WEC arrives in Columbus, OH tonight with a packed card at the Nationwide Arena. Prelminary bouts begin at 7:00pm, with the televised card airing on Versus at 10pm EST. Brian Bowles and Domenick Cruz will square off for the bantamweight title while Miguel Torres and Jens Pulver return to the cage looking to rebound from recent losses. Also featured on the card is rising star LC Davis and the debuts of Chad Mendes and Eric Koch.
Benchwarmers United will bring you the play-by-play call of the action throughout the evening:
Preliminary Results:
Ricardo Lamas over Bendy Casimir by knockout at 3:43 of Round 1
Fredson Paixao over Courtney Buck by rear naked choke at 2:39 of Round 1
Leonard Garcia and George Roop declared split draw
Anthony Pettis over Danny Castillo by KO at 2:17 of Round 1
Chad Mendes over Erik Koch by unanimous decision (30-27 on all cards)
Scott Jorgensen over Chad George by guillotine choke at 0:31 of Round 1
Bart Palaszewski Vs. Karen Darabedyan
Round 1
The fighters feel each other out in the middle of the cage. Palaszewski lands a left hook. Leg kick lands for Palaszewski. Darabedyan lands a vicious combination of shots that hurts Palaszewski. Darabedyan takes Palaszewski down and Palaszewski stops the assault. Palaszewski goes for armbar but Darabedyan defends. Darabedyan lands a few hammerfist, postures up and lands a few more. Palaszewski lands an upkick and Darabedyan comes back down for a mount. Palaszewski is now in closed guard preventing Darabedyan from posturing up. Darabedyan breaks the closed guard and unleashes another barrage of punches. Darabedyan begins landing elbows. Palaszewski goes for an armbar and cinches it tight. Darabedyan fights it off, but Palaszewski digs his hips in harder, stays on the arm and forces the tapout.
Official Result
Palaszewski by armbar submission at 4:40 of Round 1
Deividas Taurosevicius Vs. LC Davis
Round 1
The fighters come out cautiously. Davis attempts a leg kick, Taurosevicius counters with a head kick attempt. Davis grabs a clinch and backs Taurosevicius against the cage. Davis lands a few knees. Taurosevicius works off the cage and now has Davis backed up against the cage. Davis turns the table back around and lands some knees. Ref breaks the clinch. Taurosevicius lands inside leg kick. Davis lands a stiff jab. The fighters clinch again with Davis pushing Taurosevicius against the wall. Taurosevicius attempts a knee lift and Davis times it perfectly with a right hook. Taurosevicius turns it around and drops for a single leg. David sprawls and turns Taurosevicius back into the cage wall in the clinch. Taurosevicius works off cage and goes for the single leg again. Taurosevicius works his way up into a body lock but Davis defends as round comes to an end.
Close round goes to Davis as he was the aggressor and controlled the pace.
Round 2
The fighters come out aggressively both missing leg kicks and punches. Taurosevicius goes underneath for a takedown attempt, but Davis easily defends. Taurosevicius circles Davis to cage and attempts another single leg, but Davis sprawls out and drops Taurosevicius flat to canvas. Taurosevicius doesn’t give up on it and gets the takedown. Davis uses the cage to stand back up and the fighters clinch again. Taurosevicius lands a knee to the groin of Davis and it appears low. Davis is hurt, but ref will not stop action. Taurosevicius goes to work on Davis to the body and Davis finally recovers from the low blow. Davis works Taurosevicius to the cage in the clinch and Taurosevicius lands another obvious knee to the groin. Davis complains and ref tells him he didn’t see it. Ref breaks the clinch. Davis lands a nice right to the head and Taurosevicius reaches in for a body lock. Taurosevicius drops for a single leg, but Davis defends well again. Round comes to an end.
Due to referee not calling low blows, round has to go to Taurosevicius
Round 3
Davis lands quickly with a left and Taurosevicius counters back with his own. Davis grabs the clinch and backs Taurosevicius into the cage again. The crowd begins to boo. Taurosevicius shifts to a body lock and lands knee to Davis’ head. Taurosevicius lands an elbow to the head. The fighters break the clinch, back to the center. Davis blocks a head kick. Davis shoots for a takedown, but Taurosevicius pulls him back up into a clinch. The fans begin to boo again. Taurosevicius grabs another body lock along the cage, trying to bring Davis to the mat. The referee breaks the clinch. Davis lands a straight left and shoots underneath for a double leg takedown. Davis has his left arm pinned underneath Taurosevicius and cannot take advantage before referee stands them up. Thirty seconds left and the fighters are very cautious. Taurosevicius comes forward for a clinch, Davis circles him into cage wall one last time before the fight comes to an end.
