Sure, it’s not nearly as popular as the UFC, nor does it possess the production quality, however, Strikeforce does have some of the best fighters in the world signed to their roster. Plus, many fans in Canada consider this card to feature, arguably, the best male and best female fighters in the world. Heavyweight king Fedor Emelianenko takes on Fabricio Werdum, while Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos defends her women’s middleweight title against Jan Finney.
The card also features a rematch between exciting strikers Cung Le and Scott Smith. Le has a huge following in Canada and his popularity is growing since he has appeared in several feature films. Fans in Canada can watch Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum on Super Channel or Showtime.
Here is a breakdown of the card:
THE ENIGMA THAT IS FEDOR
- Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum
Fedor is somewhat of an enigma in the sport of MMA. He is perceived as this unbeatable mystery, a man that lives in the woods whom no one can defeat. However, it is more the fact that Fedor is completely unconventional in his approach to fighting that sets him apart.
He doesn’t train with conventional workouts or diet; even when you see video of him hitting pads, he looks slow and amateurish. Compared to other mixed martial artist he looks relatively out of shape, yet he wins and finishes fights. And, it seems like Fedor does whatever his management says; a shill, owned and controlled by M-1 Global, not just sponsored by them. Couple all that with the fact he doesn’t fight top competition, and there you have the enigma of Fedor.
I think this is the fight that shows Fedor is overrated. Werdum is the first legit top-ten heavyweight the Russian has faced since Mirko Cro Cop in 2005. By the time Fedor fought Tim Sylvia and Andre Arlovski, they were over the hill and not the fighters they were when they held UFC titles. To have success, Werdum needs to come out with the same confidence he did against Gabriel Gonzaga, Brandon Vera and Antonio Silva, all the while being weary of Fedor’s power. Werdum is an enormous underdog, but since Fedor is such a question mark, it may pay off to lay down a couple shillings on the Brazilian.
Werdum in an upset.
- Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Jan Finney (for women's middleweight title)
Without sounding sexist, Santos fights like a man. She is explosive, aggressive and vicious when she’s in the cage, and many women can handle that barrage. Until a fellow female phenom arrives on the women’s mixed martial arts circuit, “Cyborg” will keep winning. Finney (8-7) will have her record bumped back to .500 as her four-fight win streak comes to an end.
Santos by death punch.
- Cung Le vs. Scott Smith
This is a rematch of Cung Le and Scott Smith’s dramatic fight from last December where Le was picking Smith apart with kicks, but Smith knocked Le out with less than two minutes remaining in the fight. This time around, Cung Le won’t have to deal with cage rust and his cardio will be improved. He hasn’t been sidetracked with as many extracurricular activities, such as filming movies. Smith has shown time and time again that he can come from behind to knock out his opponents in dramatic fashion, like he has done against Pete Sell, Benji Radach and Le in his last fight. Smith has the advantage with his hands, but Le has the edge with his feet. Le has arguably the best kicking arsenal in the sport, landing wheel kicks, heel kicks, and spinning kicks at will. Look for him to avenge his first career loss by wearing Smith down with his feet and shins.
Le.
- Pat Healy vs. Josh Thomson
Pat Healy is not well known to mainstream MMA fans, however he has fought the best in the sport for nearly nine years. Healy has aced a cavalcade of elite fighters including UFC veterans Chris Lytle, Dennis Kang, Brad Blackburn, Jay Hieron, Rory Markham, Mike Guymon, and Jake Ellenberger. He even holds victories over the likes of Dan Hardy, Paul Daley and Carlos Condit. In short, he is legit. His opponent Josh Thomson is one of the best lightweights not currently in the UFC. Thomson is coming of a decision loss to Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez and looks to win in his hometown of San Jose. His wrestling and pressure sure to be too much for Healy to handle for 15 minutes.
Thomson.
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