Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers Thoughts

Strikeforce's Saturday night card marked a success for the growing promotion. It offered exciting fights, names that die hard MMA fans will flock to, and a strong mix of everything we love about the sport. Knockouts, grappling, technique and brute force.

Oh, and it had Fedor, too.

In all seriousness, Fedor's mainstream debut (let's be honest) came off very, very well, and his fight with Brett Rogers had a major "big fight" feel to it, the likes of which we saw in the buildup for this year's GSP-Penn rematch. It looked great, and the Last Emperor made a compelling case for being regarded as the top heavyweight in the world. Even though the commentary team was insistent on him being the best fighter in the world/history... more on that slant later. First, thoughts on the fights themselves.

Bigfoot Myth Debunked. In the opening round, Antonio Silva looked like he was going to prove my upset prediction right as he really tested Fabricio Werdum's chin. Those were some heavy shots, and it looked for a minute like the former UFC heavyweight was in danger of suffering another knockout loss. However, credit Werdum with being able to turn the tables in the subsequent rounds and use his BJJ acumen to stave off the loss. Perhaps if Silva didn't try to match Werdum's grappling game with his own, he would've attained the win. In any event, it was a great night for Werdum as he continues to place himself in the upper echelon of Strikeforce's heavyweight ranks.

Strikeforce's Spider. I'm gonna come out and say it right now: Gegard Mousasi is Strikeforce's answer to Anderson Silva. Lethal counterstriker, consistently cool in the cage, competes and dominates in multiple weight classes, insane win streak, it all adds up. Gegard is becoming my favorite fighter to watch behind Silva, and for the most part, he looked good Saturday. I'll say this much, Sokoudjou surprised the hell out of me with his early aggression in Round 1. He kept the Armenian Assassin on his toes and put his ground game to the test. The first round was very close. I mean Machida-Rua Round 1 close. But by the time the bell rang for the next five, it became clear how this would turn out. Sokoudjou looks impressive, but his gas tank has an ongoing leak. If he could only improve his conditioning, he'd be dynamite. Despite his early assault, Mousasi never looked scared or surprised. That eerie calm is his apparent trademark... I'm loving this guy.

Somewhere, Carlos Newton is Planning to Sue. That's all I have to say about Jason Miller's pompous entrance. If he wasn't a Chicago boy, I doubt he'd have gotten as many cheers as he did during the lengthy "Booty Sweat" dance-off. I would normally save this observation for PTN Minutiae, but considering it was the most exciting part of the 25-minute affair, it deserves the title slot. This was hardly an exciting fight and Jake Shields did little to endear himself to critics. He simply did what he had to do in order to secure the title. Miller put up more of a fight than anyone expected, and like Sokoudjou, I give him credit. It just wasn't enough to make the win happen.

The Punch (Literally) Heard 'Round the World. This was honestly the most exciting heavyweight tilt in terms of the atmosphere I've seen since Couture vs. Lesnar. Even the crowd was split, with purists backing Fedor and the loyalists behind the hometown hero from Sam's Club. Brett Rogers put up a helluva fight, even exhibiting some elementary ground game in the process. Fedor hasn't been tested like this since his days in Pride. If Rogers could have kept his energy up, who knows how it would have gone? He landed a few clean shots and left Fedor's rosy red shnoz looking worse than before. I'm surprised it's not broken, it sure as hell looked it. But Fedor showed his dominance against the big man, along with surprising agility. His tribute to the Flying Hendo Hammer looked like it would've killed a normal man if it had landed, and showed off his Sambo game amidst a barrage of fists with a nice armbar attempt. Way to keep cool under pressure. And then there's the punch itself. We've been treated to some brutal knockouts this year. But I can't recall one you could actually hear. My cousin came over Sunday to watch the fight as I'd DVR'd it, and his jaw dropped just as Rogers' frame did when he heard the punch land. It was vicious. Fedor silenced a lot of critics with this fight. I may still not agree with his management team, but the man himself is the real deal. Period.