Final round goes to Davis in an uneventful defensive affair.
Official Result Davis by majority decision of 29-29, 29-28 and 29-28.
Jens Pulver Vs. Javier Vazquez
Round 1
Fan favorite Pulver enters the cage to an excited crowd that is clearly in his corner. The bell sounds and Vasquez lands first with a solid left to the head and Pulver backs away. Vasquez goes under and Pulver catches him in guillotine. Vasquez breaks the choke and they are on their feet. The fighters scramble on the mat and Vasquez takes Pulver’s back. Vasquez lands a few shots before Pulver turns tables and gets a mount. Pulver postures up, landing a few shots on in his way up. Pulver attempts to come back down, but Vasquez reverses and gets side mount. Vasquez gets a crucifix and begins raining down shots. Pulver scrambles, Vasquez gets his back and cinches a rear naked choke. Pulver defends and scrambles to get to his back. Vasquez gets a mount position, Pulver extends his arm and Vasquez makes him pay for it as he locks in an arm bar. Vasquez stretches the arm tight and Pulver taps out.
Official Result
Vasquez by arm bar submission at 3:41 of Round 1
Miguel Torres Vs. Joseph Benavidez
Round 1
Torres lands inside leg kick. Lots of caution between the fighters as Torres circles around the cage. The fighters both miss with kicks. Benavidez blocks a head kick. Leg kick lands for Torres. The fighters trade shots to the head. Torres lunges in with a shot to the head, but Benavidez backs him of with a right. Torres leaps in for a lower leg kick and Benavidez drops him to mat with a straight right. Torres looks for an upkick but Benavidez refuses to be drawn in. The fighters clinch and Torres nails Benavidez with a knee. Benavidez scrambles and gets a takedown. Torres is in guard and lands heels into Benavidez’ lower back and and legs. Benavidez has side mount, but Torres has solid guard. Torres back to full guard. Benavidez pulls out of mount as the round comes to an end.
Round goes to Torres with his defensive scoring.
Round 2
Benavidez lands a leg kick. Benavidez lunges in and connects with a few hard shots. Wild punches by Benavidez miss. Torres lands a leg kick. Kick to body by Benavidez. Leg kick by Benavidez. Torres is pecking away with the jab consistently. Benavidez gets a takedown with a leg trip and lands a few elbow shots to the head. Torres is cut real bad and bleeding all over the place from the elbow blows. Benavidez pounces and Torres scrambles. Benavidez grabs a guillotine choke, cinches it tight and Torres taps out.
Official Result
Benavidez by guillotine choke submission at 2:57 of Round 2
Brian Bowles Vs. Dominick Cruz
Round 1
Cruz connects first with leg kick. Bowles responds with a left to the chin. Bowles misses a looping right and Cruz counters with a right. Cruz misses with a kick and Bowles counters with a combination of punches. The fighters trade blows with each scoring. Bowles lunges and misses, Cruz nails him with a counter right that hurts Bowles. The fighters trade blows again. Bowles steps in and lands a left. Cruz sticks a jab and Bowles lunges forward. Cruz scrambles to score a takedown. Bowles is in guard and defends well. Cruz pulls out and they are back on their feet. Combination followed by a leg kick for Cruz. The fighters trade blows as the round comes to an end.
Solid round goes to Cruz
Round 2
Cruz connects with a counter right hook. Cruz sticks the jab. Leg kick by Cruz. Bowles connects with a straight right. Bowles catches a body kick and lunges but doesn’t score. Cruz hits Bowles with jab as he falls backwards. Combination by Cruz and lower leg kick sweep drops Bowles. Cruz allows Bowles to get back up. Leg kick by Cruz, but Bowles sticks a right to head. Bowles is bleeding heavily from his nose. Cruz nails another hard leg kick. Bowles goes for a clinch and Cruz lands a kick to the groin. Timeout in ring as Bowles catches his wind. Flurry by Bowles as action begins again. Cruz misses with looping right and Bowles counters with a combination. Cruz goes underneath and easily lands a double leg takedown as the round comes to an end.
Another solid and clear round for Cruz. During break, the fight doctor reviews Bowles and calls a halt to the action due to a broken hand. Cruz is the new champion.
Official Result
Cruz by TKO due to injury at 5:00 of Round 2
Ryan Bader is now 11-0 with his TKO victory over Keith Jardine.
