EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) is on the scene at the IZOD Center tonight for “Strikeforce and M-1 Global present: Fedor vs. Silva“, the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament.

Tonight’s all-heavyweight main card, which airs live on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET, will feature Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the main event. And in the co-main event, Andrei “The Pit Bull” Arlovski will face Sergei Kharitonov.

Also, undefeated Shane Del Rosario will take on Lavar “Big” Johnson, Chad Griggs, the man who derailed Bobby Lashley’s hype train, will face Gian Villante, and the brother of Alistair Overeem, Valentijn Overeem, will take on legendary kickboxer Ray Sefo.

While you are waiting for the fights to start, or if you would like to check after each fight to see just how smart we are here at ProMMAnow.com and if we got our predictions right, read our ProMMAnow.com “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva” staff picks.

“Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva” quick results:

MAIN CARD  (Televised on Showtime)

• Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva def. Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (doctor stoppage) Rd. 2 (5:00)
• Sergei Kharitonov def. Andrei Arlovski by knockout (punches) Rd. 1 (2:49)
• Shane Del Rosario by submission (armbar) Rd. 1 (4:31)
• Chad Griggs def. Gian Villante by TKO (strikes) Rd. 1 (2:49)
• Valentijn Overeem def. Ray Sefo by submission (neck crank) Rd. 1 (1:37)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Televised on HDNet)

• John Cholish def. Marc Stevens by submission (kneebar) Rd. 2 (3:57)
• Igor Gracie def. John Salgado by submission (arm triangle) Rd. 2 (3:04)
• Sam Oropeza def. Don Carlo-Clauss by TKO (punches) Rd. 1 (4:10)
• Josh LaBerge def. Anthony Leone by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) Rd. 1 (5:00)
• Jason McLean def. Kevin Roddy by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

NOTES: I got word that Strikeforce will be announcing the return of Gina Carano tonight! Stay tuned for that!

“Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva” play-by-play:

Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone

Round 1 – LaBerge with a leg kick. Leone returns the kick. They clinch, Leone presses him against the cage. Leone with a knee, they separate, leg kick from Leone and he eats a punch. They clinch, trade some punches, leg kick from Leone. Leone with a spinning backfist and a leg kick. Another one. Another one to the inside, and to the outside. Leone shoots, gets a single leg but lets it go. LaBerge with a collar tie and lands a big knee to the body. Leone shoots again and he’s dripping blood badly. He grabs Laberge in a body lock from behind and is spraying blood from his nose. Leone gets the takedown and is on top in half guard.  Moves to side control and keeps control until the round ends. Leone should get the round 10-9.

The doctor stops the bout due to Leone’s crooked nose. In other words, his nose is broke.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh LaBerge def. Anthony Leone by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) Rd. 1 (5:00)

Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza

Round 1 – Oropeza with a big height advantage and goes over his head with a high kick. Clauss with a nice beard and long hair, they clinch up, Oropeza goes for a takedown but Clauss hangs on, knees from Oropeza and throws a high one to the head, still clinched. They separate and square up. Nice right from Clauss. Oropeza goes too high with the kick again. Again with a kick too high. Front kick from Oropeza. Clauss can’t get his punching range down. Throws a big right. Head kick and right hand from Oropeza, then a right hand. Clauss shoots for a single and Oropeza fires off hammerfists. Oropeza gets Clauss down and Clauss turtles up. Oropeza takes his back and flattens him out and unleashes a barrage of punches until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Sam Oropeza def. Don Carlo-Clauss by TKO (punches) Rd. 1 (4:10)

Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado

Round 1 – Leg kick from Gracie. Again. Again. Salgado hunting, clinch. Knee to the body from Gracie and Salgado returns one. Gracie drops level, big slam from Gracie and he takes Salgado’s back, body triangle, rear naked choke locked in. Reverse head butt to the jaw from Salgado and he is warned. He’s defending the choke well and Gracie still has the body triangle but no longer has his neck. Salgao tries to roll but triangle is too tight. Gracie landing some punches to the side of the head. They roll to their backs. Salgado’s bread and butter is also the ground game so he’s doing well in defending. Salgado grabs wrist control, holding one of Gracie’s hands with two hands so he can’t choke him. Salgado with a schoolyard choke. Gracie gets mount at bell. Gracie should have that round easily 10-9.

Round 2 – Leg kick from Salgado, again, again. Spinning back kick misses. Gracie with a leg kick, shoots and puts Salgado down. Salgado with his back against the cage, Gracie gets mount. Gracie  punches Salgado in the ribs, postures up from mount, they scramble and Gracie takes his back as Salgado turtles. Gracie with full mount, sinks in an arm triangle and Salgado’s face turns blue, he’s out and the ref stops it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Igor Gracie def. John Salgado by submission (arm triangle) Rd. 2 (3:04)

John Cholish vs. Marc Stevens

Round 1 – Cholish with a high kick misses.  Stevens with a leg kick. Body kick by Cholish, then gets a takedown. Cholish postures up, dives in with a punch, lands  few more as Stevens gets to his feet, clinched. Cholish grabs a collar tie and lands several knees. They separate and square up. Stevens with a left, Cholish with a leg kick. Cholish with under hooks gets a takedown and lands in side control. Now in half guard. Cholish stands up just before the bell. Cholish should have the round 10-9.

