Fedor Emelianenko.

BY JAMES BRYDON
sportsnet.ca

Top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will return to the Strikeforce cage on June 26 against Fabricio Werdum, the organization announced Tuesday.

The matchup will headline an event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose co-promoted by M1-Global, which manages Emelianenko, that will air on Showtime. Emelianenko will be defending his WAMMA world heavyweight title.

Emelianenko (32-1) last fought in November, defeating Brett Rogers by second-round TKO. Negotiations between Strikeforce and M-1 Global prevented the Russian from appearing on Strikeforce's relatively disappointing event last month on CBS.

Emelianenko is considered by many to be the best heavyweight in the world and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters although he has been criticized because he hasn't always fought the best MMA has to offer. There has long been speculation over whether he'll ever fight in the UFC, where a majority of the best fighters reside. But the UFC won't accept demands from Emelianenko's camp to co-promote his fights.

His only career loss was by doctor's stoppage against Japan's Tsuyoshi Kosaka in 2000 due to a cut he sustained from an accidental elbow 17 seconds into the fight.

Werdum, a former UFC fighter who has won two straight since signing with Strikeforce, is coming off a win by decision over Antonio Silva at the same November event.

NOTES: Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said on a conference call Tuesday they don't divulge details of contracts, but they don't negotiate with M-1 Global for one fight … Coker said the reason the event is on Showtime and not CBS, which aired Emelianenko's last fight and was seen by over 25-million viewers worldwide, was simply a matter of scheduling … Overeem, who holds Strikeforce's heavyweight belt, returns to the organization on May 15 for the first time since November 2007 after fighting for two years overseas in Japan and the Netherlands. He takes on Brett Rogers for the title, whom he said had a great fight against Emelianenko. "I have to defend my title," Overeem (32-11) said Tuesday. "Fedor doesn't want to fight me -- or it's his management -- so I'm going to fight Rogers." … Rogers (10-1) said he's ready for the challenge facing him in St. Louis. "I feel like the time is now. I definitely feel I deserve this title," Rogers said. "I've been training six years in MMA so Alistair isn't going to do anything I haven't.