Revenge, validation, the lineal title, and the mother of all Striker vs Grappler fights ever.

So much is on the line in the opening round match up between Alistair Overeem vs Fabrico Werdum. The reigning ADCC and K-1 champions will be fighting. This is the first time such a bout will be held. The significance of this contest cannot be understated. The ADCC and K-1 tournaments mark the most prestigious and highest level competitions in ground and stand up martial arts in the world. Further, this is no mere striker vs grappler match, as both fighters have accomplished games in the other phases. Werdum has an underrated Chutebox originated Muay Thai attack, and Overeem has nearly 20 MMA submissions and has indeed won European ADCC qualifying events in his own right. This bout carries the flags of very prestigious and revered Brazilian and Dutch martial arts traditions.

Not only does this mark the most significant striker grappler contest in history, this fight also determines the lineal champion of MMA ; The mantle Werdum took from Fedor Emelianenko's fingers after he nearly choked him unconscious. There is a compelling argument that the winner of this bout will be the number 1 HW. Many feel that defaulted to Cain Velasquez due to Emelianenko's loss, but the case for this contest holding this significance is strong none the less.

In addition, Werdum and Overeem have history, with Werdum having a win over the Reem via submission in the opening round of the last great HW tournament to be held before this(with a respectful nod going to the UFC's unofficial tournament two years ago). Overeem has said publicly he no longer issues challenges to fighters, and it is up to them to challenge him, but privately he told Scott Coker he wanted this bout. He wants to avenge the loss. Werdum's win over the Reem is held in much less regard these days because that bout was a long time ago and both fighters have changed dramatically in that time frame. Werdum's win over Fedor was so shocking many cannot resolve it as anything other than a fluke. While Overeem chases revenge, Werdum chases validation.


This in my view is the most exciting and significant HW fight of the year planned thus far, edging out the return fight between former world Sambo, Pride, and Wamma champion Fedor Emelianenko and former EliteXC HW champion Antonio Silva, who represents the "new breed" HW's with size and skill, by a small margin, and also edges out the as of yet announced showdown between the last man to defeat Werdum, Junior Dos Santos and Lesnar Slayer Cain Velasquez by an even smaller margin.



And oh yea, the Strikeforce title will be contested as well.

This deserves to be a blog.

I think so too. I posted it in the usual places I post our blogs. But no one seems to comment on the blogs we write here so I said fuck it.

Good read Wolf

Wolfgangsta wrote:

So much is on the line in the opening round match up between Alistair Overeem vs Fabrico Werdum. The reigning ADCC and K-1 champions will be fighting. This is the first time such a bout will be held. The significance of this contest cannot be understated. The ADCC and K-1 tournaments mark the most prestigious and highest level competitions in ground and stand up martial arts in the world. Further, this is no mere striker vs grappler match, as both fighters have accomplished games in the other phases. Werdum has an underrated Chutebox originated Muay Thai attack, and Overeem has nearly 20 MMA submissions and has indeed won European ADCC qualifying events in his own right. This bout carries the flags of very prestigious and revered Brazilian and Dutch martial arts traditions.

Not only does this mark the most significant striker grappler contest in history, this fight also determines the lineal champion of MMA ; The mantle Werdum took from Fedor Emelianenko's fingers after he nearly choked him unconscious. There is a compelling argument that the winner of this bout will be the number 1 HW. Many feel that defaulted to Cain Velasquez due to Emelianenko's loss, but the case for this contest holding this significance is strong none the less.

In addition, Werdum and Overeem have history, with Werdum having a win over the Reem via submission in the opening round of the last great HW tournament to be held before this(with a respectful nod going to the UFC's unofficial tournament two years ago). Overeem has said publicly he no longer issues challenges to fighters, and it is up to them to challenge him, but privately he told Scott Coker he wanted this bout. He wants to avenge the loss. Werdum's win over the Reem is held in much less regard these days because that bout was a long time ago and both fighters have changed dramatically in that time frame. Werdum's win over Fedor was so shocking many cannot resolve it as anything other than a fluke. While Overeem chases revenge, Werdum chases validation.


