At 9PM CST live on Showtime, Strikeforce will put on its 39th live “numbered” event from Columbus, Ohio, featuring KJ Noons vs. Josh Thomson as well as the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate against undefeated Ronda Rousey.
Before either of those two bouts, however, UFC veteran Paul Daley and Sengoku veteran Kazuo Misaki will do battle at 170 pounds.
In the past, Misaki has shown proficiency on the feet, notably through his footwork, as well as fast hands, quick kicks, a strong mentality from bell to bell, solid grappling and submission skills, speed and a notable wrestling game.
He put it together quite nicely at 185, but many felt he was pretty light for a middleweight and might be better suited for the welterweight division.
That’s where the explosive knockout art of Daley intervenes, and then it gets really spine-tingling.
Daley’s one weakness has been the wrestling game, but Misaki is one of those fighters who will dare Daley to throw his left hand and try to knock him out.
Wise move?
Not at all, but anyone who has seen Misaki fight knows that he does not go down easily, and for however long this fight lasts, whether it lasts one minute, one round, or one minute short of the full three-round duration, the always-improving game of both fighters will show themselves in full tonight.
If it goes to the ground, Misaki’s got the win in the bag, but Daley has said that he’s done with snoozers and playing into the game plans of people who play the point game.
If tonight’s fight will not be left in the hands of the judges; it will end on Daley’s terms.
How long that takes depends on what kind of Misaki comes out to fight tonight, but rest assured that it will not be the easiest fight Daley’s ever encountered.
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