On Saturday night inside the IZOD Center in New Jersey, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva overcame his 3-to-1 underdog status to eliminate Fedor Emelianenko from Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix.
After a fast and furious 1stRound, which included very little technical work from either quarterfinalist, Silva immediately took things to the canvas in the second stanza.
After enduring nearly five full minutes of brutality, Emelianenko stumbled back to his corner with a severely swollen right eye. After being examined by the cage-side physician, it was determined the Russian wouldn’t be able to continue.
Following the loss, Emelianenko suggested retirement might be in his immediate future. However, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and M-1 Global figurehead Vadim Finkelchtein both believed “The Last Emperor” would decide to resume his illustrious career once his emotions settled.
Please click the media player below to watch ESPN breakdown last night’s shocking upset: