Strikeforce returns to Las Vegas this Saturday for what will be the first title bout of 2012 as Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold makes the first defense of the belt he claimed from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in September when he squares of against…
Well, that’s the thing. Rockhold’s first Strikeforce middleweight title defense comes against someone that many certainly did not expect.
It’s not Gegard Mousasi, but then again, there’s nothing surprising about the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion opting to drop down 20 pounds when he’s still finding some success at 205 despite a draw and a unanimous decision win in two of his last three bouts.
It was supposed to be Tim Kennedy, after a win over Robbie Lawler at the “Fedor vs. Henderson” card, but an injury forced him to turn down the fight, and Strikeforce tends to shelf some champions and some former champions, which often fuels the desire to fight outside of the Strikeforce banner.
Henceforth, Jacare is out of the question, and that’s where the pool for Rockhold runs bone-dry.
Well, it runs dry unless you count Keith Jardine, who is dropping down to middleweight for this fight against Rockhold, which comes off the heels of a draw against Mousasi. But does Jardine deserve a shot after the draw with Mousasi?
Absolutely not, and there is a reason why he does not.
This is Jardine’s middleweight debut after a long stint at 205 and a brief stint at heavyweight, and while it’s brave of Jardine to take Rockhold on with the title in the balance, it’s a fight Jardine should not have taken simply because he has not been tested in that division yet.
Anyone—including Lawler, Kennedy or even Lumumba Sayers—would have served as some sort of test to see where Jardine stood in the division, but Jardine took a title shot in his middleweight debut.
Applaud Jardine for his heart and willingness to give Rockhold a very hazardous encounter, but this time, “The Dean of Mean” might have bitten off more than he can chew.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com