Factually incorrect:
Fact #1: Scott Coker wanted to build the Fedor vs. Overeem fight up.
“[Fedor] and Alistair Overeem should be an amazing fight, and people that haven’t seen Alistair, you know, he’s an amazing fighter,” explained Coker during the conversation with the guys (and gal) from TapouT Radio. “I think we should do a couple of fights and build that one up, and then let their champion fight our champion, and let’s see what happens.
“We’re hoping that Alistair will be ready to fight in the Fall, and we can put him on one of the cards with Fedor, and not fight against each other but fight against someone else, and let’s build that fight up”
http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2009/08/04/scott-coker-on-fedor-vs-overeem-lets-build-that-fight-up/
Fact #2: When Fedor fought Rogers, Overeem had not defended his belt in 2 years and was unranked :
Overeem's Strikeforce reign:
-Won the inaugural Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship on November 16 2007.
-First title defense was on May 15 2010
Rankings when Fedor fought Rogers:
http://www.sherdog.com/news/rankings/2/Sherdog-Official-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Rankings-20584
Fact #3: Scott Coker said the winner of Fedor-Rogers fighting the winner of Werdum-Silva “would make sense”:
“You see the matchup potential between the winner of the Silva-Werdum fight and the winner of the Fedor vs. Rogers fight, so I think it would make sense for those two to fight each other depending on how it goes,” said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Strikeforce-Heavyweight-Winners-May-Meet-Next-20737
Despite Coker’s words, Overeem maintains Fedor declined to fight him and chose Werdum instead:
“It’s about what the people want to see, what the organization wants and what I want,” said Overeem. “That all pointed to Fedor, but he declined to fight me last month in the May 15 show and he’d rather fight Werdum”
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Overeem-Fedor-is-Out-of-the-Picture-25352
Fact #4: Fedor was scheduled to fight top ranked Fabricio Werdum before Overeem became top 10:
Fedor vs. Werdum announcement:
http://www.mmamania.com/2010/5/4/1457473/fedor-emelianenko-vs-fabricio
Rankings at the time. Overeem is nowhere to be seen:
http://www.sherdog.com/news/rankings/2/Sherdog-Official-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Rankings-24133
Fact #5: Fedor calls out Overeem BEFORE Overeem announced his decision to compete in the K-1 tournament:
Fedor Emelianenko: “Absolutely, I would like a rematch with Werdum. But as he was recently operated on, then as soon as this fight is unlikely to happen. This year, in November-December, I would prefer to meet in a cage with Alistair Overeem.”
http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/fedor-wants-overeem-in-novemberdecember
Fact #6 :Overeem says "no" to Fedor fight and announces he has decided to compete at K-1 instead:
Emelianenko has now said that he would like to fight you by the end of the year. Is that possible at this point?
No, unfortunately not. The reason is because if I enter the Final 16 and win, I will fight the K-1 Final in December. My decision was made because nothing was certain and Strikeforce and M-1 didn't act fast enough when I made my decision to start K-1 training.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/08/25/alistair-overeem-not-interested-in-fedor-fight-decides-to-fight
Despite Overeem saying Strikeforce and M-1 didn't act fast, it took Fedor less than one month and a half to say he wanted to fight Overeem from the time it was announced Werdum was injured. It is not uncommon for UFC fighters to remain over 2 months without being scheduled.
http://www.5thround.com/44157/fedor-emelianenko-will-have-to-wait-fabricio-werdum-out-until-2011/
Fact #7: Overeem claims it was Fedor who declined to fight him (in contradiction of his previous statement):
“We tried to put together the fight against (Fabricio) Werdum, the winner of the Werdum/Fedor fight. Werdum was injured, needed surgery on his elbow, so he was out. Fedor declined to fight me for the second time. At that point, I decided to compete in the K-1 GP because there were no fights for me in Strikeforce and, yeah, basically did that.”
http://www.fightopinion.com/2011/06/16/alistair-overeem-fedor-inactivity/
Fact #8: Fedor entered a tournament in which Overeem would be competing:
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/1/1...ht-tournament-rules-and-conference-call-audio
Fact #9: Drug tests were demanded not just for Overeem, but Barnett and Bigfoot as well. M-1 cites Affliction disaster as the reason:
"Two out of eight fighters in the tournament previously failed a drug test. Obviously, I’m talking about Josh Barnett and Antonio Silva. We want fair competition for everyone, so that’s why I will ask the commission to perform a strict drug testing. Fedor is not using any kind of substance to enhance his performance, and will be ready for any kind of testing. So if the commission decides to follow our suggestion, we’ll be ready.
Our organization paid a heavy price after the cancellation of the fight between Josh Barnett and Fedor. We did a lot of promotion for this fight, which in the end did not take place. That’s why as a promoter and manager, I don’t want this to happen ever again."
http://www.lowkickmma.com/UFC/m-1-global-ask-for-strict-drug-testing-policy-in-strikeforce-heavyweight-gp-fedor-says-hes-fully-concentrated-on-silva-11567/
Fact #10: Overeem fails a drug test in the UFC. Blames "aniti-inflammatory medication mixed with testosterone".
"I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone.
Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone. I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body"
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Al...es-Failed-Test-on-Prescribed-Medication-42123
Fedor's manager had previously called Overeem a "steroid bully", something that was seen by some people as nothing but an excuse not to fight Overeem.