CEO Scott Coker first announced plans for a heavyweight Grand Prix, it seemed almost recklessly ambitious. Eight well known -- and, in some cases, mercurial -- heavyweights all vying against one another in a single-elimination tournament to crown one king.
, so the four fighters who are left behind have to figure out for themselves exactly what's at stake when the Grand Prix lurches onward this Saturday night.
pointed out, the winner now gets "a nice, shiny belt," so there's that. But aside from the hardware, what else is at stake? The answer to that depends on who you ask.
, who was slated to get a crack at the Strikeforce heavyweight champ in the semifinal round before Overeem declared himself unfit for the September 10 date, the change of opponent was a letdown. Or at least, that's how he felt until he considered it from Overeem's perspective, he said.
But for others, like Barnett, the tournament title doesn't add all that much to an already high-stakes pursuit.
"I don't know about anyone else, but for me it's the same thing that's always at stake, and that's my own personal pride," Barnett said. "I'm not walking out there to get my [expletive] beat by anybody. The way I see it, it always comes down to, so you think you can kick my [expletive], huh? Then let's go. I don't think you can, but I want you to try. I want to crush everything about you. I want you to come in there so full of life and thinking about all these things that are going to happen for you, all these doors that are going to open and your life is going to get better, then I'm going to step on it, crush it, destroy it, and leave you in a smoldering heap with all your dreams dead."
You know, he deadpanned, the kind of thing that "me and the Dalai Lama have talked about a lot."
, the Grand Prix alternate who took Overeem's spot, simply being in the tournament is still something of a surprise.
"I didn't think I'd have the chance to fight in the tournament," Cormier said. "I looked it as such a big thing, a big event, that I would never have imagined anybody being out of the tournament. I thought they'd do anything in their power to stay in the tournament."
Of course, for Cormier the tournament still offers plenty of upside. He's the least experienced fighter in the field, and a win over any of the big names left in the bracket would instantly elevate his status.
Just as no one knows what the winner of the tournament will have actually won (aside from that shiny belt), it's similarly unclear what will become of those who fall short. That's why the best approach might be the one Kharitonov is taking.
"I'm here to win," he said through a translator. "That's what matters the most."
Too bad that strategy can only work for one man.
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Dominique Steele (184.5) vs. Chris Mierzwiak (185) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Alexis Davis (135) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Amanda Nunes (134.5) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Amanda Nunes (134.5) squares off with Alexis Davis (135) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Jordan Mein (170) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Evangelista Santos (170) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Evangelista Santos (170) stares down Jordan Mein (170) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Yoel Romero (205) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Rafael Cavalcante (205) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Rafael Cavalcante (205) gets personal with Yoel Romero (205) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Rafael Cavalcante (205) and Yoel Romero (205) turn to the crowd at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Marcos Rogerio de Lima (205) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Mike Kyle (205) is ecstatic after making weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Mike Kyle (205) greets Marcos Rogerio de Lima (205) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Mike Kyle (205) and Marcos Rogerio de Lima (205) turn to photographers at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Maximo Blanco (155) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Pat Healy (155) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Pat Healy (155) and Maximo Blanco (155) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Roger Gracie (205) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Mo Lawal (205) makes weight at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Mo Lawal (205) faces off with Roger Gracie (205) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Luke Rockhold (185) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Ronaldo Souza (185) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Ronaldo Souza (185) faces off with Luke Rockhold (185) during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Daniel Cormier (247) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Antonio Silva (264.5) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Antonio Silva (264.5) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Antonio Silva (264.5) gets in the face of Daniel Cormier (247) during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Antonio Silva (264.5) and Daniel Cormier (247) at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Sergei Kharitonov (256.5) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Josh Barnett (261) makes weight during the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Josh Barnett (261) and Sergei Kharitonov at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Josh Barnett (261) squares off with Sergei Kharitonov at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Sergei Kharitonov talks to the fans at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
Josh Barnett (261) pumps up the crowd at the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Strikeforce GP Semi-Finals Weigh-In Photos
The Rockstar Girls on stage for the Strikeforce weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 in Cincinnati. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting