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Former PRIDE and current WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) will be out of action for up to six weeks as a result of hand surgery that was required to repair a dislocated thumb suffered in his Nov. 7 fight against Brett Rogers, according to Sherdog.com.

“The Last Emperor” headlined the Strikeforce/CBS prime time debut “Fedor vs. Rogers” last Saturday night from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Emelianenko defeated “The Grim” via second round technical knockout, but not before sustaining his share of punishment from the Chicago native.

According to the report, the procedure required the Russian fighter to have pins inserted into his hand to correct the dislocation but no bone or ligament damage was revealed during the surgery.

Emelianenko had surgery on his hand once before, following his  laugher over Wagner “Zuluzinho” da Conceicao Martins at PRIDE: “Shockwave 2005″ to correct a chronic ailment that had plagued him since 2003.

Despite earlier reports (and pictures of a busted up face), Emelianenko’s nose was not broken during the Rogers fight and he’s expected to resume limited training upon his return to Russia later this month.

Fedor is also expected to compete under the Strikeforce banner for a second time in early 2010.

For “Fedor vs. Rogers” coverage click here.

UFC President Dana White thinks Fedor Emelianenko is a fraud. A flabby relic from the mismanaged days of PRIDE that now hides behind the iron curtain, emerging only to fight hand-picked opponents that pose no threat to a self-proclaimed legacy.

In fact, White is so sure that the Russian heavyweight is at the bottom of the divisional rankings that he was willing to write him a blank check after Affliction MMA imploded under the weight of its own spending.

That makes sense.

Imagine how quickly the men in white coats would come to collect you if you walked onto the lot of an auto auction and told the yard barker: “I’ve got a check for five million dollars, please give me the biggest piece of shit on the lot.”

Ever since the fall of PRIDE, there have been a lot of hard feelings between the UFC and Emelianenko’s camp and I suspect a great deal of that has been “The Last Emperor’s,” ability to escape the Zuffa monopoly.

Men with White’s power and ultimately White’s greed are used to getting what they want. What do men in power want? Everything. Yet “those crazy Russians” have balked at every attempt the UFC has made to secure the WAMMA champion as their own.

And why wouldn’t they, especially when M-1 can have a monopoly of their own? As long as Emelianenko keeps winning, Vadim and the Finkelchtein Express can continue cashing in at the expense of other promotions who need an established headliner.

In the world of playground politics we call that “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.”

While M-1 and UFC continue to argue over who the bigger A-hole is, fans of mixed martial arts are left with one of the most heated debates in the history of this young sport.

Is the man known as “Fedor” the greatest mixed martial artist of all time?

That, like the asinine “pound-for-pound” ranking system, is impossible to prove with any sort of irrefutable evidence.

I’ve been following Emelianenko since his win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at “PRIDE: Shockwave 2004.” I expected him to lose that fight against “Big Nog,” because at the time I didn’t think anyone could overcome “Minotauro’s” incomparable balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu.

And therein lies the problem with trying to qualify the greatness of a fighter such as Emelianenko. Many pundits believe, as Dana White does, that current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar would smash the M-1 star with relative ease.

It’s certainly within the realm of possibility.

No fighter is invincible. Anderson Silva has put together a string of victories that on paper look like the work of fiction, going 11-0 since that same event in 2004 and stopping ten of those fights by (T)KO or submission.

Yet during the span of his career, “The Spider” was also submitted twice, by fighters that would never be mistaken for title contenders.

Another one of today’s top stars, Georges St. Pierre, has completely re-written the playbook on wrestling defense inside the Octagon. “Rush” seems to grow more dominant with each contest and could be one or two fights away from cleaning out the UFC 170-pound division.

But there was a time when St. Pierre was submitted by Matt Hughes and knocked out by Matt Serra just a few years later. Was the Canadian the far-and-away better fighter than “The Terror” at UFC 69? Of course, but this is what makes mixed martial arts so great.

A lot of people laud the sport for its unpredictability, but I disagree. Because of the nature of combat sports, I believe it is the margin for error — not random chance — that causes so many jaw-dropping upsets.

