(Editor’s note: Henderson won a grueling five-round battle via decision.)

To borrow a phrase from his former teammate Randy Couture, “Not bad for an ‘old’ man.”

Yet while wins in six of his last seven fights against top level foes speak for themselves, Henderson isn’t about to say that he feels 25 on the inside. In fact, when asked if there are things he can’t do now that he used to, he chuckles.

“There are a lot of things. Give me a week and I’ll give you a list of what I used to be able to do. But the key is experience, knowing that I can relax in a lot of places where I used to not relax. I could keep going back then, but now I go when I need to go, and I put my energy and strength in the right places.”

It’s worked for him, yet Henderson is not a cagey gameplanner like Couture was when he was beating top level foes into his 40’s. “Hendo” is still a free swinger and a deadly finisher if he lands his right hand. That hasn’t changed, and while it proved a detriment to him at times when he didn’t use the wrestling skills that got him to two Olympics, eventually he settled into a style where that right hand finds a home more often than not. It certainly did in the last fight of his previous UFC stint against Michael Bisping in 2009, and it worked wonders for him in Strikeforce, where he followed up a decision loss to Jake Shields in 2010 with KOs of Babalu Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, and Emelianenko. So is it safe to say that he accomplished all he wanted to in Strikeforce before returning to the Octagon?

“With the exception of the one loss,” he said. “I didn’t expect to lose, but that happens. I had a bad fight and I’m the one that has to learn from that and move on. I’m not dwelling on it at all, Jake did a good job and did what he needed to do, but regardless, I didn’t perform the way I knew I could, so the only thing I didn’t accomplish when I was there was a good performance in every fight.”

But after the win over Emelianenko, at heavyweight no less, it was almost inevitable that the biggest fights left for the 14-year pro were going to be in the UFC. So Henderson was welcomed back into the fold, even though he didn’t know that was going to be the case when he left the UFC after the Bisping fight.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said Henderson. “When I left the UFC and went to Strikeforce, I didn’t know what was in the future. It was always a possibility; I knew the UFC wasn’t going anywhere and I know I didn’t leave on bad terms at all, so it was a matter of how things worked out at Strikeforce. And (UFC President) Dana (White) missed me so much he had to go buy Strikeforce.”

Henderson laughs after deadpanning that last line, but in all seriousness, for the 41-year old, who is the first and only man to hold PRIDE titles in different divisions simultaneously, and who has done so much in the sport, a UFC title is the only thing missing on his resume, and he’s ready to make a final run at getting it.

“I do this for the challenge as well, and not saying there’s not tough guys to challenge me in Strikeforce, but the bigger fights and better matchups for me right now are in the UFC, so I think I will be retiring in the UFC, and not somewhere else,” he said. “I’m not retiring soon, but I won’t be going anywhere and I’ll be fighting the remainder of my fights in the UFC I’m sure.”

Does he think about a legacy that includes the aforementioned wins and titles, along with victories overCarlos Newton, Minotauro Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, Murilo Bustamante, Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort,Wanderlei Silva, and Rich Franklin?

“I don’t really give too much thought to that,” he said. “I know I’ve accomplished quite a bit in the sport, but in my mind, I’m not gonna be satisfied with what I’ve done when I have bigger goals that I want to accomplish. Once I accomplish those goals, maybe I’ll retire and be satisfied with that.”

Probably not, as Henderson seems like the type to instantly formulate new goals as soon as he’s done with the first batch.

“I’ve been doing it a long time and it’s tough to stay motivated throughout that many years of fighting, 14 years now, and the challenges with the different opponents is what kept me motivated.”

On Saturday, it will be a fight fan’s dream fight when he takes on Rua, like Henderson a former PRIDE star now slugging it out in the Octagon. Henderson admits that he “really didn’t give too much thought” to a matchup with the Brazilian Muay Thai master while the two fought in Japan, but now that the fight is a reality, he’s preparing for the same ferocious force that tore up the ring a few years back.

“He (Rua) has still got that youth to him, and obviously the rules are a little bit different now than they were in PRIDE, but he’s dangerous and he’s well-rounded, so I think he’s definitely as dangerous as he used to be,” he said. “He’s got a lot more experience and he’s better than he used to be as well.”

As for Henderson?

“I’m better.”

That’s the answer you have to expect from a man who has been at the top of this game for nearly 15 years now. And when Saturday comes, expect him to be ready for five rounds, just like always.

