As I sat waiting for Saturdays Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix to begin, I realized that what I have taken for granted many people are missing out on and have never attended Zuffa produced event live. If they have been to any MMA event live, it has been to watch a friend fight on a local card. Then it hit me like an overhand right, how about a fans point of view, write about why you should attend these events live rather than on watching on TV.
As this train wreck of a Heavyweight Grand Prix comes to a close, it really helps you appreciate that Bellator can put on so many snag-free tournaments. Through a slew of injuries, both real and painfully fake, and a great deal of completely random alternates, we arrive at Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier, with the winner being locked in the forever stasis of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Division.
A tournament that seems to have been running forever will finally be coming to an end on May 19th. During tonight’s Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey event the promotion release a promo video for the Heavyweight Grand Prix final between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, happening on May 19th. The location for the Grand Prix finals is yet to be determined, but it’s been rumored to take place in San Jose, California.
For months the speculation has been that once the Showtime deal runs out, Strikeforce would cease to exist and many of their stars would join the ranks of the UFC. Furthermore the loss of Strikeforce would also usher in the end to the women’s division as the UFC/Dana White wants nothing to do with it. Well once again the MMA community was wrong in their future forecasts.
The semifinal round of the Strikeforce Grand Prix is in the books and it time to move onto December’s Strikeforce event and the Grand Prix final in early 2012. Before we officially close the book on Saturday’s exciting card, the Ohio Athletic Commission and handed out it medical suspensions along with the reported fighters pay.
Strikeforce’s world heavyweight grand prix has come to the final match and what began as a chance to generate buzz and viewers has delivered in every aspect, watching a legend crumble, a champion be removed, another former champion get a chance at redemption and a young wrestler prove to everyone why he is not to be counted short.
The semifinals are in the books and the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix now has the two men that will battle in the finals early next year. The main card one-upped the undercard with four of the five bouts ending with a finish, one more than the undercard. Along with the two grand prix bouts, there was also a middleweight title fight that would end up being the only fight on the card to go the distance.
A super busy week in MMA has Josh riding solo for episode 16 of the MMA Pulse Podcast. Hear all the latest news from the week as well as a look at all the televised action in Mixed Martial Art this weekend, including Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and Bellator 49.
