Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals Rumored To Be Delayed

If you were hoping to find out who was going to face off against Antonio Silva and Sergei Kharitonov, you're going to have to wait a little bit longer now.

Sherdog.com learned from sources that the Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament will now be delayed. 

The two fights, Alistair Overeem versus Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett versus Brett Rogers, will most likely be moved off the April card and could be replaced with bouts involving lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and welterweight champion Nick Diaz.

So it begins now.

The Heavyweight Grand Prix was a great idea by Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, but now without Fedor Emelianenko he lost his biggest draw and now the tournament seems like it will fall too.

Strikeforce has been trying to find ways to surpass the UFC, and this tournament was suppose to help them (at least a little bit) to catch-up with the UFC.

Now like most people predicted before the whole tournament started, it seems it will fall apart and, and in doing so, will make Strikeforce seem all that more laughable when compared to the UFC.

Now for the April card, Melendez is expected to defend his belt against Tatsuya Kawajiri. Diaz is also expected to comprise one of the two fights on the card facing off against Paul Daley or Tyron Woodley to defend his Strikeforce welterweight belt.

“I don’t know if [Daley] is willing to take the fight,” said Diaz's manager and trainer, Cesar Gracie to Sherdog.com. “I know Strikeforce is hoping to do the fight but he has to win his fight, come out healthy and then he has to accept the fight.” 

Diaz and Melendez will both be taking fights on short notice with the card set to happen in only a little over a month.