Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery
Scottrade Center
St. Louis, Missouri
May 15,2010
Showtime
Tonight Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem defends his title against Brett Rogers. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andre Arlovski will also be in action as he faces former Elite XC Heavyweight Champion Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. Middleweight contenders Jacare Souza and Joey Villasenor will also fight on this show. Gus Johnson, Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo are the announcers for the show. Jimmy Lennon Jr is the ring announcer.
Light Heavyweight Fight- Antwain Britt (12-3) vs. Rafael Feijao (8-2)
Anderson Silva is in Feijao's corner. Britt has a 3" reach advantage. This is a big fight for both guys as they are both thought of as guys on the brink of being contenders. Feijao has finished all of his 8 wins and has 7 knockouts on his record. Britt is a wrestler but has 10 knockouts out of his 13 wins. Both guys have combined for 12 victories in the first round. Feijao lost in his last fight to current King of the Cage Light Heavyweight Champion Mike Kyle.
R1- Britt landed some strikes early and Feijao went for a jumping knee but did not connect. Britt landed some good strikes while being clinched by Feijao. Britt is finding a home for the jab. Feijao landed a good overhand right that wobbled Britt. Feijao quickly followed up and chased him down and landed a left and then rocked him with a right hand that sent him to the mat and the ref stops this fight. Britt was winning the fight until that one punch and then it all turned. Explosive finish by Feijao.
Winner: Rafael Feijao by TKO (Strikes) R1 3:45
Light Heavyweight Fight- Roger Gracie (2-0) vs. Kevin Randleman (17-14)
This is Gracie's debut in Strikeforce and it's only his 3rd professional fight. Gracie has a 6.5" height and 9" reach advantage. Randleman should be the stronger fighter. Gracie has finished both of his fights by submission.
R1- Randleman looks tiny compared to Gracie. Mostly stand up in this round with the crowd growing restless as not many shots were landing. Gracie clinched Randleman and tried to get him to the ground but Randleman slipped out. Not a lot of action in this round. I've got Gracie 10-9. Both Shamrock and Ranallo also give the round to Gracie.
R2- Randleman landed a good body shot early. Gracie connected with some strikes that had Randleman backpedaling. Gracie landed a good knee in the clinch and Randleman went to the ground and Gracie quickly jumped on top. Gracie mounted and tried a side choke but Randleman got out so Gracie took his back and went for a Rear Naked Choke. Randleman fought hard but Gracie finally got the move and won the fight. Good win for Gracie. He wasn't spectacular but once he got the fight to the ground he definitely took over. Gracie probably needs to be on the Challengers show at this point in his career but if he works hard he has the opportunity to be pretty good.
Winner: Roger Gracie by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R2 4:10
Middleweight Fight- Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (11-2) vs. Joe Villasenor (27-6)
Jacare last fought in December for Strikeforce and submitted veteran Matt Lindland in the first round. The last time I saw Villasenor was in June of 2009 when he beat Evangelista Cyborg by decision. Villasenor is on a 4 fight win streak. They say Jacare is the Kobe Bryant of jiu jitsu.We also learn that Jacare means Alligator in Portuguese. Jacare has finished 10 of his 11 wins by submission. This should be interesting because while Jacare has a huge advantage on the ground, Villasenor should have the advantage standing.
R1- Jacare shot early and Villasenor initially avoided it but Jacare clinched him against the cage, threw some strikes and then completed the take down. Jacare lands some good strikes while on top. Jacare mounted and continues to land strikes. Jacare was landing good strikes but Villasenor was able to buck him off. Jacare clinches him and lands some good knees. Jacare went for another take down and got it and then landed some really good strikes. Jacare let him up and landed some strikes as Villasenor got to his feet. Jacare picked him up and landed a double-leg take down/slam. Jacare went for a kimura but Villasenor got out of the hold. Jacare looked great in the first round. Jacare 10-9. Almost a 10-8 round. Villasenor only landed 2 strikes in the first round.
"I really like Joey but there is something he said in our meetings. He said "if I get up from the ground." And I just did not like that he said "if"- Frank Shamrock
"He answered the "if"- Frank Shamrock
R2- Villasenor came out aggressive in this round and threw a quick strike. Jacare got a driving take down within the first minute of the round. Villasenor was able to escape but Jacare quickly grabbed him and took him down again. Villasenor was able to get to his feet again with half of the round remaining. Villasenor starts to land some strikes. Jacare threw two strikes and then shot in and got another take down. Jacare is staying in the guard and landing some strikes but nothing as good as he hit in the first round. Villasenor keeps grabbing onto the cage and adjusting his position and got back to his feet with half a minute left in the round. Jacare 20-18 but he's starting to get tired.
R3- Villasenor came in and landing a good strike to start the round. Jacare landed some strikes but then could not get a take down. Both guys land strikes and Jacare got a take down with three minutes left in the fight. Jacare was landing some strikes and the ref stands the fight up with 50 seconds left. Villasenor landed a knee but Jacare took him down again. Jacare finishes the fight on top. Jacare wins on my score card 30-27. Good, tough fight for Jacare.
Judges score cards: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
Winner: Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza by Decision (Unanimous)
Heavyweight Fight- Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva (13-2)
The last time I saw Arlovski was in June of last year where he got defeated by Brett Rogers in less than half a minute. Silva is coming off of a loss to Fabricio Werdum by decision. Silva has a 23.5 lb and 5" reach advantage. Arlovski is the quicker fighter. Arlovski got a strong reaction from the crowd at introduction.
"I think that's the loudest cheer I've ever heard for someone coming off two back to back losses"- Mauro Rannallo
R1- Both guys are throwing strikes early. Silva landed a good right at the two minute mark but Andrei absorbed it. Silva landed another right but Andrei again took the punch. Silva got Andrei up against the cage and got a take down but couldn't do anything with it. Silva 10-9.
R2- Silva threw a barrage of strikes one minute into the round and Arlovski had to clinch to minimize damage. A lot of clinching in this round with Silva getting the better of the striking. Silva 20-18.
