Too lazy to link article. Zuffa wanted him to fight in September. Overeem said no, he's healing a toe injury, he wanted October. There were rumors that he would be dropped from Zuffa and Strikeforce if he didn't participate but Dana White earlier today came out and said that he is out of the Grand Prix, but still with Strikeforce. I don't know how well this is going to go over with the head honchos, especially with rumors swirling that Overeem wants to box Vitali Klitschko. Daniel Cormier will replace him in the tournament.
At what point can they just trash the whole grand prix? With all due respect to Karitonov, Werdum, Bigfoot, and Josh Barnett, people just wanted to see Fedor/Overeem and I don't think anyone cares who wins the tourney now.
According to Dana it wasn't him or Zuffa that pulled Reem. Showtime wanted him to fight in seven weeks, sooner than they had asked him previously. He's recovering from a toe injury and doesn't want to rush it. As a result they have pulled him from the tournament. DFW isn't happy about him being taken out of the tournament but isn't interfering with the business between Showtime and Strikeforce. Shitty situation and an example of why the UFC isn't eager to jump into bed with a premium cable company like Showtime to seem to be a bit meddlesome.
I agree, I think in the long run the tourney will have the same outcome. A fight involving Ubereem and one of the guys from the tourney.