This in my view is the most exciting and significant HW fight of the year planned thus far, edging out the return fight between former world Sambo, Pride, and Wamma champion Fedor Emelianenko and former EliteXC HW champion Antonio Silva, who represents the "new breed" HW's with size and skill, by a small margin, and also edges out the as of yet announced showdown between the last man to defeat Werdum, Junior Dos Santos and Lesnar Slayer Cain Velasquez by an even smaller margin.



And oh yea, the Strikeforce title will be contested as well.

+1

Wolfgangsta wrote:

I think so too. I posted it in the usual places I post our blogs. But no one seems to comment on the blogs we write here so I said fuck it.

Still worth it for linking

personally Werdum vs Fedor is not even close to Maurice Smith vs Mark Coleman as far as Striker vs Grappler

weve seen overeem on the mat and sub guys before

Birdofthad wrote:

personally Werdum vs Fedor is not even close to Maurice Smith vs Mark Coleman as far as Striker vs Grappler

weve seen overeem on the mat and sub guys before

It's alot closer though. Werdum is a multiple time ADCC champion and Overeem just won the K-1 Grand Prix. It doesn't get much better than them right now in either respective category. Nobody can say Coleman was one of the best grapplers in the world back then, although Smith was a very accomplished kickboxer.

It was the father of GnP vs the first Head Kick KO in modern mma

not even close IMO, up until COleman vs Smith no striker had beaten a grappler/ wrestler in UFC history.

That was the first major battle but that was more "wrestler vs striker" and not "BJJ vs striker"

Also, Overeem would knock Mo Smith from that day out cold in about 2 minutes and Werdum would rip Coleman's shoulder out of socket in under 3 minutes.

still a great article just gotta disagree on this being the biggest one ever.

Kinda has to be THE FIRST TIME A GRAPPLER WAS BEAT BY A STRIKER imo.

Man get outta here with that Overeem slaughters Mo bullshit, Mo was one of the best kickboxers ever with a 63-11 record (45 Kos), he was the champ from 1983 to 1991

Oh ya he won the 2001 K-1 as well.


Dont belittle Mo or COleman to try and prove your point. Ya Werdum subs Coleman THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE 17 YEARS TO BETTER YOUR SPORT.

Give Mo his respect

Birdofthad wrote:

still a great article just gotta disagree on this being the biggest one ever.

Kinda has to be THE FIRST TIME A GRAPPLER WAS BEAT BY A STRIKER imo.

Man get outta here with that Overeem slaughters Mo bullshit, Mo was one of the best kickboxers ever with a 63-11 record (45 Kos), he was the champ from 1983 to 1991

Oh ya he won the 2001 K-1 as well.


Dont belittle Mo or COleman to try and prove your point. Ya Werdum subs Coleman THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE 17 YEARS TO BETTER YOUR SPORT.

Give Mo his respect

how can you not say that its not the biggest one ever, MMA is bigger now then it ever was making this fight available to the mass

because striker has beaten grappler before, grappler has beaten striker

we hadnt seen that until Maurice Smith shocked the world

Its one of the most important MMA fights of all time yet alone grappler vs striker

Again, never before has the world champion in grappling faced the world champion in kickboxing in a fight where both were also rounded enough to be competitive.

Remember Bird, Werdum and Overeem are the reigning champions in their respective arts.

I can see what Bird is saying, but at the same time it belongs in another thread. This is a world champion grappler/BJJ guy against a K-1 champion who is also the SF HW champion. It is a bigger fight for me. Great read Wolf!

Hi

LA wrote:

Hi

Why does he look like a darker version of Sean Sherk in that photo?

ya Mark Coleman and Maurice SMith were just the UFC Champion and the Extreme Fighting Champion

Coleman was a world class wrestler, Smith a world class kickboxer

again never has the only 2 champions of american MMA met in a unification match while they were both the champions

Bird no one is knocking the old era here. But that is a different ball of wax.

LA wrote:

Hi

Since then Werdum has gone on to win the ADCC and beat the best MMA HW ever, winning the lineal title. If Dos Santos wins, the stage for a lucrative rematch is set between the two elite HW's.

I understand what your saying, I agree its huge and one of the biggest Striker vs grappler of any kind, I just don'tthink it is the biggest.

Still a HUGE event and fight just not the biggest IMO, not trying to shit on the fight in any way