(It’s the kind of moment that makes you wish competitive judo used the same commentator as NBA Jam. Photoprops: AlumniRoundup.com)
Rhadi Ferguson — four-time Judo national champion, 2004 Olympic Judo competitor, BJJ black belt, American Top Te…
(It’s the kind of moment that makes you wish competitive judo used the same commentator as NBA Jam. Photoprops: AlumniRoundup.com)
Rhadi Ferguson — four-time Judo national champion, 2004 Olympic Judo competitor, BJJ black belt, American Top Team strength-and-conditioning coach, Doctor of education, and cousin of Kimbo Slice — is about to make his televised MMA debut. After picking up two first-round TKO victories this year in southern regional leagues, Ferguson has been signed to the Strikeforce light-heavyweight roster, and will make his first appearance on the main card of Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Saffiedine, January 7th in Nashville. His opponent will be 1-0 Canadian rookie Ion Cherdivara, whose list of credentials isn’t nearly as long as Dr. Rhadi’s.
Filed under: StrikeforceThe list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and J…
The list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. Hot prospects Daniel Cormier and Shane del Rosario. And the champion, K-1 wrecking machine Alistair Overeem.
The biggest question facing Strikeforce is whether it can actually get all of those fighters — and Antonio Silva and Brett Rogers and Lavar Johnson and so on — into the cage, fighting each other. The heavyweight talent is there. The heavyweight fights came all too infrequently in 2010, and as we take a look below at the state of Strikeforce’s heavyweight division, we offer some suggestions on what should happen in 2011.
(Radach and Lopes will step in with just nine days notice.)With heavyweight Herschel Walker forced out of his planned December 4 Strikeforce bout with WEC veteran Scott Carson due to a deep cut he sustained training with Daniel Cormier on Friday, a lig…
(Radach and Lopes will step in with just nine days notice.)
With heavyweight Herschel Walker forced out of his planned December 4 Strikeforce bout with WEC veteran Scott Carson due to a deep cut he sustained training with Daniel Cormier on Friday, a light heavyweight scrap between usual middleweights Lucas Lopes and Benji Radach has been put together at the last minute to help fill in the dwindling Henderson vs. Babalu fight card.
Earlier in the week yet-to-be matched up Jesse Finney, who was originally slated to face Scott Smith before "Hands of Steel" was instead matched up with Strikeforce newcomer Paul Daley, was forced to bow out of the event due to an eye injury.
Sources close to the situation told CagePotato.com Thursday that Lopes (19-10), who is one of Finney’s training partners and holds a win over UFC standout Thiago Alves, has agreed to face Radach on the card. Radach (20-5), whose record includes wins over Murilo Rua and Gerald Harris, hasn’t fought since being knocked out by Smith last year, but he is a crafty veteran Lopes would regret taking lightly.
Another source we spoke to informed us that Strikeforce was unable to find a suitable opponent in time for Carson, so the 4-1 veteran whose return to MMA after a nine-year absence in June was spoiled by a first round knock out by Lorenz Larkin.
Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsNFL star turned mixed martial arts fighter Herschel Walker has been forced to withdraw from his second pro MMA bout due to a cut suffered in training.
Walker (1-0) was scheduled to face Scott Carson (4-1) at next weekend’…
NFL star turned mixed martial arts fighter Herschel Walker has been forced to withdraw from his second pro MMA bout due to a cut suffered in training.
Walker (1-0) was scheduled to face Scott Carson (4-1) at next weekend’s Strikeforce event in St. Louis, however after recently suffering a cut under his eye, the organization decided to pull him off the card.
MMA Weekly first reported the news, and MMA Fighting confirmed it with Strikeforce director of communications Mike Afromowitz.
“I feel terrible about this,” Walker stated in a press release. “I know things like this happen in all sports, but I had trained very hard and was excited to be returning to the cage again. I hope to fight again as soon as the cut heals.”
Monday’s live edition of The MMA Hour is another loaded two-hour episode featuring all kinds of guests from around the world of mixed martial arts.
* Manager Shu Hirata will be in studio to preview his client Takayo Hashi’s fight against Tara LaRosa on Nov. 24 for DaMMAge Fight League and to talk about the state of Japanese MMA.
* Roy Nelson will shed light on his recent contract issues with the UFC and what the future holds for him.
* Matt Mitrione will help us look back on UFC 123 and ahead to his fight against Tim Hague in January.
* Ed Soares will stop by to discuss Saturday’s fight between Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson.
* Jiu-jitsu expert Robert Drysdale will talk about his second pro win and when he expects to fight again.
* And Scott Carson, Herschel Walker’s opponent on Dec. 4, will explain why he is worthy of fighting the NFL legend.
And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.
Watch the show live below beginning at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.
Monday’s live edition of The MMA Hour is another loaded two-hour episode featuring all kinds of guests from around the world of mixed martial arts.
* Manager Shu Hirata will be in studio to preview his client Takayo Hashi’s fight against Tara LaRosa on Nov. 24 for DaMMAge Fight League and to talk about the state of Japanese MMA.
* Roy Nelson will shed light on his recent contract issues with the UFC and what the future holds for him.
* Matt Mitrione will help us look back on UFC 123 and ahead to his fight against Tim Hague in January.
* Ed Soares will stop by to discuss Saturday’s fight between Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson.
* Jiu-jitsu expert Robert Drysdale will talk about his second pro win and when he expects to fight again.
* And Scott Carson, Herschel Walker’s opponent on Dec. 4, will explain why he is worthy of fighting the NFL legend.
And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.
Watch the show live below beginning at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.
Filed under: StrikeforceIf only Jimmy Hoffa had racked up a meager MMA record before he disappeared from the face of the earth, I feel certain Strikeforce officials would have found him and plugged him into a fight with Herschel Walker by now.
If only Jimmy Hoffa had racked up a meager MMA record before he disappeared from the face of the earth, I feel certain Strikeforce officials would have found him and plugged him into a fight with Herschel Walker by now.
Forget the FBI, it’s Strikeforce you want to call with those tough missing persons cases. Just make sure to tell them that the person you’re looking for can make heavyweight and poses absolutely no threat whatsoever to the former NFL running back on Strikeforce’s roster. They’ll track him down and have him signed to a one-fight deal before his dinner gets cold.
The list of names in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is undeniably impressive: Former No. 1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko. The man who beat him, Fabricio Werdum. Former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. Hot prospects Daniel Cormier and Shane del Rosario. And the champion, K-1 wrecking machine Alistair Overeem.
NFL star turned mixed martial arts fighter 
Monday’s live edition of 
If only Jimmy Hoffa had racked up a meager MMA record before he disappeared from the face of the earth, I feel certain Strikeforce officials would have found him and plugged him into a fight with