Silva, Kharitonov, Overeem Shortlisted for Fedor
Loretta Hunt Jul 19, 2010
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker will begin discussions with
co-promotional partner M-1 Global as early as this weekend for the
third and final event on their existing contract. It will be the
first time the companies talk shop since Fedor
Emelianenko’s stunning 69-second submission defeat at the hands
of Fabricio
Werdum on June 26 in San Jose, Calif.
At the top of the list will be determining Emelianenko’s next opponent and where the event will take place, as well as negotiations to re-up a deal to produce additional events together into 2011.
Regarding Emelianenko, Coker said he’s well aware that M-1 Global
has its sights set on its client Emelianenko getting an immediate
rematch with Werdum, who snapped the 33-year-old Russian’s
unmatched 28-fight win streak amassed over nearly a decade.
Werdum has openly stated he’d grant Emelianenko the rematch and would like to see the fight promoted in Russia, where the Brazilian believes not a seat would be left empty.
“He's back in the gym helping his teammates train for their upcoming fights. He is at the same time still celebrating his victory, enjoying his family, making appearances, teaching, etc.,” wrote Wilner. “Fighting within the year is a possibility if the right opportunity presents itself.”
Strikeforce’s Coker said in the days following the June 26 event that he might be inclined to match Emelianenko against heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, who has campaigned heavily for the fight for the last year. That field has evidently expanded.
“It doesn’t have to be Overeem,” said Coker this week. “It could be (Antonio) ‘Big Foot’ Silva or maybe (Sergei) Kharitonov.”
The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Silva outboxed former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski to a unanimous decision victory at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” on May 15 in St. Louis. Kharitonov, the promotion’s most recent heavyweight acquisition, was an active fixture of Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships and dropped a first-round submission loss to Jeff Monson at Dream 8 in April 2009.
Of all the possibilities, Coker was certain who Emelianenko wouldn’t meet next, though.
“It’s not Fabricio Werdum,” he said. “He already beat (Fedor). To me, it’s only been a month (since the first fight). We saw the Werdum fight already. I think when they eventually hook up and fight again, it will be an amazing fight and event.”
Coker knocked rumors that a proposed Overeem-Emelianenko match served to lock the Russian into a “champion’s clause,” a component of standard contracts that makes it difficult for a fighter to exit a promotion once he wins a title.
“That’s not it at all,” said Coker. “Depending on if there’s any future fights, if he fights Overeem, it might not be a title fight. It doesn’t have to be (for the title). If Fedor is on his last fight with us, we wouldn’t make it a title fight with Alistair. But why shouldn’t that fight happen regardless?”
When asked what might transpire if M-1 Global is adamant that their client only face Werdum next, Coker had a stern reply.
“I just don’t think they’ll have a choice,” he said.
If the two promotions can’t come to terms on a contract extension or new agreement, Coker said Strikeforce has “first rights to negotiate” should M-1 Global and Emelianenko seek out another offer.
At the top of the list will be determining Emelianenko’s next opponent and where the event will take place, as well as negotiations to re-up a deal to produce additional events together into 2011.
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Werdum has openly stated he’d grant Emelianenko the rematch and would like to see the fight promoted in Russia, where the Brazilian believes not a seat would be left empty.
Richard Wilner, Werdum’s manager, said recent reports that the
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will be sidelined for the rest of
2010 to undergo elbow surgery are incorrect. In an e-mail to
Sherdog.com on Friday, Wilner wrote that Werdum will meet with a
physician next week to evaluate his elbow and that if he required
surgery, it “would certainly be minor.”
“He's back in the gym helping his teammates train for their upcoming fights. He is at the same time still celebrating his victory, enjoying his family, making appearances, teaching, etc.,” wrote Wilner. “Fighting within the year is a possibility if the right opportunity presents itself.”
Strikeforce’s Coker said in the days following the June 26 event that he might be inclined to match Emelianenko against heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, who has campaigned heavily for the fight for the last year. That field has evidently expanded.
“It doesn’t have to be Overeem,” said Coker this week. “It could be (Antonio) ‘Big Foot’ Silva or maybe (Sergei) Kharitonov.”
The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Silva outboxed former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski to a unanimous decision victory at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” on May 15 in St. Louis. Kharitonov, the promotion’s most recent heavyweight acquisition, was an active fixture of Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships and dropped a first-round submission loss to Jeff Monson at Dream 8 in April 2009.
Of all the possibilities, Coker was certain who Emelianenko wouldn’t meet next, though.
“It’s not Fabricio Werdum,” he said. “He already beat (Fedor). To me, it’s only been a month (since the first fight). We saw the Werdum fight already. I think when they eventually hook up and fight again, it will be an amazing fight and event.”
Coker knocked rumors that a proposed Overeem-Emelianenko match served to lock the Russian into a “champion’s clause,” a component of standard contracts that makes it difficult for a fighter to exit a promotion once he wins a title.
“That’s not it at all,” said Coker. “Depending on if there’s any future fights, if he fights Overeem, it might not be a title fight. It doesn’t have to be (for the title). If Fedor is on his last fight with us, we wouldn’t make it a title fight with Alistair. But why shouldn’t that fight happen regardless?”
When asked what might transpire if M-1 Global is adamant that their client only face Werdum next, Coker had a stern reply.
“I just don’t think they’ll have a choice,” he said.
If the two promotions can’t come to terms on a contract extension or new agreement, Coker said Strikeforce has “first rights to negotiate” should M-1 Global and Emelianenko seek out another offer.
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