Randy Couture dodged an oncoming lunchbox in the second round of his fight against Brock Lesnar back at UFC 91 in November of 2008. Unfortunately the tail end of that punch clipped him on the fade-away and crumpled the elder statesman, forcing his heavyweight belt into the arms of the former WWE headliner.

Was it a bookie-busting upset? No, but it was a perfect example of how one small error can end a fight, especially in the new-look heavyweight division, where most of the upcoming fighters can bench-press a Volkswagen.

If I was asked to pick the best fighter currently competing at this present time, it would probably be Anderson Silva, for his amazing run over the past four years and the level of competition he’s faced.

Sure, he had that stinker against Thales Leites at UFC 97, but it’s difficult to fight someone who spends more time on their back than “The Huntington Beach Bad Girl.”

Now if I had to pick the best fighter of all time, my first pick has to be Fedor Emelianenko. Again, I won’t dispute that a fighter exists in the UFC that may have the tools to beat him, but I cannot ignore the body of work this fighter has compiled over the past nine years.

To go 31-1, including 27 straight, is an astounding achievement in the world of professional fighting. Is his record populated with the occasional can or overgrown freak show? Sure, but show me an elite fighter that hasn’t fought a pretender at some point in his career.

Matt Hughes, widely considered one of the most dominant welterweights of all time, crushed so many cans in his career they’ve named a wing after him at the office building of the Environmental Protection Agency.

You can’t excuse Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva for losing to lesser competition while simultaneously condemning Fedor Emelianenko for beating it.

After stopping Brett Rogers on November 7 under the Strikeforce banner, Emelianenko received heavy criticism for his performance during the fight — just as he did when he knocked out former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: “Day of Reckoning.”

He could be the only fighter in history to be so widely panned for a winning performance. When Travis Lutter had Anderson Silva mounted at UFC 67 and began raining down punches, “Spider’s” eventual escape and submission win were heralded as an “amazing comeback.”

Yet when Fedor escaped the mount and ground-and-pound of Brett Rogers last Saturday night, he was “exposed.”

No concessions for “The Grim” outweighing him by fifty pounds, no free pass because it was his first fight inside a cage, just a lot of finger pointing.

Great achievement is the bearer of great expectation, I suppose.

Conversely, the loyal fans of Fedor can sometimes be just as irrational. I try to remain realistic with my belief that a fighter exists who can eventually end his impressive winning streak.

The position Brock Lesnar had against Frank Mir to end their fight at UFC 100 looked about as inescapable as any position I’ve seen. Lesnar has a very good chance of beating Emelianenko — but I don’t think he’s half the fighter that Fedor is.

How does that work?

Lesnar has five professional fights. One of them is to a Korean crab cake named Min Soo Kim, who’s continued to dazzle audiences with his impressive 3-6 record.

Another two have been against the hot-and-cold Frank Mir. One of those ended in a loss. In Lesnar’s defense, he did rebound with a victory over the barely-heavyweight Randy Couture, who cashes his UFC check on the same day of the month that he cashes his social security check.

Lesnar is big, powerful and talented. But in the world of MMA, he’s proven very little. How will he respond when he’s rocked by an A-level striker? Can he escape the submission attempts of a jiu-jitsu black belt?

The one chance he had to prove that he could was at UFC 81, and he failed.

I’ve seen Fedor get rocked and I’ve seen Fedor in submission trouble. I’ve also seen him cough up a round on separate occasions. Yet no matter how precarious the situation, Fedor always finds a way to come back and win.

I can’t say that he would beat any other heavyweight out there because I don’t know that for sure. What I do know is that since getting sliced open by Tsuyoshi Kosaka at Rings: “King of Kings” way back in 2000, Emelianenko has put together one of the greatest runs through any division in all of mixed martial arts.

Some performances were astonishing, some were barely enough to get by. In both instances, he found a way to win. That to me is what the legacy of Fedor Emelianenko is all about: A fighter at the top of his game who continues to win in a sport that allows only the tiniest margin for error.

