Strikeforce: Overeem Vs. Werdum To Employ Sudden Death Overtime Rounds

In a move that's both surprising and novel for a Zuffa-owned organization, reports indicate Strikeforce will employ a sudden death overtime round for this weekend's Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum event. This overtime round will only apply to the two scheduled grand prix fights on the card, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers. MMA Fighting has the report and an explanation of how Strikeforce changed course on adjudicating draws:

When the GP was first announced in January, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said that a draw would be settled by an independent fourth judge who would "determine who advances or who wins based on the fighter's overall performance in the fight."

However, Marc Ratner, Zuffa's vice president of regulatory affairs, informed MMA Fighting on Sunday that Zuffa, the new parent company of the Strikeforce, has decided that all tournament fights ending in a draw will now be settled by a fourth sudden death round. There will not be a fourth judge assigned to the tournament fights anymore.

Other than the finals of the tournament, all fights are scheduled for three five-minute rounds. The finals will be a five five-minute round fight.