“Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” takes place this evening at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. The main event features two legends, Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson, competing in one of the most anticipated bouts of the year.

Once considered the top heavyweight in the world, Emelianenko is on a two-fight skid and is looking to hold onto his status as one of the sport’s elite fighters. Henderson, Strikeforce’s light heavyweight champ, chose to fight Emelianenko at heavyweight and weighed in at 207-pounds, just barely making the minimum limit. And with Fedor weighing in at 223-pounds, how will the weight difference play out in the fight?

In the night’s co-main event, Strikeforce women’s 135-pound champ Marloes Coenen puts her title on the line against a young lady that has been climbing the ranks and earned her shot at the title by winning Strikeforce’s welterweight tournament in August 2010, Ms. Miesha Tate.

ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) will provide LIVE results and play-by-play commentary throughout tonight’s event. “Fedor vs. Henderson” will air LIVE on Showtime starting at 10 p.m. ET.

“Fedor vs. Henderson” quick results:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

• Dan Henderson def. Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:12)
• Miesha Tate def Marloes Coenen by submission (arm triangle) Rd 4 (3:03)
• Tim Kennedy def. Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)
• Tyron Woodley def. Paul Daley by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)
• Tarec Saffiedine def. Scott Smith by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Not Televised)

• Gesias Cavalcante def. Bobby Green by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)
• Eduardo Pamplona vs. Tyler Stinson def. Eduardo Pamplona by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:15)
• Alexis Davis def. Julie Kedzie by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)
• Derek Brunson def. Lumumba Sayers by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1 (4:33)
• Bryan Humes vs. Gabriel Salinas-Jones def. Bryan Humes by submission (Brabo Choke) Rd 3 (1:19)

“Fedor vs. Henderson” play-by-play:

Scott Smith vs. Tarec Saffiedine

Round 1 – Smith stalking. Jab from Smith, big leg kick from Saffiedine. Smith swings and misses, eats a leg kick. Leg kick from Saffiedine. One two from Saffiedine. Leg kick from Saffiedine. Smith blocks a head kick, eats a leg kick. Clinch, knee from Saffiedine to the gut. Collar tie knees from Saffiedine. Clinch against the cage, big body shot on the break from Saffiedine, misses a head kick. Smith with a leg kick and Saffiedine gives him one back. Smith stalking, takes a knee to the gut. Head kick scores for Saffiedine and Smith grabs a leg, hops around, lets it go. Clinched against the cage, ref separates them. Big inside leg kick from Saffiedine and a huge overhand right. Inside leg kick from Smith scores hard, another one. Jab inside leg kick from Saffiedine. Leg kick from Smith but eats a punch. Spinning heel kick from Saffiedine lands and knocks Smith back. 10-9 Saffiedine.

Round 2 – Jab from Saffiedine, inside leg kick. Leg kick from Saffiedine. Jab, leg kick from Saffiedine. Again, except a hook instead of jab this time. Leg kick from Smith. Head kick lands for Saffiedine. Clinch. Elbow from Saffiedine. He backs out. Switches stances. Smith misses a leg kick and Saffiedine attacks, rocks him with a punch. Smith retreats against the cage. Saffiedine landing jabs and combos, elbows, three or four land solid as he holds the back of Smith’s head. Clinch and Saffiedine backs out, comes in with the jab. Lands a head kick rocks Smith causing him to shoot. Saffiedine sprawls, takes Smith’s back and gives him some hammerfists. Smith gets on his knees and Saffidine gets his hooks in almost but Smith backs out and gets up. Smith a stationary target. Uppercut, one two, head kick from Saffiedine, grabs a collar tie, knee strike. He’s dominating this fight but Smith is still standing. 10-9 Saffiedine.

Round 3 – Touch gloves. Jab and leg kick from Saffiedine, beautiful. Leg kick from Smith but eats a huge leg kick in return. Jab leg kick, body shot from Saffiedine. Huge leg kick from Saffiedine, left hook right hand on top of it. Saffiedine is too fast for Smith. Too accurate. Leg kick from Saffiedine. Smith bleeding from his face. Jab from Saffiedine, switches stances, jab. Leg kick from Smith. Big straight left and spinning back kick from Saffiedine. Two minutes to go. Leg kick from Saffiedine. Jab, right, he moves laterally, leg kick, backs up moves, overhand right, continues to move, Smith seems lost. Leg kick from Saffiedine, switches stances, jab, big leg kick. Smith with a  Superman punch that hits air. Right hand from Saffiedine. Smith chasing him, kicks the cage as he misses Saffiedine. He keeps moving, lands a head kick. Smith chases. It’s over. Smith stares down looking disappointed, face a bloody mess. 10-9, 30-27 Saffiedine.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Tarec Saffiedine def. Scott Smith by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)

NOTES: Saffiedine landed 67 power strikes compared to Smith’s 14.