“My gameplan is to win every round, pick my shots, control him the whole fight, and beat him everywhere we’re at.”

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Dan-Henderson-Like-He-Never-Left

Photo by Bob Barton/ STRIKEFORCE

“Fedor vs. Monson,” presented by M-1 Global, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 7:30 AM/ET – 4:30 AM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.Check listings for same-day replays.

Fedor, who is fighting at home in Russia for the first time in four years, is coming off of three straight losses in the United States to Dan Henderson, Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum. He’s fighting Monson because that’s who he is, not for his already secure legacy in MMA history.

“I’m really happy to be fighting in Russia because most of my fights have been overseas,” Fedor recently said from training camp in Holland. “The only time I’ve fought in Russia was four years ago in St. Petersburg. I feel good and I’m looking forward to this fight.

“This is my job. I always try to win each fight. I’m not fighting to prove anything to anyone. I fight; that’s what I do. What happened – happened. I felt I could win each of those fights but something went wrong. Anything can happen and I prepare for each fight very seriously.”

Monson, fighting out of Miami, Florida, is a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist. The battle-tested veteran is looking at this fight as an opportunity of a lifetime in terms of his MMA legacy.

“This fight (versus Monson) has been talked about since my PRIDE days,” Fedor noted. “I am familiar with his career. I think Jeff is a very respected and tough opponent. I am looking forward to fighting him. Each fighter is different in his own way. I have had to fight various great guys. Jeff and I will offer an entertaining fight.”

Emelianenko has fought and defeated a virtual Who’s Who of MMA heavyweights during his 11 ½ year pro career: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mirko Filipovic, Heath Herring, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman (twice), Renato Sobral, Matt Lindland, Andrei Arlovski, Hong Man Chio, Brett Rogers and Tim Sylvia.

“I’m very happy with the way training camp went, Fedor conclude. “I trained with my brother, Alexander, most of the time.

“I want to thank all of my fans. I know there are a lot in America. I truly appreciate fans that have supported me in America and I’m glad they will have a chance to watch this fight live. I truly appreciate their support.”

In the co-feature, M-1 Challenge Lightweight Champion Jose Figueroa (10-4, 4 KOs, 5 Submissions), also fighting out of Florida, defends against German challenger Daniel Weichel (27-7, 4 KOs, 16 Submissions).

Scheduled to fight on the PPV undercard is Russian welterweight Aleksander Yakovlev (12-3, 4 KOs, 7 Submissions) vs. undefeated Spanish prospect Juan Manuel “Juanma” Suarez (8-0, 1 KO, 3 Submissions), Austrian welterweight Mairbek “Beckan” Taisumov (15-3, 8 KOs, 6 Submissions) vs. Josh Thorpe (10-6, 3 KOs), from Alabama, and Russian middleweight Arthur Guseinov (9-2, 6 KOs, 2 Submissions) vs. French veteran Xavier “Professor X” Foupa-Pokam (21-16, 11 KOs, 7 Submissions). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information about the Emelianenko-Monson PPV event go to www.integratedsportsnet.comor www.M-1Global.com. Follow Integrated Sports Media on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

M-1 Global: Founded in 1998, M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) has established itself in the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and affiliates in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged over 70 events worldwide including the M-1 Selection and M-1 Challenge events and its co-produced Strikeforce events in the United States. Captivating the live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 events have boasted some of the sport’s top names including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Stephan Struve and rising stars Shamil Zavurov, Guram Gugenishvili, Alexander Sarnavskiy and Vinny Magalhaes.

Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. Also World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Real Madrid,Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Photo Courtesy of Strikeforce

A guest on today’s “Opie and Anthony” satellite radio show on SiriusXM, Rogan (who is also a stand-up comedian and a ‘friend’ of the show) was asked by fellow comedian Jim Norton when Brock Lesnar will make his return in the Octagon against Shane Carwin.

“It will be on July 3, unless Lesnar fights Fedor,” Rogan responded.

This opened up an entirely new and exciting topic of the possibility of Fedor Emelianenko, arguably the best heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world, coming to UFC to face their top big man. Rogan added that White always does his best to bring the fans the fights they want to see and this is definitely one that has been the topic of discussion for some time.

“I would say the odds are 50/50 (of Fedor coming to the UFC),” said Rogan. ”With the Russian promoters, they’re tough to deal with. Anyone else and the odds would be 100 percent.”