"So far it's been a better night for Andrei Arlovski than the last time he was here in St. Louis. That fight lasted just 22 seconds"- Mauro Ranallo
R3- Both guys are slowing down but still throwing some strikes. Lots of clinching in this round. Silva got a take down with a minute and a half left in the fight. Silva is going to win this fight 30-27 on my score card.
Judges score cards: 29-28 on all three score cards
Winner: Antonio Silva by Decision (Unanimous)
Strikeforce Heavyweight Title Fight- Alistair Overeem (c) (32-11) vs. Brett Rogers (10-1)
Rogers last fought in November and lost to Fedor by TKO in the 2nd round. It's strange that Rogers is getting this title fight after losing and I think it speaks to the general weakness of the Strikeforce Heavyweight division. That being said, Rogers has a chance in this fight with his power. The last MMA fight I saw Overeem in was on New Year's against Kazuyuki Fujita and Overeem won that fight via first round TKO stoppage after a big knee. Rogers has an 11 lb weight advantage and also a 2.5" reach. Rogers has won 9 of his 10 fights by knockout. Overeem has finished 19 fights by submission and 12 by knockout. Despite winning the title several years ago this is his first title defense.
R1- Overeem works leg kicks early. Overeem tosses Rogers to the mat and then gets on top and lands some Ground and Pound. Overeem is landing some elbows to the body. Overeem starts to unload on Rogers. Rogers is covering up but the ref might step in and stop this. Overeem just going to town on him and McCarthy stops the fight. Dominant win by Overeem. Rogers just fought a very defensive fight and never looked like himself. He was just outclassed by Overeem tonight. Let's do Fedor vs Overeem. Can you get that done Strikeforce?
Post-Fight Alistair calls out Fedor and his management. Says that Fedor's management has declined to fight him and that it's time for it to happen.
Winner: Alistair Overeem by TKO (Strikes) R1 3:40
Showing posts with label Joey Villasenor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joey Villasenor. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Strikeforce Challengers Series 6/19/09 "Villasenor vs. Santos" Re-Cap
Strikeforce Challenger Series 6/19/09
Joe Villasenor vs. Evangelista Santos
Kent, Washington
This is the second installment of the Strikeforce Challengers Series. Mauro Ranallo is the lead announcer and he is joined by Stephen Quadros and Pat Miletich. The Challenger Series focuses on hungry prospects and veterans looking to make an impact.
Middleweight Fight- Luke Rockhold (4-1) vs. Cory Devela (9-2)
Rockhold fought on the Strikeforce “Destruction” show last November and defeated Nik Theotikos by first round submission. Devela fought Terry Martin in September for Strikeforce and lost by TKO in the third round. Rockhold has won all of his fights by submission. Rockhold is a wrestler and jiu jitsu fighter. Devela is the only fighter on this card from Washington.
R1- Devela came in right of the bat and landed a punch but took a punch and was floored. Rockhold followed him to the floor and nailed him with a bunch of punches. Devela bleed on the mat and then Rockhold locked him in with the Rear Naked Choke and Devela tapped out. Great showing by Rockhold. Rockhold has looked really good in both of the fights I’ve seen him in.
Winner: Luke Rockhold by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R1 0:30
Women’s Fight- 135 Pounds- Sarah Kaufman (9-0) vs. Shayna Baszler (11-5)
Baszler trains with Josh Barnett. Baszler comes to the ring with a guitar on her back. Baszler fought Christiane Cyborg on CBS for Elite XC in 2008 but lost by TKO in the second round. Kaufman beat Miesha Tate at the first Strikeforce Challengers show by Decision. This is being fought under 3 five minute rounds, which is a change from the usual 3 minute rounds that most women’s MMA fights are fought under. Mauro let’s us know that future women’s fights will be contested under 5 minute rounds.
R1- Baszler was able to get a trip early and took Kaufman’s guard. Kaufman got out of that position but Baszler got a brief choke before Kaufman could get out of the submission hold. The ref stood the fight up with a minute thirty left in the round. Baszler clinched her and the ref broke them up. Close round that probably goes to Baszler due to the take down and submission attempt.
R2- They clinched and Kaufman snuck in a good right hand as they broke the clinch. Kaufman hit a good combo. Kaufman is starting to pick Baszler apart on their feet now. Kaufman clearly took this round as she closed very strong and I’ve got the fight 19-19 going into the final stanza.
R3- Baszler went for a single leg take down but Kaufman stuffed it and ended up on top. Kaufman got a take down and landed some brief Ground and Pound but then let Baszler up to her feet. Kaufman is clearly winning the stand up game. Baszler went for a last minute knee bar but Kaufman stuffed it and will take this fight by decision.
Judges score cards say: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 in favor of Kaufman. I had the fight 29-28 in favor of Kaufman.
Winner: Sarah Kaufman by Decision (Unanimous)
Josh Barnett joins Mauro Ranallo at ringside. He talks about the Baszler fight and the upcoming fight that he has against Fedor on August 1st for Affliction.
Catchweight Fight (160 pounds)- Jorge Gurgel (12-5) vs. Conor Heun (8-2)
Heun is a 30 year old wrestler who has 5 submissions out of his 8 wins. Heun has a brown belt in jiu jitsu under Eddie Bravo. Gurgel is a jiu jitsu fighter who prefers to stand on his feet and that’s the reason that he’s no longer in the UFC. Gurgel has 9 submissions in his 12 wins. Heun has a 4” reach advantage.
R1- Gurgel is hitting some leg kicks. When the fighters get close together they are both just swinging for the fences. Gurgel continues to hit leg kicks and is the more accurate striker so far. Heun started to come on at the end of the round and he landed some good strikes. This was a very close round. I’m not sure Heun did enough at the end of the round to get the nod.
R2- Heun is pushing forward at the beginning of this round and looking to get in close range to throw strikes. Gurgel hit a nice high head kick but Heun took it and didn’t go down. Gurgel caught Heun with some punches but doesn’t follow up. Gurgel hits a good right hand. Gurgel had a head kick blocked and then gets Gurgel on the cage and hits some strikes and draws blood from Gurgel. They are just swinging for the fences and the fans are eating it up. Gurgel landed some nice strikes to close the round. Great round. I’ve got Gurgel up 20-18 so far.
