EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Chad Griggs and Shane Del Rosario officially are done with the prospects-driven Strikeforce Challengers series.
Following Saturday’s impressive victories in Strikeforce heavyweight grand-prix reserve bouts, both fighters now will be staples in the organization’s major Arena Series shows.
That’s according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, who said both men earned future big fights.
While Antonio Silva stopped Fedor Emelianenko and Sergei Kharitonov knocked out Andrei Arlovski in opening-round tourney fights on Saturday, Griggs and Del Rosario competed in two of the card’s three grand-prix reserve bouts.
Their fights, as well as Valentijn Overeem’s submission win over Ray Sefo, filled out the Showtime-televised main card of “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva” at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
Even if a regular tourney participant suffers an injury, a defeated fighter such as Fedor Emelianenko (who lost to Antonio Silva in Saturday’s headliner) could take any vacant spots. (A Strikeforce committee ultimately will make the call, according to Coker.) That’s tough news for the alternates, but there is a silver lining, specifically for Griggs and Del Rosario.
“Shane Del Rosario is done with Challengers shows,” said Coker. “The same with Griggs.”
Prior to Saturday’s submission victory over Lavar Johnson (15-4 MMA, 3-1 SF), Del Rosario (11-0 MMA, 3-0 SF) had a pair of Strikeforce fights in the Challengers shows, which usually take place at smaller venues with lesser-known fighters who still are working their way up the ladder. Del Rosario also was a fixture in EliteXC’s similar prospects series, ShoXC, before the company’s collapse in 2008.
Griggs (10-1 MMA, 2-0 SF), though, fought just once in Strikeforce prior to Saturday’s first-round beatdown of Gian Villante (7-2 MMA, 0-1 SF); back in August 2010, he beat former WWE star Bobby Lashley into submission on an Arena Seires card. Thus far, he’s avoided the Challengers series, and he’ll continue doing so.
And though tapped as potential tourney reserves, Coker said he won’t force either fighter to the sidelines. Instead, they’ll be booked for non-tourney fights at upcoming shows and continue their development as fighters.
“We’re going to keep them busy,” Coker said.
