Strikeforce Fedor vs. Silva: Power Ranking All 8 Chins in the HW Tournament

The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix will showcase some of the best heavyweight strikers in MMA today. If you are a fan of toe-to-toe wars, this tournament should deliver the goods.

Because this tournament's participants are generally excellent strikers, the fighters can expect to have their chins tested. In fact, an efficient way of predicting the outcome of this tournament may be to select winners based on the fighters' ability to absorb punishment.

While some of these fighters have become well-known for their ability to take a punch, other competitors in this tournament could call their chin their Achilles' heel. It's time to sort out the good chins from the glass jaws. 

8. Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Arlovski has long been considered one of the better heavyweights in MMA when it comes to striking. Unfortunately for Arlovski, one of his biggest weaknesses comes in a position where he is most comfortable.

While Arlovski prefers to stand and trade, he also has shown a tendency for being knocked out quickly. In 2009, Arlovski was knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers in a combined time of three minutes and thirty-three seconds. Six of Arlovski's eight career losses have come by knockout.

If Arlovski wants to make a deep run in this tournament, he will have to be very smart about getting into exchanges. Arlovski's first opponent, Sergei Kharitonov, competed in the 2009 and 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix, so he is fully capable of handing Arlovski a seventh knockout loss.

7. Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem has not been knocked out since September 2007. However, none of Overeem's opponents have really tested his chin since then. In his ten fights since that knockout loss to Sergei Kharitonov, Overeem has finished eight of his opponents in under four minutes.

While his knockout losses have come against some of the best MMA fighters in the world, more than have of Overeem's losses have come by way of knockout. If Overeem loses in this tournament, it could very well be against the fighter who is able to test his chin for the first time in more than three years.

 

6. Brett Rogers

It's hard to fault a fighter's chin for technical knockout losses against Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem, which represent the only two losses of Brett Rogers' career. Still, those fights were the only times that Rogers' ability to take a punch has been put to the test in his career and he was finished on both occasions.

With Emelianenko and Overeem on the other side of the tournament's bracket, Rogers will have the chance to test himself against less dangerous strikers if he is able to fight his way to the finals. Rogers' first round opponent will be Josh Barnett, who is much more capable of winning fights on the ground than on his feet.

5. Sergei Kharitonov

Sergei Kharitonov has not been finished in an MMA fight since September 2006. Kharitonov was the last fighter to defeat elite striker Alistair Overeem, and he was able to finish the fight on his feet.

If Kharitonov wants to advance past the quarterfinal round of this tournament, he may have to withstand some damage from Andrei Arlovski. Although Arlovski has already been mentioned as a fighter with a suspect chin, he is a technical striker who could exploit Kharitonov's unproven jaw.

4. Antonio Silva

In his last fight, Antonio SIlva was rocked by Mike Kyle. Nevertheless, Silva was able to recover from the damage and go on to win the fight in impressive fashion.

Against Silva's first round opponent, Fedor Emelianenko, it might not matter how good of a chin he has, though. If Emelianenko lands cleanly, Silva could have a chin of granite and he would still be seeing stars.

3. Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum has only been knocked out once in his MMA career, and that was against an excellent striker in Junior Dos Santos. In Werdum's last fight, he was dropped by Fedor Emelianenko. When most fighters would have been finished, Werdum was able to collect himself and complete a historic upset.

Additionally, Werdum has gone the distance against Andrei Arlovski and Sergei Kharitonov, two fighters with serious knockout power. Although he has defeated his first round opponent before, Werdum will have his hands full in a rematch with Alistair Overeem.

2. Josh Barnett

In 31 career bouts, Josh Barnett has only been knocked out on one occasion. The only knockout loss of Barnett's career came nearly a decade ago against Pedro Rizzo.

Between testing positive for steroids and his brash personality, Barnett might have more critics than any MMA fighter not named Brock Lesnar. Regardless, no one criticizes Barnett for his ability to absorb punishment.

Barnett is a dark horse to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Considering the relative weakness of his side of the bracket, Barnett has to be an early favorite to at least be fighting in the tournament finals. 

1. Fedor Emelianenko

Technically, Fedor Emelianenko has one loss by technical knockout on his record, but the loss had absolutely nothing to do with his chin. In that fight, Emelienenko suffered a cut just 17 seconds into the fight, which resulted in a doctor's stoppage.

Emelianenko's ability to avoid being knocked out is likely more a result of technique than his chin, but there is also no evidence to suggest that Emelianenko does have any type of weak jaw. At this rate, it's possible that Emelianenko may retire without being legitimately knocked out. Although, the same thing probably could have been said about Emelianenko being submitted before June 26, 2010. 

 

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Sean Smith has been a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA since October 2010. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @BR_Sean_Smith.