Ryan Bader showed that he can dig deep when it counts most in a MMA fight. He showed that in his third round TKO victory over veteran Light Heavyweight Keith Jardine Saturday night. Bader looked like the tank was on empty but showed the will and resilience that it takes to secure a victory in the UFC. It is this combination of skills and will that will make him a serious contender to the Light Heavyweight title…
Bader won the first round with the combination of his wrestling and striking skills. He is a superior wrestler and has the striking power to get the TKO at anytime. The second round went to the cage veteran Jardine. Jardine used his awesome kicking skills to keep Bader at bat and secure the second round. With the fight even, it comes down to who wants it more in the decisive third round. Bader wanted it more. Bader looked tired from the kick beating in the second round but mustered up the strength and percision to land a right hand and then followed it up with a ledt hok to get Jardine to the ground anc get the victory at 2:10 of the third round.
While this is Jardine’s third stright loss, he was a fighter that was desperate for a victory and that makes him all that dangerous. Bader can use this victory to bukd confidence and set his eyes on Light Weight Champion Lyoto Machida down the road. He does not have what it takes to beat Machida right know, but does have the skills and drive to contend i the future.
Bader is now 11-0 and his future shines brightly in the MMA worls. I enjoed watching him on the Ultimate Fighter and become champion. I would love to see him eventually become Light heavyweight Champion. Watch out for the Darth Vader.
Cain Velasquez cemented his standing as a top contender in the Heavyweight division to Brock Lesnar with a stunning knockout victory over veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Velasquez (8-0) connected with a right hook to the chin which floored Nogueira (32-6-1) instantly, ending the bout at 2:20 of the first round.
Velasquez Scores Knockout Victory
The unbeaten Velasquez, an All-American wrestler at Arizona State made the strategic decision to keep the fight on his feet against the Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu expert Nogueira. Despite weaknesses in his stand up in previous fights, most memorably against Cheick Kongo, the strategy paid off.
Velasquez had Nogueira surprised by his strategy from the opening bell. Velasquez was able to connect on a handful of shots early on, causing Nogueira to regroup after an early combination that caught him flush. As Nogueira came forward to unleash a combination, Velasquez was able to counter and land his right hook just before Nogueira’s right hook, rocking the veteran and sending him crashing to the canvas. Velasquez would pounce and land five unanswered shots to the head before referee Herb Dean could stop the fight.
For Velasquez, this is a signature win but questions still surround his skills and preparedness for the next level of competition. Tonight’s fight unfortunately didn’t allow for a gauge on exactly how good Velasquez is, as he was just the guy that landed his wild right hook first.
Regardless, Velasquez has taken on and beaten all comers in the division and his time has arrived for a major headline fight. We’ll probably look to Velasquez taking on the winner of the upcoming Mir-Carwin bout, with the winner getting a crack at Lesnar.
Wanderlei Silva desperately needed a solid victory and got one in Sydney, Australia at UFC 110. Silva dictated the pace of the fight from the opening bell, scoring a unanimous decision over Michael Bisping by 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards. The victory for Silva (33-10-1) was his first in almost two years, while Bisping (18-3) registers his second loss in three fights.
Silva Score Close But Unanimous Victory
The fight was a rejuvenation for the MMA legend known as the Axe Murderer. Silva had stumbled recently, scoring just one victory in his past six fights, leading many to speculate whether Silva’s best days had past. Silva dropped to the Middleweight division for the first time in his career, shedding nearly twenty pounds and looking extremely fit after an eight month layoff due to a nose surgery.
Silva dictated the pace throughout the fight, using his leg kicks to rattle Bisping and keep a comfortable distance. In the first round, Bisping was able to establish the jab and utilize it to setup two strong takedowns. Silva was quick to return to his feet, nullifying Bisping’s takedowns. As the round came to a close, Silva landed with a vicious flurry of punches along the cage wall to take the round.
The second round was much of the same with Silva landing leg kicks and Bisping connecting with jabs and scoring takedowns only to see Silva quickly scramble back to his feet. Bisping went for a takedown late in the round and was caught by Silva in a guillotine choke. While Silva tightly cinched it with an arm tied in, he improperly applied the choke, allowing Bisping to escape the round.
The pace of the fight picked up in the third round with both fighters believing they needed the round. Silva showed he was game, landing some solid blows and fending off weaker takedown attempts by Bisping. The fight was delayed twice during the round due to a kick in the groin and an eye poke, both delivered by Bisping. The second injury timeout gave Silva a second wind, as he roared back and attacked Bisping with a range of shots. As the round wound to a close, Silva unleashed a flurry of punches, connecting with a right hook to the jaw that floored Bisping. Silva pounced with a couple of blows on the ground as the bell sounded.
