Many thought that Brett Rogers wouldn't have a chance against Fedor Emelianenko on November 7th 2009. However, he put up a much better fight than many expected.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
During his ringwalk, despite the euphoric crowd in attendance, Fedor remained his usual calm and relaxed self. Composure was going to be key for him in his fight against Brett Rogers, as there were several problems he needed to overcome.
Early on in the bout, Rogers landed a jab which caused the nose of Fedor to gush with blood. It may have been broken, and Fedor certainly was affected by it as he kept pawing it as if to see what was wrong. Despite this, soon after this event, Fedor rocked Rogers with a combination, but he couldn't finish the American, although the fight did consequently go to the ground where many thought Fedor would have an advantage.
Surprisingly, the first had yet another remarkable twist, as Rogers managed to earn top position, and rain down some bombs on Fedor. The Russian managed to get out of this position though and last out the round.
The second was started quickly by Fedor, who threw some wild swings at his undefeated foe. Rogers covered up though, and momentarily pinned Fedor up against the fence. The end was nigh for Rogers though as soon after, the fight went to the middle of the cage, and Emelianenko unleashed a hellacious overhand right on the chin of Rogers, who hit the floor instantly. Fedor connected with two more punches before the referee stopped it, but after that overhand right, Rogers could have been given five minutes to recover and his legs would still have been rubbery.
By winning this in such brutal fashion, Fedor proved that he can still go through wars and come out of the other side, and that he is still a dominant fore on the pound for pound list. On the other hand, Rogers proved that he certainly has the potential to go very far in MMA, as he dealt with Fedor in a very mature manner, and played to his own strengths. Both fighters impressed tonight, even the loser.
Strikeforce Middleweight Title: Jason Miller vs. Jake Shields
This bout went five rounds as scheduled, and displayed Jake Shields at his very finest. He showed why he could very well be the best fighter in the world in the welterweight/middleweight divisions in which he fights with a wrestling and BJJ masterclass against the tough and slippery Jason Miller.
Shields got takedown after takedown, and put relentless pressure on 'Mayhem'. The lifelong vegetarian didn't try too hard to finish the durable Miller, and his 'one piece at a time' attitude worked a treat, as he gradually wore Miller down as the fight went on.
In fact, the only time Shields was ever in significant trouble was at the end of the third when Miller sank in a rear naked choke. However, Shields lasted to the bell, and just carried on his domination as per usual when he came out for the next two rounds. Shields' performance was extremely professional, as he rarely gave 'Mayhem' a chance, although Miller also deserves some credit fo lasting five rounds with such a quality operator. Shields won via unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the bout 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 respectively.
Non Title Fight: Gegard Mousasi vs. Thierry Sokoudjou
The current light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi was dealt a seemingly stern test in the form of Theirry Sokoudjou, but the Armenian was clinical in his bout against the judo specialist.
Round one was fairly even, and Sokoudjou probably stole it. Mousasi stunned his foe at the start of the session, but Sokoudjou got a couple of takedowns and remained in control for the majority of the round.
The second was a completely different ball game though. Mousasi dominated, pinning his opponent against the cage and unleashing strikes, until they hit the mat, and Mousasi earned a TKO victory after some mean ground and pound. Mousasi is quite possibly the best light heavyweight in the world right now.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva
This was an excellent fight. All three rounds were extremely close, although Werdum walked away with a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28. Werdum was initally rocked, but showed his heart by taking the fight where he wanted it (the ground), and outworking Silva for the majority of the second and third rounds. After this win, Werdum is likely to face Fedor Emelianenko.
Strikeforce 'Fedor vs. Rogers': The Final Verdict
This was the most entertaining televised MMA card in a long time. All of the fights were excellent, and hopefully they have drawn the casual 'channel-hopping' audience in. Fedor proved his worth on the pound for pound list with an outstanding victory tonight, and a fight against Werdum would be intriguing to say the least.
