Details have slowly trickled in, but it now looks like a fight between Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Dan Henderson and former Pride heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko is official. Recently-departed Bloody Elbow staffer Jonathan Snowden has the scoop (via Twitter):
Sources close to both fighters tell me the Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson fight has been finalized for July 30th in Chicago on Showtime
Sources close to the promotion say the Fedor-Henderson fight will at a catchweight of 220. It will be promoted as a heavyweight bout.
No venue is official, but it's likely that Strikeforce will return to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. As Brent Brookhouse noted, it's likely that Strikeforce is trying to avoid the 9% entertainment tax within Chicago city limits.
A 220-pound catchweight would mark the first time Emelianenko has fought outside the heavyweight limit. The former number one heavyweight is on a two-fight losing streak, with a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum and the doctor halting his bout with Antonio Silva at the end of round two.
Henderson is the current Strikeforce light heavyweight champ after stopping Rafael Cavalcante in March. He had previously knocked out Renato Sobral in December of 2010.
