Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem has been removed from the promotion’s heavyweight grand prix after declining a September 10 date for his semifinal matchup with Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
Undefeated prospect Daniel Cormier will replace Overeem and face Silva at the Showtime-televised event, according to Tatame.
The move came just hours after Overeem announced that Zuffa threatened to pull him from the tournament if he didn’t fight in September instead of a planned October return.
The September 10 Strikeforce fight card is also expected to feature the second semifinal between Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov as well as middleweight champ Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Luke Rockhold, which was confirmed with three other bouts earlier today.
For the latest Strikeforce news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Alistair Overeem
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I’m not sure why Griggs didn’t get the call here. After all, he did win TWO Gran Prix reserve bouts, compared with Cormier’s one. Not to mention the power of the mutton-chops. And he’s a heck of a lot more exciting to watch.
Why not replace Overeem with the guy who beat up his big brother?
I wonder if Overeem is worried that he might test positive for something in early September?..just throwing it out there
Really not fair to cast doubt on a persons reputation with zero info to back it up … and then excusing your gossip by the “just throwing it out there.”
“Hey maybe your dad beats your mom cause she’s a prostitute” – just throwing it out there.
It’s in bad taste. If you have something to say – make a point. If you have no facts then it is just gossip – save it for your sewing circle.
@cc
Dan82523 knows people that do or have done steroids, that’s probably why it popped through his mind. Also, if that turned out to be the reason than he can say “I knew it” or “I told you so”, if he wanted. ;-)
@ cc
Sorry if you happen to have daddy issues..I had no idea that my question would bring that out
If people think that Overeem has never juiced or isn’t juicing they are stupid. They probably don’t lift any weights and/or not doing it right. People who have been working out know that he cannot put on that much solid mass without a little help. I don’t care how many years go by, he’s a grown man, not a growing boy. It’s hard to gain good weight like that.
Future comments like this by yourself or others will be deleted and may lead to a ban. Overeem has never tested positive and it’s unfair to claim this is why he turned down the fight.
I feel like my previous post was on topic and not an outright allegation but I do appologize that it apparently did not meet the Frenzy posting guidelines
Here is what I will say:
Overeem is adamant that he is going to fight in October whether it be for SF or another promotion..The logic is that September is just not enough time to recover from that wild Werdum fight and prepare for the next Grand Prix fight
Again, Overeem guarantee’s that he is fighting in October but is willing to bail on Zuffa if they make him fight one month earlier
Maybe Overeem’s toe is really bad and he just knows that the extra month will make all of the difference
Maybe Overeem is so emotionally fragile that Zuffa moving up the date without his approval is just too disrepectful for him to take
Maybe there is another reason..its a tough one to figure out
@Dan82523
Not an illegal substance. An injured pinky toe.
;-)
Dan, I was thinking the same thing.
he has so much to lose right now if a. he loses that fight b. he doesn’t pass a test…
He’s sitting in a pretty good spot right now considering he’s commonly regarded as possibly the best HW outside the UFC. the fewer fights he has until that big crossover superfight and the possibility of jeopardising that, for him, the better.
add c. injury
I kind of like this. Daniel Cormier is a great replacement and a good fight for Antonio Silva. Since Overeem’s out they should give the winner of the Grand Prix a shot at his belt. The Grand Prix winner vs. The SF Heavyweight Champ is a lot better than giving a UFC ticket or title shot to the winner of the GP. I’m guessing that Overeem doesn’t want to wait for the winner of the GP, but I’m not to sure who they should give him as his next opponent, maybe Chad Griggs. ;-)
Can anyone else think of an opponent that’s more worthy of a match-up with Alistair Overeem,, than Chad Griggs?
:-)
Cormier has
More
Hype behind him
And
Zuffa loves being
Premature happened with lesnar with bones
And
More
In my own personal opinion, I believe Alistair’s only motivation was in beating Werdum. Also, it is possible that Alistair sees the end of Strikeforce coming soon and doesn’t want to get caught up with Zuffa because I seriously doubt that Zuffa will allow him to fight K1 and in Japan if he is asked to move over to the UFC. It is unfortunate that this happened and i’ll be curious to find out what really went down. I can’t see them removing their best heavyweight and biggest name in this tournament over a 1 month scheduling difference.
Bye bye tournament credibility. I’m not saying it won’t be fun or entertaining, but the point of this grand price was to determine the top HW in the organization – without Overeem, the winner can’t make the claim to be the top SF HW.
I thought the winner will ultimately fight the Champ…. Overeem…..?
What a dumbass
Overeem should have never been here the tournament to begin with. It should have been a tournament for the number #1 contender. The winner facing Overeem for the title. I mean let’s say Silva would have beaten Overeem he would have wanted to be declared the champion and he rightfully should. All the first round matches should have been held on the same night. Same with second round, third round, etc. It is the only fair and sensible way of doing things. Silva had a much longer time off than Overeem would have had. Whether thats is a diadvantage to Silva or Overeem I don’t know but its simply isn’t fair.
Maybe he’s joining the UFC?
Didin’t he state a week or so ago, that he fancied a go at boxing?
Maybe he’s gonna box Kimbo?
His manager said he didn’t want to fight in September because of a toe he broke before the Werdum fight and he wanted to be 100% for the Silva fight.
This reads thus far like one of those deals where all the facts aren’t in, so we’re sort of obligated to sit tight and wait for the other shoe to drop…
I’m just upset he won’t be in the tournament… he should get a replacement griggs or cormier.
From the interview with AW: “That is not going to take place,” Overeem told Helwani. “Stikeforce has requested me to accept the fight for Sept. 10, to agree on that, but I have not agreed on it and I also had some emails, some questions asked, is the fight confirmed? No, the fight is not confirmed. I do not confirm it and I will not confirm it.”
…
“What’s going to happen next, I don’t know. I’ve had some threats of cutting me out of the tournament if I don’t participate. I don’t know if they’re going to do it. Personally, I don’t like to be threatened. If people start talking like that then…be my guest, but then I’m really not going to sing to their tune.”
…
“For them to unilaterally declare, okay, [September 10] is going to be the second round, which I never agreed on, and then threaten me if I don’t want it, it…doesn’t really show a lot of respect,” he said.
Of all the Strikeforcers that the UFC would consider accepting when contractually able to, Alistair Overeem seems personality-wise to not really fit the “company man” mold Dana White & Co usually like.
Its possible that AO might talk himself out of a UFC career entirely after fulfilling his Sf obligations…
Chad Griggs!! Cormier is a good prospect and talented but Griggs is a finisher!! But it goes back to image, an olypic wrestler vs crazy sideburns guy…..I would say if Griggs. Oh well….
Ok, so I realize that a lot of people have their opinions when it comes to Overeem, but I don’t see him as ducking the competition with ‘Big Foot’ Silva. I think Antonio is the best opponent for a guy like Overeem. He will stand and bang with him, and his takedowns are not the most threatening. I think if Overeem faced a great HW wrestler he would be in a world of trouble, but any of the guys in SF that are willing to trade leather with a K-1 kickboxer as talented as Alistar would find themselves in a bad way.