There will always be individual greatness in the sport of mixed martial arts. It’s just unfortunate that sometimes it requires you to look past your promotional allegiance to see it.

Props: LA Times

Quoteworthy:

“CBS would be out of their mind to put that rinky-dink [Strikeforce] . . . on the air again … and without that backing, [promoters] won’t have the money to pay [Emelianenko]. The guy just got his face smashed in by Brett Rogers. Do you know what Brock or [UFC heavyweights] Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do to Brett Rogers? It’s time to bring [Fedor] in, to see Brock Lesnar smash his head.”

UFC President Dana White has some unkind words for the CBS broadcast of “Saturday Night Fights.” The event featured a main event of Brett Rogers taking on Fedor Emelianenko and while “The Grim” was hanging tough, ultimately fell to an overhand right from the “Last Emperor.” White was not impressed with either fighter, claiming Zuffa champ Brock Lesnar would “smash” the Russian — and also suggesting fellow heavyweights Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do likewise against Brett Rogers. Anyone want to take a guess at the outcome of Strikeforce putting their top three heavyweights against the three best 265-pounders the UFC has to offer?

“It’s my turn now. I have a lot of respect for Fedor. He is the best in the world. I already fought (Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion) Alistair Overeem in Japan. It’s my turn to fight Fedor. I believe in my techniques and if it goes to the ground, I believe in my jiu-jitsu.”

–Strikeforce heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum, who has a 2006 submission win over current Strikeforce division champion Alistair Overeem, believes his Nov. 7 win over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva earned him the right to face Fedor Emelianenko in his next bout. “Vai Cavalo,” like many MMA fans and pundits, aren’t convinced that “Demolition Man” is returning to the United States anytime soon to defend his belt and that the show must go on. But is facing “The Last Emperor,” who notched his 27th straight win by stopping Brett Rogers on CBS, biting off more than he can chew?

Check out Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Jake Shields eying each other up after the jump. For the complete photo gallery of the Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” pre-fight press conference head over to CombatLifestyle.com.

***Bonus Pic! Even “The Grim” stands in awe of Marloes Coenen!

Strikeforce returns to action this Saturday night and will finally be able to utilize the most valuable asset they acquired when they purchased ProElite’s assets – the CBS Saturday Night Fights contract.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers – Um, do we really even need to discuss this fight at all?

Outside of calling himself “The Grim” and having a tough-guy mohawk, what exactly does Brett Rogers have going for himself in this fight?

A win over James Thompson? Wow, stellar. A victory over Ron Humphries? Well tickle me pink. A victory over Andrei Arlovski? Impressive, but not that impressive considering it was against the 2009 version of Arlovski and not the 2004-05 version.

Fedor is Fedor. Period. Nothing else needs to be said.

Fedor is Fedor.

Rogers has no chance.

Fedor is Fedor.
Fedor is Fedor.
Fedor is Fedor.
Fedor is Fedor.

Winner: Fedor EmelianenkoJake Shields vs. Jason Miller – Jake Shields insists he is still on a machine to get the “respect” that he deserves as a fighter. Personally, I don’t think anyone is sleeping on Jake Shields anymore and that he has all the respect he deserves. Nevertheless, Shields is now trying his hand at middleweight in an attempt to prove his worth and mettle as a competitor.

To me, Jason Miller seems like a perfect opponent for Shield’s debut before a national audience on CBS. While Jason Miller is more known for his flamboyant speech and mannerisms, behind that facade is a truly talented fighter. Miller also brings some huge national name recognition with the younger audience to this fight after his two successful season’s hosting a show on MTV.

Miller has looked strong in his recent battles with Ronaldo Souza, and his grappling in their first matchup was solid. However, I have a strong suspicion that his grappling just isn’t anywhere near good enough to compete with Jake Shields. Shields has turned into something of a submission savant in recent months.

While Miller should put on a good show as always and give Shields a decent test, I fully expect the night to end with Shields holding both the middleweight and welterweight Strikeforce belts above his head.

