Strikeforce Grand Prix: Power Ranking the Remaining Fighters in the Tournament

Photo courtesy Esther Lin|Strikeforce

The semifinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix are set to take place tonight in Houston. The four fighters remaining all have very unique skill sets, a fact that warrants the question: "Who has the best chance of winning?"

The fighters left in the tournament are very talented, and in terms of fighting abilities are roughly the same level, making rankings difficult.

However, difficult does not mean impossible. Some fighters are better than others, but by such a slight degree that people may disagree.

Regardless of any disagreement or nagging, here are the power rankings for the four fighters remaining in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

(Photo courtesy Esther Lin|Strikeforce). 

4. Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier is perhaps the brightest rising star of the Strikeforce roster. He has converted his Olympic-caliber wrestling into success in mixed martial arts and is currently undefeated.

A spot was left open with Alistair Overeem's departure from Strikeforce, and Cormier, the alternate, was chosen to fill it. The wrestler will therefore face perennial Brazilian dark-horse Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the semifinals of the tournament.

Even though Cormier has the most potential, he is the least proven of the fighters in the tournament since he has only eight fights to his whole MMA career.

The other competitors are better-known quantities, so it is easier to predict what they will do and how they will react in certain situations.

Also, Cormier's best win was over the aged Jeff Monson, so it's hard to know how he will handle the next-highest echelon of fighters.

3. Sergei Kharitonov

Sergei Kharitonov is the most experienced in the striking game out of fighters left in the tournament. He has earned silver medals in several amateur boxing championships in Europe.

He has excellent technical boxing skills and heavy hands, and he trains with the fabled Golden Glory camp out of Holland, where the cream of the kickboxing crop train. In addition, he is well versed in submissions.

However, throughout his career Kharitonov has usually folded when faced with higher levels of competition—the level of competition that the next two men on the list represent.

2. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva

Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has been the dark horse of the heavyweight division, not just in Strikeforce but in perhaps all of MMA.

People have criticized him and claimed that he wasn’t a top-10 fighter, but Silva has consistently proven them wrong, especially against Fedor Emelianenko.

Silva is a massive Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who is also heavy handed. His enormous size, reach and strength will create problems for anyone in the world at heavyweight—let alone anyone in the tournament!

1. Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett is one of the last of MMA's old guard to not have had a humiliating loss at the hands of the next generation of fighters.

Barnett is one of the few MMA fighters with catch-as-catch-can wrestling (or just catch wrestling) as a base for his skill set.

Such a unique MMA upbringing gives Barnett not only great submissions but also the ability to get the fight to the ground, something that many high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu players seem to lack.

He is also the most experienced competitor in the tournament and has been on the big stage before.

His striking isn't the greatest, but it's good enough for him to set up a takedown or clinch, drag his opponent to the mat and work for a submission.

Ironically, the only fighter in the tournament that would give him a problem would be Daniel Cormier, since Barnett might not be able to take the better wrestler down.

Nevertheless, Barnett is most likely to win the tournament due to his diverse skill set, experience and the deceiving strength of a man who seems a bit soft around the waist.