The difference in the fight came down to experience and awareness. Silva was patient throughout the fight, waiting for openings and unleashing a flurry when they presented themselves. He closed out each round in solid fashion, taking what appeared to be close rounds and turning them in his favor.
Silva’s debut at Middleweight may rejuvenate what appeared to be a career on the decline and on the way to retirement. With a solid victory over Bisping, Silva immediately throws himself into the conversation of title contender in a weight class without much competition for the current champion Anderson Silva.
The long-awaited showdown between the legendary Brazilians may soon be a reality.
Former UFC champion Randy Couture (18-10) put another notch on his belt with a dominating victory over another former UFC Champion Mark Coleman (16-10). The fight featured two of the oldest fighters in the sport, Couture at age 46 and Coleman age 45, both Hall of Famers with the UFC despite their active status. Couture took the victory by rear naked choke submission at 1:09 of the second round.
Couture Wins In Dominating Fashion
Couture dominated from the opening bell to the stoppage by referre Steve Mazzagatti. Coleman was able to rock Couture with combination left hook, right cross early in the first, but Couture responded. Landing a hard right, Couture stunned Coleman and pushed him into the cage wall. Applying his Greco-Roman dominance, Couture feasted on Coleman with shot after shot coming from all directions. Coleman was able to survive the assault and take it into Round 2.
The second round was more of the same. Couture came out swinging landing a sharp left that rocked Coleman back into the cage wall. Couture pounced for a body lock and took Coleman down to the canvas. Couture immediately gained a full mount position and began raining down hard blows. Coleman scrambled to his base to avoid the shots and Couture quickly took his back and cinched the rear naked choke. Coleman fought gallantly, refusing to tap out. Mazzagatti called a halt to the fight when Coleman’s body went limp.
The fight was Couture’s second fight of a lucrative five-fight contract that will likely close out his illustrious MMA career. Couture once again showed the game planning that has made him one of the toughest fighters in the game. Couture patiently waited for his openings and got Coleman into the Greco-Roman pummeling positions that gave him the advantage.
Despite getting longer in the tooth, Couture looked solid in victory. Crisp, clean punches and a wrestling style that completely neutralized Coleman’s fantastic double-leg takedowns. Couture clearly still has gas left in the tank and is due a serious contender fight for his next matchup at light heavyweight.
The competition is getting to be something fierce in the Bellator featherweight division, as former Greco-Roman World Champion wrestler Joe Warren became the latest major signing for the upstart promotion.
Warren Latest Bellator Signing
Warren is the fifth announced fighter and probably the most recognizable name in the field. A former Michigan University wrestling standout, Warren continued his wrestling career on the international level in the Greco-Roman style, winning the 2006 FILA World Championship, which established him as the favorite for gold in the 2008 Olympics. Warren’s path to gold was interrupted by a positive test for THC, found commonly in marijuana, and received a two-year ban from competition.
Officially making the transition to MMA in 2008, Warren (2-1) joined Team Quest to train alongside fellow Greco-Roman wrestler and MMA star Dan Henderson. Warren didn’t take long making a name for himself, knocking off former WEC champ Chase Beebe in his first professional fight and following that with a stunning upset of Japanese MMA star Kid Yamamota in his second bout. Warren’s run at Dream 11 would come to an end in the semifinals against eventual Dream champion Bibiano Fernandes.
“We are very excited about this signing and being the MMA organization that brought Joe back to the states,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Joe has the ability, drive, confidence and personality to become a star in our sport. His first two wins would make a good career for most fighters and as his stand-up continues developing, the sky is the limit for Joe Warren.”
Warren enters a stacked featherweight division that includes Patricio Friere (12-0), Georgi Karakhaynan (12-1-1), William Romero (5-0) and Bao Quach (17-9-1). The winner is guaranteed a shot at current Bellator champion Joe Soto (8-0).
“I competed for the USA for 10 years and I bleed red, white and blue,” Warren said. “So I’m ready to come back to this country, make my U.S. debut and fight in front of the American MMA fans. I love everything that Bellator is doing and I’m just honored to be a part of their organization.”
Season 2 for the Bellator Fighting Championships kicks off April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL. Tournaments will be featured in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight division. All Bellator fights will be aired live on Fox Sports Net each week, with replay highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo on Saturday nights.
