Nothing in the sport of MMA generates the big fight feel for dedicated fans like a Fedor fight. The Last Emperor has crafted a mystique that perplexes and intrigues fight fans like no other. Brock Lesnar may call up more PPV buys but Fedor Emelianenko is for all intent and purposes the undisputed heavyweight champion of MMA. The fact that he cannot be found in the most readily available organization in the sport only perpetuates the uniqueness of his persona and in turn the uniqueness of the cards he fights on. Seeing Fedor fight is like a treat. He has only spent 8 minutes and 42 seconds fighting in sanctioned MMA contests in the last two and a half years plus (34 months). Its not just that he is good, he is rare. Any card headed by Fedor is worth seeing but Strikeforce has pulled out all the stops to ensure that MMA fans flock to CBS Saturday night, hoping they can make a big mark in the MMA business and firmly establish themselves as the number two organization in the world.
Fabricio “Vaia Cavalo” Werdum vs Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva
Until recently I have been a bit surprised at how underhyped this fight has been, even among the MMA faithful. Werdum has proved inconsistent but dangerous if nothing else over the last 3 years or so. The improvements I saw him make the UFC before being dropped off the face of the earth by Dos Santos were quite staggering. His striking is more than serviceable and his ground game is capable of putting just about anyone away. However, on this night he meets a giant… a giant with a skill set very similar to his own. Bigfoot Silva will likely be a bit slower anywhere the fight goes, but his size and power could make up for those disadvantages, depending on his ability to dictate the pace and range of the fight. This fight will have significant bearing on the Strikeforce HW division. Although the winner will likely have to wait for a title shot as the winner of the event’s namesake should be on deck.
Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi vs Rameau Thierry “The Affrican Assassin” Sokodjou (Non-Title Fight)
The Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Mousasi will not be defending his title but he has a big opportunity to build on his growing reputation as the hottest MMA prospect on the plant. Mousasi is on a 13 fight win streak that has acted as his battering ram into the consciousness of the MMA world. That streak includes a win at the Dream Middleweight Tournament, an easy victory over a bigger Mark Hunt, and an absolute destruction of Babalu Sobral to claim the his LHW title. He went from little known fighter to top 10, likely top 5, light-heavyweight in the world. Sokodjou presents explosive power along with a knack for upsets and this fight was the legitimate MMA fight that everyone thought would cap off the Super-Hulk tournament. The only downside to this fight is that it is not for the LHW title, a move no one can really blame Strikeforce for. It’s a division that has heated up as of late with signings and rumors so Mousasi will be busy regardless of the outcome.
Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs Jake Shields (Middleweight Championship Fight)
This card was at one time supposed to boast 3 title fights but when the dust settled, the crowning of the vacant Middleweight champion was all that was left. Jason Miller has been all over the place in MMA, mostly fighting the good fight and strengthening MMA on all fronts. He was a key contributor to the first and only academic publication focusing on MMA title Fighting For Acceptance (which you should go buy and read if you are an MMA fan, even if you aren’t a fan of pointy-head books because this is not one of them). He hosts Bully Beat Down. He has retired and unretired and he is never short on words. Now he gets a shot at being the champion of the Strikeforce MW division, relevant considering who stands atop the MW world of MMA. Standing in his way is longtime EliteXC Welterweight champion Jake Shields. Shields has recently expressed his interest in running two divisions at once and setting his sights on the Strikeforce Welterweight championship after this fight. Looking very impressive in his last hand full of fights, he is likely the favorite coming into this. Lucky for fight fans, Miller has never cared who was suppose to win fights.
Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko vs Brett “The Grim” Rogers
Brett Rogers is bigger, stronger, undefeated, and has a wicked mohawk. Fedor Emelanenko is Fedor, the most devastating and dominating heavyweight in the history of MMA. There aren’t great metaphors for Fedor in other sports but Roger Federer might have worked when he was on his huge streak and people were calling him the greatest player of all time. Hype aside this is a dangerous fight. Rogers made shorter work of Andrei Arlovski than Fedor did and this is one fan that truly believes that was no fluke. If there was anything lucky about that fight, it was that AA may have been underestimating Grim. Be sure that Fedor should not make the same mistake. Rogers’ stand-up is game and his power is not to be taken lightly. As far as toughness goes, if anyone can match the Russian it is the guy who was working at a tire shop and fight on Elite XC main cards up until about a year ago. If you are looking for a fight, these two will bring it. Fedor will have the advantage in almost every measurable category except maybe (and that is a very serious maybe) power. The odds are stacked against The Grim but if your asking the who will beat Fedor question; he seems as reasonable an answer as any at this point. I for one think that Strikeforce chose Rogers because he is so inexperienced and presumably one-dimensional. They don’t REALLY want Fedor to lose but MMA fans know as well as anyone what happens when you assume someone will win. This is a dangerous fight for Fedor; however, I said that before the last two Fedor fights. When those fights were done I said I would never doubt Fedor again. I never said I wasn’t fickle.
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