Strikeforce Preview: Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva

Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) vs. Antonio Silva (13-1)

The Story So Far: The first televised bout of the CBS fight card features two former top-ten heavyweights in a fight that could determine a challeger for the winner of the Emelianenko vs. Rogers main event 

Fabricio Werdum came to prominence fighting in the Japanese MMA promotion, Pride. While he lost to Sergei Kharitonov and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Werdum still bult up an impressive resume with wins over current Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem and Aleksander Emelianenko. Many observers considered Werdum to have one of the top submission games in the heavyweight division. When the UFC bought Pride Werdum was one of the fighters to make the transition state-side. 

Following an initial loss to Andrei Arlovski, Werdum defeatead Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera before losing to a suprisingly game Junior dos Santos in one of the major MMA upsets of 2008. After the loss Werdum found himself uncerimoniously dumped by the UFC. After a lengthy free agency period Werdum signed with Strikeforce and defeated Mike Pyle at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg.

Antonio Silva was once considered to be a top heavyweight prospect and future star of EliteXC. However, that narrative evaporated when Silva tested positive for the anabolic steroid, Boldenone, after defeating Justin Eilers for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title. Antonio was suspended by the CSAC for a year but Silva fled to Japan and competed in Sengoku events despite the protest of the CSAC. Now Silva will make his return to the United States and fight for the opportunity to become a heavyweight headliner once again.

SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Emelianenko vs. Rogers

Conventional Wisdom: This heavyweight fight may be a classic MMA match-up. The Jiu-Jistu specialist, in Werdum, facing off against a superior striker, in Silva. Expect a lot of clinching with Werdum looking to sweep Silva to the mat and attempt to submit the superior striker. 

WKR Analysis: The last time WKR watched Silva fight live --at EliteXC: Unfinished Business-- Silva looked slow and tired. Ironic considering his positive steroid test. Before that fight Antonio Silva was viewed as an extremely athletic heavweight with deadly hands, basically Brett Rogers without the girth. If the Antonio Silva that was ranked in the top-ten shows up WKR could see a TKO victory for Silva in round one a la Junior dos Santos. 

Fun Fact: If you think that Antonio Silva doesn't look quite normal it is probably because he suffers from a condition called Acromegaly, which causes the enlargement of facial and body features because of a tumor in his pituitary gland.