Herschel Walker did not too bad for a 47 year old man. Walker defeated Greg Nagy at 2:17 of the third round with a fight stoppage. While Walker did not look like a totally polished fighter, his performance was respectful.
Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, showed unbelievable conditioning throughout the fight and had plenty in the gas tank when the fight was ended. Walker has always been a conditioning guru and did himself proud for a man of his age.His standup was stiff ,but he continued to take Nagy to the ground where he was the stronger fighter. Walker did have some opportunities for a submission but could not pull them off. Wallker is a sixth degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. You can see that he does possess some fighting skills that are worthy of the MMA game. I love the fact that he wanted to test and challenge himself in the great sport of MMA. MMA has soared in popularity and will continue to attract some of the best athletes in the world to get into the cage.
While you can say that Walker is not threat to any MMA title, I do think that his fight served as some intriguing excitement. You will always have some interest in a former elite athlete when he wants to get in the cage to fight. Walker made people tune into Showtime and did nothing but make the card more appealing to the MMA fan. I am not sure if he will fight again, but I am sure that people would tune in again if that happens. If Walker wants to test himself again that is more than alright with me. I remember how great a running back he was, he gives everything he has when challenged. That is the time of fighter I like to watch. Maybe we will see Herschel fight again. Anyway, Congratulations Herschel.
Strikeforce arrives in Miami tonight with a packed card at the Bell Atlantic Center in Sunrise, FL. Prelminary bouts begin at 7:30pm, with the televised card airing on Showtime at 10pm EST. Nick Diaz and Marius Zaromskis will square off for the vacant welterweight title while Christiane “Cyborg” Santos will make her first defense of the women’s featherweight title against Marloes Coenen. Also featured on the card are the Strikeforce debuts of former NFL running back and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and former WWE pro wrestler Bobby Lashley.
Benchwarmers United will bring you the play-by-play call of the action throughout the evening:
Preliminary Results:
John Kelly def. Sabah Homasi via rear naked choke submission at 2:48 of Round 2.
Hayder Hassan def. Ryan Keenan via knockout at 2:42 of Round 2
Pablo Alfonso def. Marcos da Matta via arm bar submission at 1:47 of Round 1
David Gomez def. Craig Oxley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Joe Ray def. John Clark via technical knockout at 3:14 of Round 1
Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
Round 1
The fighters come out cautious feeling each other out. Hieron attacks first, lunging for body which he misses badly. Hieron follows the missed body shot with a weak front kick. Hieron nails Riggs with a solid right. Riggs appears shaken but is able to compose himself. Hieron launches head kicked that Riggs blocks. Riggs lunges with a Superman punch and misses, Hieron counters with a head kick that misses. The fighter toss jabs at each other. Hieron lands an inside leg kick and follows with a combination. Hieron lands kick to midsection. Another inside leg kick for Hieron. Riggs attempts another Superman punch and misses. Hieron follows with a takedown as the bells sounds.
Hieron easily takes Round 1, 10-9
Round 2
The fighters come out cautious again to start the round. Hieron attacks first with a right, followed a combination that Riggs ducks away from. Hieron throws a head kick and follows through with a takedown. Hieron gets inside Riggs’ guard and lands a flurry of shots to the ribs. Hieron goes for the head and misses, then returns back to the ribs. Hieron continues to work the ribs, but doesn’t appear to be hurting Riggs. Hieron now mixes in a few shots to the head, as Riggs is unable to get out from underneath. Riggs is able to gain wrist control and halts the Hieron assault. Hieron goes back to the ribs and Riggs midsection is beginning to turn purple from the barrage of shots he’s taken. Hieron postures up and lands a big shot to the head. Riggs scrambles and gets back to his feet. Hieron lands a nasty knee to the body as the round closes.
Another clear and dominating round for Hieron, 10-9.
Round 3
The fighters touch gloves in the center to start the round. Riggs strikes first, landing a hard right hook. The fighters scramble to the mat and Hieron gets the advantage position. Riggs is bleeding heavily from the left eye now. The blood is clearly affecting Riggs. Hieron is doing little and the ref stands them up. Hieron nails Riggs as he charges in, flooring the him. Hieron scrambles for an advantage position and gets it on the mat. Hieron begins working the ribs again as Riggs tries to work his way back to his feet along the cage wall. Riggs attempts a kimura, but doesn’t have the position or leverage to hit it. The ref stands the fighters up with 10 seconds lift, but there is not enought time for Riggs to pull out a miracle.
