While there is no denying that Fedor was at the very least a damn good fighter before, I think the Silva fight proved that he's been protected over the last 5 years or so. I'd say the last credible victory he had was Cro Cop back in 2005, since then it's been a steady diet of cans (Rogers), guys way past their prime (Arlovski), or ones who weren't all that good in the first place (Sylvia). People are already making excuses that Silva didn't
really beat him such as "Well he only had about 50lbs on him" "He didn't put Fedor away so it doesn't really count" "The fight was a tie at the end of the second round, Fedor WOULD have made him tap in the third" and it goes on and on. I scored the first round for Silva but it was only by a hair, the second was easily an 10-8 round for Silva. I don't think Silva is a world beater by any stretch of the imagination, but he did stuff to Fedor that no one else had to date and that should count for something.
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if by some means or another Fedor gets inserted back into the tournament. I can easily see a failed drug test, injury, or just M1 strongarming Strikeforce to make it happen, this despite him losing two in a row now and having a selection of alternates ready to go. That seems to be the way things work in Strikeforce, you just fail upwards. I do love how they continue to book things figuring the outcome is a forgone conclusion and then have the whole thing blow up in their face. See Sheilds/Henderson, Lashley/Griggs, and now Fedor vs Werdume/Silva.
If Fedor decides to give it one more shot, I also wouldn't be surprised if M1 tries to renegotiate his contract for a third time, and if that happens I hope Coker tells them to get fucked. Fedor was their only bargaining chip and now it's totally gone, there is no reason for M1's logo to be seen on anything Strikeforce related from here on out.
Also, Strikeforce has got to do something about their announcing team, not only is it terrible but they let THIS go on the air.