Recently in Strikeforce News Category

Not too long ago, I posted a video of Aaron Tru, who works for MMAPrime.tv, getting choked unconscious by Cris "Cyborg" Santos. In this video, Tru gets put through a Cyborg workout. Warning: the end is sick, I mean, literally, sick.

This aired during Strikeforce's Fedor vs. Rogers event. Looked like Rogers got more shots in on the video game than in the real thing.

Saturday's Jake Shields vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller fight saw a great tactical war waged on the ground. Shields has superb jits, but Miller proved to be a worthy adversary, and although Shields maintained the majority of the ground control, he could never seem to slap anything solid on the slippery Mayhem.

-- First of all, I didn't catch the prelims, so I'm not sure how entertaining they were. Go to sherdog to look at the play-by-play if you're interested. They should still have it up on their site.

-- Werdum and Silva was a good, competitive fight. Werdum caught Silva with some hard shots, but Silva has an enormous chin that withstood those shots. Silva gave it Werdum as well, and I knew it would be a close one, I thought a split decision, rather than a unanimous one, for Werdum. What's next for him? Well, I'd say maybe he gets Rogers, because I think Overeem and Fedor will fight next, maybe in the spring? Don't know why, but big fights take a while to put together it seems.

-- I was surprised at Sokoudjou. I didn't think he would last that long against Mousasi. I think maybe Mousasi underestimated Soko and his improved ground game. It just seems that standing Soko is nervous, very jittery, like he's afraid to get hit, and that's definitely understandable.

Thanks to mma-core for the gifs.

Natedogg1788, a member of Sherdog's forums, said, "i snuck into the arena and was able to catch Jason Miller practicing his entrance," and put up this link. It's what we would expect from Miller, who's every bit a showman as he is a fighter.

The picture's a little shaky ... well, more than a little, but it's the only video I could find. Man, I can't wait for this one.

This guy knocked out Jaosn High with a head kick and now I just heard he's been signed by Strikeforce. Good acquisition for SF - this guy's a terror.

Ah, the good ol' striped sweater again. It could be a good luck thing ...

Damn, that dude's got a beard that maybe rivals Kimbo's.

Friday, October 09, 2009
by Loretta Hunt (lhunt@sherdog.com)

Gegard Mousasi and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou have agreed to meet in a light heavyweight non-title bout at Strikeforce "Fedor vs. Rogers" on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffmann Estates, Ill., Sherdog.com has confirmed through multiple sources.

If approved by the Illinois Boxing Commission, the three-round bout will be one of four fights televised live on CBS during the promotion's debut on the major broadcast network.

Mousasi earned the Strikeforce light heavyweight title with a first-round technical knockout over Renato "Babalu" Sobral at Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg" on Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif. The bout was the 24-year-old Armenian-Dutch fighter's first at 205 pounds, as well as his debut fight in the U.S.

Ted's Take: Mousasi should take this. He's on a roll, while Soko, although he started strong in PrideFC three years ago, has struggled, losing to guys like Machida, Babalu and Luis Arthur Cane.

Looks like a great night of fights - I gotta say, this main card is as good as most UFC main cards. Strikeforce looks to prove to CBS that they are nothing like the debacle that was EliteXC.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9 -- CBS, STRIKEFORCE, M-1 Global today officially announced the fight card for mixed martial arts' (MMA) return to primetime with CBS/ STRIKEFORCE/M-1 GLOBAL SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network from Chicago, Illinois' Sears Centre Arena.

"We're looking forward to delivering an explosive night of world class MMA action on CBS," said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE. "We have the world's # 1 fighter, Fedor, making his network primetime debut against an undefeated powerhouse in Brett Rogers and, with the stars lined up for the remainder of the card, it is bound to be an exciting night of television."

The following four primetime matchups are confirmed for CBS/ STRIKEFORCE/ M-1 GLOBAL SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on Nov. 7:
 Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko vs. Brett "The Grim" Rogers
 Jake Shields vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller (Middleweight Title Fight)
 Gegard "The Dreamcatcher" Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry "The African Assassin" Sokoudjou
 Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum vs. Antonio "Big Foot" Silva
(All bouts are pending approval by the Illinois Athletic Commission.)

Mo Lawal

Gegard Mousasi

This from mmajunkie.com: As expected newly crowned Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1) will, in fact, defend his belt at Strikeforce's Nov. 7 event, which airs on CBS.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported that Mousasi was expected to be part of the Chicago-area card, and the M-1 fighter today confirmed his participation with M-1global.com.

No opponent has been named for the fighter.

And this from bloodyelbow.com: Though it was reported last month that (Kevin) Randleman could clash with hot prospect "King" Mo Lawal, it's now rumored that Lawal passed on the fight in favor of a Strikeforce date with Gegard Mousasi.

No big deal, but I'm not sure that this has ever happened with an organization. Check it out:

SaveMart Center at Fresno State - Fresno, CA
Friday, November 6, 2009 - 8:00PM/PT (prelims at 6:00PM)

Sears Centre Arena - Hoffman Estates, IL
Saturday, November 7, 2009 - 8:00PM/CT (prelims at 6:00PM)

He's not doing it for the money, he's not even doing it for the charity that the money he makes will go to. In a word, it's pride. Herschel Walker felt slighted when he ran across a group of MMA fighters, who, understandably, thought they were the best. What professional athlete doesn't? Anyway, here's an excerpt from a recent Sherdog.com interview:

Sherdog: Why MMA at age 47?
Walker: I'm a competitor. I love to compete. I've been doing martial arts for years. I love the sport. I happened to be in Vegas when some of the ultimate fighters were working out. Many of them said, "We're the best athletes in the world." And I'm sitting there, and I really didn't say that much. I've competed with some of the fastest guys in the world in track and field, I played NFL football, I've been on Olympic teams. And I'm thinking, "I'm a pretty darn good athlete myself." I don't care what age I am. I can still compete. I don't see a lot of people wanting to step up to compete against me. I think there are a lot of good athletes in basketball, baseball, football. To make a bold statement that your group is the best just pinched a nerve with me.

So, what does it mean if he competes in a few MMA fights and does all right? Does it mean that MMA fighters aren't the athletes they say they are? Does it mean Walker is a great athlete even at 47? Does it mean it's tougher to play football than it is MMA? I have no clue.

Topics covered include the Kimbo vs. Nelson fight on TUF, and other UFC and Strikeforce news

Herschel Walker concentrating very hard on signing this woman's .. er ... he's giving her an autograph, all right?

Email from LionHeart management, about Bradley, who used to train and live in State College:
Paul Bradley (12-1) showcased his impressive stand up and well rounded fight game this past Friday night at the Strikeforce Challenger Fights in Tulsa, Oklahoma by dominating Levi Avera (12-5). Bradley, who improved his record to 12-1, won by a unanimous decision over Avera with all 3 judges scoring the fight 30-27.

