Overeem booted from Strikeforce Grand Prix
Posted by Drew Ellis (07/18/2011 @ 9:29 pm)
Zuffa wanted the Strikeforce Grand Prix to continue in September.
Alistair Overeem wanted it to continue in October.
Looks like Zuffa won.
MMAFighting.com is reporting that Overeem’s decision not to fight in September has caused him to lose his spot in the tournament altogether.
UFC president Dana White, who as a Zuffa co-owner oversees the Strikeforce brand, told MMA Fighting that Overeem is out. White’s confirmation backed up an original report from Tatame, which reported that Overeem was out and Daniel Cormier will replace him.
But while there was speculation as to whether this meant the end of Overeem’s run in Strikeforce, White also told MMA Fighting that while Overeem is out of the tourney, he is still employed by the company.
A September 10 semifinal would have been a three-month turnaround, and Overeem said that he could not be ready after taking vacation and nursing some injuries. He added that Zuffa had threatened to remove him from the tournament if he would not participate.
A heavyweight Grand Prix doesn’t make sense without Overeem taking place. It seems like Zuffa is trying to rush this Grand Prix through in order to develop bigger plans, but making one of the top heavyweights in MMA an outcast isn’t really going to help the cause.
Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Preview: Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers
Posted by Drew Ellis (06/16/2011 @ 7:18 pm)
Can the under-appreciated beat the over-hyped?
That’s the big question on Saturday when Josh Barnett faces Brett Rogers in the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Barnett, who has an impressive list of wins in his lengthy career but is often not considered one of the top heavyweights, takes on Rogers, who was thrown into the spotlight by Strikeforce before he was ready and has since had to take a dose of reality.
Here is a look at both fighters heading into their contest on Saturday.
Josh Barnett (29-5) – A former UFC heavyweight champion, Barnett has won his last six fights. A wrestler at heart, Barnett also has good striking and submission skills. 17 wins in his career have come by submission and that will likely be where he looks to win on Saturday. Rogers is very unproven on the ground but has big punching power. It would be wise for Barnett to keep Rogers grounded and win with his jiu-jitsu.
Brett Rogers (11-2) – Rogers started his career 10-0 and had a string of very impressive knockouts to his credit. But, then came fights against Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeen, who disposed of Rogers with some ease. Now, Rogers is an underdog in the Grand Prix, but he still has the one-punch KO power to be dangerous. Rogers will need to show improved ground skills and conditioning in order to compete with Barnett on Saturday.
Who Will Win: Barnett simply has to survive the opening storm that Rogers will likely have. That should last about two minutes and will require Barnett to either, take a punch or two, or score a quick takedown. I don’t see Rogers as much of a threat in this contest and I will take Barnett to win this fight by submission early in the second round.
