(Worst. Charity bachelor auction. Ever. / Photo via Strikeforce)
Okay, let’s go through this one more time: Luke Rockhold is Strikeforce’s middleweight champion. Keith Jardine is the former UFC light-heavyweight contender who Rousey’d his way into a title shot at 185. They’ll be fighting in the main event of tonight’s Strikeforce card on Showtime. Also, King Mo returns against Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin, Robbie Lawler faces off against Russkie McFancykicks, and Jordan Mein will try to snap Tyron Woodley’s undefeated record with those bionic elbows of his.
I fully expect tonight’s liveblog turnout to be more of an “intimate” affair, but that doesn’t mean we won’t do our best to give you a good show. Round-by-round results from the “Rockhold vs. Jardine” main card broadcast will be piling up after the jump starting at 10 p.m. ET, courtesy of CagePotato liveblog up-and-comer Steve Silverman. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for coming, guys.
Our main event tonight is Luke Rockhold vs. Keith Jardine for the middleweight championship. We’ll start our coverage with Tyler Stinson vs. Tarec Saffiedine coming up right around the top of the hour.
Stinson has a 23-7 record while Saffiedine is 11-3 as these two welterweights hope to move up the ladder tonight. Let’s hope these guys go after it and don’t dance for three rounds. Good action and aggressiveness is a must. Round 1 upcoming.
Is there anyone who’s more of a jive-ass than Showtime announcer Mauro Ranallo? What a mope….
Stinson vs. Saffiedine
Round 1: Stinson with the hippy samurai hair do…Looks like he’d rather be in the club. Saffiedine is much more conventional looking and is a solid wrestler. …. Stinson with a straight left early. Stinson more aggressive early, Saffiedine wants to counter…Saffiedine pretty quick with his kicks. Good combination by Saffiedine. Good right roundhouse by Saffiedine followed by a straight right kick. Stinson connects with an elbow and almost puts Saffiedine down. Saffiedine cut around the right eye and it looks serious. Good left by Stinson and he’s looking for the nockout. Stinson is n charge. He’s getting hit hard. Stinson takes charge with a big finish.
Round 2: Stinson looking for power shots at the start of the round. He sees the blood and he wants to finish the round. Saffiedine is very defensive and looks to protect himself. Right kick by Stinson. Good 1-2 by Saffiedine and he registers a takedown with a solid shoulder drive to the midsection. Saffiedine trying to ground and pound and he is delivering shots — mostly to the ribs. Saffiedine is not doing a lot of damage but he has changed the momentum right now. Saffiedine trying to dig elbows to Stinson’s face and Stinson is bleeding. Big round for Saffiedine.
Round 3: Stinson hit below the belt to start off the round and is given time to recover. It was a right foot to the nuts. …
Saffiedine with another takedown. Very aggressive and wants to take control. More rib shots by Saffiedine. Maintains control and he is putting the pressure on Stinson. Elbows from Saffiedine are causing problems. Stinson can’t get up at this point. Stinson just ducks a big shot to the head. Blood all over Stinson’s body, some of it is from Saffiedine’s head cuts. Fighters standup in the final minute and it’s a bloodbath. Knee by Saffiedine hurts Stinson. Stinson coming on with combinations. Saffiedine out of gas at the horn. It looks like Saffiediene will hold on.
The decision goes to: Saffiedine…it’s a 2-1 split decision….
Next bout Tyron Woodley vs. Jordan Mein…another 3-rounder….
Woodley brings a 9-0 overall record into this bout, while Mein is 23-7.
Round 1: Woodley opens with a left roundhouse kick. Mein trying to measure Woodley against the cage. Woodley grabs hold and trying to get the takedown. Mein is avoiding the takedwon by using his length to gain leverage. Referee breaks them up and back to striking. Mein with and uppercut and Woodley takes him down. Woodley delivering punches. Mein tries to scramble away but Woodley is too quick and balanced to let him get away. Woodley looks comfortable on top but he has to start striking. Big elbow by Woodley but no follow up. Mein gets up. Knee from Woodley in final seconds. Not a lot of action, but it is Woodley’s round.
Round 2: Woodley is stronger and more powerful and he is looking confident at the start of the round. He gets in a solid right hand punch. Woodley takes down Mein once again. Solid right elbow by Woodley. Mein looks frustrated because he really can’t attack. Mein tries to throw elbows and they are landing to top of Woodley’s head. Mein trying to throw elbows and he is starting to be more effective. Woodley in control but he is not doing much damage. Woodley tapping Mein’s ribs. Mein tries guillotine but Woodley gets out of it. Even round even though Woodley was on top.