"I was pleased with the win Friday night and felt like I was able to dominate the fight no matter where it went. I am going to go back to the gym Monday and continue training full time to move closer to a Strikeforce title. Fighting in a great organization like Strikeforce was awesome and it feels great to be a part of such an impressive fight league. I am looking forward to fighting for them as soon as possible."

We would like to thank the sponsors listed in the column on the left that have generously helped Paul during his training camp.

And special thanks to Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts and Greg Nelson for helping Paul get ready for this fight.

Thanks to mmajunkie.com for the play-by-play:

LEVI AVERA VS. PAUL BRADLEY

Round 1 - Quick touch of gloves. Bradley scores a quick jab, then shucks off Avera's advance, tossing him to the side and falling into top position. Avera settles into half-guard underneath, and he looks to use his long legs to attack. Avera gains full guard as Bradley lands a few shots from top position. Avera ties up the arms, and Bradley tries to posture up. Bradley pulls his left leg through to half-mount. Avera tries to look to his right for a potential kimura, but instead settles for establishing full guard. Two minutes remain in the round. Bradley delivers a few shots to the ribs. Slow action, and the referee brings it back to the feet. Avera fakes a right kick and lands a left kick to the body. Avera grabs a single leg, but he has to let it go. Bradley works in a few quick hands, and Avera tries to answer. Bradley shoots in and powers him to the floor. Bradley drags his opponent to the cage as time expires, and he secures the opening round on the MMAjunkie.com card, 10-9.

Thanks to mmajunkie.com for the head's up.

Herschel Walker has yet to throw his first official MMA punch, but he already has his own signature MMA T-shirt.

TapouT has signed a deal with the former gridiron great to produce the Herschel Walker Signature Series shirt, which the company is introducing today.

Strikeforce opened some eyes in the sports world on Monday by announcing it had inked the 47-year-old to a multi-fight contract to compete as a heavyweight.

NEW YORK (September 21, 2009)--Former NFL and NCAA football superstar Herschel Walker will enter a new chapter in his career as a professional athlete when he makes his debut as a heavyweight in the world's fastest growing sport - mixed martial arts (MMA) - as part of a multi-fight contract he has signed with world championship promotion STRIKEFORCE.

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will begin a 12 week training camp next month at San Jose, California's American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world's greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson. The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.

by Loretta Hunt of sherdog.com

Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers will face off in a heavyweight main event for Strikeforce on Nov. 7 on CBS, according to sources close to the event. A venue for the event is still to be announced.

An official announcement from CBS and Strikeforce is expected Thursday. The CBS Corporation owns premium pay channel Showtime, which has a multi-year broadcast deal with Strikeforce.

The bout will be the first of three for Emelianenko, the world's top-ranked heavyweight, with the promotion and will mark his first bout in a cage.

From LionHeart Management: Next up for LionHeart fighters is Paul Bradley (11-1) who will make his Strikeforce debut on September 25th in Tulsa Oklahoma. Paul, who was featured on The Ultimate Fighter a few seasons back, was one of the first fighters to train at LionHeart Fighters in State College.

MAIN CARD (BEGINNING AT 10:00PM/CT):
Tim Kennedy (11-2) vs. Zak Cummings (10-0) - 3X5 - 185lbs
Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo (1-0) vs. Kevin "The Shaman" Jordan (11-7) - 3X5 - Heavyweights
Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley (5-0) vs. Zach "The Lisbon Outlaw" Light (6-8) - 3X5 - 170lbs
Thomas Longacre (4-0) vs. Travis "The Dark Night" Calonoc (4-0) - 3X5 - 147lbs
Daniel Cormier (debut) vs. TBA - 3X5

NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD (BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00PM/CT)
Lacey "The Ladie" Schuckman (2-0) vs. Jeri "Fists of Fury" Sitzes (2-2) - 3X5 - 120lbs
Levi "The Marine" Avera (12-5) vs. Paul Bradley (10-1) - 3X5 - 170lbs
Trey Houston (1-0) vs. Brandon Gaines (4-10) - 3X5 - 185lbs
Kenny Giddens (8-5) vs. John Carson (7-1) - 3X5 - 155lbs
Nick Gibbons (13-0) vs. Josh Pulsifer (11-4) - 3X5 - 145lbs
Lemont Davis (2-3) vs. Dillon Smith (1-0) - 3X5 - 170lbs

Gina's fight from the movie "Blood and Bone." Thanks to bloodyelbow for the head's up.

From MMA junkie: Strikeforce's Gina Carano is joining the ever-growing list of fighter-thespians.

According to a report from the Hollywood news and trade outlet Variety, Carano has landed the lead role in the upcoming Steven Soderbergh film, "Knockout," a spy thriller tentatively slated for a late 2010 release.

Soderbergh is a well-known director and Oscar winner who's directed hits such as "Traffic," "Ocean's Eleven," "Erin Brockovich" and "Sex, Lies, and Videotape."

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the
best fighter in mixed martial arts today, and the man who plans to
conquer him in his next fight.

Fedor Emelianenko holds the distinction of being both the best
heavyweight and top pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts
today. He also is the top mixed martial arts fighter of this decade,
and many would add the best heavyweight and even the best overall MMA
fighter of all time.

After defeating a virtual who's who of the heavyweight division, Fedor
will now have another confident challenger as he takes on the unbeaten
Brett Rogers. This will be on a Strikeforce-M-1 Global card this fall
at a date and location which will be shortly finalized. This card will
be shown in the U.S. on Showtime.

We had a chance to conduct interviews with Fedor Emelianenko and Brett
Rogers this Thursday evening while they were in New York on a
whirlwind media tour. When you listen to these interviews, you will
learn not only how both fighters are approaching this fight, but also
life.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-08-27T21_31_10-07_00.

You can also download No Holds Barred at http://www.mediafire.com/?qmqx4mn1mzo.

by Brian Knapp, sherdog.com

Fedor Emelianenko will make his Strikeforce debut in a showdown with undefeated heavyweight Brett Rogers, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced on Wednesday during the Russian superstar's public workout at the Fighthouse Gym in New York City. No date or venue was announced.

Unbeaten in his last 27 fights, Emelianenko (30-1, 1 NC) flattened former UFC champions Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia in his most recent outings. The 32-year-old Russian knocked out Arlovski with one punch 3:14 into their match at Affliction "Day of Reckoning" in January but has not competed since.

From Showtime's Web site. Thanks to bloodyelbow.com for the head's up.

Tom and I talk Strikeforce, New Breed Fighters and we're a little late on Arena Assault, which occurred last night, not tonight as I say in the video. Yes, I'm a dumbass.

Bradley vs. Dante Rivera. Fast-forward to 2:10 for the start of this fight, which is done in about 30 seconds.

LionHeart Professional Management & Promotions is proud to announce that Paul Bradley has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, one of the top MMA organizations in the world. Bradley will make his Strikeforce debut on Sept. 25th in Tulsa, OK.

Ted: Good to see things going well for Bradley, who used to train in State College at LionHeart Fighters. He's now with Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy, but is still represented by LionHeart's Chad Dubin. Since his short UFC Ultimate Fighter 7 stint, Bradley's been working his way back up the ladder. Watch this guy - he could be a major force at 170.