R3- Gurgle hit a body kick but Heun took Gurgel down and they scrambled back to their feet with 3 minutes left in the round. Gurgel got caught Heun and Heun jumped on top and then grabbed the rubber guard and then they stood back up with a minute and a half left. Really good fight. I’ve got Heun taking this round but Gurgel winning the fight 29-28.
Judges score cards show: 29-28, 30-27 in favor of Gurgel.
Winner: Jorge Gurgel by Decision (Unanimous)
They show a hype video for upcoming Gina Carano/Cyborg fight.
Middleweight Fight- Nick Thompson (38-10-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (9-2)
Kennedy is a kickboxer who is a Special Forces Army Ranger. Thompson fought Jake Shields for the Elite XC Welterweight Title on CBS last July but fell victim to a guillotine choke in the first round. Thompson is a boxer and a wrestler. In Thompson pre-fight interview he seems to think that Jake Shields has the Strikeforce Title. Thompson is the most experienced fighter on this show. Thompson has 21 submission victories in his career. Thompson beat Paul Daley in a recent fight.
R1- Kennedy shot in early but Thompson grabbed his arm and went for a kimura. Thompson finally released the attempts and Kennedy tried to take Thompson’s back and ended up getting half guard. Both guys are very active on the mat so far in the first round. Kennedy mounted but Thompson quickly pushed him back to half guard. This was a good first round that was the opposite of Gurgel/Heun as this fight was contested almost solely on the ground. Kennedy won the first round 10-9.
R2- Kennedy got a take down at the one minute mark of the round. Kennedy lands some strikes and Thompson tapped out to the strikes.
Post-fight Thompson gets in the refs face. Maybe about the strikes as it looked like Kennedy hit several shots to the back of Thompson’s head and the ref did nothing to stop them.
Winner: Tim Kennedy by Submission (Strikes) R2 2:37
Middleweight Fight- Joe Villasenor (26-6) vs. Evangelista Santos (16-12)
Santos is a Muay Thai and BJJ fighter. Cyborg is coming off of an elbow injury. Villasenor fought and defeated Phil Baroni on CBS in May of 2008 in only one minute winning by TKO. Villasenor is a boxer and jiu jitsu fighter. Villasenor trains with Greg Jackson’s camp. He has not fought since the Baroni fight. Cyborg has a 3” reach advantage in this fight.
R1- Villasenor is the aggressor early but is getting caught with some counter punches. Villasenor gets a take down about half way through the round. First round goes to Villasenor 10-9.
R2- They throw some good leather early into this round. Cyborg is hitting low kicks. They really mixed it up at the end of the round. Really close round. Villasenor is the one pushing the action but this one could have gone either way.
R3- Cyborg got a take down a minute into the third round. Villasenor got to his feet without taking any damage. Villasenor is pushing the action and has opened up a cut on Cyborg. I’ve got Villasenor taking this round and the fight.
Judges score cards say: 29-28 Villasenor, 29-28 Cyborg (?), and 29-28 Villasenor.
Winner: Joe Villasenor by Decision (Split)
This was a decent show but definitely one where you didn’t miss much if you missed it. Gurgel/Heun was a really fun fight and was FOTN. I hope Villasenor gets moved up to the main show because he’s a solid fighter and I’d like to see how he does against some of the top Middleweights that Strikeforce has. Luke Rockhold looked great and it looks like Sarah Kaufman is positioning herself for a possible fight with the winner of Carano/Cyborg.
Joe Villasenor vs. Evangelista Santos
Kent, Washington
This is the second installment of the Strikeforce Challengers Series. Mauro Ranallo is the lead announcer and he is joined by Stephen Quadros and Pat Miletich. The Challenger Series focuses on hungry prospects and veterans looking to make an impact.
Middleweight Fight- Luke Rockhold (4-1) vs. Cory Devela (9-2)
Rockhold fought on the Strikeforce “Destruction” show last November and defeated Nik Theotikos by first round submission. Devela fought Terry Martin in September for Strikeforce and lost by TKO in the third round. Rockhold has won all of his fights by submission. Rockhold is a wrestler and jiu jitsu fighter. Devela is the only fighter on this card from Washington.
R1- Devela came in right of the bat and landed a punch but took a punch and was floored. Rockhold followed him to the floor and nailed him with a bunch of punches. Devela bleed on the mat and then Rockhold locked him in with the Rear Naked Choke and Devela tapped out. Great showing by Rockhold. Rockhold has looked really good in both of the fights I’ve seen him in.
Winner: Luke Rockhold by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R1 0:30
Women’s Fight- 135 Pounds- Sarah Kaufman (9-0) vs. Shayna Baszler (11-5)
Baszler trains with Josh Barnett. Baszler comes to the ring with a guitar on her back. Baszler fought Christiane Cyborg on CBS for Elite XC in 2008 but lost by TKO in the second round. Kaufman beat Miesha Tate at the first Strikeforce Challengers show by Decision. This is being fought under 3 five minute rounds, which is a change from the usual 3 minute rounds that most women’s MMA fights are fought under. Mauro let’s us know that future women’s fights will be contested under 5 minute rounds.
R1- Baszler was able to get a trip early and took Kaufman’s guard. Kaufman got out of that position but Baszler got a brief choke before Kaufman could get out of the submission hold. The ref stood the fight up with a minute thirty left in the round. Baszler clinched her and the ref broke them up. Close round that probably goes to Baszler due to the take down and submission attempt.
R2- They clinched and Kaufman snuck in a good right hand as they broke the clinch. Kaufman hit a good combo. Kaufman is starting to pick Baszler apart on their feet now. Kaufman clearly took this round as she closed very strong and I’ve got the fight 19-19 going into the final stanza.
