Strikeforce ‘Henderson vs. Babalu’ Preview

Heavyweights
Antonio Silva (No. 10 HW) vs. Mike Kyle

The Matchup: As a last-minute replacement for the injured Valentijn Overeem, Kyle has a big assignment on his hands -- literally. That is because Silva, who at 6-foot-4 seems far too gigantic to ever actually weigh the class limit at 265 pounds, has plenty of skills to go along with his size.

Silva showed some maturity in his May decision win over Andre Arlovski, using his reach and workmanlike striking to dictate the bout against a former UFC champion. Kyle, an undersized heavyweight at around 220 pounds, will probably have quicker hands and will need to land something stout to keep Silva from trudging forward. If Silva does so, he will put Kyle against the cage, lean on him to wear him out and then grind him down on the mat.

Kyle can help the situation considerably by landing the big strike first and pouncing if he can drop Silva. The problem? Silva’s head and chin are so large, and he seems pretty tough to hurt. Imagine punching a cement brick. That said, Kyle will have a tough time even if he does get the big man to the mat, as Silva’s jiu-jitsu is good and his size and raw power make him tough to hold down. Silva is not the prettiest fighter to watch, but he seems to know how to use his size to make things happen, even if, technically, it is not particularly thrilling.

The Pick: I like Silva he, especially with his weight, height and preparation advantage. He grinds out Kyle en route to a third-round stoppage.