Strikeforce GP tries to regroup

What does the Strikeforce Grand Prix mean?

After some brief confusion at the start, the promotion has always been up front about the fact the title wouldn’t be on the line in the grand prix, but instead said it hoped to establish a No. 1 contender for champion Alsitair Overeem. Unless of course, Overeem himself won the tournament. In that case, we’re not sure what the point would have been, exactly.

There have been those who’ve alleged the winner of the Strikeforce tourney would have a legitimate claim to being the world’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, though that assertion seemed dubious even before Overeem’s injured toe forced him out of the running.

Josh Barnett

Winning the grand prix likely makes Barnett a Top 5 heavyweight again, possibly nets him a title bout against a healed-up Overeem and would make it more difficult for the brass at Zuffa, LLC. (who he’s long clashed with) to get rid of him.

Antonio Silva

Bigfoot a is a pretty unanimous choice as a Top 10 265-pounder, but he’s seldom mentioned in the same breath as guys like Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos or even Overeem. A win in the grand prix would change all that.

Daniel Cormier

Cormier has perhaps the most to gain, as the man who will step in for Overeem. Cormier is undefeated and a former Olympic wrestler. If he can win it, there’ll be no denying Cormier as the real deal any longer.

Sergei Kharitonov

If we told you at the start we were going to hold one of the greatest heavyweight tournaments in MMA history, but that Sergei Kharitononv was going to win, would you still watch? Yeah, I don’t know if I would, either.

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Reports indicate Ovefreem only has one fight left on his contract. Does the company really want to take the risk of holding a tournament, seeing the tournament winner defeated by Overeem and then having Overeem depart the promotion. That doesn’t seem like a great option, does it?

Truth is, Strikeforce might be out of great options at this point.

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