Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum Reportedly Set for June 26 Strikeforce in San Jose
With negotiations between Strikeforce and the management of top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Ememianenko apparently settled, a long-rumored matchup between Emelianenko and fellow contender Fabricio Werdum is reportedly set to headline a June 26 Strikeforce event in San Jose, California as expected.
“From our side there are no issues. Fedor has already begun to prepare for a fight on June 26 in San Jose. We have agreed that the event will also include other fighters from M-1,” Vadim Finkelstein, Emelianenko’s manager and M-1 Global president, announced today.
The matchup was originally expected to headline Strikeforce’s return to CBS in April, but negotiations between the promotions dragged on and the bout was ultimately postponed until the June 26 Showtime-televised event.
Emelianenko (31-1) defeated Brett Rogers in November in his Strikeforce debut on CBS for his 27th-straight win, while Werdum (13-4-1) has won back-to-back Strikeforce fights over Mike Kyle and Antonio Silva after being cut by the UFC in 2008.
According to Finkelstein, one of the M-1 fighters expected to fight at the event is welterweight Magomed Shihshabekov.
Strikeforce has confirmed they’ll be making a “big announcement” today, which is expected to be official confirmation of the Emelianenko-Werdum bout.
For the latest Strikeforce news and Strikeforce rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Fedor Emelianenko
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As with all announcements from M-1, I’ll believe it when I see it.
M-1 does not have much credibility…and they only have themselves to blame really.
Yawn…. Fedor’s only fight for 2010 and it’ll be over in the 1st round. See ya in 2011.
Your doomed verdum:P
Man they are wasting Fedor’s potentialy prime time.
Agreed. Fedor is fighting twice a year. He is 33 years old. I think 10 more fights is pushing it. I think he may have only a few fights left. I think they are squandering a fight here. He should not be fighting Werdum. I think most people would rather see him fight Overeem or UFC guys. I think Fedor should drop M-1 and dedicate himself in the final few years of his career to coming to fight the best that the UFC can throw at him. Win, Lose, or Draw…who cares. Just fight the best you can and go out like the true martial artist that Fedor is. I think Fedor is invested in M-1 honestly, because he wants to advance MMA in Russia and build the sport in Russia. It is a very noble idea and worthwhile to pursue. However, M-1 isn’t the company to accomplish this.
M~1 Global = Fedor, he isn’t “splitting” with himself…
Just as an FYI, Fedor is a part-owner of M-1 Global, and quite honestly their sole marketable commodity, delusions about running their own “promotion” and signing their own fighters to the contrary…
Thanks Braniacs. Yes, I know Fedor is part owner (20 %) or something like that. I also know he is committed to helping M-1 succeed and build MMA in Russia. So, yes, he probably won’t leave M-1.
My point is that I think he SHOULD leave M-1 (if he can) or at least free-lance and fight the fights he wants to fight before he retires…with or without M-1. Fedor deserves to leave MMA without taking anymore speculative garbage from his detractors who say he is scared or can’t beat the UFC guys…blah, blah, blah.
Except that M1 is his booking agency. So he can’t just “leave M-1 (if he can) or at least free-lance and fight the fights he wants to fight before he retires” as you wish.
Pay attention to what we “Brainiacs” say.
I’ll take Fedor by knockout, Alex…
This man was KO’d by Fedor Emelinenko in the 1st round at Strikeforce, June 26.
Who is Fabricio Werdum???
Correct for $ 1,000 dollars.
I don’t know if Alex would have that as a $1,000 question, maybe $100. : )
LOL… Yeah, that would have been too easy for a $ 1,000 question.
As long as Werdum doesnt duck into an upper cut, he should do alright(alright means not look too terrible). Fedor loves to arm bar, but I don’t see him wining by submission. IMO Werdum has better ground game. Big problem is he won’t be able to take Fedor down to force a submission on Fedor. If Fedor is on top, I thing his ground game is good enough not to get subbed, but not enough to win by sub. Fedor is going to have to TKO Werdum to win, and Werdum would have to submit(doubtful) Fedor, or win by decision(the more I think about it, Werdum is screwed). I am going to go study some Werdum stand-up, but from what I remember, it was nothing special. Fedor by TKO 4 min in RD 1.
