Strikeforce’s latest pay-per-view installment, which takes place on a free preview weekend for Showtime, is headlined by a middleweight title bout between reigning champion Luke Rockhold and UFC veteran Keith Jardine.
Most fans are less than thrilled for this main event since “The Dean of Mean” is 0-0-1 under the Strikeforce banner, but Jardine is known for pulling off a number of upsets in his career. Rockhold would be making a mistake if he took his opponent lightly here.
In a middleweight scrap, Robbie Lawler takes on innovative Russian striker Adlan Amagov in a bout where fans should expect to see very little, if any, action on the ground.
Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal takes on undefeated prospect Lorenz Larkin in a bout that will put the winner right in the title mix.
However, the bout with the biggest title implications is a welterweight scrap where Tyron Woodley, a man who feels he is a top-10 fighter in the world at 170 pounds, takes on the 21-year-old Canadian journeyman Jordan Mein.
Another interesting matchup at welterweight features Tarec Saffiedine taking on relative unknown Tyler Stinson in a bout that could go either way, despite Stinson not being a household name.
Bleacher Report MMA Featured Columnists Dwight Wakabayashi, Dale De Souza, and myself, John Heinis, let you know who will have their hand raised on Saturday night.
Take a look inside for the in-depth fight previews.