Strikeforce CEO Coker sees endless possibilities
Partnership with M-1, DREAM could make promotion a legitimate threat to UFC
By Andy Samuelson

In order to land highly sought mixed martial artist Fedor Emelianenko, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker had to do something UFC brass wouldn't budge on -- letting the Russian star's M-1 Global fighting organization co-promote events.

Now it seems Strikeforce is ready to stretch its global stage even farther, announcing after Saturday's historic Carano vs. Cyborg event that the San Jose-based MMA promotion is working on a deal with the Japanese DREAM organization to co-promote events both in the U.S. and Japan.

"In Strikeforce, we're committed to putting on the best fights that we can," Coker said. "They have a lot of great fighters in DREAM, and we'll be able to test the best fighters in Strikeforce against the best fighters in DREAM.

"Hopefully we'll be in Japan doing a co-promotion in relatively short time."

I know I've posted a lot of Strikeforce videos this week - which kind of makes sense that they've made so many, given this is their biggest event yet - but this will probably be the last hype videos I post. Speed up to :30 in to see gratuitous soft-core content.

from mma fanhouse:
SAN JOSE, Calif. - October is shaping to be another can't miss-month for mixed martial arts fans.

We already knew that DREAM.11 would take place on Oct. 6 and UFC 104 on Oct. 24, but now it looks like Fedor Emelianenko will make his Strikeforce debut on Oct. 10. Ken Hershman, Showtime Sports' senior vice president and general manager, informed FanHouse of the news on Thursday. Emelianenko's first fight for the organization will air live on the premium cable network.

Hershman added that no location or opponent for Emelianenko has been finalized.

courtesy of sherdog.com:
Strikeforce Female 145-Pound Championship
Gina Carano (143) vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (144.5)

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship
Renato "Babalu" Sobral (201) vs. Gegard Mousasi (204)

Strikeforce Lightweight Championship
Gilbert Melendez (155) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (155)

Jay Hieron (169) vs. Jesse Taylor (*172)
Fabricio Werdum (228) vs. Mike Kyle (219)
Mike Cook (205) vs. Scott Lighty (202)
David Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox
Zak Bucia vs. James Terry
Isaiah Hill vs. Alexander Trevino

* Taylor has two hours to drop one pound.

The latest in ShoSports' shorts on the fighters who fight for them ... did I just write that? Anyway, it's a little video on Melendez, who takes on Mitsuhiro Ishida tomorrow night at Carano vs. Cyborg for the Strikeforce interim lightweight title.

Tom and I discuss UFC 101, Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg, Tim Boetsch, Jimmy Chappell, and CPWC III.

But if you don't have Showtime, you can buy the Carano-Cyborg event and watch it on your computer again and again.

Just a couple blog posts ago, I was talking about how Tim Boetsch was cut from the UFC and is now set to work his way back to the major leagues. Here's another guy who left the UFC - under far more infamous circumstances - has gone 7-0 and is now up for the biggest fight of his career so far.

from mmajunkie.com:
When Strikeforce called offering Jesse Taylor a spot on this Saturday's "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" card as a replacement for Nick Diaz, he didn't hesitate to accept the offer.

In fact, since his infamous departure from "The Ultimate Fighter 7" finales due to a post-show drunken rampage in Las Vegas, he's accepted just about every opportunity that's come his way.

As he today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), Taylor has fought seven times in nine months and once found himself on three continents in just a week's span.

COMPLETE FIGHT CARD

Televised Bouts:

Gina Carano (7-0) vs. Cris Cyborg (7-1)
145 Women's Championship

Nick Diaz (20-7) vs. Jay Hieron (17-4)
Welterweight Championship

Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1)
Light Heavyweight Championship

Gilbert Melendez (15-2) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (18-5-1)
Interim Lightweight Championship


Non-Televised Undercard Bouts:

Mike Kyle (12-6-1) vs. Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) - Heavyweights

Scott Lighty (4-0) vs. Mike Cook (7-4) - 205 lbs

David Douglas (4-1) vs. Justin Wilcox (5-3) - 155 lbs

James Terry (6-1) vs. Zac Bucia (2-3) - 170 lbs

Isaiah Hill (4-6) vs. Alex Trevino (3-0) - 155 lbs

This is a great highlight with some awesome music, worthy of The Last Emperor.

Scott Coker, Strikeforce CEO, on Tapout radio recently talking the Fedor signing (thanks to Bloodyelbow.com):
- I'd like to see Brett Rogers, Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem against Fedor
- We have an alliance with DREAM.
- We are talking about having a card with the best of DREAM, K-1, M-1 and Strikeforce (Manhoef vs. Lawler or Aoki vs. Thomson).
- This will be the first time you see Fedor fight in a cage.
- We'll have an opponent named by a press conference on Thursday.

Also, Frank Shamrock had this to say on his Web site: "welcome fedor! strikeforce has the number one rated mens and womans fighters in MMA. with the upcoming 8-15 event we are once again making history and moving the sport forward.

congrats to tito for showing his true colors and getting back in the UFC; nice to see him back with his father dana white."

frank

By Loretta Hunt, sherdog.com:
Fedor Emelianenko has signed a multi-fight agreement that will see the world's No. 1-ranked heavyweight compete for Strikeforce, the promotion announced Monday.

Emelianenko, who became a free agent after Affliction Entertainment canceled its Aug. 1 event two weeks ago, will make his debut on Showtime under a co-promoted Strikeforce/M-1 Global production this fall. Emelianenko was to have faced Josh Barnett at Affliction "Trilogy" on Aug. 1, but Barnett failed a pre-fight test for an anabolic steroid and was refused licensure by the California State Athletic Commission.

"Strikeforce is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world," said Emelianenko in a press release. "I am prepared to fight any of them."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com last week that he plans to match the stoic Russian against the likes of Brett Rogers, Fabricio Werdum and the promotion's heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem.

"I feel pretty confident that we could give him four or five opponents that would make sense for him," Coker told Sherdog.com in an exclusive video interview.

Emelianenko, along with his promoters and management team at M-1 Global, had negotiated with the UFC last week, but could not come to an agreement over co-promotion.

"Fedor is a f---ing joke," UFC President Dana White responded Monday after learning that Emelianenko had signed with Strikeforce. "He turns down a huge deal and the opportunity to face the best in the world to fight nobodies for no money!"

White also addressed fans: "I feel sorry for the real fight fans. I wanted to make the deal, but it takes two and it is very obvious Fedor doesn't want to fight the best, and doesn't give a sh-t about the fans!"

This article was updated at 3:52 p.m. EST and 7:35 p.m. EST with quotes from Dana White that the UFC's PR Director Jennifer Wenk sent directly to Sherdog.com.

