Both finalists in the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix will have another fight in the organization

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28826/zuffa-josh-barnett-also-gets-one-more-fight-in-strikeforce.mma

Both finalists in the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix will have another fight in the organization.

By winning the heavyweight tournament this past weekend in San Jose, Calif., Daniel Cormier moves to a fight that Strikeforce parent Zuffa previously promised to broadcaster Showtime, to highlight the grand-prix winner.

But it turns out that the other tourney finalist, Josh Barnett (31-6 MMA, 2-1 SF), also will have one more bout in Strikeforce, parent company Zuffa told USA TODAY on Monday.

Whoever faces them will have to come from outside Strikeforce's current ranks. Cormier and Barnett are the last two heavyweights left in the organization; Zuffa has already moved Strikeforce's other prominent heavyweights to the UFC.

UFC's next show might provide a pool of potential candidates. The promotion has an all-heavyweight main card planned for Saturday in Las Vegas. Three of the top four heavyweights in the USA TODAY/SB Nation consensus rankings are scheduled for the card, along with three others in the top 21.

Weeks before the tournament final, Barnett said the identity of his opponents no longer matters.

"I stopped a long time ago caring about specifically who I fought, and only gave a damn if they were willing enough to sign their name to the dotted line," Barnett said. "Because I've had plenty of people not be willing to face me in the ring, in the cage, whatever; Japan, United States.

"You can't make fights happen. The only way you can make a fight happen is if you go and track the guy down in the bathroom and say, 'Alright, it's going to happen,' and start swinging on somebody.

"Otherwise you've got management, you've got the promoters; you've got all these different factors that can come in and nix a matchup. So why care anymore?"

Regardless of who they face, neither Barnett nor Cormier will be fighting for awhile because of broken hands incurred during their bout. Cormier expects to undergo surgery after re-injuring a right hand that was first fractured in September during his victory against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. Barnett hurt in his left hand, with the X-ray seeming to show a complete break just above the point where the index finger joins to the thumb and wrist bones.

Josh Barnett vs Mike Hayes
Daniel Cormier vs Jared Rosholt

book it.

Im out of the loop. Who is Mike Hayes?

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Im out of the loop. Who is Mike Hayes?

Here is a hint. Slap yoself 300 times...

Who has he beat, etc. I can't do all that stuff with this phone. Help a fellow fag out.

I think i know what this means...

FIIIINALLLY....THE MAINE-IAC...HAAAS COMME BACK....TO ZUUUFFA

Rematch. Not kidding.

Better not be a rematch.

Yes. Timmeh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

freakzilla wrote:

Better not be a rematch.

If they rematch we get to see 2 top 10 guys fight. If they don't then most likely we see two extremely lopsided fights with their opponents not being rank in the top 30.

If we rematch we see a fight we already saw. if they fight someone else Zuffa will use them as interview fights for guys they're potentially looking at who are prospects coming up.

If Tony Lopez fights a way to beat Sergei, he could be a candidate. Don't you agree Wolf?

Farmer1906 wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Better not be a rematch.

If they rematch we get to see 2 top 10 guys fight. If they don't then most likely we see two extremely lopsided fights with their opponents not being rank in the top 30.

This fight was lopsided. Cormier won 50-45.

He actually could be, but I'd rather someone with real long term potential like an up and coming wrestler type prospect or a large HW with power get the shot, and not a LHW weathered journeyman.

By the time these guys are ready to fight, maybe Reem is off suspension? Cormier vs Reem for the all the SF HW marbles. Barnett can fight Lopez(if he beats Sergei), Rosholt or Duffman.

Lopez would be a gimmie, and bad booking. They want someone who can either A. beat Barnett so they don't have to sign him, and be an asset to the UFC's division or B. make Barnett earn his way into the UFC. Lopex doesn't fit that bill. Barnett would destroy him. You're on his dick, as we well know, but he isn't in the UFC or Strikeforce for a reason. (though I think he could hang around the bottom of the LHW division for a couple fights at least)

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Lopez would be a gimmie, and bad booking. They want someone who can either A. beat Barnett so they don't have to sign him, and be an asset to the UFC's division or B. make Barnett earn his way into the UFC. Lopex doesn't fit that bill. Barnett would destroy him. You're on his dick, as we well know, but he isn't in the UFC or Strikeforce for a reason. (though I think he could hang around the bottom of the LHW division for a couple fights at least)

Come on dude, you have to realize I'm halfway fucking with you about Lopez. That's why I put the "Right Wolfy?" as a light little joke. Ease up hoss. I realize Tony is no world beater. But honestly he could possibly be a candidate if he beats Sergei. You have to really stretch that statement to consider it jocking.
Would you prefer the young prospect with a great wrestling background like Jarred Rosholt? I think he is only 25. He is still very, very raw as a fighter. But with his age and wrestling experience he has a high upside. He is also much, much more athletic then he looks.

