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As we're on the doorstep of Strikeforce's return to network TV with tonight's CBS Saturday Night Fights featuring Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers, it's time for the Five Bullet Point Preview.
We'll look at the three main bouts on the card and add some opinion, along with the facts: five bullet points per fight.
To listen to my chat with The Fight Network's John Pollock about this event, click here .
Are you ready for Fedor on national TV? Are you ready for free MMA? Are you ready to read? Enjoy the Fedor vs. Rogers: The Five Bullet Point Preview!
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
- This marks a big step up in competition for Brett Rogers, almost too much if you look at the numbers. Can he overcome it like he did with Andrei Arlovski or fall prey to that which is Fedor?
- How is Fedor going to resonate with the U.S. audience—both in arena and on TV? He's lacking that instant 'star' charisma, but could a resounding victory help overcome that.
- Win or lose, Fedor needs marketable challengers. Bobby Lashley? Fabricio Werdum? Uhhh...who else? These Strikeforce rosters still need depth.
- The best case scenario for Strikeforce: This is a fun slugfest that goes three rounds with a decisive winner by KO. Worst case: Fedor wins relatively easily and doesn't get over.
- Interesting fact: Fedor (30-1-1) has only fought twice in the last two years, while Rogers (10-0) has fought twice in 2009 alone.
Middleweight Title: Jake Shields vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller
- Amidst the buzz for Fedor/Rogers, this fight is being overlooked which is a damn shame. A great fight here would do wonders for the promotion.
- Is Miller more of a MTV figure than a fighter? What do we really know about him? One thing: he's a talented submission artist as 13 of his 22 wins have come via tapout.
- Shields (23-4-1) hasn't lost since 2004 and brings a 12-fight win streak into Saturday night.
- Shields hasn't gone past the second round in his last eight and has submitted four guys in a row.
- This will be a five-round fight for the vacant Middleweight title, which Cung Le hadn't defended since March 2008. Le will return to action in December against Scott Smith, so perhaps we could see Le vs. the Shields/Miller winner in the spring of 2010.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Theirry Sokoudjou
- The 24-year-old Mousasi is the Light-Heavyweight Champion, but the title won't be on the line.
- Mousasi hasn't lost since 2006 and has a 13-fight winning streak coming into Saturday. Is the next great thing at 205?
- The 25-year-old Sokoudjou continues to be somewhat of a mystery, even at 7-4. After a failed run in the UFC, Sokoudjou returned to Japan and recorded successive first round KOs over Jan Nortje and Bob Sapp for DREAM. Which RTS are we going to see Saturday?
- Of Mousasi's 26 wins, 15 have come via T/KO with nine by submission.
- When Sokodjou loses, it's the second round. When he wins, it's in the first.
Josh Nason has published MMA, wrestling and boxing blog Ropes, Ring and Cage.com since 2007. He is a contributor to Fight Magazine and Bleacher Report and appears regularly on Fight Network Radio . Follow him on Twitter.
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