Here's a news release from Mike Afromowitz, Strikeforce's public relations:
World's No. 1 MMA Heavyweight To Fight In STRIKEFORCE / M-1 Global Co-Promoted Events

First Fight To Air This Fall, Live on SHOWTIME®

NEW YORK (August 3, 2009)--After a week of intense negotiations and speculation, the hottest topic of discussion in the professional fight world has come to a head as the world's number one heavyweight and most sought after mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko has signed a historic, multi-fight agreement that will see him headline mega-events co-promoted by world championship promotions STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global.

Emelianenko, known globally as Fedor, will make his premium television debut this Fall when his first fight under the new agreement airs live on SHOWTIME®. Up until now, Emelianenko's live fights have aired exclusively on pay-per-view in the United States.

from Kevin Iole:
After promoting two critically acclaimed but financially disastrous mixed martial arts cards, Affliction on Friday first canceled its pay-per-view card scheduled for Aug. 1 and then opted to get out of the promotional business, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

The company and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are expected to release a statement sometime on Friday in which it is announced that Affliction will cease operations as a promoter and that its clothing division will become a UFC sponsor.

Affliction had a card slated for Aug. 1 with a main event of Fedor Emelianenko, the No. 2 fighter in the Yahoo! Sports mixed martial arts rankings, against former UFC champion Josh Barnett at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

I hate to say this, but man, I hope she makes weight this time, to save Strikeforce the embarassment of the Towel Incident from the last EliteXC event.

The family that spars together ...

...stays together.

Rematch Will Precede Carano vs. Cyborg Main Event Live on SHOWTIME from HP Pavilion, San Jose, Calif.

NEW YORK (July 6, 2009)--STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem (29-11) will put his coveted title on the line and, at the same time, attempt to avenge a previous defeat when he squares off with old nemesis and two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum (11-4-1) during the live, SHOWTIME® telecast of STRIKEFORCE: "Carano vs. Cyborg" from San Jose, California's HP Pavilion on Saturday, August 15.

"I'm very happy that I'm being given the opportunity to fight him again and I'm looking forward to beating him," said the 29-year-old Overeem who, at 6 feet 5 inches tall and a chiseled 250 pounds, is considered one of the sport's most impressive physical specimens. Overeem hails from The Netherlands and is a longtime member of the country's Team Golden Glory, the fight squad that boasts a host of the world's top martial arts fighters. "This is the one rematch I've wanted. I'm going to punish this guy."

MMA legend Pat Miletich helps out with the UFC 100 preview and Jacob "Stitch" Duran talks about why he's one fo the best cutmen in the fight game.

Beerbohm vs. Ludwig: untelevised fan-cam edition.

Lyle Beerborhm, a former meth addict and inmate at Washington State Penitentiary, called his shot like Babe Ruth, saying he was going to choke out Duane "Bang" Ludwig with a schoolyard choke. MMAjunkie.com's Brad McCray has the story:

KENT, Wash. - With a nickname like "Fancy Pants," it's fairly easy to conclude that Lyle Beerbohm (10-0) is not your typical fighter.

At Friday night's "Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg," Beerbohm added another chapter to his quickly growing legend, borrowing a page from baseball history.

Reminiscent of Babe Ruth's pointing to centerfield, Beerbohm picked a finishing move before his preliminary card fight began, then went out and did it, choking out Duane Ludwig (18-9) with a schoolyard choke at 4:27 of the first-round.

They don't call him "Fancy Pants" for nuthin.' His mom makes his shorts - seriously - says mmajunkie.com.

The real fight goes down tonight on Showtime.

A reporter from MMA Worldwide interviews Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos about her upcoming superfight with GIna Carano for Strikeforce on Aug. 15. One of his questions is how long it would take for Carano to lose consciousness if Cyborg got her in a rear-naked. Fast-foward to about 4:45 to see where I got the title quote.

Whether it is or isn't the biggest fight in women's MMA, as some have talked about it, it promises to be a good one, maybe even Carano's toughest test yet.

More Gina:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 1:

Part 2:

OFFICIAL RESULTS from mmajunkie.com:
Jake Shields def. Robbie Lawler via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 2:02
Brett Rogers def. Andrei Alorvski via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 0:22
Nick Diaz def. Scott Smith via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 1:41
Joe Riggs def. Phil Baroni via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Whitehead def. Kevin Randleman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
Jesse Finney def. Josh Bumgarner via submission (keylock) - Round 1, 1:55
Mike Kyle def. Rafael Cavalcante via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 4:05
Booker DeRousse def. James Wade via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 4:06
Tyron Woodley def. Salvoder Woods via submission (north-south choke) - Round 1, 4:20
Lucas Lopes def. Scott Ventimiglia via disqualification (illegal knee strike) - Round 1, 3:26
Pat Benson def. Dave Cochran via submission (triangle choke), Round 1 - 2:18

Hands of Steel talks about his war with Benji Radach and how he'll approach tonight's fight with Nick Diaz.

Dis guy - ay, whattayagonnado? It's Baroni, you gotta love him.

I have a page on Andrei Arlovski's Web site, which entitles me to emails - some important, some not. Here's the one I received today:

A message to all members of Official Website of Andrei The Pit Bull Arlovski

The day has finally arrived and Andrei can't wait to put on the gloves and get into the ring tonight! He wanted to let everyone who supports him know that he really appreciates how dedicated you all are and how much you believe in him - he promised to be smart and stick to the game plan tonight and to put on a great show for everyone as always!

You are invited to join us, Team Pit Bull and the rest of the Arlovski.com Members in the Chat and the continuous Live Blog on Arlovski.com that will begin this afternoon - where you will get to experience tonight from a insiders perspective!

Onward to Victory!

Visit Official Website of Andrei The Pit Bull Arlovski at: http://www.arlovski.com

Emphasis above is mine, but in a video I posted recently, Arlovski still wondered why he threw that "stupid flying knee" that Fedor capitalized on and won the fight via KO. Of course, I wish Andrei the best tonight and think it'll be his turn to unleash a KO, this time on Rogers.

Lawler and Shields

Arlovski and Rogers

thanks to mmajunkie.com:
MAIN CARD
Robbie Lawler (182.75) vs. Jake Shields (181.75)
Andrei Arlovski (244) vs. Brett Rogers (262)
Nick Diaz (179) vs. Scott Smith (179.5)
Phil Baroni (168.75) vs. Joe Riggs (170)
Kevin Randleman (204) vs. Mike Whitehead (206)
PRELIMINARY CARD
Josh Bumgarner (173.5) vs. Jesse Finney (175.75)
Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (205.5) vs. Mike Kyle (202.5)
Booker DeRousse (204.25) vs. James Wade (205.25)
Tyron Woodley (170.5) vs. Sal Woods (169.25)
Lucas Lopes (186) vs. Scott Ventimiglia (185)
Dave Cochran (153) vs. Pat Benson (155.75)

Find more videos like this on Official Website of Andrei The Pit Bull Arlovski

Good to see that MMA fighters are getting the celeb treatment. One dope on the show says, "His last two fights weren't that good," well, hate to use the cliche, but Arlovski WAS doing very well, a lot better than most, against Fedor before the KO at Affliction: Day of Reckoning, but the fight before that, he totally dominated Roy Nelson and knocked him out on EliteXC - Heat. Not good enough for ya?

