I decided to do the picks for the upcoming strikeforce card, as I feel it's big enough to warrant it. The main card is all fights in the Heavyweight Grand Prix that they're starting to see who the top contender will be. Knowing Strikeforce, and the fighters involved, I can't see this ending well, but at least we will get to see some of the fights. I am only picking for the fights on the maincard, cause the strikeforce undercard is where dreams go to die.
Chad Griggs (9-1) vs Gian Villante (7-1)
The first of three grand prix reserve bouts, Griggs and Villante are probaly the least well known fighters in the tournament. Griggs, who upset Bobby Lashley in his only Strikeforce experience thus far, has never been to decision and holds eight of his nine wins by KO or TKO. Villante has fought his entire career in the Ring of Combat promotion and has also never been to decision, with his lone loss coming from injury. Neither of these guys have faced tough competition - this fight could be the toughest test so far for both fighters, but given the finishes between the two I doubt this will go to decision. Griggs has the biggest win with Lashley, so I'll pick him to win by TKO in the second.
Valentijn Overeem (28-25) vs Ray Sefo (2-0)
I can't see this fight going the distance either. Valentijn, Alistair Overeem's older brother, has never fought in Strikeforce before, and has never been a very consistent fighter. He has won two straight, but lost four of six fights before that. In 53 career fights, he has only been to decision twice, losing one and winning one. Ray Sefo is better known as a kickboxer, where he has gone 56-21-1 fighting the best kickboxers in the world. He has only two MMA fights in five years, and hasn't fought in 16 months, when he beat Kevin Jordan (and that fight ended in injury). I don't expect Sefo to be rusty, as he fought in the K1 Grand Prix three months ago, and I think he can beat Overeem, as he has never shown consistency. My pick is Sefo by KO in the first round.
Shane Del Rosario (10-0) vs Lavar Johnson (15-3)
I feel this fight is better than some of the fights that are actually in the tournament (and I have a suspicion that whoever wins this fight will somehow end up winning the whole grand prix). Del Rosario has been demolishing people - he's only been out of the first round once, and that fight ended a minute into the second round. Lavar Johnson, like many of the fighters I've talked about already, has never gone to decision either, and has posted seven straight KO or TKO wins (part way through this streak, he got shot. Both these guys are pretty good prospects, but Del Rosario might be one of the best heavyweights in this tournament. I'm picking him to KO Johnson in the first round, and become the first choice if someone steps out of the tournament.
By the way, in the six fighters I've covered combined 101 fights, only two have been decisions, and they both belong to Overeem. We should be seeing some finishes here. Now onto the Grand Prix bouts
Andrei Arlovski (15-8) vs Sergei Kharitonov (17-4)
If it was still 2005 this fight would have been sick. Arlovski is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, and holds KO wins over Roy Nelson, Ben Rothwell, Paul Buentello, Tim Sylvia (back when Sylvia was able to make heavyweight) and Vlad Matyushenko, along with a decision win over Fabricio Werdum. He has lost three straight fights though, losing by KO to Fedor Emelienenko and Brett Rogers, and most recenlty dropping a decision to Antonio Silva. Sergei Kharitonov is a former PRIDE star who holds wins over Alistair Overeem, Mike Russow, Fabricio Werdum, Pedro Rizzo and Semmy Schilt. He most recently scored a KO win over a heavily overmatched (and much smaller) Tatsuya Mizuno. Arlovski is known for having a glass jaw - it's been a problem his entire career - and I feel that Kharitonov will be able to take advantage of that fact, knocking Arlovski out in the first round and taking him out of the tournament. Though who knows, Kharitonov hasn't been impressive lately, and Arlovski's losses are to top comepetition - something Kharitonov can't say he's been facing. Still, I can't side with Arlovski's chin.
Fedor Emelianenko (31-2) vs Antonio Silva (15-2)
Fedor, long considered the best heavyweight in the world, has to bounce back from a legitimate loss for the first time in his career. Fedor, one of PRIDE's biggest stars, and the main attraction of the defunct Affliction promotion, has long refused to sign with the UFC, a decision that will likely have a negative effect on his legacy once he retires. Fedor lost his most recent fight by armbar to Fabricio Werdum, but hadn't lost in 28 fights before that, and the only other loss he has is a cut stoppage before the fight even began. Silva has two straight wins over Andrei Arlovski and Mike Pyle since his own loss (by decision) to Werdum. Fedor is still one of the best heavyweights in the world, and shouldn't have a problem handling Silva in the first round, either by TKO or submission. After the fight Fedor will probably want to renegotiate his contract again and skip the rest of the tournament - cause thats how he rolls. I have no idea why Strikeforce puts up with his shit - no fighter is worth the shit Fedor demands.
Those are the pics - The real tough question is whether Strikeforce will be around by the time this tournament is done.
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