UFC Fighter Roy Nelson Predicts the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix

On June 18, 2011, Strikeforce returns from a one-month hiatus with a stacked card featuring the second pair of Quarterfinal bouts from their Heavyweight Grand Prix.

In the first two fights of the tournament, Russian power striker Sergei Kharitonov knocked out former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski while former EliteXC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Silva defeated the legendary Fedor Emelianenko.

The two remaining bouts of the tournament pits former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett against former Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship challenger Brett Rogers, while current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem takes on Fabricio Werdum, who shocked the world back in June 2010 when he became the man who gave Fedor Emelianenko his first legitimate loss.

As expected, many fighters, insiders, and fans have very varied opinions on who they think will win the Heavyweight Grand Prix. In a recent interview with MMA Weekly, UFC 130’s co-main event star, Roy Nelson, gave his predictions on who he thinks will win and why.

Here are some highlights:

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“What I don’t like about the Strikeforce Grand Prix was the left side of the bracket was pretty much all the tough guys, the other side’s not as strong as the other four... That bracket over there is not as strong as (Fabricio) Werdum, Fedor, Overeem, and (Antonio) Giant Silva. Sergei [Kharitonov] all you’ve got to do is put him on his back… Same thing with [Brett] Rogers, put him on his back… Same thing with [Alistair] Overeem, you’ve just got to take his knees and his kicks and his punches away… Barnett will probably win the whole thing on the right side… Whoever wins on the left is going to win the whole thing.”

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Roy Nelson is currently scheduled to face former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir in the co-main event of UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”, which is scheduled for May 28, 2011.