The highly anticipated Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix kicks off this weekend with two of the four quarterfinal fights taking place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The eight man field consists of Andrei Arlovski, Alistair Overeem, Antonio Silva, Brett Rogers, Fabricio Werdum, Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov.
Saturday’s quarterfinal kickoff event will see Fedor Emelianenko looking to get back into the win column when he takes on Antonio Silva. The second quarterfinal match up will be former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski facing the dark horse of the event Sergei Kharitonov. These two bouts will headline the main card that will feature five heavyweight fights.
The remaining two quarterfinal fights will take place in April with the event rumored to be taking place in Japan. Wherever it does take place at the two matches are set and will be Brett Rogers against Josh Barnett and current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem will take on Fabricio Werdum. Overeem and Werdum have fought each other once before in 2006 at Pride “total Elimination Absolute” where Werdum submitted Overeem in the second round via Kimura.
As the grand prix is almost here it’s time we roll out our “Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Bracket Contest” for all you MMA fans.
Think you can pick the winners for each round of the tournament? Well prove it then and should you have the most right after Strikeforce crowns its first ever heavyweight grand prix champion, you too will be rewarded.
The game is simple, for every round we will post a new bracket showing the current match ups along with the current leader board. Give us your picks for the current round along with your answer to the bonus question (total # of rounds) in the comments section. Each correct answer you get will earn you one point, meaning there is five points on the line in the quarterfinal round. The bonus questions will be used as a tie-breaker should one be needed when it’s all said and done. The prize that will be awarded to the winner of this contest will get four Strikeforce programs (pictured) from Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg, Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons 2, Strikeforce: LA and Strikeforce: Evolution (signed by Gilbert Melendez). You’ll also receive a Step in Gear shirt, some MMAValor swag and we are working on adding more to sweeten the pot as well.Below is the Quarterfinal bracket, you can click it to enlarge and print but you’ll leave your picks in the comment section.
Click to enlarge & print
Fedor, Karitonov, Overeem, Barnett
7 total rounds
Its saddens me that Strikeforce does not get the coverage that it should do . but that said the grand prix should be one to watch. I just hope that ring rust has not set in for Fedor.
Fedor, Kharitonov, Overeem, Barnett
6 Rounds
Fedor, Arlovski, Overeem, Rogers
8 total rounds
Fedor, Karitonov, Overeem, Barnett 5 rounds
Silva, Arlovski, Overeem, Rogers 10 Rounds
Федор, Арловский, Оверим, Барнет. Всего 6 раундов.
Translate = Fedor, Arlovski, Overeem, Barnett. Only 6 rounds.
Fedor, Arlovski, Overeem, Barnett. 7 rounds.
Fedor, Arlovski, Barnett and Overeem. Rounds 7
Fedor, Arlovski, Overeem, and Barnett. 7 rounds total.
Fedor, Arlovski, Overeem, Barnett
8 rounds total
Fedor, Reem, Barnett, Kharitonov 4 rounds