The main concourse of the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Miss. was the scene for today’s official “Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery” weigh-ins and will also host Saturday’s event.

Main event heavyweights Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem (264 pounds) and title challenger Brett “The Grim” Rogers (253 pounds) both made weight for their match.

While co-main event fighters, former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski tipped the scales at 242 pounds, and his opponent, former EliteXC heavyweight champ Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva weighed in at 265.5 pounds.

The televised portion of the event will include five bouts and will broadcast on Showtime.

The full weigh-in results for “Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery” is as follows:

Main Card

- Alistair Overeem (253) vs. Brett Rogers (264) – for heavyweight title
- Andrei Arlovski (242) vs. Antonio Silva (265.5)
- Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (186.5) vs. Joey Villasenor (186)
- Roger Gracie (205.75) vs. Kevin Randleman (205)
- Antwain Britt (204.5) vs. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (206)

Preliminary Card (un-aired)

- Justin DeMoney (169) vs. Jesse Finney (172)
- Lyle Beerbohm (156) vs. Vitor Ribeiro (156)
- Darryl Cobb (184) vs. Booker DeRousse (187)
- Mike Chandler (170) vs. Sal Woods (170)
- Lee Brousseau (204) vs. Fransisco France (206)
- Tom Aaron (157.5) vs. Erik Steenberg (155)
- Matt Ricehouse (156) vs. Greg Wilson (155)

Strikeforce is back with a vengeance less than a month removed from the embarrassing post-fight brawl on CBS, and with the line-up set for Saturday night’s ”Heavy Artillery” event it shouldn’t be hard to push the sour memory even further back in the public’s collective memory due to the level of talent involved.

The card includes something for everyone from high-level strikers to elite jiujitsu practitioners; from competitive undercard pairings to main card match-ups ripe with potential for edge-of-your-seat entertainment. Those in attendance at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center, as well as tuning in on Showtime, will have a chance to see undefeated Roger Gracie do his best to keep the Brazilian family’s legacy alive against Kevin Randleman, top lightweights Lyle Beerbohm and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro do battle, and a great stylistic clash between BJJ bad-ass Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and rounded veteran Joey Villasenor, not to mention the quartet of high-level heavyweights on display. With Andrei Arlovski looking to right his career against rising talent Antonio Silva and Alistair Overeem finally defending his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship against rival bringer-of-the-knockout Brett Rogers fans appear to be in for a true treat.

Before I get into the “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Darryl Cobb vs. Booker DeRousse

For better or worse, Strikeforce events regularly feature inexperienced or regional fighters as a means of filling cards up, and this bout is clearly a byproduct of that strategy (as are the four following it) . As such, I’ll understand if readers skip ahead to the more recognizable names set for action, but I think there’s definitely value to be found in examining fighters who aren’t necessarily known whether because one could be a future star in the sport or simply as a means of showing due respect to professional Mixed Martial Artists.

I know very little about either man other than what their records reveal. Both have four fights under their belt so experience is a push. Conditioning could be an issue in that DeRousse has never been out of the first round while Cobb has seen later frames a few times. He’s also won three straight, while Booker is coming off a submission loss, so momentum is definitely on Cobb’s side. The only thing keeping me from picking him without hesitation is the fact he’s never tapped an opponent out while DeRousse has never lost in any other manner. However, I’ll tack that up to low number of fights each has thus far in their careers, so now that I’ve hesitated a bit I’ll go ahead and still pick Cobb.

Winner – Darryl Cobb via Submission Round 3

Gregory Wilson vs. Matt Ricehouse

Apparently these two will be entering the ring with a combined total of one bout between them (in Ricehouse’s favor). For no other reason than his successful professional debut last January I’ll go with Ricehouse since he won’t have first-fight jitters to deal with, plus he’s already shown the ability to finish even if in reality it was only a single time in his lone previous in-ring appearance.

Winner – Matt Ricehouse via TKO Round 1

Thomas Aaron vs. Eric Steenberg

The outcome of this bout seems pretty obvious. Aaron is coming off back-to-back losses and is 1-2 in his career, while Steenberg is 3-0 with a trio of finishes to back his flawless record up. Basically, if it’s possible for there to be a “major upset” in a match-up where 90% of the audience hasn’t heard of either fighter involved then a win for Aaron would almost certainly be that.

Winner – Eric Steenberg via TKO Round 2

Michael Chandler vs. Sal Woods

After a little examination it appears this bout is also a candidate for a potential, yet essentially anonymous, upset depending on how things play out. Chandler is 2-0 with two TKOs, including a November 2009 win on a “Strikeforce Challengers” card. Woods (3-7), on the other hand, should also be known as the rare “twice-as-many-losses-as-wins-on-a-big-card” Mixed Martial Artist – call it Competitus Omuralia if you will. I can see why most people would go with the favorite, but I think Woods’ experience could definitely play a factor in the eventual outcome and I believe he’s got the skills to win against Chandler. He’s been in the ring with talent like Tyron Woodley and Pat Healy, and though neither were close to being successful performances on his part, it may still give him a mental edge to know he’s stared down superior competition and didn’t blink even regardless of result. All three of his wins have been finishes, and two of his losses are of the split decision variety, so he’s a tough draw no matter what his record looks like on the surface.

Winner – Sal Woods via Submission Round 3

Lee Brousseau vs. Francisco France

The pairing rolls off the tongue, does it not? Say it a few times and you’ll see what I mean. Brousseau has one of the more-entertaining nicknames in MMA (Manimal), while his opponent has one of the more-unnecessary ones (Kiko) in the sport. As they say, one shouldn’t mess with a good thing, and “Francisco France” is as perfect as a peach where given names are concerned.

