Strikeforce hosts a star-studded card headlined by the North American return of feared Dutchman Alistair Overeem on Saturday.
Overeem will put his Strikeforce heavyweight title on the line for the first time in two years against 29-year-old juggernaut Brett Rogers in St. Louis, Mo. This encounter of heavy-handed behemoths is likely to end in spectacular fashion with the winner moving on to a prospective clash with pound-for-pound king Fedor Emelianenko.
Let's break down the main card festivities on Saturday night:
Alistair Overeem (32-11) vs. Brett Rogers (10-1)
Despite an unbeaten run in his last eight fights, Overeem has a lot to prove in his return to U.S. soil.
The Golden Glory standout has not competed for Strikeforce since defeating Paul Buentello to capture the championship in November 2007. Since then, Overeem has claimed a number of victims overseas, including Pride veterans Gary Goodridge, Kazuyuki Fujita, Mark Hunt and James Thompson.
Although Overeem's striking is undoubtedly his most valuable asset, his submission game is leaps and bounds ahead of most standup fighters in the division. The Dutchman has 19 submission victories, including three in his last four MMA contests.
While his skillset is vastly improved since the sport's glory days in Japan, Overeem's physical appearance has been his most prominent transformation. Formerly a lean light heavyweight contender, Overeem has put on substantial muscle mass and now cuts weight to make 265 pounds. There has been speculation about how he gained so much size in such a small timeframe. However, Overeem has vehemently denied all allegations and vows to prove that he can pass any form of North American drug testing.
Rogers, a knockout artist who first made an impact in the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, aims to spoil Overeems U.S. return.
The Minnesota resident claimed the biggest victory of his career by stopping Andrei Arlovski in 22 seconds last June. When Rogers was matched up against Emelianenko in just his 11th pro bout, he was never expected to earn the victory. However, the second-round knockout loss did wonders for Rogers' career. Not only did he prove he can go toe-to-toe with the greatest fighter of all time, he put Emelianenko in precarious positions during the fight.
As a result of his performance, the doubters have died down and Rogers is now widely accepted as a viable heavyweight threat.
The reasoning behind putting Rogers in a title fight after a clear-cut loss is somewhat peculiar, but it would be unfair to discount his chances against Overeem.
This battle could come down to who connects first. Both are legitimate powerhouses and neither man can afford to eat too many clean punches. However, Overeem's superior ground game and technique will give him an edge.
If he can find his range, Overeem will brutalize Rogers standing. Conversely, if he underestimates the strength of Rogers, he will lose his title along with a coveted opportunity to fight Emelianenko.
Andrei Arlovski (15-7) vs. Antonio Silva (13-2)
Former UFC heavyweight champion Arlovski faces a stiff test in his first fight since inking a new deal with Strikeforce.
After successive losses to then-heavyweight torchbearer Tim Sylvia, Arlovski went on a six-fight winning streak, which included wins over tough opponents such as Fabricio Werdum, Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson.
In January 2009, Arlovski was granted a shot at Emelianenko in a fight promoted by Affliction Entertainment. Under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, Arlovski put on a tactical display of effective striking in the early stages of the bout before attempting a flying knee, which proved to be a costly error as Emelianenko knocked him out cold in one of the year's most memorable KOs.
Several months later, Arlovski made his Strikeforce debut against Rogers. A heavy underdog leading into the matchup, Rogers defeated Arlovski by TKO in less than 30 seconds.
Arlovski told The Fight Network he sought the help of a sports psychologist after the back-to-back losses. Remotivated and focused, Arlovski began training at one of the premier U.S. camps under Greg Jackson in New Mexico.
Billed as "Big Foot" due to his enormous frame, Silva was the last reigning EliteXC heavyweight champion. The 30-year-old Brazilian suffers from Acromegaly, which is a condition that leads to excessive growth of facial and body features.
Anchored at American Top Team, the Brazilian is on the rebound trail following a unanimous decision setback against Werdum last November. Arlovski possesses a sharp stand-up game coupled with solid grappling and a base in Sambo. Meanwhile, Silva is an accomplished BJJ ace with dangerous hands.
Both men are evenly matched on paper, though Arlovski should have a slight edge due to his well-roundedness, superior striking and submission defense. In order to prevail, however, Arlovski's chin must survive the early onslaught from a powerhouse who once competed as a super heavyweight.
Ronaldo "Jacare" de Souza (11-2) vs. Joey Villasenor (27-6)
In an intriguing middleweight bout, the Brazilian submission wizard Souza can put himself at the forefront of title contenders if he dispatches "The Mexican Hitman" Villasenor.
De Souza, a five-time world jiujitsu champion, is one of the most dangerous submission players in the sport. The 30-year-old Brazilian is coming off the biggest MMA win of his career -- a first-round submission of world-renowned wrestler Matt Lindland.
Villasenor, a Pride veteran, is on a four-fight winning streak. With career wins over Evangelista Santos, Phil Baroni, David Loiseau and Jorge Santiago, Villasenor has proven himself to be a well-rounded competitor. The Greg Jackson MMA student has a strong base in boxing, in addition to a solid ground game.
But Souza, a member of Black House along with the Nogueiras and Anderson Silva, should have a decisive edge given his improved stand-up game and unsurpassed submission prowess.
Villasenor's best chances of winning this fight will come standing, yet Souza plans to punish him wherever the fight goes.
Roger Gracie (2-0) vs. Kevin Randleman (17-14)
Gracie, a second-degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr., could be the most decorated heavyweight grappler to transition into MMA.
His accomplishments include the 2007 Abu Dhabi superfight title, a first place finish in the 2005 Abu Dhabi 88-98 kg and absolute divisions, as well as 21 CBJJ tournament wins.
Gracie submitted both Ron Waterman and Yuki Kondo in the first round in his MMA bouts.
Nicknamed "The Monster," Randleman is a former UFC heavyweight champion with career wins over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Murilo Rua, Renato Sobral and Pedro Rizzo.
However, the 38-year-old Randleman has struggled with his MMA career since his knockout of "Cro Cop" in 2004, winning only twice in his next nine bouts. Randleman is coming off successive decision losses to Mike Whitehead and Stanislav Nedkov.
Gracie, who is 10 years Randleman's junior, should overwhelm the two-time Division I NCAA champion with his ground game.
Antwain Britt (11-3) vs. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (8-2)
In light heavyweight action, Cavalcante and Britt will clash for a potential shot at newly crowned Strikeforce 205-pound titlist Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal.
A student of the Nogueiras and Anderson Silva, Cavalcante was billed as the next major light heavyweight contender when he signed with Strikeforce in 2009. However, he lost his promotional debut against Mike Kyle.
Since the defeat, the heavy-hitting "Feijao" stopped Aaron Rosa with strikes in November.
Britt, a product of the Hybrid Academy of Martial Arts, beat prospect Scott Lighty via TKO last December. With wins over UFC veterans Antonio Mendes and Carmelo Marrero, Britt has earned the reputation of a powerful puncher susceptible to threatening submission attempts.
As a result of his superior ground game, Cavalcante should capitalize on Britt's weaknesses and put him away with strikes.
