Follow @Mike_Fagan_13 on Twitter for live updates from the “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva” conference call at 12:00 p.m. ET. Scheduled on the call are headliners Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva. Plus, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, M-1 Global Co-Founder Vadim Finkelchtein and Showtime Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Hershman.
The coverage begins at 12:00 p.m. ET. Join us for commentary and analysis. Don’t miss it.
[UPDATES]: via @Mike_Fagan_13 and @SHOsports
– The @Strikeforce heavyweight tournament fights will be 3 rounds and @alistairovereem‘s title will not be on the line.
– The tourney winner then fights for SF title.
– Coker says Overeem will continue “The Reem” doc through the SF tourney.
– Coker says the fighters won’t be competing elsewhere between tournament fights.
– Coker says the semi-finals are being targed for “late June/July.”
– Coker won’t say that Overeem won’t fight in K-1 this year, only that he’s “committed” to the tournament until it concludes.
– “If any fight is deemed a draw, it will come down to a 4th independent judge who will decide the winner.”
– @stevecofield: Coker indicates Daniel Cormier will likely be in a Strikeforce HWT GP alternate bout in the future
– @JoshGrossESPN: Coker’s position that SF couldn’t make 5R fights because it was too difficult with different regulators is ridiculous. California, N.J., Missouri, Tennessee told me 5R fights were fine by them. All said they had not been approached by Strikeforce re: it.
– @DamonMartin: The Strikeforce Grand Prix is no different than the old Pride Grand Prix. Technically both Fedor & Big Nog had titles going into that.
– Fedor – “I made an error in my previous fight…but nothing has changed inside of me. I train harder and hope to do better in my next fight.”
– I’m very proud to be in the tournament. Very proud to represent my country.
– I’m happy to fight anyone. Silva is a very tough opponent. We’ve crossed paths in locker rooms. He’s always been very cordial.
– This tournament is just as good or better than the Pride tournaments.
– I wouldn’t mind training with someone like Shane Carwin, but I will probably be training in Russia.
– If people think they’ve found my biggest weakness, let them try to exploit it.
– Big Foot Silva – “Fedor is a legend. To be a legend, you must beat a legend & I’m ready to prove that I’m the #1 heavyweight in the world!”
– For me, fighting Fedor is the final.
– Werdum showed Fedor’s weakest aspect is rolling on the ground.
– “I know I can beat him…at the right time God gave me the right fight”