This Saturday on Showtime, Strikeforce stages another event (I think it's their second) since their acquistion of EliteXC, Lawler vs. Shields. The event is stacked, including Arlovski, coming off a devastating loss to Fedor in Affliction: Day of Reckoning, takig on undefeated Brett Rogers.

This just in from Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski's Web site:

It's the Pitbull vs. The Grim on June 6 at the Lawler vs. Shields event. Now this is an example of great matchmaking. Arlovski is coming off a devastating loss to Fedor at Affliction: Day of Reckoning. Some pundits have argued that before Fedor launched the fight-ending punch, Arlovski was getting the better of "The Last Emperor," with his longer reach, and improved boxing and footwork. So, can Arlovski overcome that loss and get back to the shape and mindset he was in prior to the fight?

Rogers is coming off a TKO win in the second round at the last Strikeforce event and is undefeated in nine fights. The thing is, Rogers has never faced anyone of Arlovski's caliber, never fought anyone with close to the reputation that Arlovski has. It could be he's ready to make that leap, or we could see his first defeat.

By John Morgan, mmajunkie:
Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. continues to strike out in a search for potential homes for a mixed martial arts debut.

After UFC President Dana White recently declined on promoting a potential bout between his middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Jones Jr., Showtime Senior Vice President Ken Hershman today called a Strikeforce bout between the boxer and Nick Diaz a "very long shot."

After his April 11 win over Frank Shamrock, Diaz had challenged Jones Jr. to a boxing-rules match. Jones Jr. has since expressed his willingness to compete under full MMA rules.

"I get a Roy Jones call once a week pitching me things," Hershman said on today's Strikeforce media call. "[A fight between Diaz and Jones Jr.] would be a very long shot of ever happening."

Thanks to Bloodyelbow:

MAIN CARD (BEGINNING AT 9:00PM CST June 6 on Showtime ):

Robbie Lawler (16-4) vs. Jake Shields (22-4-1)
Alistair Overeem (29-11) vs. Brett Rogers (9-1) [HW Title Fight]
Nick Diaz (19-7) vs. Scott Smith (15-5) - 180Lbs
Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni (13-10) vs. Joe "Diesel" Riggs (29-10)
Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (7-1) vs. Jared Hamman (10-1)

Thanks to bloodyelbow.com for the find. I mentioned this on Saturday, after Sherdog.com reported it, and now we have some footage. Not sure what this was about, but who knows, maybe Tito will return to the cage to challenge Babalu for his Strikeforce LHW title.

Featuring Gina Carano, Tito Ortiz, Cyborg Santos, Brett Rogers, Ryan Bader and Josh Thomson.

Radech vs. Smith
Sorry for the grainy quality ... but if you can get past that, this one was a war.

Shamrock vs Diaz: Weigh In from All Elbows on Vimeo.

Abongo Humphrey vs. Bret Rogers

SF girls

Shammy smiles as Diaz talks smack.

Benji "Razor" Radach vs. Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith.

from mmajunkie.com:
SAN JOSE, Calif. - MMAjunkie.com is on scene for today's "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz" weigh-ins at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The same venue hosts Saturday's Showtime-televised Strikeforce event, which features a headline bout between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz (at 179 pounds) and a interim lightweight title fight between Gilbert Melendez and Rodrigo Damm.

Live weigh-ins are currently underway.

Weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD

Nick Diaz (180) vs. Frank Shamrock (180)
Rodrigo Damm (154.5) vs. Gilbert Melendez (154)
Benji Radach (184) vs. Scott Smith (184)
Hitomi Akano (143.5) vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (152)*
Ron "Abongo" Humphrey (239.5) vs. Brett Rogers (262.5)
PRELIMINARY CARD

Buck Meredith () vs. Luke Rockhold ()
Waylon Kennell () vs. Eric Lawson ()
Raul Castillo () vs. Brandon Michaels ()
Zak Bucia () vs. James Terry ()
Shingo Kohara () vs. Jeremy Tavares ()
* - Missed weight on first attempt (145-pound fight); Santos has been given two hours to drop two-and-a-half additional pounds. The commission will only approve the fight to go on if she gets to down to 149.5 pounds and within six pounds of her opponent's weight.

Sherdog.com and Showtime have set up a micro-site to showcase Frank Shamrock's top five finishing moves, in light of his Strikeforce fight tomorrow night against Nick Diaz. Click here to see the site.

The official weigh-ins for Saturday's Strikeforce event, Shamrock vs. Diaz, will take place Friday at 2 p.m. Pacific time, which is 5 p.m. on the East Coast.

On the card we have, of course, the main event, at a catch weight of 179 pounds, Frank "The Legend" Shamrock versus Nick Diaz.

Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez and Rodrigo Damm will square off in a battle for the Strikeforce Interim World Lightweight Championship while middleweights Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith and Benji "Razor" Radach will collide.

Brett "The Grim" Rogers will face off with "Abongo" Humphrey in a battle of undefeated heavyweights.

In women's action, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos will face Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano in a 145-pound showdown.

The live, SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 10 PM EST/PST, delayed on the West Coast.

SHOWTIME will offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans the opportunity to get immersed in the April 11, blockbuster premiere of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME with its new interactive online experience, Strikeforce: All Access, it was announced today by the network's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming, Ken Hershman. The digital initiative, an interactive live stream of Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz, on Saturday, April 11, further demonstrates the premium network's commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution.

Here's an email I received from Strikeforce recently:
Undefeated lightweight (155 lb. limit) sensation Billy Evangelista (9-0) will fight hard-hitting brawler and BJ Penn protégé "Iron" Mike Aina (11-6-1) in the main event of the inaugural, newly titled SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers series from leading MMA promoter Strikeforce and premium television network SHOWTIME, on Friday, May 15 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

The SHOWTIME telecast will air live beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and feature up to five MMA fights including Kim "Sugar Free" Couture (1-1), wife of MMA legend Randy "The Natural" Couture, facing an opponent to be named.

Cung le talks with ESPN Radio about when he and Frank Shamrock might throw down, a dream match with A. Silva, and other good stuff.

On Thursday, a teleconference was held to promote the April 11 Strikeforce event on Showtime, featuring Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz clashing at a catch-weight 179 pounds in the main event.

Brett Rogers and Abongo Humphrey will throw down in a televised undercard bout. In other Showtime fights, Scott Smith and Benji Radach meet at 185 pounds and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos will face Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano in a women's showdown at 145.

The event will be carried live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Califonia, on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET.

FRANK SHAMROCK:

Q: How do you handle the verbal attacks that go on before a fight?

"To me it's like a breath of fresh air. It's good to have an antagonist to promote a match. It can't just be you. I think it's hilarious. We need people to stir up the pot and prove that the fight is worthy. The fight is going to happen regardless. There has to be some passion behind it. I think Nick's a wonderful guy. It doesn't bother me personally. I've been around way too long for it to."

