As expected Zoila Frausto's knockout win at Bellator 23 has earned her the right to replace her defeated opponent in the organization's upcoming season-three tournament.

Frausto upset Rosi Sexton with a first-round knockout at the June 23 show.

Afterward, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney told MMAjunkie.com that Frausto might take Sexton's spot, and Frausto subsequently told us she wanted it.

This past weekend's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event officially produced a gross live gate of $1,066,739 and a crowd of 11,757 spectators, who produced the sixth-largest attendance in Strikeforce/HP Pavilion history.

The California State Athletic Commission today released the official figures.

The gate total is identical to the early estimates provided on fight night by Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, though the attendance dropped slightly from the initial estimate of 12,698.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stands in support of Fedor Emelianenko beyond the implications of the fighter's shocking 69-second submission loss to Fabricio Werdum at this past Saturday's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event.

"He's how you expect to see a mixed martial artist act and present himself," Coker said. "This is a spiritual journey for him. It's not just about a fight."

And while Emelianenko undoubtedly lost some of his luster with the loss, Coker said the fighter will rebound from the setback.

During the Saturday night’s post fight press conference for “Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum”, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced the gate totals for the event.

A total of 12,698 fans witnessed history as Fabricio Werdum handed Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko his first loss in ten years. Those fans brought in a total of $1,066,739 at the gate which will be confirmed in the coming days by the California State Athletic Commission.

The attendance record ranks number six among Strikeforce events held at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Number one is held by “Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie” which happened in March 2006 brought in 18,265 fans.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(video courtesy of MMAFighting.com)

Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko admitted he made a mistake against Fabricio Werdum in the main event of their “Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum” bout. The loss marked “The Last Emperors” first loss in 10 years noting that his over eagerness led to the loss.

“At the very beginning of the round, I hit Fabricio and I wanted to finish the fight as soon as possible and at that very moment I made a mistake. Certainly there were several moments when I could escape, but I relied on myself too much and that’s why I paid for it. At the very moment that I had to escape, I stopped. I didn’t do that and that moment was used by Fabricio to lock his clinch, to finish locking up his legs. It happens that I was made kind of an idol. Everybody loses. That happens. I’m an ordinary human being, as is all of us and if it is God’s will, the next fight I will win. I am very, very sorry and it’s a pity that I disappointed people that really believed in me and trusted me, but everything in this life happens for some reason,” said Emelianenko.

Fedor went on to say he’d like a chance to face Werdum again, which is something the Brazilian said he’d be open to also. CEO Scott Coker noted that it would be something to look at in the future but it’s not a guarantee right now.

HT: Sherdog.com for the transcription.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The on-again, off-again relationship between
Strikeforce and female slugger Erin Toughill is
apparently in good standing.

Following Strikeforce female champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos' utter
destruction of Jan Finney on the main card of Saturday's "Strikeforce
and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker
said Toughill will provide the Brazilian's next challenge
provided she wins in a yet-to-be announced late summer tune-up.

"Erin Toughill is someone we're going to invite into the cage to fight
here," Coker said. "Before the end of the year, you'll see 'Cyborg' and
her in the cage."

SAN JOSE, Calif. - There were some MMA observers who believed prior to
Saturday night's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event
that a Fedor Emelianenko loss would signal the beginning of the end for
both Strikeforce and M-1 Global.

But after Fabrcio Werdum shocked the world - not to mention Emelianenko -
with a 69-second submission victory, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said
nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, while a bout between Emelianenko and Strikeforce heavyweight
champion Alistair Overeem had been targeted for a future pay-per-view
event, Coker thinks a rematch between "The Last Emperor" and Werdum may
now prove to be the more lucrative matchup.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - History was witnessed by 12,698 people.

That's according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, who reported the
attendance figure for Saturday's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs.
Werdum" card at the evening's post-event press conference at the HP
Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Coker said the night's attendees generated a live gate of $1,066,739.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 24, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships concluded its hugely successful second season with two more thrilling upsets on Thursday as middleweight Alexander Shlemenko scored a stunning TKO and featherweight Joe Warren won a hard-fought split decision to emerge as the Season 2 Tournament Champions in their respective divisions.

The sold-out event at Louisville’s Fourth Street Live downtown entertainment district tied a ribbon on Bellator Season 2 in fitting fashion as fans were once again treated to a full card of electrifying fights that also included shocking upsets at bantamweight and in a Women’s Feature Fight.

But the night undoubtedly belonged to Warren and Shlemenko, whose victories earned them $100,000 in prize money and the chance to fight reigning Bellator World Champions Joe Soto and Hector Lombard, respectively, in world title fights this fall.

