Strikeforce Fedor vs. Silva: Top 10 Photos Leading Up to the Event
The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament begins this Saturday night at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva. The all-heavyweight MMA show, which features the main event heavyweight battle between the legendary Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, will take place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Publicity for the huge show has been ramping up as we get closer and some excellent photography has been published in anticipation.
As we take a look at some of the fighters who will be competing this weekend and throughout the tournament, I'll also include some quotes from the fighters themselves that were made during the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva pre-fight press conference earlier this week!
10. the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Fighters
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“When I look at them, I think, ‘What a fine group of young men here. What fine, upstanding citizens,'" former UFC Heavyweight champion Josh Barnett said regarding the men on stage with him.
Current Strikeforce, Dream, and K-1 champion Alistair Overeem agreed. “Over here, we have the seven best fighters in the world. The winner of this tournament is going to be the number one on the planet.”
While UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is considered the No. 1 heavyweight in the world on many rankings lists, certainly the winner of this prestigious tournament will have a legitimate claim for that crown.
9. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker's Bitter Beer Face
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Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker deserves a lot of credit for helping put this tournament together. By compiling a list of so many of the world's top heavyweights and getting them to agree to compete against one another in a tournament, Strikeforce has made some serious strides in competing with the UFC for the future.
"I'm going to give you two (predictions). I believe that there are going to be some upsets in this tournament," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told BloodyElbow.com back in January. "On one side you'll have Alistair Overeem and he will fight (Josh) Barnett."
8. All Smiles From Andrei Arlovski
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"These three last guys who kicked my (butt) have motivated me. I'm determined. This tournament is a great opportunity," said Arlovski regarding his fight this Saturday.
Arlovski will face Russian heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov in the first round of the tournament. He has lost three straight fights, including one each to Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva who will be featured in the main event of this fight card.
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7. the Stone Cold Glare of a Determined Brett Rogers
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Brett Rogers is considered by most to be the biggest underdog to win the tournament but don't sleep on this powerful giant. His only two career losses came at the hands of consensus top heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem.
Prior to that, Rogers' knockout of Andrei Arlovski helped put him on the map as one of the sport's fastest rising heavyweights.
"Yes, I did feel unbeatable, unstoppable," Rogers admitted earlier this week in regards to his confidence prior to his clash with Emelianenko. "Even now," he continued, "I still feel untouchable."
6. Sergei Kharitonov Waves to the Fans
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"I don't think I'm getting Arlovski at a good time because of his losses," Kharitonov said regarding his first round fight with Andrei Arlovski. "(His opponents) were some of the best fighters in the world. It's probably worse for me because he is hungry to win. Andrei took great shots from Silva. His fan-friendly style leaves him open. Anyone can get caught. His chin is not suspect."
Kharitonov himself has won four of his last five MMA fights, including holding the distinction of being the last man to defeat current Strikeforce Heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem when he knocked "The Demolition Man" out in the first round of their fight back in Sept. 2007.
5. Fabricio Werdum Becomes the First Man To Truly Defeat Fedor Emelianenko
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June 26, 2010 will forever live in MMA history as the day that the sport's most dominant champion, Fedor Emelianenko, tasted defeat for the first time at the hands of Fabricio Werdum.
Though Emelianenko had a previous loss on his record, it was widely considered one of the biggest shams in the sport, so much so that many experts completely disregarded it as if it never even happened. But when Werdum caught Fedor in a triangle and forced him to tap, the MMA world was flipped on its head.
"No joking, maybe 1,000 times," Werdum said when asked how many times he had watched the fight video of him dethroning Fedor. "No joke. I watch it all the time at home. I watch it on the internet. I like it. It's good for me. I'm not joking. Really, 1,000 times, maybe more."
4. Bigfoot's Giant Fists
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Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva will be the underdog in his fight with former pound-for-pound king Fedor Emelianenko when the two men do battle this Saturday night.
Silva suffers from acromegaly, which causes the enlargement of facial and body features because of a tumor in his pituitary gland. In this picture, he shows off the size of his impressive hands in comparison to Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem as well as Fabricio Werdum.
"I’ve wanted this fight a long time," Silva told the media. "Fedor is a great fighter and a great person. But if you want to rise to the top you have to be the best, and Fedor is definitely still one of the very best."
3. Werdum Is One Goofy Individual
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Fabricio Werdum is the only man in the world to hold victories over both of the consensus favorites to win the tournament, Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem. The second-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt submitted both fighters and is confident heading into the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Despite his impressive career victories though, Werdum does not consider himself the favorite to win the tournament.
"I'm not the favorite," he said. "I just like to fight. I just finished training. It's very important for me, my training for my first fight. My training is very important. I'm in very good condition, my body and mind. I'm fighting at 100 percent, no problem."
2. A Heavyweight Showdown the World Has Been Waiting For
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Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett is one of the biggest fights that could happen in MMA history. With combined career records of 60-7-1, the two fighters have the potential to meet in the finals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament.
"You're the favorite when you've won, and you're the loser when you've lost," Barnett said when asked to speculate on who should be considered the odds-on favorite to win the tournament. "So you guys pick a favorite, you rank us, you create the lines, put the money down...and let us (beat) each other up."
Well said, Mr. Barnett.
1. Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem Get Physical
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I had to throw this one in for laughs. These two are reportedly friends outside the cage but it's still funny to see perhaps the world's top two heavyweight fighters snuggling up and grabbing some knee.
"I am very happy to be fighting again and looking forward to a good fight," Fedor told the media. "Losing a fight didn't change anything for me. I have worked very hard.’’
The dream fight between these two heavyweight juggernauts is possible in the second round of the tournament if Emelianenko is victorious in his bout with Silva this weekend, and if Overeem can avenge his loss against Fabricio Werdum.
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