Strikeforce Bids for Emelianenko

According to numbers circulated by radio host Chad Dukes on 106.7 The Fan -- yeah, I don’t know him, either -- Strikeforce had thrown a customary offer to free agent Fedor Emelianenko that would pay him $1 million a fight and remove any opposition to a “co-promotion” with M-1 Global.

If true, the offer would be an interesting consolation prize for a number of reasons: exposure on CBS (which has the option of picking up Strikeforce events) would make Emelianenko far more of a household name than he can currently lay claim to. Kevin Ferguson went from alley thug to one of the biggest attractions in the sport on the same platform.

For another, Strikeforce actually has a list of quality heavyweights that could easily keep Emelianenko busy for two years: Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, and Brett Rogers are all compelling opponents. (Both Rogers and Overeem are ranked in the Sherdog.com top ten.) It’s not quite the rogue’s gallery of Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, and Cain Velasquez, but it’s also a far cry from the mutations of Japan.

Whatever the case, I would guess Emelianenko’s next opponent is likely to be public apathy. This contract melodrama is fun for a day or two, but in the end, observers want to see him perform in the ring.