R3- Baszler went for a single leg take down but Kaufman stuffed it and ended up on top. Kaufman got a take down and landed some brief Ground and Pound but then let Baszler up to her feet. Kaufman is clearly winning the stand up game. Baszler went for a last minute knee bar but Kaufman stuffed it and will take this fight by decision.
Judges score cards say: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 in favor of Kaufman. I had the fight 29-28 in favor of Kaufman.
Winner: Sarah Kaufman by Decision (Unanimous)
Josh Barnett joins Mauro Ranallo at ringside. He talks about the Baszler fight and the upcoming fight that he has against Fedor on August 1st for Affliction.
Catchweight Fight (160 pounds)- Jorge Gurgel (12-5) vs. Conor Heun (8-2)
Heun is a 30 year old wrestler who has 5 submissions out of his 8 wins. Heun has a brown belt in jiu jitsu under Eddie Bravo. Gurgel is a jiu jitsu fighter who prefers to stand on his feet and that’s the reason that he’s no longer in the UFC. Gurgel has 9 submissions in his 12 wins. Heun has a 4” reach advantage.
R1- Gurgel is hitting some leg kicks. When the fighters get close together they are both just swinging for the fences. Gurgel continues to hit leg kicks and is the more accurate striker so far. Heun started to come on at the end of the round and he landed some good strikes. This was a very close round. I’m not sure Heun did enough at the end of the round to get the nod.
R2- Heun is pushing forward at the beginning of this round and looking to get in close range to throw strikes. Gurgel hit a nice high head kick but Heun took it and didn’t go down. Gurgel caught Heun with some punches but doesn’t follow up. Gurgel hits a good right hand. Gurgel had a head kick blocked and then gets Gurgel on the cage and hits some strikes and draws blood from Gurgel. They are just swinging for the fences and the fans are eating it up. Gurgel landed some nice strikes to close the round. Great round. I’ve got Gurgel up 20-18 so far.
R3- Gurgle hit a body kick but Heun took Gurgel down and they scrambled back to their feet with 3 minutes left in the round. Gurgel got caught Heun and Heun jumped on top and then grabbed the rubber guard and then they stood back up with a minute and a half left. Really good fight. I’ve got Heun taking this round but Gurgel winning the fight 29-28.
Judges score cards show: 29-28, 30-27 in favor of Gurgel.
Winner: Jorge Gurgel by Decision (Unanimous)
They show a hype video for upcoming Gina Carano/Cyborg fight.
Middleweight Fight- Nick Thompson (38-10-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (9-2)
Kennedy is a kickboxer who is a Special Forces Army Ranger. Thompson fought Jake Shields for the Elite XC Welterweight Title on CBS last July but fell victim to a guillotine choke in the first round. Thompson is a boxer and a wrestler. In Thompson pre-fight interview he seems to think that Jake Shields has the Strikeforce Title. Thompson is the most experienced fighter on this show. Thompson has 21 submission victories in his career. Thompson beat Paul Daley in a recent fight.
R1- Kennedy shot in early but Thompson grabbed his arm and went for a kimura. Thompson finally released the attempts and Kennedy tried to take Thompson’s back and ended up getting half guard. Both guys are very active on the mat so far in the first round. Kennedy mounted but Thompson quickly pushed him back to half guard. This was a good first round that was the opposite of Gurgel/Heun as this fight was contested almost solely on the ground. Kennedy won the first round 10-9.
R2- Kennedy got a take down at the one minute mark of the round. Kennedy lands some strikes and Thompson tapped out to the strikes.
Post-fight Thompson gets in the refs face. Maybe about the strikes as it looked like Kennedy hit several shots to the back of Thompson’s head and the ref did nothing to stop them.
Winner: Tim Kennedy by Submission (Strikes) R2 2:37
Middleweight Fight- Joe Villasenor (26-6) vs. Evangelista Santos (16-12)
Santos is a Muay Thai and BJJ fighter. Cyborg is coming off of an elbow injury. Villasenor fought and defeated Phil Baroni on CBS in May of 2008 in only one minute winning by TKO. Villasenor is a boxer and jiu jitsu fighter. Villasenor trains with Greg Jackson’s camp. He has not fought since the Baroni fight. Cyborg has a 3” reach advantage in this fight.
R1- Villasenor is the aggressor early but is getting caught with some counter punches. Villasenor gets a take down about half way through the round. First round goes to Villasenor 10-9.
R2- They throw some good leather early into this round. Cyborg is hitting low kicks. They really mixed it up at the end of the round. Really close round. Villasenor is the one pushing the action but this one could have gone either way.
R3- Cyborg got a take down a minute into the third round. Villasenor got to his feet without taking any damage. Villasenor is pushing the action and has opened up a cut on Cyborg. I’ve got Villasenor taking this round and the fight.
Judges score cards say: 29-28 Villasenor, 29-28 Cyborg (?), and 29-28 Villasenor.
Winner: Joe Villasenor by Decision (Split)
This was a decent show but definitely one where you didn’t miss much if you missed it. Gurgel/Heun was a really fun fight and was FOTN. I hope Villasenor gets moved up to the main show because he’s a solid fighter and I’d like to see how he does against some of the top Middleweights that Strikeforce has. Luke Rockhold looked great and it looks like Sarah Kaufman is positioning herself for a possible fight with the winner of Carano/Cyborg.
Monday, June 02, 2008
CBS/Elite XC Saturday Night Fights 5/31/08
Elite XC Saturday Night Fights 5/31/08
Gus Johnson is the lead announcer. Good move in my opinion as he will put a “legitimate” face to MMA for the casual fans. They pair him with Mauro Ranallo, the usual voice of Elite XC. Mauro isn’t the most popular guy but I like him. The third member of the announce crew is Frank Shamrock. They name drop Bruce Lee as one of the fore fathers of MMA. They move to street fighter turned MMA fighter Kimbo Slice and briefly touch on his fight tonight versus James Thompson.
