Fedor signs with Strikeforce

Quote :

Fedor Emelianenko has signed a multi-fight agreement that will see the world’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight compete for Strikeforce, the promotion announced Monday.

Emelianenko, who became a free agent after Affliction Entertainment canceled its Aug. 1 event two weeks ago, will make his debut on Showtime under a co-promoted Strikeforce/M-1 Global production this fall. Emelianenko was to have faced Josh Barnett at Affliction “Trilogy” on Aug. 1, but Barnett failed a pre-fight test for anabolic steroids and was refused licensure by the California State Athletic Commission.

Emelianenko, along with his promoters and management team M-1 Global, negotiated with the UFC last week, but could not come to an agreement over co-promotion.

"Strikeforce is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world," said Emelianenko in a press release. "I am prepared to fight any of them."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com last week that he plans to match the stoic Russian against the likes of Brett Rogers, Fabricio Werdum and the promotion’s heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem.

“I think I have four or five opponents for Fedor,” Coker told Sherdog.com in an exclusive video interview last week.

How is he supposed to fight the best in StrikeForce?

This sucks. I'm starting to think Fedor is pussy. Lolz.

Mattitude Follower wrote:

This sucks. I'm starting to think Fedor is pussy. Lolz.

I know right. He has a great record, but he hasn't really beaten the best as far as I am concerned. He beat Tim Silvia, so what. Silvia was let go from the UFC. He beat Arloski, so what. He was let go of by the UFC. The UFC has the best fighters in the world as far as I am concerned and I don't think that Fedor can be called the best until he beats the best.

^ I'd have to agree. He keeps rejecting the UFC and choosing to face second-rate fighters in smaller promotions. He needs to properly prove himself by facing the best in the world like you said, and the best in the world are in the UFC.

Mattitude Follower wrote:

^ I'd have to agree. He keeps rejecting the UFC and choosing to face second-rate fighters in smaller promotions. He needs to properly prove himself by facing the best in the world like you said, and the best in the world are in the UFC.

Fedor is in his eatrly 30's, 31or 32 I think. If he fights out his new contract, he will probaly be like 3 years older. Ithink that he is losing time to prove himself the best heavywieght fighter in MMA.

Quite frankly, I don't see what everyone sees in the UFC heavyweights. You have Lesnar, then a bunch of question marks after that.

Lesnar basically owned Mir both times they fought and just got caught in a matter of seconds.

Couture has fought once (and lost) in the past 2 years.

Nog got embaressed by Mir last time out and is getting up there in age.

Kongo got like 3 shots off in 3 rounds last time, hardly inspiring to be a top contender.

Cain/Velasquez winner already has some people questioning whether they should even have a shot at Lesnar, let alone Emelianenko.

Cro Cop had a pretty lucky win when his eye-poke went undetected by the ref.

Maybe Carwin is a guy to bank your hopes on for a second fight.

So where in the UFC are you really going to find 6 fights for Fedor? There is no single promotion in MMA right now that has a truly stacked heavyweight division for Fedor to compete in and him signing with Strikeforce pits him up against guys like Overeem, Werdum, Rogers, etc. So you've still got a bunch of guys that really can't stand up to him. Ultimately in terms of competition, it didn't matter where Fedor went because after a fight with Lesnar, there's no real "next best fighter".

babaganoosh wrote:

Quite frankly, I don't see what everyone sees in the UFC heavyweights. You have Lesnar, then a bunch of question marks after that.

Lesnar basically owned Mir both times they fought and just got caught in a matter of seconds.

Couture has fought once (and lost) in the past 2 years.

Nog got embaressed by Mir last time out and is getting up there in age.

Kongo got like 3 shots off in 3 rounds last time, hardly inspiring to be a top contender.

Cain/Velasquez winner already has some people questioning whether they should even have a shot at Lesnar, let alone Emelianenko.

Cro Cop had a pretty lucky win when his eye-poke went undetected by the ref.

Maybe Carwin is a guy to bank your hopes on for a second fight.

So where in the UFC are you really going to find 6 fights for Fedor? There is no single promotion in MMA right now that has a truly stacked heavyweight division for Fedor to compete in and him signing with Strikeforce pits him up against guys like Overeem, Werdum, Rogers, etc. So you've still got a bunch of guys that really can't stand up to him. Ultimately in terms of competition, it didn't matter where Fedor went because after a fight with Lesnar, there's no real "next best fighter".

Good point. I guess that the UFC just built a fight they can't bring and I am disapointed.