Another round to Hieron, 10-9
Official Result: Hieron by unanimous decision 29-28, 30-27, 30-27
Bobby Lashley vs. Wes Sims
Round 1
Sims has a huge reach advantage over Lashley, as he towers over Lashley with his 6′8″ frame. Sims looks like he took the fight on short notice, looking very soft in the belly. Sims comes out as comedian asking for a pro wresting test of strength. Lashley lunges for a shot due to the reach disadvantage. Sims attempts knee but Lashley gets double leg takedown. Sims is in full guard and Lashley pounds on the side of his head. Lashley postures up and lands a couple of hard shots to Sims head. Sims scrambles to his base position, Lashley takes his back and lands a shot or two. Sims collapses from his base and is flat on mat. Lashley lands a glancing shot and the referee jumps in to stop the action. A very premature stoppage. Sims is very upset and arguing with the ref that he was not hurt.
Official Result: Lashley by technical knockout at 2:06 Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef
Round 1
The fighters meet at center and begin feeling each other out in preparation for a stand up war. Manhoef lands a front kick to the midsection. Lawler lands a left head kick. Manhoef lands a roundhouse kick to the ribs. Lower leg kick by Lawler, Manhoef responds with the same. Manhoef lands a combo and follow with flying front kick. Another combo and kick to midsection again. Manhoef lands some harsh lower leg kicks that appear to be bothering Lawler. Manhoef lands a flurry of shots. More lower leg kick by Manhoef and Lawler is limping. Another combination by Manhoef. Manhoef look to land another lower leg kich and Lawler connects with a vicious overhand right counter that knocks Manhoef out cold. A stunning knockout as Lawler limps around the ring in celebration. Manhoef is still down on the canvas being attended to by doctors. Manhoef is finally up and alert.
Official Result: Lawler by knockout at 3:33 of Round 1
Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy
Round 1
Walker looks in great physical shape. Walker sticks a stiff lab jab to start the action followed by a leg kick. Walker calls on Nagy to fight him. Nagy attempts a takedown but Walker defends and gets a front headlock. Walker circles around and scoops an ankle. Walker gets a half mount and begins to tee off on Nagy. Walker exposes his leg and presses his knee to Nagy’s chest. Walker begins landing shots to the head. Nagy goes for a heel hook but Walker rolls through. Walker takes front headlock again. Walker is now in side control and is landing to the head. Walker now has a crucifix, pinning Nagy’s arm to mat as he lands lefts to the head. The round comes to an end.
Clear round that goes to Walker, 10-9.
Round 2
Walker lands a leg kick and Nagy moves in for a clinch. Walker locks up Nagy and takes him to the canvas. Walker is on Nagy’s side raining down blows. Walker now moves to Nagy’s back and flattens Nagy to the mat. Nagy rolls to his back and Walker get a full mount, but is a little too high to land anything solid. Nagy scrambles and Walker loses the mount. Nagy stands up and Walker lands a knee to the head. Walker has the front headlock again but is doing little with it. Walker now circles around and gets Nagy’s back. Walker is working for the choke but can’t get it. Walker starts hammering blows to open up Nagy. Walker is landing hammerfists to the back of the head and Nagy rolls to his back. More shots to the head by Walker as the round comes to an end.
Pure dominating round by Walker, 10-8.
Round 3
Nagy comes out aggressive and lands two shots to Walker’s head. They move to the cage wall and Walker gets the takedown. Nagy goes for an arm bar, but Walker is able to defend. Walker is again too high with the full mount and is unable to land anything damaging. Nagy goes back to his stomach and Walker begins landing blows from Nagy’s back. Nagy is told by ref to work and defend as Walker lands more blows. The ref has seen enough and calls an end to the fight.
Official Result: Walker by technical knockout at 2:17 of Round 3
Christiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen
Round 1
The ladies come out with a flurry, both attacking. The fighter clinch. Coenen backs out and lands a shot on Cyborg. Takedown by Cyborg, but Coenen is in guard along the cage. Cyborg steps up and lands a hard shot to the head. Cyborg back to the mat, but stands up again and lands some big blows. Cyborg pulls out again, lands a leg kick and pounces back on top. Cyborg postures up and Coenen lands an upkick. Refs stands them up. Coenen lands a big right and Cyborg responds with a left hook. The fighter exchange blows. Cyborg continues to land the left hook. Coenen grabs a clinch and pins Cyborg to the cage. Foot stomp by Coenen. Coenen lands a right elbow, followed by an uppercut backing away. Coenen misses with a right and gets nailed with a counter from Santos as the bell sounds.
