Jan Finney Says She’s Not Intimidated by ‘Cyborg’ Santos

Filed under: StrikeforceSAN JOSE – There are underdogs, and then there’s Jan Finney. The Washington Generals have had better odds against the Harlem Globetrotters. The Joker’s henchmen stood a better chance of taking out Batman.

At least, that’s what …

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SAN JOSE – There are underdogs, and then there’s Jan Finney. The Washington Generals have had better odds against the Harlem Globetrotters. The Joker’s henchmen stood a better chance of taking out Batman.

At least, that’s what online oddsmakers say. Depending on which sportsbook you consult, she’s somewhere between a 7-1 and 11-1 underdog against Strikeforce 145-pound women’s champ Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. That could be due to her unimpressive 8-7 record, or the fact that she’s making the leap from regional promotions to a title fight against perhaps the most intimidating female fighter on the planet, and on the biggest stage for women’s MMA.

It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but it’s also not one that Finney is paying much attention to.

Kenny Florian Scoffs at the Idea of Cris Cyborg Losing

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, StrikeforceUFC lightweight Kenny Florian is rapidly turning into one of the best analysts in mixed martial arts. Over the weekend he called both the Ultimate Fighter Finale on Spike and WEC 49 on Versus, and in both broadc…

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UFC lightweight Kenny Florian is rapidly turning into one of the best analysts in mixed martial arts. Over the weekend he called both the Ultimate Fighter Finale on Spike and WEC 49 on Versus, and in both broadcasts he showed off his technical knowledge of MMA as well as an ability to clearly articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the fighters he was watching.

But Florian, who also works as an analyst on ESPN’s MMA Live, found a subject this week that he couldn’t explore in any real depth: Saturday night’s fight between Cris Cyborg and Jan Finney.

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum Press Conference Notes

Filed under: StrikeforceSAN JOSE – While most of the other fighters in attendance at Thursday afternoon’s Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Werdum” press conference at the HP Pavillion entered wearing garish MMA-themed t-shirts and menacing stares, Fedor Emeliane…

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SAN JOSE – While most of the other fighters in attendance at Thursday afternoon’s Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Werdum” press conference at the HP Pavillion entered wearing garish MMA-themed t-shirts and menacing stares, Fedor Emelianenko strolled in wearing a faded t-shirt, a beat-up pair of cargo shorts, and a shy smile as he was greeted with a hug from opponent Fabricio Werdum.

Flanked by executives from M-1 Global and backed by his trusty translator, Emelianenko slumped in his chair and offered the occasional reluctant grin when questioned about his status as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the sport.

‘Cuddles’ vs. ‘Cyborg’ — The Staredown [PHOTO]

(Jan’s hair was done by her mortician. He figured, "hey, why not get a head-start." / Props: Esther Lin for Strikeforce) Journeywoman Jan "Cuddles" Finney (8-7) throws the dice on a real long-shot this Saturday as she steps up to…

Jan Finney Cris Cyborg staredown Strikeforce
(Jan’s hair was done by her mortician. He figured, "hey, why not get a head-start." / Props: Esther Lin for Strikeforce)


Journeywoman Jan "Cuddles" Finney (8-7) throws the dice on a real long-shot this Saturday as she steps up to take on 145-pound queen Cristiane "Cris Cyborg" Santos (9-1) at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum. Finney describes MMA as a "hobby" that compliments her day-job as a personal trainer, but warns fans not to sleep on her"I’m going to come right back at her. I’m not going to cower away. I’m probably going to be one of the strongest opponents she’s faced. I’m not saying I’m as strong as her, but you never know — I might be…I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I would also say I’ve got a pretty nice right hand."

After the jump: Fabricio Werdum shows off his size advantage against Fedor Emelianenko.

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Cris Cyborg Lopsided Favorite for the Ages Against Jan Finney in Title Defense

Filed under: Fighting, Strikeforce, NewsWhen Cris “Cyborg” Santos walks into the cage to defend her middleweight title belt against Jan Finney during Saturday’s Strikeforce/M-1: Fedor vs. Werdum event, she will do so as one of the biggest favorites in …

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When Cris “Cyborg” Santos walks into the cage to defend her middleweight title belt against Jan Finney during Saturday’s Strikeforce/M-1: Fedor vs. Werdum event, she will do so as one of the biggest favorites in recent MMA history.

According to one online betting site, Cyborg was as much as a -2500 favorite, which means you’d have to lay down a whopping $2500 for the chance to win just $100. To put that into perspective, even the almighty Fedor Emelianenko is only a -600 favorite over Fabricio Werdum, a big number, but nowhere close to Cyborg’s.

The fact that a title match has such long odds is a rarity in MMA. What’s the reason behind the numbers? Three main things. First, the 9-1 Cyborg has built up a reputation as a wrecking machine, with TKO stoppages in seven of her last eight matches. Second, Finney has a fairly pedestrian 8-7 record, a mark you rarely see in a bout with gold on the line. Third, Finney’s strength is striking, yet most everyone believes Cyborg is the better and more powerful striker of the two. All of that means this is a money line for the history books.

Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club

(Rule #17 of the Fighter Fist Pose: Never rest your head on the shoulder of a chubby man in a floral-print shirt, as it will completely negate the fist-pose’s power. / Photo courtesy of the TUF 11 Finale: Afterparty pics gallery on CombatLifestyle.com…

James McSweeney Ultimate Fighter TUF 11 UFC afterparty fist pose
(Rule #17 of the Fighter Fist Pose: Never rest your head on the shoulder of a chubby man in a floral-print shirt, as it will completely negate the fist-pose’s power. / Photo courtesy of the TUF 11 Finale: Afterparty pics gallery on CombatLifestyle.com.)

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– Fabricio Werdum: ‘I will choke Fedor in the first round’ (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Jan Finney Isn’t Going to “Cuddle” Cris Cyborg (FightMagazine)

– Ten Things We Learned From WEC 49 (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Biggest Story Heading Into UFC 116 Is Not Brock Lesnar, It’s Shane Carwin (WatchKalibRun)

– ‘Strikeforce: Los Angeles’ Fighter Salaries (MMA Fighting)

– Kendall Grove Says Spike TV Controls ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, Not the UFC (MiddleEasy)

– MMAScraps Radio: Cain Velasquez, Ben Rothwell and Chris Barnett (MMA Scraps)