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Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers the aftermath
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Picture courtesy of Strikeforce
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers went off last night, for the most part, just as expected. What, if anything, did we learn from the fights and/or the fighters? How did Strikeforce and CBS do with their "first" network television collaboration?
Let's start with the televised fight card from the opening fight, working our way up to the main event:
Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio "Big Foot" Silva- The fight itself was not an overly exciting affair, going to a decision. Silva looked anything but impressive in his return to U.S. soil after his year-long steroid suspension. Telegraphing most of his punches, Silva showed he still needs a lot of work in the hand speed department. Werdum showed a much improved chin, absorbing Silva's heavy punches without going to sleep. Werdum also showed that he has been working on his Muay Thai and actually looked better in the clinch, overall, than Bigfoot did, which was surprising to most.
Overall, Werdum beat Silva at his own game and controlled two-thirds of the fight, utilizing his seemingly new-found Muay Thai skills as well as his superior ground control. In the end, neither fighter looked impressive enough to be called number one contender, but Werdum did re-establish himself as a formidable opponent in the heavyweight division.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou- As many expected, this fight was rather lopsided and dominated by Mousasi. Sokoudjou did not look any different then he did in the UFC, gassing out and basically giving up. Mousasi, on the other hand, showed why is his considered, by many if not all, the best light heavyweight outside of the UFC. The fight showcased Mousasi's skill on the feet and on the ground. Even when Sokoudjou got a dominate top position, Mousasi used it to his advantage. Al though the victory was not over a top opponent in Sokoudjou, Mousasi shined in this fight, showing his versatility and stone-cold composure. Mousasi definitely raised some eyebrows amongst fans, and quite possibly with other promoters (i.e. the UFC).
Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields- For many casual MMA fans, this fight was considered a "snoozer", and as predicted, the bout went to a judges decision. For fans of the ground game, however, this fight was anything but boring. From the opening bell, Shields showed his aversion to the stand up game, taking the fight to the ground at every given opportunity. Miller showed excellent composure, looking calm and composed on the ground. The big surprise, to many, was that Miller nearly submitted the jiu jitsu ace at the end of the second round. The bell actually saved Shields from succumbing to the deep rear naked choke. As expected, Shields kept the fight on the ground, out wrestling and out pointing Miller to win the unanimous decision, and the middleweight title. In the end, Miller showed that he needs to work on his take down defense and his urgency. Shields showed that, as seems to be the usual, he is a one dimensional fighter, avoiding the stand up game at all costs, as strictly a ground fighter.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers- For many new and casual MMA fans, this was a first look at Fedor fighting live. Many were surprised by the fact that Rogers was able to inflict the damage to Fedor that he did in the first round. Do not be fooled, this was a typical Fedor fight. One must remember that Fedor does not change his overall training for any particular fighter and goes in to each fight without a real game plan. The beginning of the first round is merely a feeling out period for Fedor, who devises his game plan on the fly, according to what he sees in the early minutes of the fight.
As with most of his fights, this one was over before it started. As the announcers pointed out, Rogers showed his nervousness, and was tentative and hesitant to engage his opponent. Rogers did show some promise, sprawling and getting up as quickly and easily as he did when the fight went to the ground. But, in the end, and like clockwork, Fedor capitalized on Rogers' over aggression and mistakes. It only took one well timed punch from Fedor to end the night, and the dreams, of Brett Rogers. It also helped the mystique of Fedor, who is considered by many to be the baddest man on the planet.
For those casual fans who haven't seen the majority of Fedor's fights, it should be put into context. Fedor is like the Boise State of MMA. Boise State has the best record in college football, but will not play for the BCS National Championship. The reason being is strength of schedule (competition). Just like Boise State, Fedor has an impressive record, with a lack of top notch opponents. If you look at the list of his opponents over the last 4 or 5 years you will see that it consists of UFC has-beens and fighters no longer in their prime.
Defeating the inexperienced Brett Rogers does not, in my opinion, change Feodor's standings in the heavyweight rankings. There will always be debate when it comes to the discussion of Fedor, and until he competes in the UFC, against the top heavyweights in the world (which may never happen), the argument will never be settled. Is Fedor the number one heavyweight in the world? The answer is relative to who you ask, if you were to ask me, the answer would be no. However, Fedor is, without a doubt, the number one heavyweight outside of the UFC.
Updated: Since this article has sparked quite a debate, let me clarify something...I never used the word "best", but rather "number one" in my assesment of Fedor. In whatever promotion it may be, the champion is the number 1 fighter, period. That is how it is and should be. So, having said that, the reason I consider Fedor the number 1 fighter outside of the UFC is the fact that Overeem has not defended his belt.
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS- Overall, the show was good, decent production value and a good fight card. Being on network television for free definitely helped Strikeforce gain some fans. The one major flaw would have to be the tape delay for viewers on the west coast. Whether or not it was due to college football games or the actual time difference is of no matter. Fans in the Pacific time zone were unhappy with having to wait to see the fights. In todays "Twitter" age, people are used to right here, right now. Many MMA fans on the west coast, willing or not, saw the results prior to being able to view the fights. This probably cost Strikeforce and CBS quite a number of viewers. Hopefully that is taken into consideration for the next Saturday Night Fights on CBS. Other than the delay, the overall consensus is good. The fights were entertaining and free and the event was a sell-out. Fans were able to see quality fights outside of the UFC, which, for the casual MMA fan, is a rarity.
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