Winner: Jake Shields

Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Sokoudjou – I don’t really think much analysis needs to be given to the Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou fight. This is a matchup of two fighters headed in completely different directions in their respective careers.

Sokoudjou enjoyed quick notoriety when he quickly dispatched Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in PrideFC back in 2007, but quickly fizzled out and was never able to capitalize on the hype he had created. Losses to Lyoto Machida, Luiz Cane, and Renato Sobral have left the Team Quest member languishing in the DREAM “Super Hulk” tournament, MMA’s version of a circus side show.

Gegard Mousasi, on the other hand, continues to climb to new heights in his career and is now attacking the light heavyweight division. With a 26-2 record, Mousasi rolled through the Japanese middleweight scene losing only to Akihiro Gono in 2006 before winning the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix in 2008.

Mousasi has won his last 13 fights using all many of stoppages to get it done. I see Mousasi defeating Sokou anyway he pleases; by strikes, submission or total humiliation.

Winner: Gegard Mousasi

Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva – Conventional wisdom probably dictates that the more experience Fabricio Werdum should take this fight easily. Werdum has fought vastly superior fighters over his career and is the much better grappler.

However, I’ve watched both these men fight multiple times over the past few years, and I’m going to go against “conventional wisdom” here.

Antonio Silva is really an enigma of a fighter. Silva is surprising quick on his feet for a fighter of his size, and has, what may be a surprise to some, a decent ground game as well.

In my opinion, Werdum simply hasn’t looked impressive at all in his recent fights (save the victory over Gabriel Gonzaga) and I think Silva’s size and striking will give him a run for his money in this fight.

If Werdum show’s up in good shape and with a good game plane (i.e. taking the fight to the ground for a submission) he could very easily win this fight quickly; if not, I look for Silva to win via decision.

Winner: Antonio Silva

He really likes that sweater…

Fight Camp 360: ‘Fedor vs Rogers’ will debut tonight (November 3) at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime to promote the upcoming Strikeforce/CBS prime time event scheduled for the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on Saturday, November 7.

The half-hour long special presentation will provide a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the show, heavyweight attractions Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko and Brett “The Grimm” Rogers.

From director Ron Yassen:

“Fedor is beyond captivating as a fighter, and more so, as a man. It’s a pure joy to film him so intimately as he strives for perfection in life and sport with grace and charm. While training for this most important match, he kindly opened up his life to us in and out of the ring, without the ego that often comes with being the very best at one’s craft.”

For those who miss tonight’s “Fight Camp 360″ premier it will re-air on Saturday, November 7 at 4:30 p.m. ET as well as at various times on the cable network’s sister channel Showtime 2.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, November 7), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on CBS from the Sears Centre.

To check out the complete Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” fight card click here.

Strikeforce today (Nov. 2) held a media conference call with heavyweight attractions Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers to promote their upcoming trip to the outskirts of Chicago when the promotion storms the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, for its live CBS prime time broadcast on Nov. 7.

Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” will feature a main event between former PRIDE and WAMMA heavyweight champion, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko trying to quell the undefeated uprising of Brett “The Grim” Rogers in a bid to determine who will challenge Alistair Overeem for the heavyweight strap in 2010.

In addition, “Bully Beatdown” star and DREAM veteran Jason “Mayhem” Miller will take on former Elite XC welterweight champion Jake Shields for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title.

Rising star Gegard Mousasi will also appear, taking on hard-hitting Rameau Thierry Skoudjou in a non-title affair while Fabricio Werdum looks to go 2-0 for the promotion against former Elite XC heavyweight champ Antonio “Junior” Silva.

Here is a brief recap and highlights of noteworthy items coming out of today’s call:

–Scott Coker and Mitch Graham are excited to be on the call and get right to the questions.

–Brett Rogers doesn’t think Fedor’s marriage will be a distraction for the upcoming fight.

–Fedor Emelianenko is not nervous during the fight but perhaps one day before the fight he will be — because he is human (allegedly). Looks forward to entertaining both Americans and Russians during his stay. Will save his sightseeing for after the fight.

