Strikeforce Working “Really Hard” to Make Fedor vs. Hendo Happen

It’s a fight that everybody wants to see.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson, which has been heavily rumored for the upcoming Strikeforce show in July, but it’s not a done deal just yet.

This according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, who says the promotion is in negotiations with Emelianenko’s camp at M-1 Global and Henderson’s management as well, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that the fight is just going to happen.

“That fight is not confirmed, it’s not by any means,” Coker said recently on MMAWeekly Radio. “I would say let’s be cautious on how we frame that up. If that’s the $25 million dollar question, I would say until it’s finished, it’s never done.

“You know how many things can possibly go wrong in trying to get that fight together. We’re doing our best, but the devil’s in the details. When you have a fight of that quality at that catchweight, it’s like I said, the details are always the challenges in that.”

Several sources close to the negotiations confirm that the sticking point is what weight the fight will take place at. Fedor Emelianenko’s side has proposed a catchweight fight around 220 pounds, while Henderson’s camp has simply asked for a heavyweight fight.

One thing that seems to be completely off the table is Emelianenko testing the waters at 205 pounds, at least for this fight. Henderson is currently Strikeforce’s light heavyweight champion.

Whether it’s a title fight or a catchweight bout or simply a heavyweight main event, Emelianenko vs. Henderson would surely draw both a huge live crowd and a sizeable viewing audience at home.

Coker agrees that it’s a fight everyone would get behind, and they are working hard to put it together.

“How could anybody not want to see that fight? You’ve got Dan who’s just going to bring it, and you’ve got Fedor who’s just going to bring it,” Coker said.

“I’m working really hard to try to make that happen.”

A few other bouts have also been rumored for the July Strikeforce card including a light heavyweight bout between former champion Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and grappling guru Roger Gracie. Sources have indicated that the fight is likely to become official any time in the next few days.

As far as Emelianenko vs. Henderson, it looks like a fight that’s bound to happen, but nothing is ever finished until the ink is dry on the contracts.

Damon Martin is the lead staff writer and radio host for MMAWeekly.com.
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