Moving on to how they’re skilled rather than how they’re billed, France and Brousseau look to be evenly matched with contrasting styles so I think fans in attendance may be in for an unexpected treat on the undercard when these two lock up. France trains with American Top Team, so he comes from a great camp, and is clearly a solid jiujitsu practitioner as evident by submission wins in his first four professional fights (three of which took less than a minute to procure). However, he was knocked out at an event less than a month ago so it will be interesting to see if he’ll experience any lingering effects from the defeat. Brousseau has emerged victor in his last two bouts and has shown the ability to finish opponents with strikes twice in the past. The outcome of this fight will depend on wrestling as a means of controlling where the action takes place, and in that regard I’m going to favor France because of the quality of athletes he works with at ATT.

Winner – Francisco France via Submission Round 1

Justin DeMoney vs. Jesse Finney

This should be a competitive pairing even though, again, neither fighter is more notable in name-value than your standard Ultimate Fighter contestant. DeMoney is 13-2 and seems to prefer a ground assault based on remarkable number of submission-by-strikes he has racked up in his career. According to Sherdog’s always-useful Fight Finder, seven of his eight “submission” wins have come by way of fists/elbows rather than a choke or manipulation of a limb. The other was a slam! Seriously, check – it’s too insane to make up. The 4-0 Finney has his work cut out for him and will need to rely on his wrestling to take DeMoney down, then attempt to cash in on a more-traditional submission of his own rather than risk absorbing any of his opponent’s power. However, I refuse to pick against someone with such freakish accomplishments as DeMoney’s, not to mention the success he’s found in 4X as many fights as Finney, and so with that being said…

Winner – Justin DeMoney via TKO Round 2

Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro vs. Lyle Beerbohm

*nlk%3@n235f9s…Sorry about that, but I just drooled on my keyboard in anticipation of this match and shorted the darn thing out! Now that I’m fully functional again it should go without saying I’m extremely excited about this particular bout even though I recognize there’s a significant chance it won’t make the televised broadcast. Ribeiro has only lost three times in 23 professional fights and none of his defeats are cause for head-hanging (Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and JZ Calvancante). On the flipside, Beerbohm’s record of 13-0 puts him among the top three undefeated male fighters actively competing. He’s finished twelve of the baker’s dozen he’s faced and nearly split the victories down the middle in terms of submission/TKO ratio.

Though Ribeiro’s jiujitsu is unquestionably superior to Beerbohm’s, he’s lost twice in his last three fights and only competed in MMA on two occasions since September 2007. Comparably, Beerbohm has ten bouts under his belt in the same period of time. “Shaolin” is slick enough on the mat to lock in a submission at any time, but I think Beerbohm will be able to use his size advantage to power out of most attempts while unleashing a fair amount of damage on his own. As such, I expect him to win but only by the seat of his “Fancy Pants”.

Winner – Lyle Beerbohm via Decision

MAIN CARD

Antwain Britt vs. Rafael Cavalcante

This bout provides Cavalcante an opportunity to seize a place as one of Strikeforce’s top light heavyweights and possibly earn a fight with a star like Dan Henderson, Gegard Mousasi, or even champ “King” Mo Lawal in the process. I think Britt is slightly overrated in the eyes of many, but his power is undeniable and in that regard he’ll always to be a legitimate threat to the chin and subsequent consciousness of any opponent he faces. All eight of Cavalcante’s wins are by way of TKO, which might make some people think he could fare well against Britt if choosing to stand with “The Juggernaut”, but it’s an unnecessary risk for “Feijao” to take when his jiujitsu is a finely tuned, dangerous weapon. Britt has been submitted two of the three times he’s lost and neither was to a Mixed Martial Artist with Cavalcante’s credentials. If the BFF of fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva focuses on grabbing hold of Britt’s neck or arm, or even controlling things on the ground, he shouldn’t have any problem emerging from the bout a winner.

Winner – Rafael Cavalcante via Submission Round 1

Roger Gracie vs. Kevin Randleman

There’s little question Gracie will be targeting a submission in this bout while Randleman will likely work on stuffing takedowns and landing a few power shots to end things early. “The Monster” is on the last leg of his career with a slew of recent losses and the inability to finish an opponent dating back to his memorable knockout of Mirko Filipovic in 2004. He’s coming off a staph infection meaning fitness could be an issue, so as I said before, I think Randleman will be overly aggressive in hopes of making it a short night. Gracie isn’t nearly as weathered or active as the former NCAA national champion, but his jiujitsu ability obviously can’t be denied due to his heritage, duo of submission wins in two pro MMA fights, and success in high-level grappling tournaments. If Gracie takes Randleman down I think the bout will essentially be over and, frankly, if the opposite happens I still think Gracie has the edge from his back. Minus a one-punch knockout I’m fairly confident Gracie’s “0” won’t go.

Winner – Roger Gracie via Submission Round 1

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Joey Villasenor

I like the match-up of styles involved in this particular contest, as it lends itself to a number of possible outcomes rather than a one-sided affair. Souza is widely acknowledged as a whiz on the mat, but similar to Demian Maia it’s his only real method of attack. On the other hand, Villasenor may be painted as primarily being a striker but in truth has double-digit submission wins on his record while only being tapped out once in 33 professional fights. He’s never faced a grappler as good as “Jacare” – few have until they actually do – but he can definitely hold his own when things hit the canvas. In the end I like Souza’s next-level BJJ to procure him the win, but I won’t blink more than once if Villasenor is able to pull out a victory by stuffing takedowns and planting a few nice shots on his Brazilian opponent’s jaw.

