Breaking Down Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix: Werdum Vs. Overeem

Added on Jun 16, 2011 by John Petit in

UFC & MMA

Alistair Overeem (Current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion)

Odds: -500

Reach: 81.5 inches

Record: 34-11

Last 5: 5-0

Streak: +5

Fabricio Werdum

Odds: +300

Reach: 78 inches

Record: 14-4

Last 5: 4-1

Streak: +3

This was the fight they have been teasing us with since the announcement of the tournament, and even at one point Overeem was supposed to put his title on the line. Lets forget the politics, and talk about the action in the cage. The back story to this one is that they fought before in 2006 in the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix, and Werdum defeated Overeem via kimura in the second round. Both fighters have changed a lot since then, and went on to do some spectacular things in there career.

Fabricio Werdum is primarily a BJJ fighters, but he also has a black belt in Judo a muay thai background. There are few heavyweights that posses the ground skills of Werdum, and his first round submission over the then unbeaten Fedor Emelianenko is all you need to know. He is dangerous off his back, and he certainly has the skills to get many heavyweights down in the clinch. Compared to Overeem, Werdum has been fighting much more experienced guys as of late, and has only lost once in his last five fights. His one loss was to Junior Dos Santos who is now the number 1 contender for the UFC heavyweight strap.

Alistair Overeem is by far the best striker in the tournament, and whether you think his opponents have been up to par lately in MMA, you can’t argue with his K-1 wins. He hasn’t been beaten in his last 10 fights, and one of them was a no contest to Mirko Cro Cop because of a groin kick. Overeem isn’t a stranger to the ground game himself, as he was the ADCC 2005 European Champion. Overeem has the ability to overwhelm just about anyone on the feet, and it will be interesting to see how he handles Werdum.

If you ask Werdum about his win over Fedor, he will tell you that he didn’t get hit be Fedor and he played possum so he would jump in his guard. Overeem isn’t going to fall for that, and he is definitely a different fighter from when they fought last. All said and done, Werdum only really has one way to beat Overeem, and thats via submission. Overeem can easily take this one by decision by picking him apart on the feet, and obviously he has the ability to finish him with strikes. Also, if Werdum needs to clinch up with Overeem in order to take him down, he may have a short night in front of him. Overeem is an expert in the clinch from his kick boxing background. I see Overeem finishing this one via TKO in the second round.