Solid round for both fighters, but Cyborg gets the round, 10-9.
Round 2
Cyborg lands a left hook which floors Coenen and rushes straight into an upkick which stops her cold. Cybord postures over top and picks up Coenen for a slam. Cyborg circles like a hyena and pounces Coenen again. Coenen has a solid guard and ties up Cyborg. Coenen is nullifying Cyborg and she finally pulls out to stand up. Refs calls them to the center. Left kick to the body by Cyborg. Stiff jab by Cyborg, Coenen counters with right and Cyborg responds with another jab. Coenen goes for takedown, but Cyborg defends and gets it. Cyborg pulls off and Coenen looks for an upkick. Cyborg lands leg kicks and pounces with a head punch. Cyborg is over top Coenen along the cage as the round comes to an end.
Very strong round for Cyborg, 10-9.
Round 3
Cyborg’s cardio looks good as they open the round. Coenen goes under but Cyborg fends her off. Coenen doesn’t give up and drive Cyborg into the cage wall. Cyborg circles off the cage and lands a flurry of punches and kicks. Coenen goes for takedown and Cyborg overpowers her again. Cyborg lands a few blows to the head. Coenen is in solid guard position and is working her leg up for a triangle choke. Cyborg steps up and slip, allowing Coenen to stand up. Coenen lands a right hand bomb, but Cyborg is unphased. Cyborg lands a few shots, as Coenen goes under again only to be denied the takedown again. Cyborg is posturing up and landing blows at will. Coenen balls herself up and is showing no defense. The referee steps in and halts the fight.
Official Result: Santos by technical knockout at 3:40 of Round 3
Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis
Round 1
The fighters stare each other down as they receive their instructions. The fighters are exchanging big blows on each other. Zaromskis lands a knee which slows Diaz and Diaz moves for a clinch. Diaz is hammering knees to Zaromskis’ right leg. Diaz keeps working that leg, hoping to take Zaromskis leg kicks out of the fight. Zaromskis scrambles off the cage wall. The fighters exchange with Diaz getting the better of the exchange, beating Zaromskis to the punch. Zaromskis land a big left hook that floors Diaz. Zaromskis pounces and lands a hammer fist. Diaz is bleeding. Diaz recovers and gets to his feet. Diaz again beats Zaromskis to the punch and is landing sharp blows. Big right by Diaz rocks Zaromskis. A combination by Diaz. Zaromskis is taking a boatload of shots. Huge uppercut by Diaz and Zaromskis is hurt badly. Diaz is unloading punches and Zaromskis is somehow still standing. A right cross floors Zaromski, Diaz pounces and the referee halts the fight. Diaz wins the welterweight title.
Official Result: Diaz by technical knockout at 4:38
After numerous injuries, bout changes, last minute fight matchmaking and fan outcry about the televised main card, Strikeforce: Miami is finally here. You can bet Scott Coker and his team are happy this one in almost in the books and they can move forward towards their next event after the roller coaster they have been on for the last six weeks. The bright side after all of the craziness is that the fight is a can’t miss event in the middle of the two week NFL party leading up to the Super Bowl in South Florida.
Diaz Fights For Welterweight Title
The evening is highlighted by two championship bouts and two major name debuts. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will defend her championship against contender Marloes Coenen and Nick Diaz and Strikeforce newcomer Marius Zaromskis will square off for the vacant welterweight championship that was vacated by Cung Le. Former NFL running back Herschel Walker and former WWE professional wrestler Bobby Lashley will make their debuts with Strikeforce on the undercard.
Here’s the breakdown of the night’s main fights:
Jay Hieron vs Joe Riggs
Hieron is the jilted former lover of Strikeforce. Signing a contract with the promotion with the understanding he’d fight for the welterweight title, his bout with Nick Diaz was canceled in August after Diaz was unable to obtain a fight license. Now he’s fighting on a Diaz undercard, his title shot given to another fighter, and to top it off his fight won’t be telecast on Showtime. Something tells me I wouldn’t want to be Scott Riggs on Saturday night.
Hieron (18-4) will look to apply his boxing and wrestling skills to his advantage against the journeyman Riggs (32-10). Making his return to Strikeforce, Riggs poses a solid matchup for Hieron to prove the hype that is surrounding him. Riggs, a former UFC vet, holds victories over Diaz, Kendall Grove and Phil Baroni and is no slouch, ending 29 of his 32 victories before the bell.
