Following Saturday night's TKO victory over Brett Rogers on CBS, Fedor Emelianenko's stock has surely risen with the North American MMA fanbase. Not only did Fedor deal with the pressures of being the fighter in which M-1 Global and Strikeforce are hinging much of their future upon, but he was able to come through in spectacular fashion with a devastating highlight reel knockout that delivered to the millions of fans watching. With Fedor's stock rising, Strikeforce and M-1 Global should have their sights set on Fedor's next fight once he heals from his injuries.

The easy choice would be Fabricio Werdum. Werdum's winning performance against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva wasn't anything to write home about, but he was able to effectively control Silva on the floor by using his superior jiu-jitsu skills. Silva's striking was his main weapon in damaging Werdum, and he was easily winning exchanges against the former PRIDE fighter when both men were toe-to-toe. The problem for Silva came down to his inability to counter Werdum's tactics on the floor, and he found himself in bad positions constantly. While the strikes Werdum threw on the ground weren't stunning, he was effectively scoring on Silva and wearing him down.

Ideally, Werdum and Fedor will clash in the spring/summer of 2010. It's the perfect match-up for Fedor in that Werdum's stand-up is by far his worst skill. Silva was able to land jabs and combinations, and Fedor's power and quickness will only add to the damage that could be inflicted on Werdum in a stand-up exchange. While Werdum offers a superior technical ground game, Fedor's strength and transition game could easily nullify those abilities on the floor, creating a fight in which Werdum has few ways to win. To make matters worse, Werdum won't have a sizable weight advantage like Rogers had in their battle on Saturday night.

Werdum offers the perfect fight for Strikeforce and M-1 Global to showcase Fedor once again, but Werdum also offers the unattractive option of being a tough man to finish if the battle takes place on the ground for a majority of the bout. This has led to some writers to believe CBS may be hesitant to feature such a fight on their network.

With a successful victory over Werdum, Fedor should be in line to take on the massive Alistair "Megareem" Overeem in late 2010 as a mega-fight that should be a no-brainer for network television. It will likely be one of the toughest fights Fedor will ever undertake in his career as Overeem couples a massive 255-265 pound frame with K-1 level striking and devastating power. Fedor won't have the luxury of throwing powerful combinations with Overeem countering with precision strikes in six-ounce gloves, but Overeem has yet to be tested on the ground in his new muscular frame. It's a truly intriguing match-up that should have every single fan of this sport on the edge of their seats.

Is Overeem a fight that will happen? A lot of writers and fans are skeptical. Overeem's drawing power in Japan is on the rise, and it may be more beneficial for him to remain on the K-1 circuit while being promoted through DREAM shows simultaneously. There is also the issue as to whether Overeem can pass a drug test as many fans believe his muscle growth is completely unnatural and freakish. If we put both of those issues together, Overeem may simply be "talking the talk" right now with no plans to ever step foot on North American soil again.

One thing is certain... Overeem is the only forseeable test for Fedor within Strikeforce. Werdum doesn't strike me as a fight that can test Fedor's skill-set, and I see it as more of a fight in which Werdum will be on the defensive for most of it. Overeem, on the other hand, can offer an offensive striking threat, a powerful submission game, and a ridiculous size advantage all within the confines of the cage. It could be a bout in which Fedor Emelianenko actually stands a good chance of losing, or it could be a battle in which Alistair Overeem's past problems rear their ugly heads once again.