Card for tonight is:
Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Phil Baroni vs. Joe Villasenor
Jon Murphy vs. Brett Rogers
Frank Shamrock does a segment where he goes over some basic MMA styles and talks about striking and grappling. And goes over some terms like “Ground and Pound”, “Guard”, “Half Guard”, “Clinch”, “Arm Bar”, “Rear Naked Choke”, and “Take Down”. Frank goes over some of the do’s and don’ts of MMA. He talks about the 3 ways a fight can end: KO/TKO, Submission/Tap Out, and Judges Decision.
Heavyweight Fight- Jon Murphy (4-2) vs. Brett Rogers (6-0)
Of these guys I’ve only seen Brett Rogers fight and from what I remember he was fairly impressive. Brett Rogers is lead to the ring by a rapping Busta Rhymes. Stuff like this and the dancers that opened the show are what I can do without.
R1- Murphy catches Rogers early and Rogers clinches with him and backs him into the cage and gets in a couple of shots. Rogers hits Murphy with a couple of shots and this one was over. Not the prettiest fight but Rogers showed good power and got the KO very early in the fight. He moves to 7-0 and moves up the Elite XC Heavyweight ladder.
Winner: Brett Rogers KO R1 1:01
Middleweight Fight- Phil Baroni (10-9) vs. Joey Villasenor (25-6)
I’ve seen a couple of Villasenor’s Elite XC fights and he’s unspectacular but really solid and seems really hart to beat. I haven’t seen that much of Baroni but he’s got a big rep so this should be an interesting fight as both guys like to stand up and punch. Baroni guarantees a knockout in the pre-match interviews. Mark Coleman is in Baroni’s corner. Villasenor has won his last two fights, Baroni has lost 3 of his last 4.
R1- Baroni pushes the pace early and gets a take down as he catches Villasenor in a kick. Drilled Baroni with a left hook and now has a guillotine on Baroni. Vallasenor with some shots and Baroni is shaken. Villasenor all over Barnoi and Villasenor gets the win. Mild upset in terms of name status but not in terms of records. Great win for Villasenor.
Winner: Joey Villasenor by TKO (punches) R1 1:11
Two fights and both have been finished very quickly.
Gina Carano (5-0) vs. Kaitlin Young (4-1)
R1- Carano takes young down early but Young gets back to her feet. Carano hit a good right hand and then hit a good left jab. Young hit a good right hand. Young takes down Carano. Carano is just smothering Young and Young can’t do anything despite being on top. The first round was very competitive. Both got in one take down but I think Carano got in more clean shots. Carano 10-9 but very close.
R2- Carano got caught doing a kick and Young got in a couple of knees. Then they exchanged some punches. Lots of action early in round two. Carano is starting to go to town and Young got hit right in the nose but is holding on and fighting back. Carano with a big left. Carano is peppering Young with punches but Young is holding on. Carano kicks Young to the ground and is going for a Rear Naked Choke but is having trouble clamping it on. Young gets saved by the bell in round two. Really exciting fight so far. Young’s face is jacked up. Carano 20-18.
And the fight is stopped in between rounds.
R3- Gina Carano by TKO (ref stoppage) R2
Elite XC Middleweight Title Fight: Robbie Lawler © (15-4) vs. Scott Smith (15-4)
This is the fight that I’ve been looking forward to the most on this show. This is Lawler’s first title defense. Interesting note that these guys have the same exact record of 15 wins and 4 losses.
R1- Smith throwing some big kicks early but coming up empty. Lawler really taking his time and not rushing in. Smith charged at Lawler and got popped. Lawler the aggressor now as he’s hitting some shots. Smith tags Lawler with a kick and then bedlam breaks loose as both guys are just swinging back and forth. Lots of misses and Lawler hits a combo. Both guys really opening up. Lawler hitting with some jabs and Smith countering. Lawler with a big body shot that hurts Smith. Lawler with a body kick. Lawler with some right hooks. Lawler with a great body kick and then ends the round with a right knee and a ton of punches. Smith is saved by the bell. Lawler just looked awesome at the end of this round. This round took a while to get going but once it did it was really fun. Lawler takes this round 10-9.
R2- Lawler is the aggressor at the start of round two. Big side kick by Lawler. Smith fighting back but coming up short on kicks. Smith clinches him and lands some nice knees to the head of Lawler. Smith know peppering Lawler with some punches. Lawler comes back with punches. Lots of dirty boxing. Lawler continuing to hit shots on Smith. Smith continues to throw shots. Really back and forth round. These guys are really throwing at each other. Both guys are bloody. Great round. Really even. Lawler is cut on the top of his head. I think Smith probably takes this round, 19-19 after two.
R3- Lawler jabbing early looking for an opening. Lawler starting to hit some elbows but his head cut has opened back up. Lawler went for a take down but got stuffed and now they stand up again. Smith got a finger in the eye and they stop the fight to allow him to recover. The doctor comes in and stops the fight. What a shame as Scott Smith is begging them to let him continue to fight. The crowd is chanting “bulls**t, bulls**t”. Well, I really enjoyed this fight and will look forward to the re-match.
Decision: No Contest, Lawler retains belt
Heavyweight Fight: Kimbo Slice (2-0) vs. James Thompson (16-8)
R1- Kimbo takes down Thompson but then Thompson gets Kimbo to the ground. Kimbo gets up but gets taken back down. James Thompson gets to side control but Kimbo gets to his feet. Kimbo is caught in a guillotine. Kimbo trying to get out with some knees. Kimbo finally frees himself. Kimbo takes Thompson down. Kimbo tried a slam but slipped and Thompson now has Kimbo in side control. Kimbo flips him over. Kimbo hitting a couple of elbows. First round comes to an end. I think Thompson won the first round 10-9.
R2- Kimbo with some punches and Thompson is in trouble. Thompson locks him up. Kimbo briefly got Thompson in a guillotine but Thompson has side control on Kimbo. The ref stands them up as there was not much movement. Kimbo hitting some shots. Thompson looks to be finished and Kimbo hits some shots but Thompson holds on and drops Kimbo with a double leg take down. Thompson hitting some elbows on Kimbo. Thompson just dominated the second half of this round. Kimbo won the first half but then just got dominated. Both rounds could go either way but I’ve got Thompson up 20-18 so far. Kimbo had a chance to put Thompson away in the middle of this round but couldn’t do it.
