I was watching the Shields vs Miller fight the other day and was unseemingly annoyed. At first I didn`t know why ( I like grapplers), since the fight was fairly entertaining, but then it hit me. It was all the un-natural positions they got in where they were able to just chill. Every fiber in my body was screaming "Elbow! ELBOW!!!", but of course, that wasn`t allowed. That left Shields sitting in Mayhems lap... and nothing even remotely dangerous was about to happen as long as they stayed in that position.

For some time now I`ve found it odd that the major american MMA organizations have rules that differ. It´s strange, since it`s the same sport and the same country. I could accept it for the dearly departed Affliction and IFL , since they were fighting in a ring, but why Strikeforce (and the late EliteXC) choose not to allow elbows on the ground is beyond me. Are they so afraid of blood? It is after all an american audience that they are catering for and the american public does not seem so squeamish when it comes to a little red leakage?

But on the other hand, may that very rule have influenced Fedor and M-1 Global`s decision to join Strikeforce instead of UFC? I know it`s kinda far fetched (and that it was most likely based on possible co-promotion on M-1`s part), but please hear me out...

When it comes to weaknesses, Fedor has few. I`ve heard it been said that he has a "mediocre chin". Really?? Based on what?? He`s never been KO`d and he`s never even been knocked down (as far as I know). Getting wobbly efter being hit behind the ear by Fujita is, at least in my book, not enough to call his chin "mediocre".

Weaknesses that he does seem to have however is an average takedown-defense, a propensity to get cut (and bleed) and a tendency to break his hands.

Fedors average TD-defense is more than compensated by an excellent ground game, including submissions and switches and it`s hard to do something about brittle bones in your hands. Cut`s on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. Most cuts come from glancing blows, nails, or... elbows! To me, it would seem as a wise strategy to avoid those if you have brittle bones and a propensity to bleed. Especially if your lone loss was due to a cut...

And those very elbows may actually affect another weak-spot of the last emperor; his takedown defense. In an organisation where elbows are not allowed, his opponents options are limited to 1) Strikes or 2) Advance position, both of those actually playing into the Russians strengths. If you are to strike, you need to posture up. And posturing up and striking against Fedor Emilianenko? Well, it  seems to be a very good way to get one of your arms stuck in something nasty, which in turn will lead to a submission or a loss of position. If you instead choose to advance your position... Well. That`s once again a good way to either find yourself submitted, on your back, or at the very least, back to standing.

By instead being able to keep both your arms on Fedor, staying in a prone position, and using short elbows, not only will you expose him to a possible fight-ending cut, but you will also in all likelyhood have eliminated a good part of Emilianenko`s excellent submission-game. (See: GSP vs Penn, or any fight with Clay Guida or Sean Sherk for reference)

Finally. While you may believe that Fedor would find a way to submit his opponents anyway, and that may very well be so, consider this: Fedor Emilianenko: Submissions 16 (6 Armbar, 4 RNC, 3 Kimura, 2 Guillotine, 1 Strikes... 0 Triangle`s)

And as far as I know, triangle-choke is not the way most people see Fedor beating a bear...