–Lot of heavy whispering and muffled conversation on Emelianenko’s end.

–Brett Rogers feels like he knows Fedor after training for him for three months. Doesn’t think Fedor can handle him standing up so he’s just waiting for the takedown and is not afraid to go there.

–Fedor Emelianenko thinks the NFL is more exciting on TV. Misinterprets a question and confesses he would make a lousy football player.

–Very loud media member screaming his questions like he’s ordering a value meal at the McDonald’s drive-thru.

–Brett Rogers is excited to win this thing and wow the many fans who are there to support him.

–Someone either typing feverishly or playing full contact paddycake in the background, drowning out Fedor’s next response. Something about not going to the UFC.

–Scott Coker doesn’t refute a reporter’s assertion that Fedor is unmarketable, but points to the CBS media campaign that will reach both new and old audiences.

–Fedor Emelianenko is preparing for his fight and can’t be worried about selling himself. His job is to make beautiful fights.

–Brett Rogers doesn’t talk money but reminds Mike Straka that he doesn’t work at Sam’s Club anymore and suggests he re-watch the June 6 Arlovski fight.

–Fedor Emelianenko walks around Chi-town to help relax. On the eve of the fight he gets his coaches to massage him. (Ed: Talk about your bad part-time jobs.) No card games before this fight.

–Brett Rogers is all about meditation and relaxation during his fight prep to help get his mind right for the fight. Will sometimes sleep right up until the fight, come out and take care of business.

–Fedor Emelianenko balks at the accusation that he’s a sloppy fighter.

–Brett Rogers is on a anti-dog fighting crusade because he loves animals and now has the wherewithal to make a difference.

–Fedor Emelianenko does not answer a question about his religion and mental state.

–Brett Rogers agrees that he’s still being underrated based on the huge disparity in the Las Vegas fight odds. Says he’ll get the respect he deserves after the fight and expects a quick finish.

–Fedor Emelianenko will not alter his old-fashioned training regimen because it’s worked for him for his entire career — so why mess with a good thing?

–Scott Coker has no interest in Aleksander Emelianenko until Aleks resolves his issues with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

–Fedor Emelianenko knows Brett Rogers hits hard but is confident in his abilities and does not believe the cage will have an impact on his style.

–Brett Rogers recognizes the difference between a ring and a cage and thinks it may have an impact on striking and will be something he’ll try to exploit during the fight.

–Scott Coker says the Sears Centre is approximately 85-percent sold and anticipates a sellout by Saturday; however, will not confirm an upcoming Dec. 19 show.

–Brett Rogers hopes to build off the striking deficiencies that Andrei Arlovski exposed in the Jan. 24 loss to Fedor.

–Fedor Emelianenko is training in his hotel before the fight and will not train with American fighters.

–Brett Rogers knew he was on an eventual collision course with Fedor after Affliction died and the UFC could not come to terms with the Russian. Thinks he’s as prepared as he can be for Saturday.

–Scott Coker didn’t expect anything from M-1 Global for this event other than bringing Fedor to the states. They did however use their marketing machine to promote the fight overseas.

–Brett Rogers was offered a spot on “Bully Beatdown” but declined because he was preparing for the Fedor fight. Was also asked to audition for the role of B.A. Baracus in the upcoming A-Team movie.

–Fedor Emelianenko thinks he has nothing to prove to American fans who might feel like he hasn’t done anything to earn the title of world’s best heavyweight.

–Brett Rogers doesn’t like the comparisons to Buster Douglas. He’s “Coming from nothing and wanting to be something.” It’s what he’s wanted all his life.

–Some “media member” asks Brett Rogers for advice on being a fighter. Rogers fumbles through the answer and the caller is unceremoniously dismissed.

–Brett Rogers can’t see any scenario where Fedor would try to keep it standing because of Emelianenko’s submission pedigree. Says he closes his eyes and sees Fedor knocked out.

–Fedor Emelianenko will not disclose his fight strategy and coughs up a stock answer about being prepared and the differences between fighting in the U.S. and Japan.

