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Overeem vs. Werdum Booked for Strikeforce Heavyweight Title Fight on 8/15; Rogers Screwed Once Again


(Overeem vs. Werdum 1; Fabricio starts the fight with a flying kick at the 1:11 mark, and ends it with a kimura at 17:08.)

As first reported by MMA Fanhouse and confirmed shortly after via press release, Alistair Overeem will indeed be making his first Strikeforce heavyweight title defense on the main card of "Carano vs. Cyborg" (August 15th, San Jose). But get this — he’ll be taking on PRIDE/UFC vet Fabricio Werdum, not undefeated KO artist Brett Rogers as was originally speculated.

Overeem and Werdum already have a history together. In May 2006, they had a memorable battle in the opening round of PRIDE’s open-weight GP, with Werdum pulling out a kimura submission near the end of the second round. Said Overeem about the upcoming rematch: “I’m very happy that I’m being given the opportunity to fight him again and I’m looking forward to beating him. This is the one rematch I’ve wanted. I’m going to punish this guy.”


Another thing that unites Overeem and Werdum is long layoffs. The Demolition Man — who picked up Strikeforce’s vacant heavyweight belt after a beatdown of Paul Buentello in November 2007 — hasn’t competed in an MMA match since a submission win over Gary Goodridge last November, partly because of a bar-brawl-related hand injury that sidelined him a couple months ago. Werdum has been idle since his upset knockout loss to Junior Dos Santos at UFC 90 last October.

Of course, the odd man out (as usual) is the Grim. Brett Rogers’s record is a perfect 10-0, and he just scored the biggest win of his career with a 22-second knockout of Andrei Arlovski last month. Werdum is coming off of an embarrassing loss, but he has the convenient storyline with Overeem, so Rogers will have to wait some more for his title shot. Though he could be placed on the card anyway. Last time we checked, jiu-jitsu phenom Roger Gracie was still without an opponent…

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averagejoe- July 6, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I'd love to see Rogers v. Roger, or Rogers v. Verdum. If Overreem looks like he did in his recent K1 fights, he should crush either guy. In the first fight, Verdum looked better than he has in years, and Overreem looked sluggish, fatigued, and sloppy. Hopefully Rogers KO's a can next, and in a few months we see him vs. Allistair.

and +1 for Burrito Famoso.
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Meohfumado- July 6, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Seriously...what does the Grim gotta do to get that title shot?

At the rate that Strikeforce champs defend their belts, he's looking at 2011 at the earliest.
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TheSlothman- July 6, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Strikeforce is quickly losing whatever poitive momentum they had built coming out of the gate strong. All their strong fights are at catchweights, or are girl fights ( not that theres anything wrong with that!). First the matchmaker fucks Diaz(only the most marketable fighter they have), now the Grim.....cmon Coker,get your act together, your sliding fast into Atencio territory.
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Earl Jones Jr.- July 6, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Hmmm. Overeem needs to be aware of the cautionary tale of Sean Sherk. It's a little over 5 weeks until piss-in-the-cup time and he best cycle off his shit. CSAC doesn't fuck around.
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Chri534.- July 6, 2009 at 1:22 pm
@El Famous Burrito: "I prefer to fight in a dirt hole dug out with my bare hands and lined with the skulls of my enemies.

That, or behind an Arby's."

I'm with ya on this one. Except they are coincidentally the same place for me. I just hope that dick manager of the store doesn't keep getting on my ass for all of the stray cat skulls laying around out back...
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Maitreyan disciple- July 6, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Feed Rogers to Dan Quinn, Maitreya is exponentially blacker than "The Grim", has faster hands and 20+ years of standup experience. My prediction, 1st round KO via body shots.
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RJeezy- July 6, 2009 at 1:13 pm
They're probably saving Rogers for the CBS card, if there is one.
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El Famous Burrito- July 6, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Jugger:

"A slow steady approach to the belt will be better for him than jumping up there, getting beat, and then disappearing into a black hole somewhere."

That's racist.
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Jugger- July 6, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Rogers deserves the shot, but I think this will probably be better for him in the long run. Strikeforce isn't very deep. A slow steady approach to the belt will be better for him than jumping up there, getting beat, and then disappearing into a black hole somewhere.
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thexrickx- July 6, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Werdum better wear a heavy duty cup! Overeem might just make his balls explode...
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k- July 6, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Gracie won the BJJ world championships this year by cross choke from the mount against all of his opponents. Same takedown. Same pass. Same choke.
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CZ- July 6, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Strikeforce is fucking Bret Rogers right into a UFC deal. Im sorry but besides losing to Junior Dos Santos, what has Werdum done recently to deserve this? Did he run right through a (former) top Ten heavyweight? Nope but Grim did. And when you factor in that a lot of strikeforce fans probably dont even know Werdum, this choice just seems worse. The Strikeforce matchmaker has to step up his pimpin big time.
@just a wrestler. I like MMA in a cage more, but when you see it live, a ring is much much better, the cage is EXTREMELY obstructive. For watching on PPV its the shit tho
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Kimbos Bread- July 6, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Rogers deserves a shot.

But it's nice to see Werdum back.
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Armbreaker- July 6, 2009 at 12:29 pm
If Grim fights Gracie, he better make sure it is a striking match. Gracie would kill him on the ground.
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Kim Couture is a cunt- July 6, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Bret Rogers deserves this fight. Thats a load of bullshit.
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Derekrva- July 6, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I think Werdum loses this time around.

Grim is still young and improving, so maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Anyone know how long is contract with Strikeforce is? The UFC probably has an eye on him.
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ArmFarmer- July 6, 2009 at 12:13 pm
^ lol!

I hate the ring because so many takedowns get unfairly stuffed because of a simple arm hanging over the rope for a split second. That and people getting all tangled up in the ropes in general. Almost every fight I see in a ring people avoid takedowns by leaning on the ropes with one arm. I've seen Fedor do it, Chuck did it against Rampage, seen it so many times and it annoys the hell out of me.
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El Famous Burrito- July 6, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I prefer to fight in a dirt hole dug out with my bare hands and lined with the skulls of my enemies.

That, or behind an Arby's.
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Just A Wrestler- July 6, 2009 at 11:58 am
I cannot decide which i like more, MMA in a ring or in a cage. The ring is more traditional with roots to boxing but with the disadvantage tof people sliding out of the ring. The cage is more gritty and hardcore, kind of like the sport of MMA itself. Any other takes on this?
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UFC fan- July 6, 2009 at 11:50 am
Carano Vs. Cyborg is the best thing on the card. Pathetic but true.
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Fedor vs. Bas- July 6, 2009 at 11:48 am
I want to see Rogers get the fight, even though Ithink Overeem would destroy him. But I dont feel too bad, Rogers will be next, and an extra fight would only help prepare him more.
0 0 Reply

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