Winner – Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Submission Round 2

Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva

As I said in this week’s ”Grappling with Issues”, I think Arlovski is under an immense amount of pressure to win this bout and I’m not 100% positive he can rise to the occasion. Silva has the power to knock opponents out and the grappling to submit them. “The Pitbull” has both of those attributes as well, but his chin has been successfully tested six of the seven times he’s lost while Silva hasn’t been knocked out in more than three years. However, I think Arlovski’s speed, athleticism, and overall technique will be a little too much for “Bigfoot” to contend with, and I’m going to trust the former UFC heavyweight champ will actually enter the bout more disciplined than he’s acted in the past due to a few changes he’s made in his approach to training. Assuming he’s recognized the crossroads he’s come to in his career there’s no reason he should rush in and stick the button on his jaw out there for Silva to push.

Winner – Andrei Arlovski via Decision

Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers

There’s no doubt in my mind this bout will feature a few incredible displays of jiujitsu and go a full five championship rounds. And, if you believe that, I also have some high-dollar, ocean-front property outside of Kabul you might be interested in purchasing.

Clearly both men are going to want to stand and exchange strikes based on their general approaches to fighting and personal dislike of one another. Both have enough power in their punches (and knees) to end things instantly, while Overeem is a submission threat but won’t be able to shoot on Rogers without taking some damage along the way. I have been a long-time proponent of “The Grim” since getting to watch a few EliteXC fights ringside with him after his promotional debut in 2007, and I respect his talent and showmanship, but I think he tends to rely on the size advantage he usually enters the ring with to bully opponents into slumber rather than using precise technique to do so. Overeem is large enough to avoid being pushed around while also being comfortable in the clinch if things go that route. I think he’s faster than Rogers and a more-complete fighter overall. I expect to see at least a few explosive leg kicks from “The Demolition Man” to weaken Rogers’ stand-up and frustrate him on the outside, then maybe some knees to the midsection when the distance closes and even a takedown attempt to limit the Minnesotan’s attack. Rogers is probably too strong to get caught in a submission as long as he avoids making any basic mistakes, but Fedor Emelianenko made it clear his chin is vulnerable to an extent and I’m certain Overeem will be working to exploit that. Then again, the Dutchman has been flattened a few times himself, so perhaps the safest route to go when picking this fight is flip a coin, then sit back and enjoy the almost-guaranteed knockout unfold.

Winner – Alistair Overeem via TKO Round 2

Where should Kimbo Slice go on the heels of his UFC release? Was the punishment Paul Daley received too severe or spot on? Who amongst the big boys has the most to prove at this weekend’s Strikeforce event? How long should fans have to wait for Anderson Silva vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua now that Silva-associate Lyoto Machida is no longer champ?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Another Friday has arrived and the Grappling with Issues crew is dressed in full bomb squad gear due to the explosive nature of this week’s topics which of course include “Semtex” and “Heavy Artillery” galore. Hopefully the takes Adam Tool and I offer in this edition don’t blow up in our faces, but it’s a risk we 5 Oz. soldiers are willing to take for the betterment of MMA insight and opinion. And, as always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

Assuming he retains his own belt against Chael Sonnen, should Anderson Silva receive an immediate crack at the UFC Light Heavyweight title now that close friend Lyoto Machida is no longer champ?

Tool: Word on the street is that Dana White wants Silva to defend his middleweight strap two more times (against Sonnen and presumably Vitor Belfort) before moving up to light heavyweight and making a run for the gold there. I haven’t seen any comments from Silva on the situation, but I’m wondering if he’s really all that eager to compete in the same division as his good friends Machida and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. After all, Nogueira is surging towards contention (although the loss of Forrest Griffin as an opponent at UFC 114 does slow things down) and one would have to believe that it won’t take too long for Machida to get back into the mix.

If Silva wants to go to 205 on a more permanent basis, and if he doesn’t lose his belt before then, he should absolutely be rewarded with an immediate title shot. His record setting win streak is unlikely to be matched anytime soon in the UFC, and he’s got enough name value to be a viable contender immediately. I’m a big fan of “The Spider” and would love to see him get some true marquee match-ups in the UFC’s premier division. If “Shogun” Rua can retain his newly-won title against the winner of the upcoming “Rampage” Jackson/Rashad Evans bout, a Rua vs. Silva fight would certainly create vast rivers of drool amongst the sport’s hardcore fans.

Conlan: Giving Silva an immediate title shot sounds nice at first glance, but, as Tool pointed out, there are a number of factors involved beneath the surface making the scenario an unlikely one. Nogueira’s status in the division isn’t necessarily a problem, as he still needs to win a number of marquee match-ups before sniffing the strap, but Machida’s level of contendership could definitely be an issue considering “The Dragon” was champ less than a week ago. As much as it may irk the Zuffa brass, friendship and loyalty aren’t things fighters are as open to risking as big, shiny, oversized belt-buckles. Silva has always indicated he subscribes to the preceding belief, and because of that I doubt he’d be willing to potentially stymie Machida’s attempt at reclaiming the championship or open their relationship up to criticism over promotional positioning.

