Fedor Emelianenko to Strikeforce: Analysis

After a week of speculation, Fedor Emelianenko has signed with Strikeforce.

The announcement, though not completely surprising, is a big disappointment for many fans hoping to see Fedor in the UFC.

While Fedor could still potentially move to the UFC at some time in the future, the chances have been lowered.

If Fedor loses a fight while in Strikeforce, UFC interest in him will decrease.

And while Fedor will have even more bargaining power if he does keep up his winning streak in Strikeforce, that may not be enough.  If what the UFC offered was not enough this time, there is no guarantee that any future offer will please him.

But while we may mourn the loss of a potential super fight, let's look at some of the implications of Fedor's move to Strikeforce.

While Strikeforce cannot offer as high-profile fights as could the UFC, they still have some decent options.

Alistair Overeem is a good striker, who might have enough skill on his feet and defensive grappling to pose problems for Fedor.

Fabricio Werdum provides the complementary challenge, as his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills are top notch, if he can take Fedor to the mat.

But if neither of these veterans provide enough intrigue, Brett Rogers, a big fighter at 265, with a knockout win over Andrei Arlovski might just be your guy.

Each one of these fighters has some weapons capable of stopping Fedor, and should provide entertaining fights for "The Last Emperor."

But aside from looking at the fights, we can also look at how this signing affects MMA as a whole. Clearly it changes the balance of power.

With a roster that has been heavily fortified over the past year, Strikeforce is now a much bigger threat to the UFC.

Having Fedor gives them some legitimacy when they say that they have world class fighters.  While Strikeforce still lacks depth in its roster, it now has someone regarded by many as the true heavyweight champion.

Along with its improved status, Strikeforce may also now find itself pitted against the UFC.  It seems like there is only a matter of time before the UFC starts counter-programming Strikeforce, and hindering it enough to maintain UFC dominance.

As we move forward, I expect a lot of the mutual respect between the UFC and Strikeforce to disappear as they become competitors.

So far, the UFC has thrived, while all of Fedor's promotional partners have withered and died.  Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has proved to be a shrewd businessman.  But is this his first mistake?