Strikeforce and Showtime seem to have locked up another fighter who can put a thorn in Dana White's side. Gegard Mousasi and Fedor Emelianenko may be the only guys in the top 12 pound-for-pound fighters in the world that the sport's biggest promotion doesn't have its mitts on. Strikeforce really has a gem in the versatile Mousasi, who at 24 looks like he could be a force at both middleweight and light heavyweight. One problem for Strikeforce, it sounds like Mousasi only has one goal and that's to eventually leave the promotion:
"I know that the best fighters in my weight fight in the UFC, but I’m still young and very happy with Strikeforce as a company," wrote on his blog. "I’ve signed a contract with them and I will fight the fights they give me."
Mousasi joked that first he has to get the job done in Strikeforce:
"There are so many things possible in a short time, maybe I lose two times and the UFC doesn’t want me at all. That’s why I focus on one fight at a time."
Mousasi says his goal isn't to build his name on CBS or help Strikeforce, it's to challenge for the 185 and 205 titles with UFC:
"My goal in the future is of course to become UFC champion but I’m not in a rush. I’m happy with Strikeforce now and that’s the most important things. I’m now champion and want to defend with honor and dignity."
That's where the inherent problem lies for Strikeforce when it comes to Mousasi. The rumored opponents for Mousasi Nov. 7 on CBS include UFC/Zuffa castoffs Mike Whitehead and Paulo Filho along with veteran Kevin Randleman. Outside of Filho, the other two are not viewed as top 20 at light heavyweight. A Filho fight would at least provide a good story line since Mousasi called him a "little donkey" who is on steroids last month. Can Strikeforce risk having Filho go insane again in the cage on its first card on network television? So we're probably faced with Whitehead, who is likely walking around right now at 250-plus pounds.
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