The only way I could see “The Spider” getting fast-tracked to a title shot is if he enters the bout with a defined timetable on the pending retirement he’s openly discussed in recent years. For example, if Silva stated he was hanging up his trademark yellow-and-black spandex shorts after two more fights (including the winner of Rua vs. Evans/Jackson) it would minimize the Machida fallout while still providing Anderson an opportunity to solidify his legacy in the sport. If he were to add the light heavyweight belt to his trophy cabinet he would retain the ability to defend it a single time against an exciting opponent, while losing at 205-pounds would open him up to a variety of possibilities including even a potential test at heavyweight.

Do you agree with the UFC’s decision to release Paul Daley based on his post-fight actions?

Tool: Absolutely. Dana White needed to send a clear message to any fighters in the company (and those that want to be) that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated. There are still places where mixed martial arts is not legal and actions like this do nothing to help the effort to get the sport regulated in those territories. Let’s not forget the so-called “phantom knee” thrown in the first round. It may not have landed cleanly (or at all) but the intent to deliver that illegal blow was clearly there. In one night Daley proved that he has a lot to learn about sportsmanship, and the UFC is no place for someone like that.

Some people are questioning the logic behind firing Daley while at the same time doing nothing to reprimand UFC fighter Nate Diaz for his actions in the brawl at “Strikeforce: Nashville”. To me the incidents are nothing alike. The Strikeforce brawl came about as a result of improper security measures in the cage, as well as a terrible error in judgment from Jason “Mayhem” Miller. The Diaz brothers, Jake Shields, and Gilbert Melendez reacted to the situation and while their actions shouldn’t be unaccountable, it was not the same as what Daley did. Daley acted of his own volition and he has nobody but himself to blame for the consequences.

Conlan: For me the answer to this is as clear as the message Dana White sent by immediately severing ties with Daley after “Semtex” blew his fuse…which is to say about as murky as a mudslide.

Let’s ignore for a second the ridiculous notion Nate Diaz didn’t act “of his own volition” when laying a series of kicks into a grounded Miller or that the UFC President wasn’t hamming it up with Shields, who was certainly at the center of the Strikeforce melee, at the recent “Faber vs. Aldo” WEC PPV. The UFC currently employs Phil Baroni and Gilbert Yvel. Why is this notable? Yvel has a trio of in-ring offenses in 1998-2004 to his name (biting an opponent, raking an opponent’s eyes, and striking a referee he felt was biased). Baroni got physical with an official in 2003. Neither has done anything similar since as far as I know. If the UFC is willing to accept their past transgressions, let alone illegal drug use or criminal activities associated with other fighters on their roster, why should Daley receive a permanent ban from the promotion?

A severe fine and suspension would have been as appropriate, if not more so, than branding the Brit as a lifetime leper. Why not use the situation as an educational tool rather than the flexing of corporate muscle? Reacting so severely makes it seem as though a warning had to be sent to other Mixed Martial Artists or to the public at large when incidents similar to the one at UFC 113 are in actuality slightly less rare than kind-hearted supermodels who religiously follow Grappling with Issues. Heavily penalizing Daley’s pocketbook, suspending him for a year, and maybe even forcing him to enroll in an anger management program during the twelve-month period his return was contingent on would have sent a stern message while also showing that the UFC actually cares about the individuals whose work their company is built on.

What’s next for Kimbo Slice now that he’s received his walking papers from Zuffa?

Tool: Going into UFC 113 it was believed that these two “TUF” 10 cast members were fairly evenly matched, but there’s no doubt that on Saturday night Kimbo got “Mitriowned.” If he’s not able to beat a fighter with a 1-0 record, is there any reason to think that Kimbo has anything to offer against the rest of the UFC’s heavyweight division? No there is not, and as such there’s really no place for him in the largest MMA organization in the world.

As for what’s next, I suppose that depends on what Kimbo’s career goals are. If he’s going to look for the largest paydays then it makes sense for him to make his way over to Japan. The MMA faithful over there are much less concerned with a fighter’s win/loss record than us fickle Americans. I’m sure at least once Japanese promotion would be willing to fork over the necessary coin to get Kimbo, and there’s no shortage of freak show “super-fights” available for him. Kimbo vs. Bob Sapp, anyone?

If Mr. Slice is still craving some real competition then perhaps he’d be better served by a lateral movement to the world of boxing. There had been talk of Kimbo making the jump to the “sweet science” before he was announced for The Ultimate Fighter, so it seems that it’s a move he’s interested in trying. There’s no way of knowing whether he’d be successful or not, but If he did change sports at least he wouldn’t have to worry about guys kicking the crap out of his legs anymore.

Conlan: Dancing with the Stars. Yes…seriously…bad knees or not – Dancing with the Stars. Slice’s future in the ring is limited no matter how you break it down. He’s on the north side of 35, has more-than questionable cardio, and is still a fish out of water when it comes to the finer points of MMA. His legs are apparently shot and he simply doesn’t have the power or technique to live up to the hype he entered the sport with. He can walk away from it with a winning record and his head hell high. Sure, a Japanese pay-day couldn’t hurt, and for some reason I’d wager he could probably pad his stats in the Far East with a few hand-selected pickled-ginger cans, but outside of cash there’s no reason for the bearded brawler to keep fighting.