Tyron Woodley vs. Paul Daley

Round 1 – This is Woodley’s breakout fight. Daley working a jab. Leg kick from Woodley. He catches Daley’s leg, pushes him to the cage. Knee to the gut, Daley gives one back and it’s a low blow. Big John calls time. Touch gloves. Woodley with a low stance. Woodley shoots, stuffed. He pushes Daley to the cage. Knee to the thigh. More knees to the thighs. Daley tries to reverse position but Woodley holds him still. Pushing on him, looks for a single, lets it go and the ref separates them. Daley comes in, looking to strike, Woodley ducks and pushes him to the cage. Knee to the body from Daley. He reverses position and backs out. Daley hunting. They clinch. Body shot from Woodley, again, again. Daley reverses and puts Woodley against the cage. Woodley reverses, knee, knee. Daley gives him two knees back. Close round. Daley’s takedown defense looks much improved. 10-9 Woodley.

Round 2 – Clinch, Daley backs out. Misses a high kick. Clinch, knee to the body from Woodley, two more. Pushes Daley to the cage. Body shots from Woodley. Woodley gets a single, turns the corner and puts Daley on his back. Woodley inside his full guard. Nice elbow from Woodley. Daley mostly hanging on hoping for the stand up it seems. Daley gets against the cage and tries to get to his feet. Woodley trying to take his back. Puts Daley on his back, inside full guard. Elbow from Woodley. Body shots. Ref tells Woodley to improve position. He stands them up. Body kick from Woodley, he shoots, stuffed. Daley attacks from top. Time runs out. 10-9 Woodley.

Round 3 – Knee from Woodley connects to Daley’s chin. Rocks him momentarily. Daley attacks with a left hook, knee, Woodley grabs the knee and puts Daley on his back. Woodley on top in half guard attacking with ground and pound. Daley defending well. Elbows from Woodley. Daley gets his back to the cage. After about a minute of hard work Daley gets to his feet. Woodley still going for Daley’s leg with two minutes left. He can’t get Daley down. Left hook from Daley as Woodley gets to his knees. Woodley turtles, eats a couple big shots. Daley lets him up, lands a front kick. Daley lands a big uppercut, knee to the face as Woodley shoots. Daley rolls into an omoplata attempt and Woodley is locked up. He gets out though with 14 seconds left. Woodley ends the round on top. 10-9 Daley, 29-28 Woodley.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Tyron Woodley def. Paul Daley by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)

Robbie Lawler vs. Tim Kennedy

Round 1 – As always, Matt Hughes in Robbie’s corner. Inside leg kick from Kennedy. Lawler staying very mobile. Right hook from Lawler, takes a low blow from Kennedy. Time is called. Kennedy shoots, sprawls, escapes. Again. Lawler throws a big right on the way up, just misses. Lawler using good movement, throws a knee, Keennedy shoots, they scramble. Kennedy takes his back with a body lock. Lawler gets out and up. Cheers from the crowd. Left hook scores from Kennedy. Lawler looking for the big shot. Jab, takedown from Kennedy. Gets side control. Kennedy easily moves to full mount. Lawler gets out and up. Head kick from Kennedy scores. 10-9 Kennedy. Great round of action.

Round 2 – Front kick from Kennedy. Kennedy shoots, stuffed. Lawler just misses a big left on the way up. Leg kick from Kennedy. Kennedy keeps looking for a front kick to the chin. Lawler lands an uppercut partially as Kennedy shoots. He pushes Lawler to the cage.Blood is pouring out of Kennedy’s nose I believe. I would guess it’s broke. He has Lawler on his back though, in half guard. Elbow from Kennedy. Kennedy lands a couple punches from inside full guard. Lawler rolling with the punches, punching off his back. Kennedy with hammerfists to the body. Kennedy 10-9.

Round 3 – Kennedy breathing hard. Crowd goes nuts as the round starts. Lawler stuffs a takedown. Front kick toward the chin from Kennedy misses. Lawler lands a right. Hunting Kennedy. Lawler stuffs a takedown, lands a punch. Head kick from Kennedy, Lawler unfazed. Flying knee from Lawler misses. Two and a half minutes to go. Right hand from Lawler as Kennedy shoots. Inside leg kick from Kennedy. Body kick from Kennedy, Lawler with a counter right. Kennedy tries to clinch and Lawler pushes him off. Uppercut from Lawler snaps Kennedy’s head back. One minute to go now. Leg kick from Kennedy, again. Lawler being much too tentative. Kennedy gets the takedown. Lands a couple good punches. Elbow. Kennedy seals Lawler’s fate with that final takedown and strikes. 10-9 Kennedy. 30-27 Kennedy.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Tim Kennedy def. Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)

Marloes Coenen vs. Miesha Tate

Round 1 – Marloes looks very serious. Leg kick from Tate. She clinches. Miesha pushes her against the cage. Knee from Coenen. She reverses and pushes Tate to the cage, Tate reverses. She pushes and leans on Coenen. Coenen gets free and backs out. Huge left hook from Coenen stuns Tate. Tate shoots, eats a knee to the body. Coenen locks her in a guillotine standing. Tate puts her down but Coenen has the guillotine, looked like Tate was about to tap out. Tate is free. She moves to side control. Tate traps Coenen’s arm, moves back to side control. Coenen stops the mount. Tate trying to set up something. Less than a minute to go. Five rounder. Tate punds on Coenen’s six pack.  Tate 10-9.