R3- Kimbo hits two nice shots and Thompson’s ear popped open and is bleeding like crazy and the ref stops the fight. Thompson is not happy. Thompson ear is just disgusting. Kimbo escaped this fight and this fight really exposed him.
Winner: Kimbo Slice by TKO R3 0:38
This was a good show, would have been better if Lawler/Smith would have had a finish as that was the fight of the night. The woman’s fight was very good. And the show started with two real quick knockouts which I think was a good thing to get the show kicked off. The Main Event was nowhere near as good as Lawler/Smith but it was interesting. Kimbo was definitely exposed and it will be interesting to see where they go with him now. Obviously, he’s still undefeated but he’s gonna have a tough time with any heavyweight who can get him off his feet.
Gus Johnson is the lead announcer. Good move in my opinion as he will put a “legitimate” face to MMA for the casual fans. They pair him with Mauro Ranallo, the usual voice of Elite XC. Mauro isn’t the most popular guy but I like him. The third member of the announce crew is Frank Shamrock. They name drop Bruce Lee as one of the fore fathers of MMA. They move to street fighter turned MMA fighter Kimbo Slice and briefly touch on his fight tonight versus James Thompson.
Card for tonight is:
Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Phil Baroni vs. Joe Villasenor
Jon Murphy vs. Brett Rogers
Frank Shamrock does a segment where he goes over some basic MMA styles and talks about striking and grappling. And goes over some terms like “Ground and Pound”, “Guard”, “Half Guard”, “Clinch”, “Arm Bar”, “Rear Naked Choke”, and “Take Down”. Frank goes over some of the do’s and don’ts of MMA. He talks about the 3 ways a fight can end: KO/TKO, Submission/Tap Out, and Judges Decision.
Heavyweight Fight- Jon Murphy (4-2) vs. Brett Rogers (6-0)
Of these guys I’ve only seen Brett Rogers fight and from what I remember he was fairly impressive. Brett Rogers is lead to the ring by a rapping Busta Rhymes. Stuff like this and the dancers that opened the show are what I can do without.
R1- Murphy catches Rogers early and Rogers clinches with him and backs him into the cage and gets in a couple of shots. Rogers hits Murphy with a couple of shots and this one was over. Not the prettiest fight but Rogers showed good power and got the KO very early in the fight. He moves to 7-0 and moves up the Elite XC Heavyweight ladder.
Winner: Brett Rogers KO R1 1:01
Middleweight Fight- Phil Baroni (10-9) vs. Joey Villasenor (25-6)
I’ve seen a couple of Villasenor’s Elite XC fights and he’s unspectacular but really solid and seems really hart to beat. I haven’t seen that much of Baroni but he’s got a big rep so this should be an interesting fight as both guys like to stand up and punch. Baroni guarantees a knockout in the pre-match interviews. Mark Coleman is in Baroni’s corner. Villasenor has won his last two fights, Baroni has lost 3 of his last 4.
R1- Baroni pushes the pace early and gets a take down as he catches Villasenor in a kick. Drilled Baroni with a left hook and now has a guillotine on Baroni. Vallasenor with some shots and Baroni is shaken. Villasenor all over Barnoi and Villasenor gets the win. Mild upset in terms of name status but not in terms of records. Great win for Villasenor.
Winner: Joey Villasenor by TKO (punches) R1 1:11
Two fights and both have been finished very quickly.
Gina Carano (5-0) vs. Kaitlin Young (4-1)
R1- Carano takes young down early but Young gets back to her feet. Carano hit a good right hand and then hit a good left jab. Young hit a good right hand. Young takes down Carano. Carano is just smothering Young and Young can’t do anything despite being on top. The first round was very competitive. Both got in one take down but I think Carano got in more clean shots. Carano 10-9 but very close.
R2- Carano got caught doing a kick and Young got in a couple of knees. Then they exchanged some punches. Lots of action early in round two. Carano is starting to go to town and Young got hit right in the nose but is holding on and fighting back. Carano with a big left. Carano is peppering Young with punches but Young is holding on. Carano kicks Young to the ground and is going for a Rear Naked Choke but is having trouble clamping it on. Young gets saved by the bell in round two. Really exciting fight so far. Young’s face is jacked up. Carano 20-18.
And the fight is stopped in between rounds.
R3- Gina Carano by TKO (ref stoppage) R2
Elite XC Middleweight Title Fight: Robbie Lawler © (15-4) vs. Scott Smith (15-4)
This is the fight that I’ve been looking forward to the most on this show. This is Lawler’s first title defense. Interesting note that these guys have the same exact record of 15 wins and 4 losses.
R1- Smith throwing some big kicks early but coming up empty. Lawler really taking his time and not rushing in. Smith charged at Lawler and got popped. Lawler the aggressor now as he’s hitting some shots. Smith tags Lawler with a kick and then bedlam breaks loose as both guys are just swinging back and forth. Lots of misses and Lawler hits a combo. Both guys really opening up. Lawler hitting with some jabs and Smith countering. Lawler with a big body shot that hurts Smith. Lawler with a body kick. Lawler with some right hooks. Lawler with a great body kick and then ends the round with a right knee and a ton of punches. Smith is saved by the bell. Lawler just looked awesome at the end of this round. This round took a while to get going but once it did it was really fun. Lawler takes this round 10-9.
R2- Lawler is the aggressor at the start of round two. Big side kick by Lawler. Smith fighting back but coming up short on kicks. Smith clinches him and lands some nice knees to the head of Lawler. Smith know peppering Lawler with some punches. Lawler comes back with punches. Lots of dirty boxing. Lawler continuing to hit shots on Smith. Smith continues to throw shots. Really back and forth round. These guys are really throwing at each other. Both guys are bloody. Great round. Really even. Lawler is cut on the top of his head. I think Smith probably takes this round, 19-19 after two.