–Scott Coker expects an upcoming announcement about the future of Strikeforce broadcasting plans in the near future.

–Brett Rogers was a little distracted by the camera and media following him around all week but outside of that has no distractions. Plans on pursuing Alistair Overeem after beating Fedor.

–Fedor’s translator is starting to get a little feisty in her responses.

–Fedor Emelianenko is not amused by the assumption that he took part in a Russian ritual that involves killing a bear with a fork and knife. Says the only bear he ever saw was in a zoo.

–The McDonald’s screamer is back. Scott Coker answers his question but my ears are still ringing and I missed it. Sorry.

–Fedor Emelianenko quickly exits stage left after the embarrassing “Bear” question. Call abruptly ends with no goodbye from “The Grim.”

That’s a wrap.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Fedor vs. Rogers, beginning with the CBS telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action as it starts to flow around 8 p.m. ET.

For everything you need to know about the upcoming Strikeforce event feel free to hit up our event archive right here.

The Chicago MMA Hype train has left the station. Has the promoting for the Strikeforce/CBS event been up to snuff? Opinions please…

Strikeforce recently took a major step toward finalizing the line-up for its upcoming trip to the outskirts of Chicago when it storms the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, for its live CBS prime time broadcast on Nov. 7.

Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” will feature a main event between former PRIDE and WAMMA heavyweight champion, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko trying to quell the undefeated uprising of Brett “The Grim” Rogers in a bid to determine who will challenge Alistair Overeem for the heavyweight strap in 2010.

In addition, “Bully Beatdown” star and DREAM veteran Jason “Mayhem” Miller will take on former Elite XC welterweight champion Jake Shields for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title.

Rising star Gegard Mousasi will also appear, taking on hard-hitting Rameau Thierry Skoudjou in a non-title affair while Fabricio Werdum looks to go 2-0 for the promotion against former Elite XC heavyweight champ Antonio “Junior” Silva.

Here is the current “Fedor vs. Rogers” fight card:

Main event:

265 lbs.: Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (30-1) vs. Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-0)

Main card (Televised):

185 lbs.: Jason “Mayhem” Miller (22-6) vs. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
205 lbs.: Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi (26-2-1) vs. “The African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (7-4)
265 lbs.: Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (12-4-1) vs. Antonio “Junior” Silva (13-1)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

145 lbs.: Marloes Coenen (16-3) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (13-4)*
145 lbs.: Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran (29-12-1) vs. Dustin “The Beast” Neace (17-13-1)*
170 lbs.: Shamar Bailey (9-1) vs. John Kolosci (10-5)*
155 lbs.: Deray Davis (5-1-1) vs. Mark Miller (9-5)*
205 lbs.: Nate Moore (3-0) vs. Louis Taylor (4-0)*
170 lbs.: Jonatas Novaes (4-2) vs. Christian Uflacker (1-0)*

*Fight not yet officially confirmed by Strikeforce.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Fedor vs. Rogers, beginning with the CBS telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action as it starts to flow around 8 p.m. ET.

We’re still a few days away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on “Fedor vs Rogers” in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about the upcoming Strikeforce event feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

”Keep moving. Never, never stay still. Keep moving, and you’ll always find some way, some pocket, to get out of a bad situation. Especially when it comes to a ground situation.”

– Words of wisdom from former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Josh Barnett, as he helps Brett Rogers prepare to take on the world’s best heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, at Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., on Nov. 7. Of course, Barnett was supposed to fight Fedor earlier this year at Affliction: “Trilogy;” however, he tested positive for banned substances prior to the match and the bout was scrapped. Barnett competed alongside the Russian for several years under the Pride FC banner and is among the most intelligent fighters in the sport today. If anyone can help Rogers gameplan effectively for Emelianenko it’s certainly Barnett. In fact, he may even be over qualified. But will it be enough for Rogers to overcome years of experience and a much more well rounded skill set?

Props: Sherdog.com

Props: M-1 Global (via Bloody Elbow)

Looks like “The Last Emperor” is calling on Russia’s elite to prepare for Brett Rogers…