Back to my original point, the thought of Kimbo Slice doing the foxtrot, waltz, and whatever other rug-cutting maneuvers are associated with a stint on the show Chuck Liddell once called home is “money” defined. In fact, if you read the previous sentence and didn’t smile at the image involved it’s because you just had a heart-attack and died midway through. My condolences to your family…

Moving on, Slice is an extremely personable fellow with a distinct look. I would like to see his management capitalize on his demeanor, appearance, background, and still-remaining fame in a medium that craves all four qualities – reality television. If not Dancing with the Stars, and yes I will be drinking a fifth of whiskey and eating raw, red meat after writing the name of that show as many times as I have in this piece, then perhaps a show chronicling his every day life in Miami as the single father of six children. Or, speaking of his bachelorhood, maybe “A Slice of Love” dating show on VH-1? My point is there’s no reason Kimbo needs to keep fighting outside of MAYBE a few juicy paychecks from overseas. His camp should focus on his personality and start exploring ways to make money that don’t involve him taking repeated blows to the face.

Make your picks for the next opponents of Matt Mitrione and Jeremy Stephens.

Conlan: Not the sexiest potential match-ups to prognosticate on but I like the challenge provided, as well as giving some attention to fighters who don’t generally get a lot of it from fans or media.

Though neither is in position to headline or even co-headline an event, Stephens is clearly closer to reaching that plateau than Mitrione based on experience/success, and as such I’d like to see his next fight involve a notable lightweight who is in a similar position career-wise. UFC 113 foe Sam Stout fit the bill – young, respectable record, seemingly on the cusp of making a run in the division – and as a result helped in delivering a “Fight of the Night” performance for both men because of the parity involved. Unfortunately a number of potential candidates are already scheduled for upcoming action such as Paul Kelly, Terry Etim, and Joe Lauzon. Stephens could certainly act as a replacement in one of those bouts if injury forces the issue, but I’d rather see “Lil Heathen” get the respect of a full training camp and official opponent. The UFC 114 bout between Efrain Escudero and Dan Lauzon is the perfect situation in that regard, as the winner will likely be available around the same time as Stephens and both possess the afore-mentioned qualities I’d like to see in the Iowan’s next in-ring adversary. Also, Lauzon and Escudero are appealing from a stylistic standpoint, and each match-up even has a backstory on which the UFC hype-machine can build (Stephens lost to Lauzon’s older brother at a “Fight Night” in 2009, Escudero is an Ultimate Fighter seasonal champion).

As far as “Meathead” goes, perspective needs to be kept when plotting his future. Mitrione only has two professional bouts under his belt and, though he emerged victorious in the pair of fights, his opponents were almost equally inexperienced and both were one-dimensional Mixed Martial Artists at that. The former NFL lineman has shown potential, but was also taken down fairly easily by Kimbo Slice and fell via submission to 4-4 TUF 10 cast-mate James McSweeney during the season. Mitrione needs to be given a step up in competition but not a high jump. Height jokes not withstanding, I think Stefan Struve would work in that capacity, as would Todd Duffee assuming he walks away the winner of his UFC 114 scrap with Mike Russow. Struve and Duffee are both recognizable names in the division who aren’t yet considered top shelf heavyweights and, like Mitrione, could use the exposure and experience.

Tool: I’ll echo Brendhan’s booking strategy by looking at opponents that could be ready to fight again around the same time as these two. For Stephens I’d love to see him face off with the winner of the upcoming Mac Danzig/Matt Wiman bout. I think either man would match up well with “Lil’ Heathen” as both fighters are more than willing to stand and bang, and that could create an explosive bout with Stephens. Danzig’s ground skills might spell a problem, but if Stephens was able to handle the far superior grappling skills of Rafael Dos Anjos then he shouldn’t have too much trouble should Danzig take things to the ground. I also like Brendhan’s logic behind a potential showdown with Escudero or Lauzon.

Mitrione obviously presents a bigger challenge from a match-making perspective, given his extremely limited experience. I can’t help but feel that Todd Duffee would murder Mitrione, but I’ve certainly been wrong about “Meathead” before. I do agree that Mitrione needs a step up, and I think he’d match up well with Antoni Hardonk. Hardonk is a kick-boxer that would almost certainly have little interest in taking Mitrione to the ground, and his striking acumen would provide a stern test for Mitrione’s wild punching power. If the UFC is looking to give Mitrione a sterner test then they could match up with the winner of the upcoming bout between his former teammate Brendan Schaub and Chris Tuchscherer.

Out of the four heavyweights fighting at Strikeforce this weekend, which do you feel has the most to prove?

Conlan: Andrei Arlovski by a mile, as the proverbial weight on his shoulders is far heavier than that Brett Rogers, Alistair Overeem, or Antonio Silva will be entering the ring with. Where once stood a man considered the future of MMA’s heavyweight division is now an individual who is 5-5 over his last ten fights and is coming off two consecutive knockout losses. Six of the seven bouts he’s dropped in his career have been by way of TKO leaving a lot of legitimate questions about his chin that will only be answered by absorbing damage and not ending face-down in the process. His opponent at the event, Silva, is a solid grappler for someone with his dimensions but owes the bulk of his professional wins to strikes (9/13). The Brazilian has never faced an opponent with Arlovski’s combination of speed, stand-up, and power, but he’ll only need to land one punch to finish the former UFC Heavyweight Champion’s evening while I’m not sure the same can be said in return. “Bigfoot” clearly has the ability to flatten Arlovski with strikes while only being rendered unable to continue once in fifteen fights. He’s a massive obstacle for “The Pitbull” to climb in hopes of avoiding a three-bout skid and may turn out to be the opponent who finally puts the hopes of a lot of fans to rest where the Belarusian’s future in MMA is concerned.