R3- Lawler jabbing early looking for an opening. Lawler starting to hit some elbows but his head cut has opened back up. Lawler went for a take down but got stuffed and now they stand up again. Smith got a finger in the eye and they stop the fight to allow him to recover. The doctor comes in and stops the fight. What a shame as Scott Smith is begging them to let him continue to fight. The crowd is chanting “bulls**t, bulls**t”. Well, I really enjoyed this fight and will look forward to the re-match.
Decision: No Contest, Lawler retains belt
Heavyweight Fight: Kimbo Slice (2-0) vs. James Thompson (16-8)
R1- Kimbo takes down Thompson but then Thompson gets Kimbo to the ground. Kimbo gets up but gets taken back down. James Thompson gets to side control but Kimbo gets to his feet. Kimbo is caught in a guillotine. Kimbo trying to get out with some knees. Kimbo finally frees himself. Kimbo takes Thompson down. Kimbo tried a slam but slipped and Thompson now has Kimbo in side control. Kimbo flips him over. Kimbo hitting a couple of elbows. First round comes to an end. I think Thompson won the first round 10-9.
R2- Kimbo with some punches and Thompson is in trouble. Thompson locks him up. Kimbo briefly got Thompson in a guillotine but Thompson has side control on Kimbo. The ref stands them up as there was not much movement. Kimbo hitting some shots. Thompson looks to be finished and Kimbo hits some shots but Thompson holds on and drops Kimbo with a double leg take down. Thompson hitting some elbows on Kimbo. Thompson just dominated the second half of this round. Kimbo won the first half but then just got dominated. Both rounds could go either way but I’ve got Thompson up 20-18 so far. Kimbo had a chance to put Thompson away in the middle of this round but couldn’t do it.
R3- Kimbo hits two nice shots and Thompson’s ear popped open and is bleeding like crazy and the ref stops the fight. Thompson is not happy. Thompson ear is just disgusting. Kimbo escaped this fight and this fight really exposed him.
Winner: Kimbo Slice by TKO R3 0:38
This was a good show, would have been better if Lawler/Smith would have had a finish as that was the fight of the night. The woman’s fight was very good. And the show started with two real quick knockouts which I think was a good thing to get the show kicked off. The Main Event was nowhere near as good as Lawler/Smith but it was interesting. Kimbo was definitely exposed and it will be interesting to see where they go with him now. Obviously, he’s still undefeated but he’s gonna have a tough time with any heavyweight who can get him off his feet.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Strikeforce/EliteXC "Shamrock vs. Cung Le" Thoughts
Strikeforce/EliteXC "Shamrock vs. Cung Le"
Saturday, March 29, 2008
HP Pavillion at San Jose, CA
Showing on: Showtime on 9pm ET/PT
185 lbs: Joey Villasenor (185) vs. Ryan Jensen (186)
Villasenor controlled this match. It started out slow and then opened up when Villasenor landed some punches. Jenson looked like he got woke up and briefly became the aggressor but then Villasenor baited him with two jabs and then just blasted him for a knockout.
265 lbs: Mike Kyle (225) vs. Wayne Cole (209)
Both these guys looked to be in really good shape. When they stood up at the beginning of the fight Cole looked a little uncomfortable in his stance but quickly took down Kyle and almost immediately tapped him out in what had to be 30 seconds into the fight. Cole looked really good in his quick victory.
155 lbs: Gilbert Melendez (154.5) vs. Gabe Lemley (153)
This was for Melendez’s Strikeforce lightweight title and Melendez just dominated and controlled this fight until the ref finally called for the bell in the middle of the second round as Lemley just wasn’t defending himself anymore. Melendez looked impressive.
172 lbs: Drew Fickett (171) vs. Jae Suk Lim (170)
This was real quick. Fickett took Suk Lim down, Lim used some good takedown defense but Fickett rolled over on top. Suk Lim then got out of the guard and stood up but Fickett quickly grabbed a tight guillotine on him and then Suk Lim went down and tapped out. Fickett is another guy who looked really good in victory tonight. Everybody who has one tonight has been impressive in one way or another.
185 lbs: Frank Shamrock (185) vs. Cung Le (183)
These are the first two guys that get the superstar treatment from the crowd. Shamrock seemed to get as many boos as he did cheers but this quickly turned to cheers when he came out in a San Jose Sharks hoodie. This is for the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Crowd seems to have woken up for this match. Crowd turns on Le during intros and then turns to mostly cheers. Crowd seems to be split tonight as Shamrock gets pretty much the same treatment. Either way the guys are getting a reaction and that’s a good thing.
Round 1: Good early feeling out process as Le goes for a back kick but Shamrock grabs him around the waist. Le gets out and Shamrock plays to the crowd as they are really into this. Both guys going for kicks and then throwing hard punches. Le gets a right hook in. They are feeling each other out mid way into the round. Lee has some good quick kicks. Le goes for a spinning back kick and misses and Shamrock gets an opening and is all over him as Le’s momentum takes him down and Shamrock gets in a couple of good shots but they are back to their feet. Shamrock bullys him into the cage with a shot or two but Le is quickly out. Shamrock is visably smiling. Shamrock gets in a couple of shots on the cage at the end of the round. Really good close opening fight. Le really seemed to have the advantage for the first half of the round but Shamrock really controlled the cage, had a takedown and got some good offense in at the end of the round. I would barely give this round to Shamrock 30-29 but could see it going either way.
Round 2: Le connected with a kick to the side of Shamrock’s face. Shamrock is welted and his mouthpiece flew out but he didn’t seem to look any worse for the wear as Le gave him the opportunity to put his mouthpiece back in. Le takes down Shamrock but lets him back up as Frank was calling for Le to come to the ground. Things are slowing down here in the second round as there is not as much action as the first. Le seems to be controlling the offense again in the first half of this round (like in the first). Quadros notes that this round has taken almost like a sparring match. Le then unloads with a solid right hand that staggers Shamrock but he quickly shrugs it off. Le definitely takes this round.
