Strikeforce / M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Silva was a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 event. It took place on February 12th, 2011 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey

East Rutherford, New Jersey

East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....

. The main card of this event was broadcast live on Showtime, while the preliminary card was broadcast live on HDNet

HDNet

HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...

.

Background

This event marked the beginning of the eight-man Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament.

The Del Rosario-Johnson bout was to determine the first alternate in the Grand Prix, while the Sefo-Overeem bout was to determine the second alternate. The Griggs-Villante bout winner may determine the third alternate in the tournament.

Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...

 was expected to face Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett

Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...

, but Arlovski ended up fighting Sergei Kharitonov.

The event drew a record number of viewers for Strikeforce on Showtime with an average of 741,000 viewers.

Main card (Showtime Sports)

• Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout:   Fedor Emelianenko
  Fedor Emelianenko
  Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
  
   vs.   Antonio Silva
  Antonio Silva (fighter)
  Antonio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He initially fought in the super heavyweight division, but currently competes in the heavyweight weight class. He is the first and last EliteXC heavyweight champion...
  
  

Silva defeated Emelianenko via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) after round 2.

• Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout:   Andrei Arlovski
  Andrei Arlovski
  Andrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...
  
   vs.   Sergei Kharitonov

Kharitonov defeated Arlovski via KO (punches) at 2:49 of round 1.

• Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout:   Shane Del Rosario
  Shane Del Rosario
  Shane Kalani del Rosario is an American Thai boxer and mixed martial artist currently signed to Strikeforce. He holds the distinction of being the first American to become the WBC Muay Thai World Heavyweight Champion and has earned stoppage victories in all 11 of his professional mixed martial...
  
   vs.   Lavar Johnson
  Lavar Johnson
  Lavar Johnson is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Heavyweight. None of his career fights have ever gone to a decision. He currently competes in Strikeforce.-WEC:...
  
  

Del Rosario defeated Johnson via submission (armbar) at 4:31 of round 1.

• Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout:   Chad Griggs
  Chad Griggs
  Chad Griggs is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2005, Griggs has made a name for himself fighting in his home state of Arizona. He is currently signed with Strikeforce...
  
   vs.   Gianpiero Villante
  Gianpiero Villante
  Gianpiero Villante is an American mixed martial artist. He is currently the heavyweight champion for Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat promotion. Fighting out of Long Island, New York, he trains at Bellmore Kickboxing Academy under trainer Keith Trimble, as well as Long Island MMA...
  
  

Griggs defeated Villante via TKO (punches) at 2:49 of round 1.

• Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout:   Valentijn Overeem
  Valentijn Overeem
  Valentijn Overeem is a Dutch mixed martial artist who competes as a heavyweight. He has previously competed for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, RINGS and Strikeforce...
  
   vs. Ray Sefo
  Ray Sefo
  "Sugar" Ray Sefo is a New Zealand kickboxer, boxer and mixed martial artist. He is five time Muay Thai World champion and eight time K-1 World Grand Prix Finals tournament participant, currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada and training with Xtreme Couture.He holds notable wins in the K-1 over...
  
  

Overeem defeated Sefo via submission (neck crank) at 1:37 of round 1.

Preliminary card (HDNet)

• Catchweight (156 lbs) bout:   John Cholish vs.   Marc Stevens

Cholish defeated Stevens via submission (kneebar) at 3:57 of round 2.

• Welterweight bout:   Igor Gracie
  Igor Gracie
  Igor Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and professional mixed martial artist.-Fighting career:...
  
   vs.   John Salgado

Gracie defeated Salgado via technical submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:04 of round 2.

• Welterweight bout:   Sam Oropeza vs.   Don Carlo-Clauss

Oropeza defeated Carlo-Clauss via verbal submission (strikes) at 4:10 of round 1.

• Featherweight bout:   Anthony Leone
  Anthony Leone
  Anthony Leone is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division.-Background:Anthony Leone spent 11 months training alongside at the B.J. Penn Mixed Martial Arts academy in Hilo, Hawaii, when Leone was 20 years old. Leone currently coaches at New York Jiu Jitsu...
  
   vs.   Josh LaBerge

LaBerge defeated Leone via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 1.

• Featherweight bout:   Kevin Roddy vs.   Jason McLean

McLean defeated Roddy via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28). This fight was not shown on the HDNet broadcast.

Heavyweight Grand Prix Bracket

** = Replacement