Strikeforce- Fedor vs. Rogers: Echo calls it

The time has finally come, folks. Strikeforce and M-1 global will be airing their latest event on CBS this Saturday night, Nov. 7, and, if they keep putting cards together like this one, the Ultimate Fighting Championship might have some actual competition on its hands. Shy of UCF 100, this is probably the most exciting MMA card from any promotion this year.

Be sure to check your local listings for start times or drop by strikeforce.com. It’s free, for crying out loud, and it features some top-tier fighters. What more can you ask for?

Fabriciao “Vai Cavalo” Werdum vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva:
Antonio “No visible needle holes” Silva has a lot to prove following his alleged steroids use last year. The dude needs to reignite his impressive career, but I don’t think Werdum is going to let that happen too easily. When you have two guys rolling around on the mat, as these two are very likely to do, there’s no telling what can happen. If I were pressed for a guess, though, I’d put Fabricio pulling off the submission.

Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi vs. Rameau Sokoudjou:
I really like Sokoudjou. It’s a shame that, going 1-2 with UFC, this potentially dynamic up-and-coming fighter didn’t get a little more time to find his rhythm in the octagon. Mousasi is dangerous on the ground while Sokoudjou is more comfortable on his feet. Sokoudjou has a questionable submission defense and, unfortunately, I think that will make the difference. This one is a toss-up, really. My head says Mousasi will bring it to the ground and finish it while my heart says Sokoudjou is ready to start shining.

Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Jake “Too good for a nickname” Shields:
Miller is one of the best personalities in the sport, but you need more than a winning charm to take out someone like Shields. Both of these guys have had long careers full of impressive showings. You couldn’t really hope for a more equally matched competition. I’d like to see Mayhem knock Shields’ block off, but I have a feeling this one’s going to decision with Mayhem proving the victor.

Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko vs. Brett “The Grimm” Rogers:
Holy hot hell this is going to be an explosive fight. You have two (arguably) undefeated powerhouses, both huge guys, and both like to punch people in the face. It’s going to be like two trains colliding and I can’t wait to see it happen. While Rogers is younger and, clearly, hungry to prove Fedor can be beaten, I don’t think he’s going to be the man to do it. I like to envision a slug-fest reminiscent of Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva back in December of 2007, but I think this one’s going to be more akin to the recent Fedor/Arlovski pairing (wipe a tear). Someone with a lot of fight in him is going to be put down hard, and that someone is not going to be Fedor.