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again
speaks with the legendary mixed martial arts fighter, Frank Shamrock
(http://frankshamrock.com/).

The next fight for Frank is on Saturday, April 11, against Nick Diaz
in the main event of a Strikeforce mixed martial arts card at the HP
Pavilion in San Jose, California. This card will be televised live in
the U.S. on Showtime. This fight will be at a catch-weight of179
pounds.

In another lengthy interview, we discuss what to expect in this fight
with Nick Diaz, the role and level of striking in mixed martial arts
today, why Frank desires to move on from MMA to professional boxing,
the possibility of a long-awaited rematch with Tito Ortiz, his
experiences in Pancrase, the appeal of the art of that style, the
EliteXC debacle, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2009-04-01T01_37_09-07_00.

You can also download No Holds Barred at http://www.mediafire.com/?n2yrnmndmzj.

By Loretta Hunt, sherdog.com
Gina Carano has Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos in her sights, but the sport's first female mega-bout is looking more and more like a late summer blockbuster.

"I probably will shoot for August," Carano told the Sherdog Radio Network's "Beatdown Radio" show on Saturday from The Fight Expo in Del Mar, Calif. "I can't really think about anybody else [but Cyborg] right now. Everybody's like, let's get some tune-ups or let's get some of this, but I can't fight anybody else in that position because there's this big fight between me and 'Cyborg' and I feel all my energy should just go to that. Before I can even think about anybody else, I just can't fit another opponent in my mind without getting that one done."

I haven't heard anything new on Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's contract status with Strikeforce, the new owner of EliteXC. The last I knew, they were trying to re-sign him - guess he might want something comparable to the $500,000 he recieved in his 14-second loss to Seth Petruzelli.

Anyway, here's a story from the Nassau (Bahamas) Guardian:

By DAHALIA SMITH

Bahamian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) professional fighter Kevin 'Kimbo Slice' Ferguson, speaking exclusively with The Nassau Guardian yesterday, disclosed plans to venture into the professional boxing arena as soon as his contract is fulfilled.

The 35-year-old 6'2", 235-pound phenomenon expressed these intentions on Monday, a day before returning to his Miami, Florida based home. Ferguson became a household name after signing a professional contract with Showtime's EliteXC in 2007. Before that, he gained notoriety on the underground fighting scene through the Internet.

"Boxing is really my first desire. I have a lot of love for it and believe I can do pretty well. [The sport of] MMA is somewhat of a project for me. Boxing is one dimensional while there are a lot of dimensions in MMA. I don't think it would be a hard transition from MMA to stand-up boxing because of my fighting style," noted Ferguson, who has brought international prestige to The Bahamas through his MMA exploits.

We've got a rivalry based on the sophisticated, sports jacket-wearing Shamrock and the street-wise, hoodie-sporting Diaz. My favorite quote: "It's called business casual, Nick. You didn't get the memo?"

By John Morgan, mmajunkie.com:
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Catch weight bouts often seem an exercise in futility. No belts are won, no division rankings are determined, no progress is made.

Such was the concern of many MMA observers when Strikeforce announced their April 11 card at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., would be headlined by a 179-pound affair between Nick Diaz and Frank Shamrock.

But two minutes -- and two Diaz middle fingers -- into the pre-fight hype between the fighters at Thursday's "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz" press conference, and the bout began to take on all the character Strikeforce officials had undoubtedly been counting on.

After Diaz passed on shaking the former UFC champion's hand in lieu of offering his own middle-fingered brand of welcome, Shamrock started the afternoon's proceedings in a typically sarcastic tone - both praising and threatening Diaz in a single breath.

"I love fighting," Shamrock said. "I love this art. I think it's the greatest sport in the world. I'm just honored to be still going, still fighting.

"Nick, God bless you. Thanks for stepping up. When I punch your head through the second row, hopefully there will be somebody there to catch you."

Another graphic for the upcoming press conference. Don't know if that's a recent photo of Shamrock, but the dude looks jacked.

The card is shaping up nicely, it'll be interesting to see how they round it out. I won't be able to get there, but I'll post details as soon as they become available. For more information go to the Strikeforce Web site.

Here's the updated fight card for the April 11 event:

Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz

Jake Shields vs. Joe Riggs

Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach

Josh "The Punk" Thomson vs. TBD

Christiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. TBD

Gilbert Melendez vs. TBD

Jon Anik and Co. discuss Strikeforce and recap Ultimate Fight Night 17.

Frank Shamrock: I Am a Fighter

from a sherdog.com story by Danny Acosta. The story was about Frank saying that GSP is the modern version of the complete fighter, as Frank was back in his prime. But toward the end of the story, Frank talks about his own style and hwo he needs to adapt it, as he has done so many times in the past:

"I'm gonna smash everybody," said Shamrock, never one to lack confidence. "I'm tired of entertaining for the sake of entertainment. Now I'm just gonna destroy everybody, and people can just be entertained by that. I've decided my limbs are too valuable to be breaking for the entertainment of fans. I'm gonna break other people's limbs."

Ted's Take: I've always been a big Frank Shamrock fan. I met him in 2003 in Columbus, OH, at the Arnold Classic, right before his fight with Bryan Pardoe. I remember asking him what he had been up to lately, and he said, "At the end of the month, I'm kicking some guy's ass."

With the statement above, it's hard to say whether it's more grandstanding from a man who knows how to hype himself, a fight and the fight game, or if he's for real. You'll just have to tune in to Strikeforce to find out. I know I will.

by Loretta Hunt, sherdog.com:
Frank Shamrock will fight Nick Diaz at Strikeforce's April 11 event on Showtime.

The bout, which Strikeforce and Showtime announced Tuesday, will be contested at a catch-weight of 179 pounds.

The outspoken Shamrock is coming off a loss to Cung Le in a March 2008 Strikeforce event. His arm was broken by Le's kicks in the entertaining 15-minute match. Before that defeat, Shamrock choked out Phil Baroni in a June 2007 Strikeforce main event.

Diaz, who is perhaps even more outspoken than Shamrock, has won three straight. Most recently he stopped Thomas Denny in a July 2008 EliteXC bout.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker also said Tuesday that Cung Le will not fight on the April 11 show due to an elbow injury. However, Coker expects Le to fight twice for Strikeforce in 2009, and he expects one of those fights to be a rematch with Shamrock.

Loretta Hunt has the scoop at sherdog:
Strikeforce and Showtime Networks have agreed to a three-year broadcast deal that will see mixed martial arts return to the premium pay channel by April.

The much-coveted deal, which has been quietly negotiated since December, proposes 8 to 10 live events from the popular San Jose, Calif., promotion in the next 36 months, insiders have told Sherdog.com. The agreement also opens the door for four primetime specials on CBS, which owns the Showtime channels and had much success with MMA though EliteXC in a Saturday night primetime slot.