White has gone on record as saying that Fedor has become his “obsession” but that he never negotiates with fighters that have contracts with other organizations, in this case StrikeForce/M-1 Global. On a video interview posted by Fanhouse/MMA Fighting.com this week on YouTube, White remarked, “I want it worse than the fans want it now. Believe me.”

White was very coy and spoke in general terms when the interviewer asked him about Fedor’s contract situation. White indicated that he has spoken to Fedor’s management personnel “more recent than you think.” The UFC mastermind also mentioned that the two sides, while there may not be the presence of “bad blood,” have “talked smack” to one another in  the past, most likely right before Fedor, 33, signed with StrikeForce last August. At the time, Fedor was quoted as saying, “I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level. StrikeForce is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world. I am prepared to fight any of them.”

Known as “The Last Emperor,” Fedor has a professional MMA 31-1-0 record, with the one defeat of the controversial variety. On December 22, 2000, he sustained a cut at the beginning of the first round versus Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in Osaka, Japan. The fight was stopped and the official decision was a TKO for Kohsaka. At 6′ and 230 pounds, the native of Russia would be giving up three inches in height and 35 pounds in weight to the 32-year-old Lesnar.

The Minnesotan will be making a comeback after having to sit out since pounding Frank Mir at UFC 100 on July 11, 2009. Lesnar suffered an illness first diagnosed as mononucleosis, but was later discovered to be a serious case of diverticulitis. Because of a perforated intestine, Lesnar suffered many ailments, with mono being the least of his problems. Lesnar underwent surgery last November and all told, lost approximately 40 pounds.

Both he and White apeared on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” in January announcing that Lesnar was back in training and had put back 30 pounds of the weight he lost while being sick and his subsequent convalescence. He is still considered the UFC Heavyweight Champion and was scheduled to fight either Carwin or Mir to unify the titles. In March, Carwin won the interim championship by defeating Mir in New Jersey at UFC 111.

But now with these recent developments, that all may change – for the better. White wouldn’t have it any other way.

MuscleSport Mag has contacted StrikeForce for a response and to ascertain the status of Fedor’s contract. We will do a follow-up once a reply is sent.

“We’re looking forward to delivering an explosive night of world class MMA action on CBS,” said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE.  “We have the world’s # 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.”

The following four primetime matchups are confirmed for CBS/ STRIKEFORCE/ M-1 GLOBAL SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on Nov. 7:

* Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko vs. Brett “The Grim” Rogers

* Jake Shields vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller (Middleweight Title Fight)

* Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou

* Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum vs. Antonio “Big Foot” Silva

(All bouts are pending approval by the Illinois Athletic Commission.)

FEDOR “THE LAST EMPEROR” EMELIANENKO vs. BRETT “THE GRIM” ROGERS:

Simply referred to as “Fedor” by fans around the world, the 6-foot, 235-pound Russian is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.  A master of the Russian military combat system, Sambo, he boasts a record of 30 wins, one loss, no draws with 16 wins by submission, seven knockouts and seven decisions.  His opponent, undefeated American, 28-year-old Brett Rogers (10-0) stands 6-feet, 5-inches tall, weighs 265 pounds and brings two of the heaviest hands in the sport to the cage.  Both Fedor and Rogers’ last victories came against former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

JAKE SHIELDS vs. JASON “MAYHEM” MILLER

In the night’s middleweight title fight (185 pounds), Jake Shields (23-4-1) squares off against Jason “Mayhem” Miller (22-6).  Shields, widely considered one of the best fighters in the world, brings an impressive 12-fight win streak to the cage, six of his last seven coming by way of first round submission.  Most recently, he defeated world-ranked middleweight “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler in his STRIKEFORCE debut on June 6.  His opponent, Miller, a fellow submission expert, is one of MMA’s most exciting fighters.  The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai specialist is the host of MTV’s reality series “Bully Beatdown” and trains with two of the sport’s most recognizable fighters, Randy “The Natural” Couture and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. He currently has 13 submission victories on his resume.

GEGARD “THE DREAMCATCHER” MOUSASI vs. RAMEAU THIERRY “THE AFRICAN ASSASSIN” SOKOUDJOU

Gegard Mousasi and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou will face one another in the night’s light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout.  Mousasi (26-2-1) of Leiden, Netherlands, recently scored his 13th consecutive victory on August 15, 2009 by winning his US debut and the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title in a first round victory over defending champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral on SHOWTIME®.  Sokoudjou (7-4), known to his fans as “The African Assassin,” has scored six of his seven wins by knockouts and brings an impressive striking game to the cage.

