Filed under: StrikeforceIn the last three years, the Strikeforce middleweight title has been vacated more times than it’s been defended, and 2010 has been another long year for the promotion’s 185-pound division. Its champion, Jake Shields, whipped its…
In the last three years, the Strikeforce middleweight title has been vacated more times than it’s been defended, and 2010 has been another long year for the promotion’s 185-pound division. Its champion, Jake Shields, whipped its big free agent acquisition, Dan Henderson — and then promptly bolted for the UFC. And then a much-discussed middleweight tournament failed to materialize.
But there’s some hope that Strikeforce will have big fights in the year ahead, even if the middleweight division fizzled in 2010. Below we look at what some of those big fights might be and where the middleweight belt is headed as we survey the state of the Strikeforce middleweight division.
Filed under: Strikeforce, Sengoku, NewsStrikeforce has been very active on the free agent scene this week, signing the likes of Josh Barnett, Paul Daley and Jorge Masvidal to beef up their heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions, respective…
Strikeforce has been very active on the free agent scene this week, signing the likes of Josh Barnett, Paul Daley and Jorge Masvidal to beef up their heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions, respectively.
And while the organization’s middleweight division is by far it’s deepest, a familiar face is looking to get back into the mix once again.
Jorge Santiago, the Sengoku middleweight champion, who won the Strikeforce middleweight Grand Prix in 2007, is hoping to strike a deal with the organization in the near future, according to his manager Alex Davis.
“Let’s put it this way, of course, I think Strikeforce would be more than happy to have him,” Davis said on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “He’s probably the top 185er outside of the UFC, and they’re very interested in him. But they have not decided exactly how they are going to set up their 185 [tournament]. Is it going to be an eight-man, is it going to be a four-man? So right now, we’re waiting for what they are going to plan out so we can see how Jorge fits in there.”
(Hatsu Hioki vs. Jeff Lawson; video courtesy of ZombieProphetMMA)
A year and a half after Jorge Santiago scored a fifth-round comeback submission against Kazuo Misaki to win Sengoku’s middleweight title, the two fighters met again in the main even…
(Hatsu Hioki vs. Jeff Lawson; video courtesy of ZombieProphetMMA)
A year and a half after Jorge Santiago scored a fifth-round comeback submission against Kazuo Misaki to win Sengoku’s middleweight title, the two fighters met again in the main event of yesterday’s Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 in Tokyo. And once again, Santiago managed to pull out a stoppage in the final round, forcing Misaki’s corner to throw in the towel with just 29 seconds left in the fight — a fortunate outcome indeed, considering that Santiago was down on the scorecards.
"The Grabaka Hitman" controlled the first two rounds thanks in large part to his grappling, scoring two takedowns in the opening frame, and threatening with a guillotine choke and full mount in the second. The bout entered "Fight of the Year" territory beginning in the third. Santiago surged back, dropping Misaki with a head kick and smashing him with strikes from the top. It looked grim for the Japanese fighter, but Misaki survived and turned the tables once again in the fourth round, flooring Santiago with punches then working some knees to the head; Santiago intentionally rolled under the ropes to escape the abuse and was slapped with a red card. When the action was re-started, Santiago scored another knockdown of his own during a fierce striking exchange and pounded on Misaki to the bell.
The final round began with another knockdown by Santiago. After a couple of submission attempts from the reigning champ didn’t pan out, Misaki swept Santiago, then Santiago swept Misaki. Santiago seized his moment, firing down hammerfists and punches until Misaki was turtled and helpless. The referee wasn’t quite convinced, but Misaki’s corner had seen enough, and threw in the towel at 4:31 of round 5. Santiago retains his Sengoku middleweight belt in another dramatic performance, while Misaki suffers his third defeat in four fights.
In other action, Akihiro Gono took a suprising decision loss against Mongolian K-1 vet Jadamba Narantungalag, top-ten featherweight Hatsu Hioki notched a first-round submission over a very game Jeff Lawson, and former top-ten welterweight Nick Thompson ate his third consecutive stoppage loss against Sengoku newcomer Taisuke Okuno. Full event results and video of the Santiago/Misaki battle are after the jump…
Filed under: Sengoku, News, JapanIn a classic battle for the Sengoku middleweight title, Jorge Santiago and Kazuo Misaki went toe-to-toe for 24 and a half minutes Sunday in Tokyo before Misaki’s corner threw in the towel with just 30 seconds left in th…
In a classic battle for the Sengoku middleweight title, Jorge Santiago and Kazuo Misaki went toe-to-toe for 24 and a half minutes Sunday in Tokyo before Misaki’s corner threw in the towel with just 30 seconds left in the fight, handing Santiago a victory in a bout he was on the verge of losing by decision.
“I proved to everybody here what a champ is made of,” Santiago said afterward. “This is the way a champion fights. This is the way I always want to fight.”
Filed under: Sengoku, Results, JapanJorge Santiago once again bested Kazuo Misaki in the fifth round at Sunday’s Sengoku 14 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Santiago battered Misaki until Misaki’s corner threw in the towel to end the fight. W…
Santiago battered Misaki until Misaki’s corner threw in the towel to end the fight. With the win, Santiago defends his Sengoku middleweight belt successfully for the second time.
Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Sengoku, Rankings, MiddleweightsI didn’t think Chael Sonnen was a serious threat to Anderson Silva, didn’t think their fight would get out of the first round and didn’t think Sonnen could even come close to backing up all…
I didn’t think Chael Sonnen was a serious threat to Anderson Silva, didn’t think their fight would get out of the first round and didn’t think Sonnen could even come close to backing up all that ridiculous trash talk he spewed in the run-up to their UFC 117 fight on Saturday night.
But while Silva did manage to pull off a fifth-round submission victory, I now believe Sonnen has to be considered the No. 2 middleweight in the world, and I also believe the next middleweight title fight should be Silva-Sonnen 2. No one had ever even come close to beating Silva in the UFC, and Sonnen had victory within his grasp on Saturday night. He deserves another chance.
You know Silva and Sonnen are the top two middleweights in the world. Find out about the rest of the Top 10 below.
In the last three years, the Strikeforce middleweight title has been vacated more times than it’s been defended, and 2010 has been another long year for the promotion’s 185-pound division. Its champion, Jake Shields, whipped its big free agent acquisition, Dan Henderson — and then promptly bolted for the UFC. And then a much-discussed middleweight tournament failed to materialize.
Strikeforce has been very active on the free agent scene this week, signing the likes of Josh Barnett, Paul Daley and Jorge Masvidal to beef up their heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions, respectively.
In a classic battle for the Sengoku middleweight title, 
I didn’t think