Though I understand there’s undoubtedly an argument to be made on this topic for Overeem needing to prove he’ll test clean for performance enhancing drugs, the reality is he’s never been caught using illegal substances unlike a number of other fighters out there, so the pressure on him is more imagined by people in the MMA community than a situation based in reality the “Demolition Man” should be concerned about. On the other hand, Arlovski is fighting for his credibility as a whole and on some levels even his future in the sport.

Tool: I would be tempted to say Arlovski as well, but allow me to play devil’s advocate and make the case for Alistair Overeem. Obviously he’s had more than his fair share of criticism regarding his physique and the manner of which he’s acquired it, but there’s more to the story than that. Since moving up to heavyweight three years ago Overeem has yet to defeat a single opponent that could be considered amongst the world’s best. The closest he came was his NC bout with Mirko Cro Cop in 2008, but even then it was a Cro Cop on his way down the mountain. People are clamoring for Overeem to face off with Fedor Emelianenko, but there’s no evidence to make people believe that the bout would be competitive. This weekend Brett Rogers will present Overeem with the toughest fight of his heavyweight career, and the performance given by the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion will go a long way towards determining the path his career takes from here on out. If he loses in devastating fashion it will likely result in him heading back to Europe & Asia to fight the weakest cans in the world. If Overeem looks impressive against Rogers then he’ll take a big step towards silencing his critics and building towards a potential showdown with the best heavyweight in the world.

Which of the three undercard bouts on the Strikeforce card are you most excited for?

Conlan: It’s a toss-up for me between Antwain Britt vs. Rafael Cavalcante and Lyle Beerbohm vs. “Shaolin” Ribeiro.

It wasn’t long ago Cavalcante was considered to be a blue chip prospect in the light heavyweight division based on his association with Anderson Silva and ability to wipe opponents out rather than out-point them over three rounds (8-for-8 thus far in his career where finishes are concerned). “The Juggernaut” is no joke himself, winning four of his last five fights, and possesses enough to power in his fists to separate most 205-pounders from consciousness. It should be interesting to see how things play out in terms of whether “Feijao” opts to stand with Britt or work his high-level jiujitsu in hopes of avoiding a clean blow to the chin. Additional to my interest in how their styles pair up, it should also be pointed out the winner will probably find himself on a fast track to a title shot based on the relative shallowness of Strikeforce’s light heavyweight pool while the loser will probably be relegated to a future “Challengers” card instead of playing a significant role at a larger event. All those involved factors definitely appear to be a recipe for an entertaining bout.

Similarly, the lightweight bout between Beerbohm and Ribeiro is also fascinating on a number of levels. “Shaolin” is 20-3 but hasn’t lived up to his billing since beating Joachim Hansen, Mitsuhiro Ishida, and Tatsuya Kawajiri a number of years ago. However, he’s still a massive submission threat, and all three of his losses have come against highly respected opponents (Kawajiri, Shinya Aoki, and JZ Calvancante). And, though Beerbohm may be known more for his nickname, “Fancy Pants”, than what he’s accomplished in the ring, he’s actually a skilled, well-rounded fighter who is undefeated and has finished twelve of the thirteen foes he’s faced. Beating Ribeiro would be the biggest win of Beerbohm’s career and firmly plant him on MMA’s radar as a fighter to watch. The outcome will either signify a changing of the guard or a veteran rising up to beat a talented young prospect. How can fans come out losers in that equation?

Tool: The Beerbohm/Ribeiro match-up is one I’m also particularly looking forward to, although given Strikeforce’s track record I have to believe that there’s only the slimmest of chances that we’ll get to see the fight make it onto the Showtime broadcast. If the event ends 20 minutes early and we don’t get to see this fight then there will undoubtedly be some very upset fans out there, and Strikeforce will have missed out on a crucial opportunity to spotlight a potential contender for their lightweight title.

Call me old fashioned, but I still get excited when there’s a fighter on the card with the last name Gracie. Roger Gracie is still green in the world of mixed-martial arts but his grappling abilities cannot be denied. Kevin Randleman may not present the sternest challenge for the young Brazilian but he is a veteran fighter that could easily spoil the Strikeforce debut of Mr. Gracie. Randleman’s wrestling ability could give Gracie all kinds of trouble in terms of taking the fight to the ground and while it’s been a long time since he knocked anybody out, it could be a short night for Gracie if he decides to trade blows with “The Monster.” This fight won’t have the same kind of title implications as the aforementioned Cavalcante/Britt bout, but an impressive performance from Gracie could put him in the mix amongst contenders very quickly (especially given the shallow waters of the Strikeforce light heavyweight division).

This Saturday’s Strikeforce St Louis: Heavy Artillery event was finalized on Tuesday with the addition of two final preliminary bouts.

Lightweight Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro (20-3) faces Lyle Beerbohm (13-0), who makes his Strikeforce debut, and welterweight fighters Jesse Finney (4-0) will step into the cage against Jason DeMoney (13-2-1).

Strikeforce St Louis: Heavy Artillery is set for this Saturday May 15th at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Miss. and Showtime will carry the broadcast for the main card.

Ribeiro looks to bounce back from a loss to DREAM lightweight champ Shinya Aoki at DREAM.10 last summer. While opponent Beerbohm has yet to be defeated fighting for various organizations including the Strikeforce Challengres series. Beerbohm has notable victories over Duane Ludwig and Rafaello Oliveira.

Undefeated in his short MMA career, Finney is 4-0 having defeated Josh Bumgarner by submission at last summers Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields event. DeMoney has won eight straight, including one draw, with victories in the Extreme Challenge, Glory Fighting Championships, and Midwest Fighting Championships organizations.