FABRICIO “VAI CAVALO” WERDUM vs. ANTONIO “JUNIOR” SILVA

Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum will face Antonio “Junior” Silva in a matchup of two promising Brazilian heavyweights.  Werdum is a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and a submission expert while Silva has nine KOs in his 13 victories.  Werdum, a former PRIDE and UFC standout, is coming off an impressive first round submission victory in his STRIKEFORCE debut on Aug. 15 over veteran Mike Kyle.  Silva, a fellow 6-foot-4 Brazilian, will be making his STRIKEFORCE debut after compiling a remarkable 13-1 record since he turned pro in 2005.

SHOWTIME Sports will produce the four-fight event with host Gus Johnson calling the action and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo serving as color analysts.  The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold out record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About M-1 Global

M-1 Global (www.m-1global.com <http://www.m-1global.com/> ) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995.  Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as STRIKEFORCE.

FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will feature unrestricted access to one of the most enigmatic professional athletes of today, Fedor Emelianenko and his next opponent, the undefeated Brett Rogers, as they prepare to headline “STRIKEFORCE/M-1 Global Saturday Night Fights” to be broadcast LIVE on Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will premiere on SHOWTIME® on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.  The CBS Television Network will also make the show available to its 203 affiliated stations for broadcast in advance of the fight.

From director Ron Yassen, who is embedded in Fedor’s training camp in Stary Oskol, Russia: “Fedor is beyond captivating as a fighter, and more so, as a man.  It’s a pure joy to film him so intimately as he strives for perfection in life and sport with grace and charm.  While training for this most important match, he kindly opened up his life to us in and out of the ring, without the ego that often comes with being the very best at one’s craft.”

Produced in conjunction with Roadside Entertainment, FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will showcase both fighters as they prepare for this historic fight.  Nov. 7 marks the first time Fedor, widely considered the sport’s No. 1 fighter, will appear in front of a national broadcast television audience.  Despite his iconic status within the sport, Fedor (30-1) remains shrouded in mystery, living and training in seclusion in a remote mining village in Russia far away from the spotlight afforded the sports’ very best.

Rogers lives and trains in Minneapolis, and enters the fight with an impressive 10-0 record after most recently dismantling former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Rogers, a quiet, soft-spoken giant outside the cage, who earlier this year quit his job as a tire technician at Sam’s Club, has the opportunity of a lifetime to dethrone the sport’s greatest in front of a national television audience.

“The response to our inaugural episode of Fight Camp 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic chronicling the boxing tournament has been overwhelming,” said SHOWTIME Sports General Manager Ken Hershman, who commissioned the project. “Because of the subjects involved-the mysterious world champion set to fight a man living the American dream-we had to turn our lens in this direction. Special thanks to M-1 Global and STRIKEFORCE for affording us a level of access to both men that has been unparalleled in their respective careers.”

Scott Coker, president of STRIKEFORCE, added, “This is a one of a kind opportunity for fans to go behind the scenes and take a close look at the extraordinary, number one fighter in the world – Fedor – and his opponent who has become a symbol of The American Dream.”

Below are the air dates and times for FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME 2®.

Tuesday, Nov. 3          9:30p (premiere)         SHO

Tuesday, Nov. 3          10:00p                         SHO2

Wednesday, Nov. 4    11p                              SHO2

Thursday, Nov. 5         10p                              SHO2

Friday, Nov. 6  10p                              SHO2

Saturday, Nov. 7         4:30p                           SHO

Note: all times ET/PT

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(tm), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold out record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About M-1 Global

M-1 Global (www.m-1global.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.m-1global.com/> ) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995.  Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as STRIKEFORCE.

In 2008, CBS aired the first live MMA fights on network television, with three successful events earning time period-winning ratings in all key young adult and young men demographics.  CBS’s most recent broadcast in October 2008 ranked as the night’s highest-rated program on both broadcast and cable in adults 18-34 and men 18-34, topping all other sports programming in those demographics, including the Major League Baseball playoffs and college football.

On Nov. 7, the world’s Number One-ranked MMA heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, will face undefeated American Brett Rogers of Minnesota in the marquee match up. The fight marks the first bout for the highly coveted Emelianenko since his promotional company M-1 Global signed an agreement with STRIKEFORCE to co-promote major events.

