Fans and critics alike were puzzled by Strikeforce’s decision to pit heavyweight champion Allistair Overeem (34-11) against Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) in the first round of their upcoming eight man heavyweight tournament.
Overeem will put his title on the line for this one.
However, Overeem told MMAjunkie.com “I have been looking for a big fight for over a year now.”
Despite a definitive win over Brett Rogers in May, and winning both the K-1 and Dream world heavyweight titles in the past month, Overeem still has critics waiting for him to take on a legitimate test within the confines of the Strikeforce cage.
An elbow injury to Werdum long delayed the possibility of this elite heavyweight showdown, but this never stopped “the demolition man” from keeping his eyes on the best competition out there.
This is a main reason why Overeem took his talents over to Japan for a couple of fights.
The upcoming tournament boasts a very tough bracket. Fedor Emelianenko will be taking on Antonio Silva in the quarterfinals, which also includes Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov.
This does not seem to have fazed Overeem at all though, as it actually appears to have motivated him to perform at the highest level possible.
"I can show the American fans that I’m the No. 1 fighter of Strikeforce," he said. "Entering such a tournament is not only great for the MMA fans but also a great way to prove that I’m the best fighter in the world."
Werdum is of course coming off the upset of the year in 2010, when he tapped out Emelianenko in the first round of their fight in June.
This was Emelianenko’s first legitimate professional MMA loss.
“Vai Cavalo” has won seven of his past 10, which includes a submission victory over Overeem at in May of 2006 when the two fighters competed in Pride.
Meanwhile, Overeem has won nine of his past 10 fights, which includes a no contest against Mirko Filipovic in September of 2008.
The last time Overeem lost was when he got knocked out by Sergei Kharitonov in the finals of a K-1 Tournament in 2007.
Overeem’s combination of knockout power and submission skills makes him a tough opponent to go the distance with; only one of his 34 professional victories came down to a decision.
However, Werdum’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu could easily be the most impressive out of any big man in the business. He has the ability to finish a fight at any given moment.
As Overeem comes in with revenge on his mind, Werdum wants to prove that the first time was not a fluke.
Whoever comes out on top, this should be a great fight. The match goes down on Feb. 12 at the IZOD center in East Rutherford, NJ.
Kelly Ripa Yvonne Strzechowski Rhona Mitra Kelly Rowland Danica Patrick
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