Showtime is expected to announce some form of the agreement late Thursday, while Sherdog.com has learned that the first Strikeforce event under the new arrangement will likely take place on April 11.

from mmaweekly:
MMAInsider has just learned from Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker that the deal to purchase Pro Elite assets has closed.

Check back on MMAWeekly.com for details as they become available.

Ted's Take: So, what does this mean? Well, for starters, we'll be seeing some of the same fighters who fought for Pro Elite, like Robby Lawler, Scott Smith, and Gina Carano. Do I really have to say, "Hopefully not Kimbo Slice?"

Of course there are tons of questions. I wonder if Strikeforce will call it Strikeforce, or if they'll keep the Pro Elite brand separate, but then just share fighters? What about belts between the two organizations? Will they try to unify them, or keep them separate? Will Strikeforce get the same deal that Pro Elite had with Showtime and CBS? I could go on, but I'm sure it will all come clearer in the weeks to come.

from bloodyelbow:
After a number of deals falling through at the last minute, it appears Pro Elite has either been sold or is in the very final stages of being sold as of this morning. Under the terms of the sale, the buyer would likely return to CBS television with live events this year.

The most likely buyer is Strikeforce. The other leading contender was King of The Cage, but industry sources have suggested that Pro Elite fighters are much more willing to fight for Strikeforce than KoTC, and the ease of signing new contracts may have played a part in finalizing this deal.

If the buyer is Strikeforce, the contracts are probably not transferrable, but the vast majority of fighters will likely be happy to just move over and fight there just to get on with their lives.

This is great news for fighters who are finally free from limbo to pursue their careers. If Strikeforce is the buyer, every fighter will have a choice to either move over to the new organization or pursue free agency. As the UFC learned when they bought Pride, personal service contracts are generally not transferrable, especially in a right to work state like California.

[UPDATE] by Nick Thomas: Announcement coming tomorrow or Friday according to Sherdog Radio

from strikeforceusa.net:
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Strikeforce World Middleweight (185 lb. limit) Champion, Cung Le, will seize the spotlight during an all-new "Strikeforce on NBC" episode on Saturday night.

The special, 30-minute program, devoted entirely to the one-of-a-kind knockout artist, will showcase Le's stoppages of Mike Altman and "Mr. Unbreakable" Brian Warren and will revisit his crushing knockouts of "The Ultimate Fighter" season three veteran, Sam "The Squeeze" Morgan, and Tony "The Freak" Fryklund.

Also included in the show is a feature segment that touches on the personal life of Le, who fled a war-torn Vietnam, just days before the fall of Saigon, as a baby in his mother's arms in 1975.

bloodyelbow.com had these up last week, I just didn't get a round to putting'em up until now.

Babalu Sobral with a wicked elbow on Bobby Southworth

Scott Smith finishes Terry Martin.

It's great to be Jake Shields.

powered by ODEO

This week, Tom and I talk about what's next for Brock Lesnar, Goran Reljic saving two lives, Strikeforce -Destruction and Ring of Combat XXII.

From M-1 Mixfight's Web site:
UFC and Affliction veteran Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) is scheduled to take on Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) come November,21st. They could've fought each other back in September but the bout fell through due to injuries.

Here's what Babalu said concerning the upcoming clash: "Bobby called me out and I gladly accepted the challenge. On Friday, the world will learn what Bobby already knows - that this was the biggest mistake of his career. I'm going to be looking for the knockout. If I have to break my hand on his face, I will.""

Some big names here like UFC competitor Renato "Babalu" Sobral, former Ultimate Fighter Bobby Southworth, Josh Thomson, Yves Edwards, Joe Riggs and Mrs. Captain America, Kim Couture. Strikeforce continues to impress with solid shows. I predict big things are ahead for this promotion.

STRIKEFORCE DESTRUCTION

HP Pavilion at San Jose
Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7:30PM (Prelims at 6:00PM)

Main Event - 155 lbs. - 5X5 - Yves Edwards (34-14-1) vs. Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2) - Strikeforce Lightweight Championship Fight

205 lbs. - 5X5 - Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) vs. Bobby Southworth (9-5) - Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship Fight

170 lbs. - 3X5 - Luke Stewart (6-1) vs. Joe "Diesel" Riggs (28-10)

175 lbs. - 5X3 - Lemont Davis (2-1) vs. Brian Schwartz (0-1)

135 lbs. - 3X5 - Brad Royster (1-1) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (4-2)

185 lbs. - 3X5 - Tony Johnson (3-0) vs. Eric Lawson (7-2)

145 lbs. - 3X3 - Alvin Cacdac (4-4) vs. Jose Palacios (3-1)

155 lbs. - 3X3 - Bobby Stack (5-1) vs. Cyrillo Padilha (2-2)

155 lbs. - 3X3 - Zakary Bucia (0-1) vs. Jaime Rodriguez (0-0)

185 lbs. - 3X5 - Kurt Osiander (3-0) vs. Raul Castillo (5-0)

185 lbs. - 3X5 - Nik Theotikos (5-1) vs. Luke Rockhold (2-1)

130 lbs. - 3X3 - Kim "Sugar Free" Couture (0-1) vs. Lina Kvokov (0-1)

World championship mixed martial arts (MMA) federation Strikeforce is set to make its highly-anticipated debut in Colorado with a pack of Denver-area superstars, including world champion knockout artist Duane "Bang" Ludwig (16-8) and "Karate Hottie" Michelle Waterson, at Broomfield Event Center on Friday.

Also in action on the 10 bout cage fight card will be two-time UFC championship challenger and former Pride Fighting Championship superstar Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg (17-6), who will square off with Hawaiian submission wizard, Falaniko "Niko" Vitale (26-8), in a middleweight (185 lb. limit) contest.

Ludwig will attempt to avenge the brutal, 52 second knockout that he suffered at the hands of Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter" season three contestant, Sam "The Squeeze" Morgan (19-11), at the same arena on April 9, 2005.

The stunning 22-year-old Waterson, best known as a competitor on Oxygen reality series, "Fight Girls," will take on Tyra Parker.

Jesse Gillespie defeated Dave Martin by split decision.
Brandon Magana defeated Brandon Thatch by split decision.
Eric Lawson defeated Kenneth Seegrist by first-round rear naked choke.
Luke Stewart defeated Jesse Juarez by first-round arm bar.
Trevor Prangley defeated Anthony Ruiz by unanimous decision.
Mitsuhiro Ishida defeated Justin Wilcox by first-round arm bar
Terry Martin def. Cory Devela by thirs-round TKO - punches.
Josh Thomson def. Ashe Bowman by first-round TKO - punches.
Kazuo Misaki def. Joe Riggs by second round TKO - punches.

What stood out in my mind from the event was Mitsuhiro Ishida's arm bar finish of Justin "Silverback" Wilcox. Ishida had Wilcox in a standing double wrist lock, then flipped him to the ground, where he slickly transitioned to an arm bar. Sweet.

