Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza – photo by Esther Lin for Strikeforce
The Strikeforce promotion has been very busy today confirming a couple of bouts as well as announcing three more for the upcoming Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine card.
Announced by the promotion was a trio of middleweight bouts, the first between former champ Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza (16-3) and top contender Lorenz ‘Monsoon’ Larkin (13-0), the second featuring Roger Gracie (5-1) vs. Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith (17-8), and finally a bout between former No. 1 contender Tim Kennedy (14-4) vs. Trevor ‘Hot Sauce’ Smith (10-2).
Confirmed for the January card were a pair of previously identified lightweight matches pitting Pat ‘Bam Bam’ Healy (28-16) vs. Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal (23-7) and a bout between K.J. Noons (11-5) vs. Ryan Couture (5-1).
Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine, re-branded from the former Strikeforce: Champions tag, is expected to take place on January 12, 2013 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The event is headlined by a welterweight champion Nate Marquardt who defends his title for the first time versus Tarec Saffiedine.
Souza has won two straight since losing the middleweight strap to current champ Luke Rockhold back in September 2011. ‘Jacare’ went on to submit Bristol Marunde last March in Ohio and then knockout Derek Brunson in August in San Diego. The Brazilian is 6-1 (1NC) over his past eight matches.
Larkin’s was to have faced Rockhold for the title but the champ was forced out of their rescheduled bout with a nagging wrist injury. ‘Monsoon’ debuted as a middleweight this past July, winning a decision over Robbie Lawler in Portland. Previous to that Larkin fought Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal in January, ending in a “No Contest” after Lawal tested positive for steroids.
Gracie is another fighter who debuted at 185-lbs in his last fight, winning a decision against Keith Jardine at the July event in Portland. The victory allowed Gracie to bounce back from a knockout loss to ‘King Mo’ in September of last year. Inside the Strikeforce cage Gracie is 3-1.
‘Lionheart’ Smith will carry a three fight win streak into the cage against Gracie and is 9-1 in his last ten matches. His most recent bout took place in August at the Rousey vs. Kaufman event, submitting Lumumba Sayers in the first round. In 2012 Smith has also competed for other promotions such as Disorderly Conduct and the Victory Fighting Championship events picking up wins.
Kennedy hasn’t fought since this summer when he lost a decision to division champ Rockhold in the main event of the Portland show. The loss put an end to Kennedy’s two fight win streak, having won a decision against Robbie Lawler and a submission win over Melvin Manhoef. With Strikeforce, Kennedy is 3-2.
‘Hot Sauce’ Smith is 6-1 in his last seven matches having won a fist round submission victory over Alexandre Moreno at a BXC event this past June. The win put him back on the winnings ways after a first round TKO loss to Gian Villante at last January’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine show. This bout will be ‘Hot Sauce’s’ fourth appearance in the Strikeforce cage.