FanHouse AntonioSilva

Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is looking to fight by the end of the year and could be competing at Strikeforce: Evolution on Dec. 19 or in Japan with Sengoku or Dynamite!! 2009 on New Year's Eve.

FanHouse has learned that Arlovski's management has been in discussions with the aforementioned organizations and Arlovski is currently training to potentially fight on one of those cards.

All the big stories coming out of Saturday night's big night of fights are about the winners: Fedor Emelianenko showed once again that he's the best in the world, Jake Shields won the Strikeforce middleweight belt, Gegard Mousasi took another step toward elite status and Fabricio Werdum made his case that he should get Fedor next.

But I'd like to take a moment to praise the losers of the four fights.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill -- In a good way to start the return of MMA to network television, Fabricio Werdum beat Antonio Silva by unanimous decision Saturday night at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.

Silva floored Werdum in the early going and appeared close to finishing him on the ground, but Werdum stayed poised and managed to get back onto his feet. Midway through the first round Silva threw Werdum onto his back, but when Werdum stayed there, Silva wanted none of it and took the fight back to his feet. It went that way for much of the round, with Silva controlling it but always careful not to get caught in one of Werdum's submissions. The first round was exciting and left the crowd giving the fighters a standing ovation.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- This is the Strikeforce live blog for Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum, the opening bout on the CBS card.

The final EliteXC heavyweight champion Silva takes on ADCC grappling champion Werdum with the victor possibly facing the winner of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers at a later date in a no. 1 contender bout to determine Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem's next defense.

The live blog begins below.

---

---

FanHouse has Strikeforce results for all of the Nov. 7 M-1 Global/Strikeforce fights, plus live MMA coverage from Chicago and live MMA Twitter updates.

In the main event, the best heavyweight in MMA, Russia's Fedor Emelianenko, will take on American Brett Rogers. Other fights on the card include Jake Shields vs. Jason Mayhem Miller for the Strikeforce middleweight title, plus Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva and Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

Full Strikeforce results are below.

---

---

HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- FanHouse spoke to Strikeforce heavyweight star Fabricio Werdum, who faces Antonio Silva on Saturday night, about getting his career back on track following his release from the UFC, whether he minds fighting another Brazilian, and why he thinks he should fight Fedor Emelianenko next.

Check out the full video interview below.

CHICAGO -- When Antonio Silva defeated the late Justin Eilers for the inaugural EliteXC heavyweight title in July 2008, most figured it would signal the dawn of a new era in MMA. But Silva's growth as a dominant force in the sport was stunted when he was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for a positive steroid test.

"Bigfoot" will make his long awaited return to the American MMA scene on Saturday night when he faces fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum on the CBS undercard. FanHouse spoke to Silva about putting his past behind him and creating a new legacy in Strikeforce. The video interview is below.

CHICAGO -- Antonio Silva has the biggest hand I ever shook. When I spoke to him Wednesday in Chicago, Silva told me he weighs 276 pounds, and he looks even bigger than that.

Fabricio Werdum, Silva's opponent in Saturday night's Strikeforce MMA fight, noticed Silva's size.

"He's huge," said Werdum, who weighs in the 230 range. "He's a big, strong guy. And he's got a big head and a big face."

I was just thinking that CBS and Strikeforce haven't done enough to promote Saturday night's Fabricio Werdum-Antonio Silva fight, so I searched YouTube to see if there was a promotional video I hadn't seen. Well, it turns out that there is -- but it was produced not by Strikeforce or CBS, but by Affliction, which is no longer promoting MMA but still sponsors Werdum and other fighters.

With the promotion's debut on CBS just under a month away, Strikeforce announced Friday the four matchups that will take place on the Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers card at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

"We're looking forward to delivering an explosive night of world class MMA action on CBS," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said in a statement. "We have the world's No. 1 fighter, Fedor, making his network primetime debut against an undefeated powerhouse in Brett Rogers and, with the stars lined up for the remainder of the card, it is bound to be an exciting night of television."