A ripped Josh Thomson

Kazuo Misaki vs. Joe Diesel

Here's the top four fights for Strikeforce at the Mansion on Sat., Sept. 20:
-- Joe "Diesel" Riggs vs. Kazuo Misaki

-- Josh "The Punk" Thomson vs. Ashe "The Machine" Bowman

-- Terry Martin vs. Cory Devela

-- Mitsuhiro "Endless Fighter" Ishida vs. Justin "The Silverback" Wilcox

I'm psyched for this event. Tune in to sherdog to watch two preliminary bouts and the main fight card free-of-charge, beginning at 7:30 PM PST (10:30 PM EST).

One thing - on Strikeforce's Web site, there's this description of what the esteemed and distinguished guests will be filling their faces with: "In addition to a full night of MMA action, all "Strikeforce At The Mansion II" guests will be entitled to a top-shelf, open bar; buffet-style, gourmet dinner; and wine-tasting party featuring the spirits of various California gold medal wineries."

Do I really need to know what they'll be having? What's the purpose of that, just to make me wish I was there all the more? Fighting, beautiful women and food - it doesn't get any better than that, and I am not there.

All kidding aside, I think Strikeforce is going about things the right way. They've concentrated on becoming the best regional organization they can. They make deals with companies like Playboy, Sherdog and NBC. And they put on good, quality fights. Nice work.

Former Strikeforce World Lightweight (155 lb. limit) Champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez battled his way to a unanimous judges' decision over Japanese road warrior Tetsuji Kato in the main event of Strikeforce's inaugural show at The Playboy Mansion while middleweight (185 lb. limit) star, Joe "Diesel" Riggs, stopped ageless brawler, Eugene Jackson, in the first round of the 10-bout card's featured contest.

Sherdog, the world's original online media platform for mixed martial arts (MMA), will provide a live stream of Strikeforce's MMA extravaganza at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA. on Saturday, September 20.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) sensation Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg (16-6) will face off with Hawaiian star Falaniko "Niko" Vitale (26-8) and knockout artist Duane "Bang" Ludwig (16-8) will attempt to avenge a previous defeat at the hands of "The Ultimate Fighter" season three veteran, Sam "The Squeeze" Morgan (19-10), when Strikeforce ventures to Denver, Colorado's Broomfield Event Center on Friday, October 3rd.

A featherweight (145 lb. limit) battle between Bay Area locals Jose Palacios (3-1) and Alvin Cacdac (4-4) will usher the return of Strikeforce's "Young Guns" mixed martial arts (MMA) series to San Jose's Civic Auditorium on Saturday, September 13th.

from mmajunkie.com:
Strikeforce world lightweight champion Josh Thomson (15-2), who defeated the highly regarded Gilbert Melendez for the belt in June, will meet Lion's Den fighter and Strikeforce newcomer Ashe Bowman (6-4) during the organization's upcoming show at the Playboy Mansion.

The event takes place Sept. 20 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The Thomson-Bowman fight will be a three-round non-title affair.

Bowman's camp confirmed the bout with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) over the weekend. As we first reported last week, both Bowman and veteran fighter Jay Estrada (21-9) were considered for the fight, according to Strikeforce spokesperson Mike Afromowitz.

Thomson is riding a seven-fight win streak, which includes just two decision wins during the span. The former UFC and PRIDE fighter implemented a near-perfect game plan to score the upset unanimous-decision victory over Melendez in an HDNet-televised event in June.

Bowman, meanwhile, is well versed in submissions. In fact, four of his six pro victories have come via submission. Bowman, who's fought primarily for Ken Shamrock Productions after a short stint with the WEC, is currently riding a three-fight win streak and has won six of his past seven fights.

Just found this on mmaweekly:
Strikeforce vice president Mike Afromowitz on Wednesday confirmed that the promotion's light heavyweight champion, Bobby Southworth, will defend his title against Renato "Babalu" Sobral on Sept. 20 when Strikeforce returns to the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif.

"He is the protector and I am the hunter," said the 32-year-old Sobral, a former UFC championship challenger and Brazilian national wrestling champion. "I am already in shape and prepared to take it from him. I want to be the new Strikeforce world champion and, if I could become champion while fighting at a venue like the Playboy Mansion, that would make a good win even better."

The 38-year-old Southworth most recently defended his title at on June 27 as part of the Strikeforce "Melendez vs. Thomson" event in San Jose, Calif. He defeated Anthony Ruiz in a rematch of a non-title bout that Southworth lost late in 2007.

Strikeforce At The Masnion II is scheduled to be a 10-bout fight card. Already announced is a bout between MMAWeekly.com's No. 6 ranked middleweight fighter, Kazuo Misaki, and Joe Riggs. Afromowitz on Wednesday also confirmed the participation of Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson and undefeated lightweight sensation Billy Evangelista.

Strikeforce mixed martial arts (MMA) will return to entertainment mogul Hugh Hefner's world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA with a star-studded lineup of cage fights on Saturday, September 20th.

In addition to a full night of MMA action, all "Strikeforce At The Mansion II" guests will be entitled to a top-shelf, open bar; buffet-style, gourmet dinner; and wine-tasting party featuring the spirits of various California gold medal wineries.

Strikeforce wrote a new chapter in MMA history when it produced the sport's first Playboy Mansion-hosted event on September 29, 2007. Amongst the host of celebrities who attended the affair were Hefner and "The Girls Next Door;" comedians Gary Shandling and Joe Rogan; actress and model Jaime Pressly; actors Michael Duncan Clarke, Christina Fulton, Ethan Suplee, Ernie Hudson, and Page Kennedy; MMA legends Royce Gracie and Bas Rutten; and superstars Cung Le, Frank Shamrock, Josh Barnett, and Andrei Arlovski.

Former Strikeforce World Lightweight (155 lb. limit) Champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez battled his way to a unanimous judges' decision over Japanese road warrior Tetsuji Kato in the main event of Strikeforce's inaugural show at The Playboy Mansion while middleweight (185 lb. limit) star, Joe "Diesel" Riggs, stopped ageless brawler, Eugene Jackson, in the first round of the 10-bout card's featured contest.

Two competitors for "Strikeforce At The Mansion II" at the jump.

This is happening on Monday and has a few names you might recognize. Should be good, and we get to see who will be the top lightweight in the organization. Then, maybe with some cross-promotional events, we can have that champion go against champs from Strikeforce, EliteXC, Cage rage, WAMMA, etc. There is already one cross-promotional fight on the DREAM.5 card: We have Alistair Overeem, who is the Strikeforce heavyweight chmapion, on the card against former K-1 powerhouse Mark Hunt.

Here's the line-up:
For the lightweight grand prix championship:
Shinya Aoki vs. Caol Uno
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Eddie Alvarez
(semis and finals held the same night)

Reserve bout:
Joachim Hansen vs. Kultar Gil

Other fights:
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Motoki Miyazawa vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka
Mark Hunt vs. Alistair Overeem

Frank "The Legend" Shamrock talks with mmarated about upcoming fights with Cung Le, his adopted brother, Ken Shamrock, and Tito Ortiz, all while sportin' a set of braces.