Tag: Fabricio Werdum (Page 3 of 4)

      Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Preview: Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum

      June 16, 2011 /

      nullSo just how far along has Alistair Overeem come over the last few years?

      The Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion looks to prove he deserves to be in the discussion for top heavyweight in the world on Saturday when he takes on Fabricio Werdum in the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

      Werdum holds a submission win over Overeem back in 2006 as part of PRIDE. Since then, both men have had highs and lows, and both seem to be at a peak in their careers.

      Here is a look at both fighters and my pick for this contest.

      Alistair Overeem (34-11) – The Strikeforce kingpin has looked unbeatable in recent years due to his overwhelming kickboxing skills. Standing 6-foot-5 and beefed up to 253 pounds, Overeem brings thunderous power to every kick and punch he throws. He has won his last three fights by knockout, all coming in the first round. Prior to that, he scored three-straight submission victories, and he actually has 19 submission wins to his credit in his lengthy career. Overeem’s last loss came in 2007 to fellow Grand Prix fighter, Sergei Kharitonov. His biggest weakness in this bout will be his submission defense against a fighter with the skills of Werdum, but his striking will be far superior.

      Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) – Werdum broke into the top heavyweight discussion after being the man to end Fedor Emelianenko’s lengthy winning streak last June. Now, Werdum looks to prove that his win was for real as he hopes to beat Overeem for a second time. Werdum is a grappling specialist with mediocre striking. In this fight, he will be facing a much larger Overeem than he faced years ago. Getting his opponent to the ground this time may be a great challenge. Werdum can’t possibly win this fight on his feet either, so pulling guard may have to be an option for him.

      Who Will Win: I think both men are different fighters than they were years ago, and Overeem has advanced further than Werdum. I look for Overeem to stay off his back on keep the fight standing, where he should be able to pick apart Werdum and earn a second round TKO.

      Events, Fighters, Strikeforce

      Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Early Odds

      June 13, 2011 /

      nullThe second half of the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix takes place on Saturday night and the odds have been released for the two contests.

      The featured bout of Saturday’s Grand Prix is Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Alistair Overeem, taking on Fabricio Werdum. Overeem opens as the heavy favorite with odds of -500 while Werdum has odds of +300. This is somewhat surprising since Werdum has a submission win over Overeem already in his career. Both men seem to be fighting the best they have in their career, but this will be the striker vs. grappler contest, where the winner will likely be decided by where the fight ends up.

      In the second contest, Josh Barnett opens as a -340 favorite over Brett Rogers, who has odds of +260. Both men hit hard, but Barnett is also a world class wrestler, which should give him a clear edge over Rogers, who is mostly a power puncher. Both men are fighting for the first time this year, with Barnett nearly having a year off since his last bout.

      Events, Fighters, News, Strikeforce

      Your weekly MMA TV Schedule update

      June 12, 2011 /

      nullIt’s another Sunday night, which means we have another MMA on TV update.

      Following another UFC PPV event, the middle of the week is lacking in programming, but we have another exciting event coming up on Saturday.

      – On Saturday at 10 p.m. ET, Strikeforce presents the second half of the Heavyweight Grand Prix as heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem takes on Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett squares off with Brett Rogers. K.J. Noons, Jorge Masvidal, Jeff Monson, Daniel Cormier, and Valentijn Overeem will also be in action on the night. The main card will air on Showtime from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

      That is all for this week. Next week features three events with UFC, Bellator, and Strikeforce all in action.

      Events, Fighters, News, Strikeforce

      Top 10 Heavyweight Rankings

      June 2, 2011 /

      nullWe have worked our way back around to the heavyweights in the rankings list.

      The division has been pretty quiet for the last two months, but June will provide some big shakeups with UFC 131 and the second half of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

      So, without further ado, here is the list.

      1. Cain Velasquez (9-0): The UFC Heavyweight Champion continues to await his next opponent while recovering from shoulder surgery. Newly married, Velasquez will find out whether Junior dos Santos or Shane Carwin is next at UFC 131.

      2. Junior dos Santos (12-1): Junior appears to be the top contender in the UFC heavyweight division, but he has to prove it next weekend against Shane Carwin. Originally set to face Brock Lesnar, dos Santos will now face one of the toughest strikers in the division in Carwin. The fight should be explosive and end with a brutal KO.

      3. Shane Carwin (12-1): Carwin had hit a bit of a funk after having back surgery following his loss to Lesnar last summer, but now he finds himself with a little bit of luck. With Lesnar injured, Carwin now immediately jumps into the title picture with a win over dos Santos at UFC 131.

      Continue reading »

      Fighters, Rankings, Strikeforce, UFC

      5 June bouts to mark down on your calendar

      May 30, 2011 /

      nullThe month of June is stacked for MMA fans.

      Over the next month, three UFC shows will take place, including one PPV. The second half of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix will be held as well, and Bellator will kick off its next season.

      With that in mind, here are the top five bouts I am most looking forward to in June.

      1. June 4 – Ultimate Fighter Finale – Anthony Pettis (13-1) vs. Clay Guida (28-11) – The main event of this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale is the fight I’m most looking forward to. Anthony Pettis is set to make his UFC debut after ending the WEC as its lightweight champion with his “Showtime Pettis Kick” against Ben Henderson. His first challenge is a big one, as he takes on perennial UFC lightweight contender, Clay Guida. Both men possess great problems for the other as Pettis has the size and striking edge while Guida has the grappling edge. Both fighters will also leave everything in the cage, which should make for an exciting 15 minutes of action, if the fight goes that long.

      2. June 18 – Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix – Alistair Overeem (34-11) vs. Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) – Something has to give between the top two heavyweights in Strikeforce. It was odds to see them placed against one another in the first round of this Grand Prix, but as a fight fan, I won’t complain. Both men have been hyped up as top-of-the-line heavyweights in any organization, but someone has to live up to that hype, and someone’s hype will come crashing down. Overeem has been a bully in the cage as of late, just over-powering opponents with his striking while Werdum was the man to end Fedor’s long reign as king of MMA. Whose style will play out and allow them to advance in the grand prix?

      Continue reading »

      Events, Fighters, Strikeforce, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 MMA Blitz

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