Round 2 – Exchange punches, clinch, Miesha pushes her to the cage. Big John is planking in the corner. Just jokin. It’s a Greco game right now. Tate drops levels grabs a leg. She takes Coenen down, but Marloes uses the momentum and takes Tate’s back with one hook in. Coenen locks on the figure four triangle. Marloes softening her up. Marloes has great poise on the ground, especially when she’s in control. Coenen grabs one wrist and punches with the other. She punches Tate’s ribs. Riding Tate’s back with one minute to go. Flattens her out and unleashes punches. Elbow from Coenen. Coenen must be as good as them Alpha Male boys. Cause she’s controlling this fight right now. Tate survives but lost that round. Coenen 10-9.

Round 3 – Coenen getting the better of the striking now with 40 seconds gone. Takedown Tate catches a kick and puts Coenen on her back. Inside full guard. Tate working from full guard, grindin’ this round out like she’s in a dancer in a rap video. She postures up with punches, rinse and repeat. Big John stands them up. Leg kick from Coenen, right hand. Tate shoots, gets the takedown and Coenen looking for a kimura. Elbow. Tate dominating the round. Coenen with a closed guard but she’s just surviving. Marloes sweeps and mounts at the end. Tate 10-9.

Round 4 – Coenen looks like she’s having too much fun. Front kick from Tate. Body kick and punches from Coenen, leg kick. Leg kick from Coenen. Tate trying to creep in, shoots, dumps Coenen down on her back but Coenen has a guillotine, lets it go. Tate with side control. Tate in side control. Elbow from Coenen. Tate in side control. Coenen puts her feet on the fence, pushes off. Knee on belly and Tate crosses to the other side, locking a triangle choke in, she submits Marloes and is the new Strikeforce women’s 135-pound champion. I picked Tate to win, but even I did not think she would submit Coenen. My god man. Coenen looked like she didn’t know what happened. Wow. She will rematch Sarah Kaufman later this year.

OFFICIAL RESULT:  Miesha Tate def Marloes Coenen by submission (arm triangle) Rd 4 (3:03)

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson

This is one of those fights I can’t believe is happening. For one thing, I’m scared for Fedor, if he loses he could retire. That would be, and will be a sad day. Cue Russian baritone music. Fedor walks out, takes off the wooden cross, kisses it. Stitch whispers in his ear. Puts on some petroleum jelly. Big John checks him for weapons. Just a couple big guns Big J. Reminds me when Fedor fought another lighter weight guy in Team Quest teammate Matt Lindland. The crowd goes gonzo at Fedor’s announcement.

Round 1 –  Here we go kids. Is this a video game? Nope. Fedor comes out swinging, he gets caught. Leg kick Hendo, He swings big, Fedor swings back, eats an uppercut as chants of  USA roar through the arena. Fedor is bleeding. Clinched against the cage. Hendo with knees. Very very violent first couple minutes. It’s a Greco war right now. Hendo with underhooks. Three minutes to go. Knee to the body from Hendo. Hendo beating him up with control, another knee. Fedor with two rights to the head. Slapping shots. Ref warns Hendo for action. He backs up and misses a one two. Fedor aiming, moves forward. Hendo with a low kick stopping Fedor. Leg kick from Hendo. Misses an overhand right. Leg kick from  Hendo. He drops Hendo with an uppercut. Fedor attacks. So fast I didn’t even see it but Hendo just knocked out Fedor. I have to see it again. I seriously couldn’t even see it. I saw Hendo hurt and next thing I know it was over but Fedor was going to sleep. Hendo landed two hooks. Hendo hit him from behind under the arm with an uppercut and Fedor went to sleep on his face, flash KO. Hendo landed two more before the ref stopped it. Holy smokes. Fedor should not retire folks. Let’s get it straight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Dan Henderson def. Fedor Emelianenko by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:12)

It’s one of the craziest KO’s I’ve ever seen… under the damn arm! WTF? But Fedor was doing great. He should not retire. He’s just had some tough luck and yes  he is a little older but, he is still great. The crowd erupts for him as he is asked a question, if he feels the fight was stopped early?  “I think it was early. I don’t want to say anything bad about the referee but I do think it was a little early.”

As Fedor re watches the ending. He says, “It was the first flurry of shots. While I was clearly hit, I wasn’t hit flush directly, I don’t think the referee should have stopped the fight.”

Fedor is asked about his future…. the obligatory retirement question. Fedor says “It’s God’s will.” Gus Johnson said, “Well, we’re all going to say a prayer that you will come back.” Fedor will return folks. But he needs to fight these big heavyweights where his light weight makes him faster. Having said that, this was the fight of the year for me so far. Most def. Good night and good luck.

Oh yeah, one more thing… Hendo ruined my picks. Would have gotten them all right if it wasn’t for Dan.

And how rich is Dan going to be when he re-negotiates that contract?