your thoughts? [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP42lIONjAU&feature=sub[/ame] No title on line, no five rounders... Even after a GP, the HW champ/title will still be undermined! SF **** it up again. They are lucky there isn't really anyone else except the UFC. They can pick up all the non UFC fighters but they need to sort out fighter control, marketing, decisions etc
Main card Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout: Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout: Chad Griggs vs. Gianpiero Villante Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout: Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo Overeem vs Overeem final
Not really their fault - they wanted all five round fights but some commissions have bye-laws that say only title fights can go five rounds. Does make it kinda goofy to have Overeem in there but whatever.
If I remember correctly PRIDE champions fought in tournaments without putting their titles on the line. I was really pulling for five rounders, but I'm still very really looking forward to it.
i dont see why a 5 rounder is so important personally i think this title dosent mean enything strikeforce is a long way to have as many prestige as pride did
Overeem's StrikeForce title is just jewelry. Who'd he beat for it? If Overeem wins the tournament, he'll be a real mma champion. Werdum has the best recent wins of any heavyweight in StikeForce. Belt, or no belt, Werdum is the #1 fighter in the tournament.
5 rounders would need more prep from the fighters this will lead to more time needed and i think sf and showtime learned from the super 6 debacle that the longer one of these tourneys gets dragged out the more detrimental it is to it, 5 rounders will create a lot more injuries too
They would also be breaking new ground with the AC's having them in non title matches and I'd guess Coker may have thought it wasnt worth the bother and uncertainy(espeically as far as the fighters go). He could also be looking long term as far as the title not being on the line goes. HW is clearly the division they've choosen to break onto PPV with and when the GP ends there wouldnt be another obvious big match. This way theres a further main event for the title in early 2012 unless Overeem is champ and I think Allistair could likely catch on enough that he doesnt need a massive match to sell him. You look at the rest of the SF roster and what could really follow up these big HW matches? the only fight I could see drawing the same kind of interest is Hendo/Mo for the LHW title and its far from certain thats going to happen.