Overall, I really enjoyed this card in spite of the middleweight snoozer. Strikeforce really got to showcase some colorful personalities and could make a strong case for future stars in the game. The show popped a 2.3 rating and averaged 3.79 million viewers, which is phenomenal for a Saturday night. It may not have topped Kimbo's prime time debut with EliteXC, but it still made a strong case for the viability of the sport and the brand itself. Keeping up the momentum is crucial to Strikeforce at this point. Here's hoping they continue to impress.

Let's see how the predictions record stands...

Event Total: 3-1 (0.750)
Career Total: 23-13 (0.639)

Still got it. PTN, Minutiae...

I'll DJ for $50... Please. I understand it's a network broadcast, and that limits what can be done in the way of entrance music or background music for that matter. But please... Scott, can we do something about the choice in ambiance? The music was a massive buzzkill for me. Even WWE has edgier tunes. I may be nitpicking here, but production values count for something, too.

While we're griping... Can we get a better announce team? Aside from Frank Shamrock and Steven Quadros, I don't know who any of these people are. They should at least know the difference between the Nogueira brothers and how to pronounce certain names.

Only Loren Coleman and I got that reference. During the Silva-Werdum fight, one of the announcers referenced the "Patterson Film." He's talking about the Roger Patterson film from 1967 which supposedly captures an actual sighting of a Sasquatch in the Pacific Northwest. 1. Way to date yourself, man. 2. Really? 3. I'm a nerd, hence why I know this.

The Red Devil Approach. Both Gegard and Fedor looked the same throughout their fights... unfazed, unafraid, almost bored. Maybe it's a camp mentality?

And now, Strikeforce's BJ Penn... In a testament to how thin Strikeforce's roster still is, Jake Shields announced his desire to pursue the welterweight title, which currently doesn't have a waist to call home. The sad thing is, it's really tough to argue with him given the number of actual weltwerweights you can think of. Here's hoping Scott Coker can use Saturday's success to get some more blood in his ranks. Some of the regulars on "Challengers" may have to step up to the main spotlight.

Nothing to be Ashamed of, Brett... Rogers seemed very tough on himself after his first loss. I understand what it means to be competitive with yourself and blame yourself in the event of a loss. But seriously, he just fell to the top heavyweight in the world and one of the finest fighters in MMA history. There's even been a case made for an immediate rematch. I think Brett ought to be very proud of those facts, but I'm not him.

Who's Next? The question is begging to be asked... for both Fedor and his Red Devil teammate Mousasi... who's next in line? Funny thing is, for once there are more options for Fedor than his colleague. In my mind, Fedor deserves an immediate shot at Alistair Overeem for the Strikeforce heavyweight title. Anything less would be silly for him. I think a number one contender's match between Brett Rogers and Fabricio Werdum could easily set up a title match with the winner of Fedor/Overeem, but after that, who is there, really? Maybe Bobby Lashley. I can see Strikeforce trying to parlay his talents the same way UFC has done with Brock Lesnar. But beyond that, good luck finding names. I'm even more lost in the case of Gegard Mousasi. How many light heavyweights are even on the Strikeforce roster? This is a quandary I wouldn't want to face.

Unbiased Opinion (For a Change). I have no problem with Strikeforce marketing Fedor as a phenom. They should, because he is. No doubt, the top heavyweight in the world. However, to call him the best fighter in the world and in history is a loaded statement. Because Dana White would say the former title belongs to his current middleweight champion, and right behind him is the welterweight king. I'm not arguing Fedor's dominance, but it's only been since 2008 he's been facing big names in his division. And like I've stated, a strong case could be made that both former UFC champions he bested were out of their element to begin with. Brett Rogers has been the only truly capable opponent he's faced since Pride's dissolution. Call him one of the best of all time, call him one of the pound-for-pound best. But don't mince words like that... both Sherdog and MMA Weekly have the 1-2-3 as Anderson, GSP and then Fedor. Not to mention the fact that neither Anderson Silva nor GSP have even looked "in trouble" for the better part of their current reigns. Fedor has been pushed by both Arlovski and Rogers. And only one of those names is relevant. Not taking anything away from the man, just saying I don't agree with the labeling, here.

So far, Strikeforce has won the race for card of the month. Three more to go, let's see if Zuffa can top this.