Fedor and M-1 calling out Overeem

It's the fight Strikeforce has wanted to book for a while. Alistair Overeem has called out Fedor Emelianenko but been rebuffed at every turn. He's gone as far as ripping Fedor's management, suggesting it didn't want to put its fighter in harm's way. Well, either Fedor is tired of the talk or M-1 Global realized that the guy many considered the best heavyweight in MMA needs a big win to restore his reputation. Fedor told mixfight.ru that he wanted a rematch against Fabricio Werdum. If that doesn't happen, he'd like Overeem by the end of the year."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," said Fedor. "This year, in November/December, I would prefer to meet in a cage with Alistair Overeem." M-1 just sent out a release echoing those wishes.Conversations have been taking place behind closed doors between M-1 Global and Strikeforce for some time and injuries, timing and differences of opinion have been roadblocks to putting Overeem and Emelianenko together. "M-1 Global wants to make this fight happen," says M-1’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan. "As a global mixed martial arts company committed to driving the evolution of the sport and showcasing match-ups that the fans deserve to see, we want to make this bout a reality in 2010."There's been doubts in the past whether Fedor was really in full control of his career. Sounds like he is now. "This is an important match for me and something that I personally want to happen," says Fedor. "There have been conversations about putting this match-up together in the past and now is the time to begin making this bout possible."  In late June, Fedor (32-2) lost for the first time in 10 years when he was upset by Werdum. Werdum could be considered Strikeforce's No. 1 heavyweight, but it's Overeem who holds the promotion's heavyweight title belt. We called it shortly after the fight, Showtime and Strikeforce needed to make the best fight possible for Fedor, in his last match under contract. Some said Werdum and Overeem should match up. That was nonsense. The promotion needs to make maximum dollars in what could be Fedor's final fight with the promotion, and the bout even casual fans want to see is Fedor versus Overeem.  While this fight is speculative, Strikeforce did announce Wednesday that K.J. Noons will turn around quickly, move up to 170 pounds and challenge Nick Diaz for his Strikeforce welterweight title on Oct. 9. Diaz has been a floating up to 180 pounds for fights over the last 18 months. Now he gets a chance to avenge his 2007 upset loss against Noons. The cries for a Diaz-Jason "Mayhem" Miller fight fell on deaf ears. That fight might make for some great trash talk, but frankly Miller is better served worrying about the middleweight title mix. A rematch against Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, the new Strikeforce 185 champion, is a natural as well. Miller lost to Jacare in 2008 and the rematch in 2009 was declared a no-contest when Souza suffered a nasty cut because an illegal kick by Mayhem.

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