Is Fedor\Werdum II a bigger fight than Fedor\Overeem?

It's no secret that Strike Force has been looking to branch into PPV, most likely this fall, and the main event of their first PPV was 'supposed' to be Fedor vs Overeem. But now, that's obviously not gonna happen.

Now, Strike Force is left with two options, have Overeem defend the title against Werdum, or have an Fedor\Werdum rematch, and possibly have Overeem defend the title against someone else, Bigfoot Silva perhaps.

Now, I just don't see Overeem\Werdum as being a fight that will sell well on PPV, and not the kind of fight you'd want to headline your first PPV. So if Strike Force is still wanting to go the PPV route, it has to be a Werdum\Fedor rematch.

So the question is, will the rematch generate more interest then a Fedor\Overeem fight? I think it will. There's a lot of intangibles.

First, among the overwhelming majority of knowledgable MMA fans, Fedor is the greatest P4P fighter to ever compete in the sport. Did he really just get caught, or get lazy, or whatever reason for his loss that's being used, or has he finally slipped and his skills eroding him? Is Werdum the real deal? Has he improved since his not so impressive run in the UFC?

The pressure will be on both fighters. If Fedor loses again, he's in trouble. Any chance of fighting for the UFC will be gone. The 'Fedor must retire' bandwagon will be in full swing. Even the best MMA fighters, when they drop off, seem to drop off fast, and another loss to Werdum would suggest that is what's happening to Fedor.

But if Fedor wins, especially in dominant fashion, I think most fans will regard the loss as just a slip up, a fluke, something that is bound to happen, a la GSP\Serra. As that would be Fedor's last fight of his contract with Strike Force, he would again have leverage in negotiations with the UFC, or could use that leverage to sign a new deal with Strike Force, setting up a potential rubber match with Werdum and\or a title shot against the Bigfoot\Overeem winner, assuming that fight does indeed take place.

So in other words, Fedor is in a MUST WIN situation.

But then again, so is Werdum. If he beats Fedor in a rematch, he proves the first fight was not a fluke, and he solidifies himself as one of the top fighters in the Heavyweight Division. He would then be in line for a title shot, and if he wins the Strike Force title, he's really in the driver's seat.

I'm not familiar with Werdum's contract and how many fights he has left with Strike Force, but imagine the leverage he would have, and the hype he would have, if he signed with the UFC coming off of 2 wins against the greatest fighter to ever live, and then the Strike Force champion?

But if Werdum loses, he will forever be looked at as a fluke. As a heavyweight Matt Serra, or an MMA version of Buster Douglas. A 3rd fight with Fedor would be likely, but would anyone give Werdum a chance of winning? And if he loses the rubber match, any legitimacy he gained with the win over Fedor would be gone, and he would find himself at best in gatekeeper fights against the Strike Force up and comers like Bobby Lashley and Shane Del Rosario.

So in other words, Werdum is in a MUST WIN situation.

I think all those factors make for a much more intriguing fight then Fedor\Overeem would've been.

TFK

 

StrikeForce is a long ways away from successful PPV. This card was pretty big by their standards, and they didn't even come close to selling out the HP Pavillion. They had a huge section closed off. Frank Shamrock is more of a draw than Fedor and now he just got subbed in a minute, that is not the makings of a PPV.

 

I agree. I think Strike Force is a long way from being ready for a PPV. They just don't have the depth in their roster.

If they did do a PPV, they would have to load it with every big name they have, but then, any card they have in the months before and the months after will be garbage.

TFK

 

I disagree with you guys. I think the hype generated surrounding Fedor's first loss creates a great platform for PPV rematch.

The supporting cast is weak but I like the first round of Strikeforce's planned MW Tournament to replace Shields on the undercard.

And how about a catchweight bout between Diaz and Mayhem. Brilliant. Have Scott Coker call me if he needs some help.

 

Still not PPV worthy. I was at the Fedor fight, it was not close to sold out, not going to happen.

 

Bitch, you must not have heard me.

 

Oh no you dit'n.

It might draw more attention the second time, since Fedor did lose and now a rematch won't be viewed as the mis-match this was supposed to be.