Saturday’s show features heavyweight co-headliners with Alistair Overeem making his long-awaited first title defense when he meets Brett Rogers. Additionally, former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski takes on former EliteXC heavyweight title-holder Antonio Silva. The card features 12 bouts in all.

Strikeforce will be holding a public autograph session on Thursday featuring fighters such as Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Roger Gracie, Fabricio Werdum and Renato Babalu Sobral. It will be hosted by Mike Shannon’s The Outfield (620 Market St.) in St. Louis.

Main Card

- Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers (for heavyweight title)
- Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva
- Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Joey Villasenor
- Roger Gracie vs. Kevin Randleman
- Antwain Britt vs. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante

Preliminary Card (un-aired)

- Justin DeMoney vs. Jesse Finney
- Lyle Beerbohm vs. Vitor Ribeiro
- Lee Brousseau vs. Fransisco France
- Mike Chandler vs. Sal Woods
- Tom Aaron vs. Erik Steenberg
- Matt Ricehouse vs. Greg Wilson
- Darryl Cobb vs. Booker DeRousse

Strikeforce fighters Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, Lyle Beerbohm, Roger Gracie, Kevin Randleman, Vitor Ribiero and Fabricio Werdum, as well as Shine Fights fighter Murilo "Ninja" Rua, are the latest additions to the "EA Sports MMA" videogame roster of playable characters.

EA Sports today made the official announcement.

"EA Sports MMA," available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, is expected to be released in late summer 2010 as a rival to THQ's "UFC Undisputed" title.

Mixed-martial-arts fans are invited to Thursday's autograph session and Friday's official fighter weigh-ins for this weekend's "Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery" event.

Thursday's autograph session, hosted by Mike Shannon's The Outfield, begins at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT local) with newly crowned light-heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, Roger Gracie, Fabricio Werdum and Renato Babalu Sobral.

Friday's weigh-ins begin at approximately 5 p.m. ET at the Scottrade Center's main concourse.

NEW YORK (May 10, 2010) – Popular, unbeaten welterweight Jesse Finney (5-0) of St. Louis will try to cash in against Justin DeMoney (14-2-1) of Ottumwa, Idaho, in the top non-televised undercard fight when Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) returns to The Gateway City with STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at Scottrade Center this Saturday, May 15.

The remaining six non-televised fights will include nine fighters from St. Louis or the surrounding areas: The St. Louis fighters are Michael Chandler (2-0), Tom Aaron (6-2), Eric Steenberg (3-0) and Matt Ricehouse (1-0). The others are Darryl Cobb (3-1) of East St. Louis, Lee “Manimal’’ Brousseau (4-1) of Wood River, Ill., Booker DeRousse (2-2) of St. Genevieve, Mo., Sal Woods (4-7) of Granite City, Ill., and Greg Wilson (pro debut) of Cobden, Ill.

Chandler throws down with Woods at 170 pounds; Aaron takes on Steenberg at 185 pounds, Ricehouse battles Wilson at 125 pounds, Brousseau faces Francisco “Kiko” France of Rio De Janiero, Brazil, at 205 pounds and Cobb meets DeRousse at 145 pounds.

In the final undercard bout on a stacked fight card, STRIKEFORCE newcomer Vitor “Shaolin’’ Ribeiro (20-3) of Rio De Janeiro will face undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants’’ Beerbohm (13-0) of Spokane, Wash., at 155 pounds The aforementioned matchups will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT on May 15. The first preliminary bout is at 6:30. Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Finney, a graduate of Affton High in St. Louis, has been victorious in all his fights in the first round, including a 1:55 submission (keylock) over Josh Baumgarner on the last STRIKEFORCE event in St. Louis on June 6, 2009.

Before MMA, Finney went unbeaten as a kickboxer (23-0) and is 8-2 as a pro boxer. Finney also is the head coach of the St. Louis Enforcers of Chuck Norris’s World Combat League.

“I know DeMoney is a super tough guy so this should be my biggest test in MMA,’’ said the six-foot, 35-year-old Finney who is the owner and head instructor of his own gym, Finney’s MMA in St. Louis. “He says he likes to stand and trade. If he really wants to do that, I look forward to the challenge of banging it out. I think I match up well with him in every area. Keys to getting this win are just being the athlete I am, and using my size and strength. I think I can beat him anywhere it goes.’’

To better concentrate on the upcoming fight, Finney trained in Las Vegas for a month.

“I chose to leave and go to Vegas just to be able to train and that’s it,’’ he said. “I have a few businesses in St. Louis and I am very thankful for that, but trying to run them and train full-time was just too much. This is crazy but believe it or not, my wife talked me into going to Vegas. It turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done.

“I think most people think I am a kickboxer doing MMA and that’s simply not the truth anymore. I focus on my weaknesses every day and try to stay sharp on my strengths. My future in MMA is whatever Scott Coker wants. I’m a team player for STRIKEFORCE and always will be.

“I am not going to let anybody down on May 15.’’

DeMoney has remained extremely active since turning pro in 2007. A seven-time Extreme Challenge veteran, he fought six times that year, four times in ‘09 and on five occasions in ’08.

This will be DeMoney’s 2010 debut. He has gone unbeaten in his last nine starts (8-0-1). His last five victories have come inside the distance, including a second-round submission (punches) over Jesse Sanders in his last outing on Oct. 17, 2009.

