Fedor and Pezão staredown / Photo: Dan Rod
GRACIEMAG.com is on location for the first stage of the Strikeforce Heavyweight GP, to take place this Saturday at the Izod Center in New Jersey.
This Friday weigh-ins were held, gathering MMA monsters like Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio “Big Foot” Silva, Andrei Arlovski and Sergei Kharitonov – the first bevvy on the GP roster to see action –, as well as Igor Gracie, making his organizational debut against John Salgado.
Besides the splendid photos by Dan Rod, GRACIEMAG.com brings a video with a behind-the-scenes take on the highlights from weigh-ins, with an exclusive statement from “Big Foot,” who takes on Emelianenko.
He’s got his hands full, but the Brazilian says he is ready but will not be taking Werdum’s route to the win: “I’m going to show I’m not here to play around. Werdum’s already exposed the openings in Fedor’s game for submissions. Now I trained a lot of Jiu-Jitsu and standup, but I hope it ends with me raining down blows on him from the top.”
Check out the video and photos below:
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Check out the card:
Strikeforce GP
New Jersey, USA
February 12, 2011
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Pezão
Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov
Shane del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson
Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo
Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante
Marc Stevens vs. John Cholish
Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone
Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado
Jason McLean vs. Kevin Roddy
Don Carlo Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza