Ennis' Take
ENNIS: Rapid-fire late night thoughts on Strikeforce "Overeem vs. Werdum" event
Jun 19, 2011 - 12:45:20 AM ENNIS: Rapid-fire late night thoughts on Strikeforce "Overeem vs. Werdum" event

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By: Shawn Ennis, MMATorch Senior Columnist

That was a wholly underwhelming and yet somehow newsworthy event. Let's give it just a little bit of time before calling it a night:

-I don't know when or if they're going to give Chad Griggs someone real to fight, but I'm now officially interested. I know he hasn't shown anything we didn't already know he has, but there's something to be said about coming off as the most likable heavyweight on a card that featured four heavyweight fights.

-Jorge Masvidal was in full-on beast mode tonight. Inconsistency has been his biggest problem throughout his career. If he's to the point where he can keep putting on performances like that, he'll give Gilbert Melendez a great fight. That having been said, if he comes in at any less than his best, he'll get wrecked.

-I'm on the Daniel Cormier bandwagon. He's looked better each time he's fought. Jeff Monson has been in 54 fights and was riding an eight-fight win streak into this one (granted, over very small-time competition). Cormier made him look like he didn't belong in the same cage. Very, very impressed by him.

-Was that the best promo Josh Barnett had? Really? Is he better at it in Japanese? Also, you can't try to get the crowd behind you when you're coming off three positive steroid tests and you won't get licensed by the biggest State Athletic Commissions in the country.

-But as for his fight, he looked good. Nice to see him actually go for the finish from the mount that early in the fight. It's easy to forget how good Barnett is given his...ahem...spotty drug testing record, but let's not forget - he's only lost five times, and three of them were to the same guy. All this having fought in the heavyweight era of Pride. He might not be what he once was, but I wouldn't say he's a longshot to win the whole thing.

-Ah, the main event. Wow, that was terrible. It's a shame, because it could have been great. I didn't really expect it to be, simply because of the skill disparity for each guy in the other's realm. It's saying something that the cards could have come back 30-27 for either guy and you could have argued a case for it. I think Overeem won the fight simply by keeping the fight where he wanted it, and not getting out-dueled on the ground. Werdum landed more strikes, but they never really amounted to anything, whereas Overeem visibly hurt Werdum a few times. But again, you could make the argument that Overeem was hurt during the fight as well. I don't think he was, but I can see where that would come from. All in all, though, this fight really didn't tell us anything. More than trying to beat his opponent, each man was trying to not lose by staying where he was comfortable. You'll see a different animal against Antonio Silva, because Overeem should know that Silva can beat him on the feet and the ground, but the difference is that Overeem won't be completely outclassed in one aspect or the other. In fact, my early prediction is that Silva comes in thinking he can do what he wants, and he gets knocked out.

-My other early prediction is that Barnett dominates Kharitonov en route to a decision win, setting up an interesting final to determine the number three or four heavyweight in the world.

Good night, everyone. If you're so inclined, follow me on Twitter - @shawnennis