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**limba** · 01-13-2011, 12:47 PM

Quote:

While the buzz surrounding Strikeforce's recently announced heavyweight grand prix has been immense, understanding of the specifics of the tourney has been a bit less than ideal.

Today, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker clarified many of the questions that needed to be addressed.

First up, Alistair Overeem's title will not be on the line in the tournament. And while there were some suggestions that every fight in the tournament would be contested as five-round affairs, instead, that will only happen in the grand prix finals, when a newly created Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix title will be on the line.

"All quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be scheduled for three, five-minute rounds," Coker said. "The tournament final will be five, five-minute rounds for the Strikeforce world grand prix championship."

With the heavyweight grand prix set up as an eight-man, multi-night, single-elimination tournament, draws could prove problematic along the way. In order to address that, Coker said a fourth judge will be on hand in each fight to determine which fighter will advance from the tie.

"If any fight results in a draw, an independent fourth judge will determine who advances or who wins based on the fighter's overall performance in the fight," Coker said. "We will have a fourth judge on hand scoring the fight independently of the three that we normally have."

The final question mark in terms of tournament format involved potential injuries to the eight competitors. If a winner were to suffer a serious issue, who would continue on in the bracket.

"If a fighter qualifies to advance in the tournament but for any reason can not advance, we're forming a five-person tournament-review committee who will select a fighter to advance in his place," Coker said. "This fighter will be chosen from a pool of fighters that will include the previous opponent and the winners of reserve matches."

Coker said the tournament-review committee will be headed by Strikeforce rules director Cory Schafer.

While the final regulations for the tournament represent a small shift from the ruleset originally expected to oversee the ambitious grand prix, Coker said the ultimate goal was simplicity.

"In this tournament, everybody has to climb the same mountain," Coker said. "To make it simple, just like they do in Japan, ... the tournament champion will stand on his own. We'll have our heavyweight champion and a tournament champion."

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Totally unexpected!!!

Didn't see that coming!!!

That's a BIG LOL!!!

Overeem's title is not on the line! AGAIN!

I don't even care. At least we will have some great fights!!!

Dan0 · 01-13-2011, 12:49 PM

Scott Coker seems like a sensible guy, but this is completely idiotic and makes no sense whatsoever.

**limba** · 01-13-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan0

Scott Coker seems like a sensible guy, but this is completely idiotic and makes no sense whatsoever.

Remember PRIDE!

They had 2 champions:
1. one champion had let's say the heavyweight belt, just like in the UFC
2. they had tournaments/Grand Prix: MW, HW and Open Weight and the winner got a belt too.

They had more than one champion!

I didn't see this coming!!!

ptw · 01-13-2011, 01:05 PM

Would be sweet if the title was on the line, kinda dumb if the champ is fighting in the tourney ya know, might as well make it a title fight. Smart on SF's part, they keep Overeem marketable even if he loses the tourney and can set up a match between the winner of the tourney and overeem for the belt.

**_JB_** · 01-13-2011, 01:08 PM

As long as the tournament champ fights Overeem after, say in 6 months i don't mind. But im thinking that Overeem has got to be a strong favourite anyway so if he wins its not really a problem.

**box** · 01-13-2011, 01:10 PM

So if said person beats him, they have to beat him again to make it worth anything? Great....

**Rusty** · 01-13-2011, 01:13 PM

Overeem does love belts so maybe he gave Coker the idea for a grand prix specific strap

**Bknmax** · 01-13-2011, 01:14 PM

So Fedor has to beat Overeem twice to get the SF belt, thats kinda weird

**edlavis88** · 01-13-2011, 01:32 PM

Surely the thing to do is make Overeem vacate the belt and give it to the winner of the tourney?

jonnyg4508 · 01-13-2011, 01:34 PM

What a joke. Just when I thought SF was doing something good...its screwed up again. Not all Coker's fault...guess it didn't fly with the commissions or something.

So now we have Overeem not defending his belt for another year after 1 defense in 3 years. Sad.

Now if Werdum or Fedor win the tourney...they would need to beat Overeem again just to get the belt.

What a joke.

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