Chandler, a former teammate of top prospect Tyron Woodley and a NCAA Division I All American, is a super-aggressive fighter who possesses great athleticism and speed, but his most impressive attributes may be his work ethic and ferocious tenacity. The 5-foot-8, 24-year-old has won both his starts by TKO (punches).

In his last effort, Chandler defeated Richard Bouphanouvong in the second round at a STRIKEFORCE event last Nov. 20. Chandler dispatched Kyle Swadley at 3:30 of the opening round in his pro debut on Aug. 8, 2009.

Woods is a hard-working, determined fighter looking to regain his winning ways. “I’m really looking forward to this fight and I know we will put on a great show,’’ said Woods, who lost to Woodley on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center. “MMA is not for everyone; it’s all about hard work and I’ve put in all the work for this fight.’’

Aaron , a 5-foot-8, 31-year-old who fights out of Finney’s MMA, has won two out of three, including a TKO over Calvin Simmons in his outing on Nov. 21, 2009. Aaron went 6-0 in the amateurs.

Steenburg has won all three of his efforts in the second round. He ended matters with James Marino in his last start on Aug. 28, 2009, with a head kick 11 seconds into the session.

Ricehouse, who is making his STRIKEFORCE debut, registered a third-round KO (punches) over Tim Thomas in his pro debut on Jan. 30, 2010.

Cobb has been triumphant three consecutive times since losing his initial MMA fight. After winning two straight inside the distance, he won last time out on a split decision over Gary Tapasua at the STRIKEFORCE event on Nov. 20, 2009. DeRousse, who scored a first-round TKO over James Wade on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center, lost his last fight to Lee Brousseau on Oct. 3, 2009, via submission.

Brousseau is making his first start since defeating DeRousse. His three victories, which include a 0:18 KO (punches) over Greg LoFink on April 11, 2009, have totaled just 5:34. France is a highly touted grappling specialist who has won all his fights via first-round submissions: Total cage time: 3:39.

Ribeiro, a 30-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, is among the top lightweights in MMA. He’s won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship four times, once as a purple belt in 1996 and three times as a black belt in three consecutive years (1999-2001).
Beerbohm is a top up-and-coming fighter who literally started MMA on his way home from prison after he spent a year and one day at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla as a result of felony convictions, all related to his crystal meth addiction.

In the May 15 main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will defend against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1). Former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) are matched in another heavyweight confrontation.

In other televised fights on SHOWTIME: Unbeaten Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Roger Gracie (2-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE and U.S. MMA debut against two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) in a light heavyweight scrap, middleweight superstar “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will face determined, hard-hitting Joey Villasenor (27-6) and Antwain “The Juggernaut” Britt (11-3) will collide with Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (8-2) at 205 pounds.

Shamrock Promotions is assisting STRIKEFORCE with local marketing for the event.

Xande Ribeiro watches from the sidelines at a 2009 Grapplers Quest in San Diego.

So much to talk about this week on our humble Brazilian jiu-jitsu internet radio show! This week brought a lot of chatter about the convergence of BJJ and yoga. So we brought on Phil Migliarese, of Balance Studios in Philadelphia. Phil’s been a subject matter expert in both yoga and jiu-jitsu forever, having practiced both for over twenty years. (He was also one of our first ever guests on The FightWorks Podcast, for those who remember back that far!) Phil will share some insights on the best steps jiu-jitsu folks should take if they’re making the wise move of trying yoga. More of his work can be found on Yoga for Fighters.com.

We’ll also speak with Xande Ribeiro, the two-time black belt adult absolute champion in International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation competition (and four time champion in his weight class). Xande has been absent from jiu-jitsu competition for two years, as he was pursuing a career in mixed martial arts. For the time being that plan is on hold according to a blog post from Xande earlier this week. We met Xande at the University of Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego and discussed his return to action. As you’ll hear in the conversation, he is pursuing his third absolute title, which will be a record for anyone! But his old friend Roger Gracie has the same dream this year, setting the stage for a very exciting 2010 BJJ World Championship!

Finally we catch up with Brazilian jiu-jitsu researcher Alex Rosenstein. Earlier this year Rosenstein began work on his thesis for his graduate program in psychology, investigating character traits in jiu-jitsu practitioners. He returns to The FightWorks Podcast this week to share his results, and discuss future wishes for ongoing study into what makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners different from others. If you are interested in his work you can connect with him on the website for his research.

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show

There had been some doubt as to whether Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) would be able to face opponent Roger Gracie (2-0) at next Saturday’s “Strikeforce St. Louise: Heavy Artillery” event due to a staph infection.

On Thursday, word came down that Randleman had received medical clearance by doctors for the event.

“Strikeforce St. Louise: Heavy Artillery” is set to take place on May 15 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, which was also the venue for last June’s “Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields” event.

Randleman will look to maintain his relevancy as an MMA heavyweight against Gracie as the fighter only has three victories in his last twelve fights. His last win came over Ryo Kawamura at a Sengoku 2 event in Japan in May of 2008.

Gracie, a 2007 ADCC champion, will make his Strikeforce debut against Randleman and hasn’t had an MMA fight since 2008 also, defeating Yuki Kondo at the same Sengoku event as “The Monster’s” last win.

Kevin Randleman will fight Roger Gracie next Saturday at "Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery" after all.

Randleman this past week battled a staph infection that cast doubt on his ability to participate on the May 15 card.

However, he has since been cleared to take antibiotics that will allow him to recover in time to fight, said Elizabeth Randleman, his wife and manager.