poopy or one of the less crap HWs in SF than two guys are completely less than irrelevant in MMA (And K1 in Sefo’s case).

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 Jan 5, 2011 11:50 PM EST up reply actions

They probably want to build him up slowly like how the ufc did to Cain and JDS. We could see potential in both of them early on and most of us asked the same question that youre asking right now about Cormier

It makes sense. Say Cain somehow fought Brock early on and destroyed him. People would say Brock is no good and that he lost to some rookie with a brown pride tattoo on his chest.

by Samoans.dont.need.horsemeat on Jan 6, 2011 12:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Maybe we could get the brother's squaring off lol.

by Edgecrusher71 on Jan 6, 2011 10:08 AM EST up reply actions

didnt sefo and alistar have beef or somthing? maybe thats why they booked his brother to fight him?

The Red Wings will come back stronger
RESTORE THE ROAR 2010 Detroit Lions

by GOLDIGGAH on Jan 6, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

Would the Overeem brothers be ok with fighting each other?

"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 Jan 5, 2011 11:50 PM EST reply actions

no way that happens, but you never know. Big reem shouldnt be an alternate, i'd rather have monson.

"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 Jan 6, 2011 12:56 AM EST up reply actions

Or rizzo

"So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself."

by AintNoSunshine on Jan 6, 2011 10:29 AM EST up reply actions