Emelianenko-Silva, HW Tourney Slated for Feb. 12

Monday, January 03, 2011
by Mike Whitman (mwhitman@sherdog.com)

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Fedor Emelianenko will return to the Strikeforce cage on Feb. 12, as he takes on Antonio Silva in a heavyweight main event from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

Sources close to the negotiations informed Sherdog.com Sunday evening of the event’s date and location.

A match between former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett is also said to be in the works for the February date. It remains to be seen how the New Jersey Athletic Control Board handles the licensing situation Barnett -- who allegedly tested positive for a performance enhancing substance prior to a scheduled bout with Emelianenko in the summer of 2009 -- is dealing with in California. His hearing before the California commission was pushed back at their Dec. 2 meeting.

As speculated, Strikeforce will indeed hold an eight-man heavyweight tournament in 2011, and Emelianenko-Silva and Arlovski-Barnett are set to serve as quarterfinal bouts. Though the remaining combatants could not be confirmed, a third quarterfinal matchup between Fabricio Werdum and Brett Rogers is expected to take place in Columbus, Ohio, on a planned March 5 event.

A fourth and final tournament bout is also set to take place on the March card. Semi-final and final bouts would then be held later in the year at to-be-announced events.

The promotion will also hold two alternate bouts in case injury sidelines competitors in the main draw. Potential contestants could include “Challengers” series standouts Lavar Johnson, Daniel Cormier and Shane del Rosario.

Regarded by many as the greatest heavyweight in the history of the sport, Emelianenko was shocked by Werdum, a heavy underdog, in June, losing for the first time in a decade. Though the sambo specialist floored the Brazilian early in the first period, his follow-up was a bit too aggressive. As Emelianenko attempted to finish the fight with his trademark ground-and-pound, the savvy jiu-jitsu black belt avoided the blows and caught the Russian in a textbook triangle choke. Emelianenko holds notable victories over Mirko Filopovic, Arlovski and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice).

Silva is fresh off a come-from-behind win over King of the Cage light heavyweight champion Mike Kyle on Dec. 4 in St. Louis. Taking the fight on just five days' notice, Kyle shocked spectators by landing a crisp right hand to the jaw of the heavily-favored Brazilian, knocking him to the mat. Though the American Kickboxing Academy product pounced with heavy punches and hammer fists, the mammoth Silva would not give up. Round two was all “Bigfoot,” as the former EliteXC champion lived up to his moniker by dropping brutish blows on Kyle's skull and forcing a referee stoppage.

Greg Savage contributed to this report.

wowzers! nice, finally we get to see these HWs fight!

I'm pretty sure that date is open in NJ too. I'll have to look when I get home from work but I believe the only dates scheduled in NJ so far are the 4th, 5th, and 26th.

I call the FEDOR to win.

And Barnett to sub AA. But it will be tough as shit to get AA to the mat and keep him there. Maybe a Dec for AA, but I go Barnett.

ill take AA by dec or TKO...

My guess is Fedor re-signed but they haven't announced it yet, why else would they let him have his last fight to start a tourney he could leave during.

who knows anymore lol

It will mean three quality fights should he win out. If it all comes together 2011 could be a good year at HW for SF.

Whats the bottom Bracket

Overeem vs Lindland
Werdum vs Sergei

it says that werdum is facing rogers actually

Yeah. I'd like to see rodgers fight with Delrosario, Lavar, and Cormier in the alternates.... but I guess.

8 man tourney so far they list

Fedor
Silva
Barnett
Arlovski
Werdum
Rogers

who are the other 2?

the russian... whats his name? sergey something

Should be Sergei and Overeem

I think if it was going to be Overeem it would have been mentioned. They may use it as the winner of the tourney gets Overeem so he can still fight over seas for now.

you think the reem is gonna be in the tourney? even though he's the Champ

killerofchicken wrote:

you think the reem is gonna be in the tourney? even though he's the Champ

I think they'll use it as the winner gets The Reem.

there ya go strikeforce

Fedor should win but this fight will be fun IMO

What if Werdum gets upset by Rogers man that would suck (although highly unlikely)

Barnett should have no trouble with Andrei at this point

Primetyme199 wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

you think the reem is gonna be in the tourney? even though he's the Champ

I think they'll use it as the winner gets The Reem.

thats what i was thinking as well.... But that means the reem would be out of action, AGAIN

killerofchicken wrote:

Primetyme199 wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

you think the reem is gonna be in the tourney? even though he's the Champ

I think they'll use it as the winner gets The Reem.

thats what i was thinking as well.... But that means the reem would be out of action, AGAIN

He'll keep active in Japan.

ya Reems got 2 other belts to defend

Overeem vs Sergi 3 also confirmed.

Amazing to think that AA vs Barnett was suppose to happen at Affliction 2 years ago.

This is absolutely true about it being in NJ on that date. When I got home from work the email was in my inbox from the Commission.

Sergei and Cormier or SDR will be the final guys. I don't see them leaving Sergei out.