The thing about Fedor is he can beat you however he wants to. SAMBO may not be wrestling or bjj, but it’s a happy middle. Remember, Big Nog in his prime could not handle Fedor on the ground.
That is a great point, you made. Some other people should read that and let that sink in.
I guess you missed the Werdum Dos Santos fight
Werdum that got KTFO by dos Santos isn’t the same Werdum that has been training his arse off and in all honesty the dos Santos loss really awoke Werdum and his passion for the fight game, he has looked good in his last two fights
Why Werdum? No one really wants to see Fedor fight Werdum. Fedor should fight Overeem (show again…how easy it is for him to beat ANY size of fighter and KO Overeem with a step-in left hook/right uppercut combo) and then sign a three fight UFC contract (beat Brock, Carwin, and Couture)…then retire as the greatest MMA heavyweight (and best PfP fighter). Then Fedor should sit back have a beer, smoke some herb, and enjoy his life in Russia and train and promote fights.
Finklestein (F~Finkledinkle) won’t “allow” Fedor to fight Overeem til Overeem {who has never failed a drug test} passes pre fight screening, they much rather would fight Josh Barnett (who has failed many drug screenings)
Probably because Josh worships Fedor, and will have mentally defeated himself before Fedor gets to the cage and takes off his trendy RCVA walkoutwear, while Overeem would be highly motivated to claim the lion’s share of the MMA HW spotlight by kicking Fedor’s head off of his shoulders and into the 200 section…
;-)
Randy??? Maybe a few years ago not today it would be a bad fight for Randy. The other two I completly agree with you. Carwin is a heavy handed beast I would love yo see those two go toe to toe. Brock and fedor would be interesting too. I don’t know if I would favor Fedor over those too. Dunno who would win kind of a toss up
Just as an FYI to your “toss up” reference, I wanted to let you know that some time ago the frenZy ran a poll to see who the fans thought would win in a theoretical throwdown between Brock Lesnar and Fedor.
If memory serves, the results were [approximately] 60% of the frenZied though that Fedor would win, while 40% felt that Lesnar would win.
I don’t believe the frenZy has yet run a Carwin/Fedor poll…
Ah, I put Randy in there because Fedor might deserve a break after the first two guys (Fedor has a lot of miles on him) and since he respects Randy and Randy respects him it would be nice to finally let them battle one another. I don’t see Randy Couture as top, top level anymore. Age catches up with your body…but Randy is a truly calss act and admirable as a true martial artist.
Great info. I think I would lean towards Brock. Just by his sheer size and power. Although we will find out if he comes back the same way from his illness. As far as Shane that dude always has a punchers chance. I would also pick him over Fedor but wouldn’t be surprised if he could beat both of them. Anyway I don’t think either fight will happen. I don’t see Fedor ever stepping foot in the Ufc. It’s a shame cuz there would be some interesting match ups.
I agree Randy is classy. I would like to see them fight but Randy would be in trouble. Randy is great and I have tons of respect for the guy. He is one of my favorite fighters I just wouldn’t wanna see him KO’d. You’ll get no argument from me when it comes to Randy being one of the classiest and most accomplished mixed martial artist.
Here! Here!
Verdum had trouble early on vs Bigfoot, and though that can be attributed to Silva’s reach advantage, Verdum looked hesitant on his feet and unable to finish on the ground. I think dos Santos knocked the confidence out of Verdum and exposed his potential for being KO’d. And considering the myth that is Fedor, I can’t see Fabricio doing anything more than creating a chocolate fudge dragon in his pants.
I’d like to see dos Santos vs Brett Rogers myself . Two large dudes swinging away
That only tangentially, maybe, has anything to do with this thread, and at this point in time is not possible.
