While you were out arguing with the cashier at Wal-Mart over the price of a box of Snackwell devil food cake cookies, Golden Glory was busy inseminating the Strikeforce roster with members of their elite Dutch stable and you didn’t even know. Last week, Strikeforce announced they’ve signed Siyar Bahadurzada or better known as ‘The Afghan Killa’, a fighter who is forever in position to win ‘nickname of the year’, every year. Prior to signing with Strikeforce, Siyar ingested the Shooto light heavyweight ranks and is currently the undisputed Shooto champion. Chances are Siyar will never return to Shooto which will make for yet another Shooto title that will never be contested. Above all else, he is Ubereem’s training partner. Strikeforce also added Dion Staring, a guy with a 21-7 record and a 52.38% KO ratio.
According to Mixfight.Nl, Strikeforce felt that having four Golden Glory fighters was just not enough and have signed Pride demigod Sergei Kharitonov and Alistair’s big brother, Valentijn Overeem to their heavyweight roster. Ironically, Sergei Kharitonov is the last person to defeat Alistair Overeem in MMA which happened at Hero’s nearly three years ago. The fact that an American promotion just picked up Sergei is, in short, bananas. In 2004 he nearly grabbed the Pride heavyweight GP as he demolished Ninja Rua, Semmy Schilt only to be stopped by Big Nog in the semi-finals. Valentijn Overeem is one of only three fighters to have submitted Randy Couture (and it took him only 56 seconds). If that didn’t register on your ‘Impressive Meter’, Valentijn is the only guy to submit Babalu Sobral and he did it with a toe-hold in the first round at Rings nearly ten years ago.
Congrats to Strikeforce for elevating the level of awesomeness in their heavyweight ranks. Now let’s wait to see who Brett Rogers will threaten to ‘knock their head into the eight row’ next. [Source]
