Strikeforce Heavyweight GP Winner to Receive Title Shot

Alistair Overeem's Strikeforce heavyweight title will not be on the line until after the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced on a media call Thursday that Instead of Overeem having to defend his belt all through the tournament, he'll make his title defense at a later time against the Grand Prix winner instead.

'To make it simple just like they do in Japan or K-1," Coker said. "The tournament champion will stand on his own and we will have our heavyweight champion and the tournament champion."

But what if Overeem, who also holds the DREAM heavyweight title and 2010 K-1 World GP title, stays undefeated in Strikeforce?

"If Overeem wins, he's not just the best MMA or K-1 fighter, he can say he's the greatest martial arts fighter in the world," Coker said.

Coker said the decision to keep Overeem's title off the tournament itself was to level the playing field for all the fighters and prevent confusion by avoiding different round structures throughout the tournament.

To make it easier to follow, all quarterfinal and semifinal bouts will be for three, five-minute rounds until the final, which will be for five, five-minute rounds.

In the case of an injury, a Strikeforce committee will determine the replacement from a pool of winners from reserve matches as well as eliminated competitors. And if there's a draw in any of the tournament rounds, there will be an independent fourth judge assigned to determine a victor.

Notes: Overeem is committed to Strikeforce until his tournament run is over. Only then would he be allowed to compete for other organizations such as K-1 and DREAM.