Dead serious about Reem vs Cormier, it just makes sense IMO. Reem deserves to be bumped down a notch after completely fucking up UFC 146 and the epic standup battle that would have been. Cormier was Reem's replacement in the GP, one holds the HW GP title and the other the SF HW title. I'm assuming Reem won't be given an immediate title shot when he is off suspension, so he can re-earn it here. Reem is serving a suspension and Cormier is having surgery, so they are both looking at a layoff anyways.

And here we go again

Fedor Emelianenko 33-4-0
Cole Konrad 8-0-0
Damian Grabowski 16-1-0
Sergei Kharitonov 18-6-0
Tony Lopez 31-8-0
Brett Rogers 11-4
Travis Wiuff 66-14-0
Peter Graham 5-5
DJ Linderman 11-3
Andrei Arlovski 17-9-0
Mike Hayes 19-4-1
Eddie Sanchez 13-6-0
Eric Prindle 7-1
Jeff Monson 45-13-0
Tim Sylvia 30-7-0
Kenny Garner 9-3
Shamil Abdurahimov 13-2-0
Thiago Santos 10-1
Tyler East 11-3
Satoshi Ishii 4-2-1
Mike Whitehead 27-8-0
Todd Duffee 7-2
Michal Kita 12-6
Seth Petruzelli 15-7-0
Devin Cole 20-9-1
Dion Staring 28-7-0
Mark Holata 12-3
Blagoi Ivanov 6-0-0
Mike Hackert 5-1
Magomed Malikov 6-2
Carmelo Marrero 14-5-0
James Thompson 18-14-0
Guram Gugenishvili 11-0-0
Chris Barnett 7-1
Levan Razmadze 5-0-0
Tony Johnson Jr 6-1
Alexander Volkov 15-3-0
Neil Grove 11-6-1
Aleksander Emelianenko 19-5-0
Bobby Brents 12-3
Darrill Schoonover 12-5
Goran Reljic 10-3
Tim Hague 14-6-0
Maro Perak 21-3-1
Alexei Kudin 11-4
Vaughn Anderson 16-1-1

Quote :

"I think anytime you get to fight a guy that held the UFC title, it's a big deal. If Tim Sylvia's the guy that they put across the cage from me, then that's the guy I will fight on that day, but it doesn't really matter to me. I said that I would like to actually continue my progression, but there aren't many guys that are a step up from Josh Barnett. I don't know. I just would like to keep progressing in my career and fighting guys that are better than the last guy. I don't know who that's going to be. It doesn't really matter. I'll give Showtime their fight and see where I stand in the UFC division when I'm done."

I say bring in Tim Sylvia for Cormier. Arlovski for Barnett.

Unless Fedor is in the mix here...neither guy is getting much better comp unless somebody comes from UFC. However, all the HW not tied up there arent as good as Tim and AA imo. I doubt they'll bring in prospects like Rosholt or even Hayes. It's Showtime. They'll want the former UFC champs and i'd seriously rather see Cormier and Barnett fight them than some noobs that will get hammered because they are inexperienced. SF has done enough of that with Palacio, Larkin, Gracie, de Lima, etc.

This is retarded. Why deplete the division and send everyone over to the UFC, then force the finalist of the tournament to fight one more fight against...?

Dumb.

DC to UFC
JB to Japan.

Barnett is not going to Japan while the Zuffa has money to make off of him, and believe me they do. Josh can communicate in a profitable way, sell a fight and generate interest if given the opportunity.

GDPofDRC wrote:

Barnett is not going to Japan while the Zuffa has money to make off of him, and believe me they do. Josh can communicate in a profitable way, sell a fight and generate interest if given the opportunity.

I agree but didn't Dana just make some halfway negative comments about JB recently? I don't remember what he said but it made me think he didn't think to highly of him.