“There’s no question this is a sport that is fast becoming a force in popularity and as a business,” said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, Prime Time, CBS Television.  “We’re excited to be the platform that will enable millions more to see the athlete regarded as the very best in his sport.  The Number One heavyweight on the most-watched network has a very nice ring to it.”

Simply referred to as “Fedor” by fans around the world, the 6-foot, 235-pound Russian is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.  He is a master of the Russian military combat system Sambo and boasts a record of 30 wins, one loss, no draws with 16 wins by submission, seven knockouts and seven decisions.  The 28-year-old Rogers (10-0) is a massive physical specimen standing 6-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 265 pounds.  He possesses two of the heaviest hands in the sport of MMA, an attribute that has helped him knock out all 10 of his professional opponents.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to bring the STRIKEFORCE brand to CBS,” said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE.  “We are looking forward to bringing MMA back to the network and to having the world’s No. 1 heavyweight-Fedor-compete for the first time on live network television against one of America’s most promising young, undefeated stars-Brett Rogers.”

STRIKEFORCE has experienced significant growth since it launched its first MMA promotion on March 10, 2006.  After signing a landmark deal to air live events on SHOWTIME® earlier this year, STRIKEFORCE earned the premium network its highest MMA rating ever on August 15 with Carano vs. Cyborg.  Shortly before the live telecast, the main event principals-Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos-were the most searched terms on Yahoo! and Google, while the fight was the most discussed subject on Twitter.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About M-1 Global

M-1 Global (www.m-1global.com) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995.  Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as STRIKEFORCE.

Emelianenko, known globally as Fedor, will make his premium television debut this Fall when his first fight under the new agreement airs live on SHOWTIME®. Up until now, Emelianenko’s live fights have aired exclusively on pay-per-view in the United States.

“I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level,” said the 33-year-old Emelianenko.  During his nine year professional fight career, which included a four and a half year stay with the world’s former top MMA promotion, the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championship, the Russian native has faced and defeated all comers.

In his last effort, the 6-foot, 235-pound Emelianenko decimated the number two ranked heavyweight at the time Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski with a single punch in the first round (3:14) of the main event of Affliction:  “Day of Reckoning” at Anaheim, California’s Honda Center on January 24.

“STRIKEFORCE is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world,” continued Emelianenko.  “I am prepared to fight any of them.”

“We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with M-1 Global and Fedor,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts fight promoter of over 25 years.  “Fedor has been the reigning king of MMA’s heavyweight division for quite some time now so being able to work with M-1 and Fedor will substantially increase the level of competition amongst the athletes in this weight class.”

“With the addition of Fedor and STRIKEFORCE’s new relationship with M-1 Global, SHOWTIME is now the home of the best pound-for-pound male and female fighters in the world,” said Ken Hershman, Senior VP and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports®. “The Aug. 15 Carano-Cyborg matchup on SHOWTIME will clearly determine the best female mixed martial artist on the planet.  Then, come this Fall, our subscribers again will witness history when the universally recognized best male fighter—Fedor Emelianenko—joins the already long list of world-class athletes on the STRIKEFORCE roster, and for the first time ever plies his skills live on SHOWTIME.”

Hershman continued: “We are better positioned now than ever before to deliver on our promise to televise the top fighters in mixed martial arts today.”

“I am very happy and excited about the upcoming collaboration with Strikeforce,” said Vadim Finkelchtein, President of M-1 Global. “We are very pleased that we found a reliable partner and I feel that Strikeforce and M-1 can support each other on many things. This will create big opportunities for both parties to test their fighters against worthy opponents.”

Though his official professional record is 30-1, Emelianenko is considered undefeated.  The only blemish on his record is a December 22, 2000 fight that was stopped after 17 seconds and declared a TKO in favor of his opponent, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, due to a cut Emelianenko sustained in the opening seconds of the matchup in Osaka, Japan.

Amongst those on Emelianenko’s list of impressive conquests are former PRIDE Heavyweight Champions Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic as well as former UFC Heavyweight Champions Kevin “The Monster” Randleman and Tim Sylvia, whom Emelianenko submitted with a rear naked choke only 36 seconds into their main event showdown at Affliction:  “Banned” on July 19, 2008.

Despite his extensive experience, Emelianenko’s debut under the new STRIKEFORCE-M-1 venture will, interestingly enough, mark his first start in a cage.  To date, all of his bouts have taken place in a ring.

After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About M-1 Global

M-1 Global (www.m-1global.com) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995.
Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as STRIKEFORCE.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.