Shlemenko, a 26-year-old army combat fighter known for his reliance on spinning back-fists and leg kicks, came out swinging in his typical style from the opening bell. But it was a far-more-conventional right hook to the jaw that eventually finished the heavily favored Bryan “The Beast” Baker roughly mid-way through Round 1.

The devastating punch left Baker (13-2) dazed and slowly crumpled him to the canvas before Shlemenko moved in for the finish with a flurry of punches. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the fight due to unanswered blows at 2:45 into Round 1.

It was just the second time that Baker had suffered a loss as a pro with the other coming at the hands of UFC star Chael Sonnen more than two years ago.

“We had heard that Alexander Shlemenko was one of the best middleweights in Europe and he definitely proved that here tonight,” Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney said afterward. “He beat a very, very talented fighter in Bryan Baker and he’s more than earned the right to face our champion Hector Lombard later this year.”

Shlemenko, for his part, said the win was also a statement on behalf of all pure strikers in MMA today.

“This victory means that strikers soon will be all over MMA and that Bellator Fighting Championships will be owned by the strikers,” he said through his translator.

Warren, meanwhile, took a far-more-circuitous route to his title. The 33-year-old former NCAA all-American and Greco-Roman wrestling world champion, appeared to be all but finished near the end of Round 1 when his opponent, the previously undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Patricio Pitbull, dropped him to the canvas with a right cross and then began a vicious ground-and-pound before Warren was saved by the bell.

But Warren rebounded in remarkable fashion during Rounds 2 and 3, digging deep and using his world-class wrestling skills to score points with a series of takedowns that were each followed by relentless ground-and-pound attacks punctuated with sharp elbows and stiff forearms to Pitbull’s head.

The split decision victory was even more impressive given that Warren spent much of the day battling a stomach virus that left him unable to keep food down or maintain his balance.

“I feel tired but I’m very happy now,” he said after the fight. “I fought a great fighter in Pitbull and now I’m the champion. I’m the baddest man on the planet!”

Rebney agreed, saluting Warren’s resilience and his will to win even in spite of his illness.

“He showed up tonight with a sickness that would have put a lot of people in the hospital and beat a world-class fighter and put on the kind of performance that you just can’t script,” he said. “What he did tonight was just epic and very, very impressive.”

Earlier, in the first televised fight of the night, Fresno, Calif.-based striker Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto scored a huge upset with a first round knockout of the world’s top-ranked 125-pound female fighter, England’s Rosi Sexton.

At just two minutes into Round 1, Frausto (7-1) landed a left knee to Sexton’s chin, knocking her unconscious and dropping her to the canvas before finishing her with three straight right hands to the jaw. It was just the second career loss for Sexton in 12 pro MMA fights.

“I saw the opening and I just threw the knee up,” Frausto said afterward, adding that she thinks she now deserves to be ranked No. 1 in the world at 125. “I’ve been shooting for No. 1 since I got into the sport. This is exactly why I got into MMA.”

Also Thursday, in what was billed as an “Eliminator Bout” to determine the latest entrant into Bellator’s forthcoming Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament, two-time Wyoming state high school wrestling champion Nik “Garfield” Mamalis scored his second consecutive Bellator victory to improve his pro MMA record to 10-4 and punch his ticket into the tournament’s eight-man field. The soft-spoken Mamalis used an aggressive attack to neutralize L.A.-based rising star Albert Rios (12-5) via TKO at 4:40 into Round 1.

Afterward, Rebney said that Mamalis had more than earned his place in the Bantamweight Tournament draw.

“That’s what Bellator’s all about,” Rebney said. “it’s about giving a guy like Nik who hasn’t had a chance on the big stage the opportunity to that and then he takes that opportunity by the throat.”

The evening also played host to four non-televised “Local Feature Fights” showcasing top rising stars from Louisville, Cincinnati and Southern Indiana. The results of those fights are as follows:

- Brent Weedman def. John Troyer via armbar submission – Round 1, 4:55
- Daniel Straus def. Chad Hinton via unanimous decision
- Stoney Hale def. Mike Fleniken via rear-naked choke – Round 2, 4:20
- Kurt Kinser def. David Overfield via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:30

Bellator returns to TV in August for its much-anticipated third season, which will feature eight-man tournaments at bantamweight and heavyweight as well as a first-of-its-kind Women’s Tournament showcasing eight female fighters ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.

Each fight will once again be broadcast LIVE in primetime on Fox Sports Net and during special taped highlight shows every Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Bellator.

Following a highlight reel knockout of top-ranked Rosi Sexton at Wednesday's Bellator 23 event, Zoila Frausto is under consideration as a possible competitor in the organization's season-three women's 115-pound tournament.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney today told MMAjunkie.com that Sexton will sit out the tournament, which begins in August, and a replacement will be found by the end of this week.

"It would be hard to find anybody that has a bigger or stronger or claim to that spot than Zoila does," Rebney said.