Expect Hieron to exact some damage and send a message that he’s next in line for the title shot that was rightfully his. The Hierson vs. Riggs fight will be available via free internet video stream live at EASportsMMA.com.
Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy
Former NFL running back and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker will make his MMA fighting debut versus Greg Nagy (1-1). Given the marketing dollars put behind Walker, you can expect that Nagy is a carefully chosen opponent that will make Walker look good. At age 47, Walker’s best days are way behind him and his body is worse for wear after the pounding he took in his NFL career. Expect a carnival show as Walker gets his first MMA victory.
Bobby Lashley vs Wes Sims
The former WWE’s pro wrestler’s debut had been up in the air as two fighters backed out on Lashley in recent weeks. Strikeforce was able to obtain a solid last minute replacement in securing former UFC vet and recent TUF 10 contestant, the resident comedian Wes Sims. Lashley (4-0) will make his Strikeforce debut and significantly step up his level of competition with the veteran Sims (22-12-1). After watching Sims get choked unconscious and having the cockiness slapped out of him by Justin Wren, expect Lashley to pound it out and dispatch of Sims with relative ease. It will be a solid stepping stone for Lashley as he becomes acclimated with the sport.
Robbie Lawler vs Melvin Manhoef
The likely fight of the night candidate for the event. Lawler (16-5) is coming of a bad loss to Jake Shields and hops back into the cage against the dangerous striker Manhoef (24-6-1). Both are finishers on their feet, with Lawler registering 13 stoppages in his 16 victories, while Manhoef has finshed 23 of his 24 victims with his strikes. You can bet the house that this fight will not end by submission. The key for Lawler is to get this fight to the canvas and take advantage of Manhoef’s weak defense. If Lawler keeps it on his feet, expect him to get rocked consistently by Manhoef’s shots.
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen
The champ Santos returns to the cage to make her first defense of her belt after a brilliant and dominating performance that ended the reign of Strikeforce’s female face, Gina Carano. Cyborg (8-1) will be pushed a little more by the accomplished Coenen (17-3). Coenen will want to get this fight to the ground quickly and test Cyborg’s cardio by taking the fight deep. The Carano fight showed some weaknesses in Cyborg’s game on the ground and Coenen will look to exploit this and fend off the expected all-out assault Cyborg will deliver in the first period. If Coenen can take this fight past the 2nd round, her chances of victory increase dramatically. Don’t be surprise if Coenen pulls out an unexpected victory.
Nick Diaz vs Marius Zaromskis
Diaz (20-7) has been on a tear since his departure from the UFC, with only a doctor’s stoppage loss to K.J. Noons blemishing his record. Zaromskis (13-3) makes his USA and Strikeforce debut after winning the Dream 10 Welterweight Grand Prix with a vicious knockout of Jason High. For Diaz to pull out the victory, he will need to rely on his ground game as it appears that toe-to-toe, Zaromskis will eat him alive. Expect to see Diaz bring this fight to the mat and display the wide range of skills he has honed against top-level talent to hammer out a victory against the untested Zaromskis.
Strikeforce: Miami will air live on Showtime this Saturday night, with the main card beginning at 10pm EST.
Bellator Fighting Championships finalized four of its scheduled events for the upcoming Seasons 2 and 3, announcing that it will return to the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. During its first season, Bellator began and ended its season at the Hard Rock Live, culminating in a near sellout for the upstart MMA promotion to close its inaugural campaign.
Bellator Returns To The Hard Rock
The dates to be held at the Hard Rock Live include:
Bellator XIII, April 8, 2010
Bellator XXII, June 10, 2010
Bellator XXV, Aug. 12, 2010
Bellator XXXVI, Oct. 28, 2010
In addition to the events at the Hard Rock, Bellator will be securing venues for 20 other events to be held nationwide over the next few weeks. All events will be broadcast live in primetime through a distribution arrangement with FOX Sports Net and its regional sports network affiliates. Bellator has also scheduled a 30-minute highlight show to air Saturday night on NBC, as well as a Spanish-language replay that will air on Telemundo on Saturdays as well.
The news of the first venues follows a recent rash of high-profile signings that include Dan Hornbuckle, former Olympian Ben Askren, Patricio Freire and Georgi Karakhaynan. Season 2 will follow the same tournament format with the winner of the tournament guaranteed a title shot against Bellator’s Season 1 champions Joe Soto, Eddie Alvarez, Lyman Good and Hector Lombard.
Tickets for the Season 2 premiere will go on sale February 5, 2010 and will be available at Ticketmaster.com.
