STRIKEFORCE has assembled eight of the world’s top ranked heavyweights to compete in the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix – Heavyweight Tournament, a three-stage, single-elimination tournament that will take place over several events in 2011.
The first two quarterfinal fights begin on Saturday, Feb. 12 live on SHOWTIME from the IZOD Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. In the main event, the 34-year-old legendary Fedor Emelianenko will face the towering Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event. Co-featured on Feb. 12, former Heavyweight World Champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) will face Pride FC and K-1 veteran Sergei Kharitonov (17-4).
In the other two quarterfinals, Strikeforce, K-1, and Dream Champion Alistair “The Reem” Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) will face the only man to tap out Fedor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), while the heavy-handed Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) will meet a hungry Josh Barnett (29-5). The location and date for these quarterfinal tournament fights are to be announced.