Author: Michael David Smith

Strikeforce: Josh Thomson Beats JZ Cavalcante

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsJosh Thomson fought a tough, back-and-forth 15-minute battle with Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante at Saturday night’s Strikeforce event and walked away with what will be a controversial unanimous decision in a fight that easily cou…

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Josh Thomson and JZ CavalcanteJosh Thomson fought a tough, back-and-forth 15-minute battle with Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante at Saturday night’s Strikeforce event and walked away with what will be a controversial unanimous decision in a fight that easily could have gone either way.

Thomson, who said afterward that he “fought like s**t,” said he’s hoping for a third fight with Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, with whom he’s split two previous fights.

“Gilbert and I are good friends,” Thomson said. “I’m looking forward to getting the title back. … Everyone’s waiting for the trilogy.”

Nick Diaz Beats KJ Noons to Retain Strikeforce Belt

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsThree years after being bloodied and beaten in their first fight, Nick Diaz got his revenge against the last man to defeat him, KJ Noons, winning a unanimous decision and retaining his Strikeforce welterweight title on Sat…

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Nick Diaz keeps his Strikeforce welterweight belt with a win over KJ Noons.Three years after being bloodied and beaten in their first fight, Nick Diaz got his revenge against the last man to defeat him, KJ Noons, winning a unanimous decision and retaining his Strikeforce welterweight title on Saturday night.

Diaz was bloodied this time, too, but he was also the more effective fighter for 25 minutes of hard-charging action, weathering some hard punches from Noons and landing plenty of punches of his own. At the end of the fight, which was billed as a grudge match, Diaz and Noons exchanged a hug. They had earned each other’s respect.

“I beat this guy on the ground or standing up,” Diaz said afterward. “I’ll beat this guy in a boxing match but I’ll also tap him out on the ground. … I just want to display my skills to the world because I can do it all.”

Nick Diaz Beats KJ Noons to Retain Strikeforce Belt

Filed under: StrikeforceThree years after being bloodied and beaten in their first fight, Nick Diaz got his revenge against the last man to defeat him, KJ Noons, winning a unanimous decision and retaining his Strikeforce welterweight title on Saturday …

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Three years after being bloodied and beaten in their first fight, Nick Diaz got his revenge against the last man to defeat him, KJ Noons, winning a unanimous decision and retaining his Strikeforce welterweight title on Saturday night.

Diaz was bloodied this time, too, but he was also the more effective fighter for 25 minutes of hard-charging action, weathering some hard punches from Noons and landing plenty of punches of his own. At the end of the fight, which was billed as a grudge match, Diaz and Noons exchanged a hug. They had earned each other’s respect.

“I beat this guy on the ground or standing up,” Diaz said afterward. “I’ll beat this guy in a boxing match but I’ll also tap him out on the ground. … I just want to display my skills to the world because I can do it all.”

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons 2 Predictions

Filed under: StrikeforceTwo Strikeforce belts are on the line Saturday in San Jose, with Nick Diaz defending his welterweight title in a rematch with K.J. Noons, and Sarah Kaufman defending her 135-pound title against Marloes Coenen. There are also a c…

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Nick DiazTwo Strikeforce belts are on the line Saturday in San Jose, with Nick Diaz defending his welterweight title in a rematch with K.J. Noons, and Sarah Kaufman defending her 135-pound title against Marloes Coenen. There are also a couple of entertaining undercard fights, and we’ve got the full preview and predictions right here.

What: Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II

When: Saturday, the Showtime card starts at 10 PM ET

Where: HP Pavilion, San Jose

Predictions on the four televised fights below.

Michael Johnson Talks Ultimate Fighter 12, Episode 4

Filed under: UFCGeorge St. Pierre’s team has improved to a perfect 3-0 on the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter, and one member of that team, Michael Johnson, says he and his teammates were riding high after Kyle Watson beat Andy Main in the third…

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Michael JohnsonGeorge St. Pierre’s team has improved to a perfect 3-0 on the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter, and one member of that team, Michael Johnson, says he and his teammates were riding high after Kyle Watson beat Andy Main in the third fight of the season.

In an interview with MMAFighting.com, Johnson talked about Watson’s win, how Team GSP was both more relaxed and more focused than Team Koscheck, and why several of the guys living in the Ultimate Fighter house were getting fed up with the cast member known as “Bruce Leroy.”

The interview is below.

Marloes Coenen: Winning a Title Again Would Be Life-Changing Experience

Filed under: StrikeforceThe first time Marloes Coenen won a mixed martial arts title, she was a 19-year-old girl from Holland, fighting in Japan, and winning a title motivated her to decide to try to fight for a living, rather than go to a university.
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Marloes CoenenThe first time Marloes Coenen won a mixed martial arts title, she was a 19-year-old girl from Holland, fighting in Japan, and winning a title motivated her to decide to try to fight for a living, rather than go to a university.

That was in 2000, and neither Coenen nor anyone else had any idea of how much MMA would change over the next decade. But as Coenen prepares to fight Sarah Kaufman for the Strikeforce 135-pound women’s title on Saturday night, she says she’s motivated by the opportunity to earn a second championship belt.

“It was so different then,” Coenen said. “This was an open-weight tournament for the ReMix World Cup, and the rules were different and there was a tiny Japanese girl fighting a Russian girl who was 330 pounds. Ten years ago, when I won that title in Japan, I had so many hopes and expectations, and now if I could win another title I would feel like it’s the beginning of a new decade.”