Round 3: Le gets a good roundhouse kick tha glances off of Shamrock’s head early but Shamrock shrugs it off no-selling it. Le hits a nice punch combo. Le still looks pretty sharp and hits another close call on a nice kick that is partially blocked by Shamrock. Le hits a spinning back fist that pops the crowd. Le grabs Shamrock’s leg on a leg and knocks his leg out from under him. Le is definitely seizing control of this fight as the crowd chants for Le. Shamrock seems to be moving in closer and trying to get better shots in on Le and finally pops him with one. Shamrock hits a couple of shots and is really throwing punches at Le and hitting some of them. Shamrock has Le on the fence and is measuring. Shamrock barely misses with a hard knee. Le comes back with a spinning back fist. Shamrock is really looking for the knockout. Let gets in a lot of shots right at the end of the round and the crowd is really into this as the round ends. Le dominated the early part of this round, Shamrock hit a really great flurry but then Le ended on top. I’m saying 2-1 right now for Le but could realisitically see it be 3-0 in favor of Le.
The fight is called after the third round and Le is awarded the victory. Shamrock is unable to answer the bell for Round 4. Great fight, really weird finish. They are saying that Shamrock has an arm injury and that’s why he can’t finish the fight. Probably from Le’s continued kicks. Great fight, Le is the new champ. Would love to see a re-match and/or see Le fight his next opponent. Le wins by TKO.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
HP Pavillion at San Jose, CA
Showing on: Showtime on 9pm ET/PT
185 lbs: Joey Villasenor (185) vs. Ryan Jensen (186)
Villasenor controlled this match. It started out slow and then opened up when Villasenor landed some punches. Jenson looked like he got woke up and briefly became the aggressor but then Villasenor baited him with two jabs and then just blasted him for a knockout.
265 lbs: Mike Kyle (225) vs. Wayne Cole (209)
Both these guys looked to be in really good shape. When they stood up at the beginning of the fight Cole looked a little uncomfortable in his stance but quickly took down Kyle and almost immediately tapped him out in what had to be 30 seconds into the fight. Cole looked really good in his quick victory.
155 lbs: Gilbert Melendez (154.5) vs. Gabe Lemley (153)
This was for Melendez’s Strikeforce lightweight title and Melendez just dominated and controlled this fight until the ref finally called for the bell in the middle of the second round as Lemley just wasn’t defending himself anymore. Melendez looked impressive.
172 lbs: Drew Fickett (171) vs. Jae Suk Lim (170)
This was real quick. Fickett took Suk Lim down, Lim used some good takedown defense but Fickett rolled over on top. Suk Lim then got out of the guard and stood up but Fickett quickly grabbed a tight guillotine on him and then Suk Lim went down and tapped out. Fickett is another guy who looked really good in victory tonight. Everybody who has one tonight has been impressive in one way or another.
185 lbs: Frank Shamrock (185) vs. Cung Le (183)
These are the first two guys that get the superstar treatment from the crowd. Shamrock seemed to get as many boos as he did cheers but this quickly turned to cheers when he came out in a San Jose Sharks hoodie. This is for the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Crowd seems to have woken up for this match. Crowd turns on Le during intros and then turns to mostly cheers. Crowd seems to be split tonight as Shamrock gets pretty much the same treatment. Either way the guys are getting a reaction and that’s a good thing.
Round 1: Good early feeling out process as Le goes for a back kick but Shamrock grabs him around the waist. Le gets out and Shamrock plays to the crowd as they are really into this. Both guys going for kicks and then throwing hard punches. Le gets a right hook in. They are feeling each other out mid way into the round. Lee has some good quick kicks. Le goes for a spinning back kick and misses and Shamrock gets an opening and is all over him as Le’s momentum takes him down and Shamrock gets in a couple of good shots but they are back to their feet. Shamrock bullys him into the cage with a shot or two but Le is quickly out. Shamrock is visably smiling. Shamrock gets in a couple of shots on the cage at the end of the round. Really good close opening fight. Le really seemed to have the advantage for the first half of the round but Shamrock really controlled the cage, had a takedown and got some good offense in at the end of the round. I would barely give this round to Shamrock 30-29 but could see it going either way.
Round 2: Le connected with a kick to the side of Shamrock’s face. Shamrock is welted and his mouthpiece flew out but he didn’t seem to look any worse for the wear as Le gave him the opportunity to put his mouthpiece back in. Le takes down Shamrock but lets him back up as Frank was calling for Le to come to the ground. Things are slowing down here in the second round as there is not as much action as the first. Le seems to be controlling the offense again in the first half of this round (like in the first). Quadros notes that this round has taken almost like a sparring match. Le then unloads with a solid right hand that staggers Shamrock but he quickly shrugs it off. Le definitely takes this round.
Round 3: Le gets a good roundhouse kick tha glances off of Shamrock’s head early but Shamrock shrugs it off no-selling it. Le hits a nice punch combo. Le still looks pretty sharp and hits another close call on a nice kick that is partially blocked by Shamrock. Le hits a spinning back fist that pops the crowd. Le grabs Shamrock’s leg on a leg and knocks his leg out from under him. Le is definitely seizing control of this fight as the crowd chants for Le. Shamrock seems to be moving in closer and trying to get better shots in on Le and finally pops him with one. Shamrock hits a couple of shots and is really throwing punches at Le and hitting some of them. Shamrock has Le on the fence and is measuring. Shamrock barely misses with a hard knee. Le comes back with a spinning back fist. Shamrock is really looking for the knockout. Let gets in a lot of shots right at the end of the round and the crowd is really into this as the round ends. Le dominated the early part of this round, Shamrock hit a really great flurry but then Le ended on top. I’m saying 2-1 right now for Le but could realisitically see it be 3-0 in favor of Le.
The fight is called after the third round and Le is awarded the victory. Shamrock is unable to answer the bell for Round 4. Great fight, really weird finish. They are saying that Shamrock has an arm injury and that’s why he can’t finish the fight. Probably from Le’s continued kicks. Great fight, Le is the new champ. Would love to see a re-match and/or see Le fight his next opponent. Le wins by TKO.
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