Round 3: Woodley ducks under a knee and registers another takedown. Mein uses the cage and pushes the match into the center of the cage. Left hook from the bottom by Mein and more left hand punches and elbows. Woodly finally throws a right hand and then a right elbow. Mein is resting even though his corner is imploring him to stay busy with two minutes to go. The fans want actin and they are booing. While Woodley is not throwing a lot, he doe maintain control. Ref stand them up and they start grappling. Woodley has his arms locked around the midsection. Not enough action. Woodley is the stronger man. He is in control as the fight ends. Poor fight but you have to give it to Woodley.
Decision: Woodley wins split decision. It should have been unanimous.
Next fight: King Mo Lawal (8-1) vs. Lorenz Larkin (12-0)
Larkin is a big striker but he will have his hands filled with the superior wrestling of King Mo…
Round 1: King Mo grabs Larkin’s leg and throws him down. King Mo trying to ground and pound. Very powerful and balanced. Larkin tries to scramble out but King Mo maintains control. Big right hands and elbows by King Mo. Larkin trying to sit out and he does deliver a right elbow. King Mo with some lefts in addition to the rights. Square shot to Larkin’s nose. Rib shots delivered by King Mo. He is punishing Larkin. Referee stands them up for no reason since King Mo was in control. Larking misses with wild left. Neither fighter does much in last 30 seconds. Give the round to King Mo.
Round 2: King Mo starts with an overhand right and grabs right leg. He takes Larkin down. King Mo delivering rights to body and head. He has power and is punishing Larkin. Larkin in huge trouble. He finishes King Mo with a sensational series of rights and Larkin is left defenseless.
King Mo wins big.
His hard right-hand punches were making a loud thump everytime he made contact with Larkin’s head. It could have been stopped 10 seconds earlier. Larkin could have been hurt badly.
TKO winner: King Mo Lawal
Next bout: Robbie Lawler vs. Adlan Amagov
Lawler is 18-8 while Amagov brings a 9-1-1 record into this fight.
Lawler is a big-time striker and he wants to reverse trend that has seen him lose 3 of 4. Amagov is a rough customer, a strong wrestler and a big hitter.
Round 1: Lawler charge but Amagov goes for the takedown. Amagov going for the guillotine and then delivers an illegal knee since Lawler was grounded. Lawler is getting a chance to recover. Amagov will lose a point for that illegal blow. Lawler finds his opening, delivers a knee and unloads on Amagov and stops him. The fight is over.
Lawler wins big!!!
Lawler needed just one flying knee to stun his opponent and then deliver hard punches. Great killer instinct. Referee had no choice but to stop fight because Amagov went limp.
The fight is stopped at 1:48 of the first round and goes into the books as a TKO for Lawler.
The feature bout between middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and challenger Keith Jardine is next. This is a 5-round bout. Jardine wants to turn this into a brawl, while Rockhold wants to use all his skills to defend his title.
Rockhold is 28 and brings an 8-1 record into the fight, while the veteran Jardine is 37 and has a 17-9-2 record.
Jardine does not respect Rockhold, calling him a “pretty fighter.” Rockhold has a lot of skills and seems quite confident.
Round 1: Rockhold with a solid left r0undhous kick to start. Jardine cut 19 pounds prior to the start of the fight to make weight. They are wrestling at the side of the cage and Rockhold delivering a few kicks. Right elbow from Rockhold. Jardine hit with a spinning back kick. Rockhold with a combination, Jardine with a left hand. Jardine looks slow and ponderous with roundhouse punches. Right hand by Rockhold drops Jardine, but he gets up right away. Another right by Rochkhold and Jardine goes down. He then launches a series of punches and Jardine can’t defend himself. Rockhold wins big.
Jardine could not compete. He was not quick enough with his hands and he could not defend himself. Rockhold showed he can be a devastating finisher.
Jardine looked tired and slow throughout. He was out of his element tonight.
The official time is 4:21 and Rockhold retains his middleweight title.
Rockhold was very confident going in and he used his speed and skills to get an edge. He overpowered his opponent tonight and he appears to be getting better every time he fights.
That will do it. See you next time.