Justin,
Dr.Doom is just saying what he would like to see. Why are you being such a smart-arse?
Because it it is only tangentially, maybe, slightly, barely on topic. Also, calling for fights that have next to no likelihood of happening anytime soon are a habit of his. Why do you feel the need to get involved?
The man is entitled to say what fights he would like to see, regardless if they are deemed likely or unlikely to happen, no?
He’s not entitled to say anything on this website, nor are you. “MMAFrenzy.com reserves the right to moderate all comments.”
The point in my comment was basically to hint to him to stay on topic, and that I didn’t think that was on topic, and why.
Fedor is fighting someone, possibly Fabricio Werdum, and sometime next month, maybe 26 June.
File that under “believe it when you see it”.
When any MMA fan considering supporting this event reaches for their wallet, either for tickets or to add Showtime to their cable system to support either Strikeforce and/or M-1 Global, they should seriously consider what they are getting into.
Scott Coker seems to be a half-step behind the MMA times from a certain POV, and relying on a fair-weather fighter like Fedor while shelving someone like Jason Miller strikes me as the height of folly.
It would be better for SF to develop their own talent, sort of the way that Bellator does, rather than rely on UFC castoffs and retreads, not to mention the extremely undependable Fedor, to draw eyes onto the product.
Unless Coker gets a better handle on things, and eases off on the dealings with M-1 Global, I’m seriously considering dropping Showtime from my cable package, and writing off Strikeforce as just another promotion that wasted its potential for the big time…
Fedor beats Werdum. Then fights winner of Overeem/Rogers. I think it will be Rogers. Wins that fight. Then comes to UFC and fights Brock and Shane Carwin. If he goes undefeated in those fights, then there is no doubt even from the Fedor haters he will go down as the greatest. I know I won’t hold my breathe for him to be in the UFC. After those 4 fights, he will then face Anderson Silva, who will climb to heavyweight at 220lbs and win. That will be about 2013 and then you will see him retire. Nothing left to prove then. Again, I am not saying this will happen, but it may be in the future.
During Fedor last fight first thing I noticed was where’s M1 sign if there’s a copromotion cotract -everything was Strikeforce, will see if there’s any changes after all this delay
UFC should let their fighter out of their grip to fight best out there like Fedor, Oveerm, Rogers
What?
Do you mean that M-1 Global should stop posturing and sign Fedor to fight in the UFC, so he could cement his legacy by facing men like Mir, Velasquez, Carwin, and Lesnar?
By doing so he could validate M-1 Global’s claims that Fedor is the best MMA HW fighter and the best p4p MMA fighter?
The way your post reads now it sounds like you think that the UFC should release the best MMA HWs on the planet to go fight in a regional promotion against men that either washed out of the UFC or haven’t yet [or never might] reached that level.
But surely I’m mistaken, because that would be patently ridiculous…
I’m convinced that Fedor could merely walk down the isle of a UFC event wearing an M-1 Global t-shirt, and that alone would do more for the sport of MMA in Russia…
I don’t think its a matter of Fedor wearing an M-1 Global shirt to the cage, its a matter of M-1 Global asking for far more compensation than what they are bringing to the table is worth to Zuffa in 2010.
Also, there are certain legalistic barriers that simply can’t be breached if a “co-promote” system was in place…
I’m excited to see Magomed Shihshabekov in a SF event. He is a good fighter , let’s see how good he is on the SF level.
My friend, you may have to school some of us if Strikeforce starts featuring Russian fighters…
;-)
LOL .
I wish somebody school me about Russian MMA . I do follow some of the Russian promotions / fighters, but I’m not even close to the knowledge level I wish to be. It’s quiet few young talented Russian fighters, but so far no of them get or performed well on the big stage. The biggest disappointment so far was Kirill, but who knows may be a new star on a horizon has born and need just it’s time to shine. Let’s see how Maga and Alex do in SF and Bellator, then I might start investing more in learning about Russian MMA. :-)