Round 2 – Cholish gets the takedown early and is on top in full guard. Stevens gets half guard. Cholish tries to get his leg out, pushes Stevens against the cage. Stevens has full guard now, closed. Cholish using ground and pound. The ref stands them up for some odd reason. It was Mulhall. Stevens misses with a right. Cholish lands a  body kick but Stevens catches it and goes for a takedown, it goes to the ground and Cholish locks on a kneebar. Puts the foot under his arm and cranks it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: John Cholish def. Marc Stevens by submission (kneebar) Rd. 2 (3:57)

Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo

Round 1 – I’m second guessing my Sefo pick about now. Overeem misses a leg kick and Sefo lands a big one. Sefo lands a big right. Overeem throws a high kick and it’s blocked. Big right hand from Sefo is blocked. Left hand from Sefo. Sefo counters a Superman punch. Front kick from Overeem tries to do a Spider Silva kick. Overeem shoots, gets the takedown. Overeem uses a neck crank and Sefo taps out quickly. Sefo looked great on the feet, but just out of place on his back.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Valentijn Overeem def. Ray Sefo by submission (neck crank) Rd 1 (1:37)

Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante

Round 1 – Griggs swings, grabs a collar tie. Leg kick from Villante. Griggs lands a couple big shots as he comes forward throwing heat. Villante is rocked and clinches up with Griggs. Griggs trying to make a statement here. Knees and elbows from Villante, Griggs fires back with big shots. Villante is rocked and in trouble, he closes the gap and clinches but Griggs is firing off shots. Villante lands a head kick. Ref stops it to clean mouth piece at a terrible time. Griggs drops Villante, he somehow gets up and Griggs continues the onslaught of punches and Villante goes down again and is done as the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Chad Griggs def. Gian Villante by TKO (strikes) Rd. 1 (2:49)

Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson

Round 1 – Touch gloves. Left hook catches Del Rosario. The clinch. Del Rosario pushes Johnson against the cage. Body shot from Del Rosario. Knee to the body from Johnson. Johnson with the trip takedown and Del Rosario gets full guard. Del Rosario gets to his fett. Big leg kick from Johnson, he ducks a punch and shoots. Knee from Johnson the n a big punch, body shot. Del Rosario pops Johnson’s head back with a left hand. Collar tie from Johnson, he lets it go. Big body shots from Del Rosario. They separate. Leg kick from Johnson and Del Rosario comes forward swinging, gets a single leg takedown, lands in side control, moves to mount. Johnson hangs on. Del Rosario postures up from mount with a couple big shots. Sledgehammer from Del Rosario and Johnson is flailing. Del Rosario isolates an arm, or trying to. 40 seconds to go. Del Rosario goes for an armbar and gets it. Johnson tried to roll out of it but Rosario adjusted and got it. Johnson is pissed.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Shane Del Rosario by submission (armbar) Rd. 1 (4:31)

STRIKEFORCE HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS:

Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov

Round 1 – Both guys look confident in the staredown, especially Andrei. Sergei misses, leg kick from Arlovski then a right hand. Inside leg kick. Left jab. Body shot from Sergie. Kick and right hand from Andrei. They clinch, uppercut from Andrei and a knee from a collar tie. Andrei staying loose and moving. Leg kick from Andrei and a high kick that is blocked. Sergei is hunting. Clinch, and an exchange. Andrei misses with a big right. Andrei with a left hook that grazes. Uppercut from Sergei and a couple body shots from the clinch. Uppercut by Andrei and a left straight. Sergei lands a couple big shots and Andrei is hurt. He lands a looping hook and Andrei goes down and Kharitonov knocks him out cold. His eyes went  dead cold and hopefully he is okay. Andrei  is awake and sits up.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Sergei Kharitonov def. Andrei Arlovski by knockout (punches) Rd. 1 (2:49)

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva

Round 1 – Leg kick from Silva. Ffedor swings, lands a left right. Fedor bouncing. Silva lands a counter shot as Fedor comes in swinging. Leg kick from Silva, he seems tentative. Fedor swings, the clinch. Silva pushes him against the cage. Knees to the thighs from Silva. REf separates them. Big swinging punches from Fedor and Silva lands a shot on the chin that backs him up. Fedor with a kick then Silva clinches him puts him against the cage. Silva with one underhook, he drops levels. Fedor locks on a guillotine and Silva tries to slam him and Silva ends up on his back. Fedor on top in half guard. He stands up and dives on in half guard. One minute to go and Fedor looks for a kimura. Silva is up and lands a huge right on Fedor’s chin and gets underhooks. Fedor’s nose is busted up and bleeding. Big right hand from Silva, they exchange big shots and Silva gets a takedown at the bell. You have to give Silva the round I think 10-9.

Round 2 – Overeem is seen looking on. I wonder what’s going on in his mind. Fedor looks okay as the round starts. Fedor swings and Silva times it and gets the takedown. Silva is on top in half guard. Silva postures up and lands a couple shots. Fedor defending well now but he has a HUGE man on top of him. Silva moves to side control and north south, switches to other side and gets full mount. Fedor gives up his back, rolls over and is mounted. Gives up his back again and Silva locks on a choke, Fedor rolls to his back and is mounted, gives up his back and is eating big shots. Fedor tries to roll and is on his side. Silva locks in an arm triangle and Fedor is caught with 1:40 to go but Fedor survives, escapes and Silva is on top in half guard with more punches. Fedor looks spent. He uses his forearm in Fedor’s throat to hold him down. 40 seconds to go and Silva locks on a kneebar. Fedor locks on a leg lock himself but those are big feet and Silva shakes his hand “no”. Wow!! Dominant round for Silva 10-9. Fedor’s eye is almost closed and they may stop this.

NOTES: Fedor’s eye is swollen shut. Silva has a small swell but not like Fedor. The ref apparently waved it off, Silva is informed and it’s all over.  Breaking news: Fedor moves to middleweight!! — That’s a joke… but maybe where he belongs at this point… definitely not at heavyweight.

Silva comes and bows to Fedor and kisses his head.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva def. Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (doctor stoppage) Rd. 2 (5:00)