Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsStrikeforce on Thursday announced four of the five televised bouts slated for its Jan. 7 event at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The new matchups are Robbie Lawler vs. Adlan Amagov, Muhammed “…
Strikeforce on Thursday announced four of the five televised bouts slated for its Jan. 7 event at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
And as previously reported, the main event will be middleweight champion Luke Rockhold defending his belt against UFC veteran Keith Jardine.
“Jardine is a big name who’s fought a lot of tough guys in this sport,” Rockhold said in a statement. “I’m not going to sleep on him or this opportunity. This isn’t just another fight for me, I’ve wanted my chance to prove I’m a champion and a five-round title defense is the way to do it.”
Rockhold (8-1), undefeated in seven Strikeforce fights, captured the middleweight strap away from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza by unanimous decision in September. Jardine (17-9-2) made his Strikeforce debut in April, fighting Mousasi to a draw. Jardine will be making his 185-pound debut.
Lawler (18-8) will be looking to snap a two-fight losing streak. In 2011, Lawler lost to both Souza and Kennedy. Amagov (9-1-1) made the jump from the Russian MMA scene to Strikeforce in July and has since won two bouts.
In his lone fight in 2011, Lawal (8-1) scored a first-round knockout over Roger Gracie. Larkin (12-0) won four fights this year, three of which took place inside the Strikeforce cage.
Saffiedine (11-3) lost to Tyron Woodley in January and then bounced back to beat Scott Smith in July. Stinson (22-7) made his Strikeforce debut in July and earned an impressive KO over Eduardo Pamplona.
Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title fight is expected to headline the organization’s first event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino…Rockhold was expected to meet Tim Kennedy in his first title defense, but according to sources, Kennedy couldn’t commit to the fight due to an undisclosed injury.
Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title fight is expected to headline the organization’s first event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino…Rockhold was expected to meet Tim Kennedy in his first title defense, but according to sources, Kennedy couldn’t commit to the fight due to an undisclosed injury.
Keep in mind that Jardine is 0-0 as a middleweight, and 0-0-1 under the Strikeforce banner, with his only SF appearance resulting in an ugly (and sort of undeserved) draw against Gegard Mousasi. And yet he’s the best available contender to Luke Rockhold’s belt? Considering who Strikeforce still has left on their middleweight roster, he very well might be — but it’s still the kind of matchup that makes a strong argument for non-title fights.
I hate to see the once-proud Strikeforce promotion limping along like this. It’s time to take Lenny out to the woods, so to speak.
It looks like all of the circumstantial evidence suggesting that Tim Kennedy was packing his rucksack and heading to the UFC was a false alarm. That, or Zuffa realized that Strikeforce’s middleweight herd was thin on credible challengers and decided to keep their most decorated fighter on the roster for a bit longer. Tatame.com reports that the bout is likely to take place in January of next year.
Luke Rockholdreturned to action last September, shaking off seventeen months of ring rust in a title bout with Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza. Rockhold was predictably a massive underdog, but he got the better of “Jacare” throughout the five round affair and took the belt in a unanimous decision. That “W” marked Rockhold’s seventh straight victory.
Kennedy was unsuccessful in his own title bid against Jacare last October, taking the champ the distance but coming up short on all three judges’ scorecards. Since then he’s racked up wins over Melvin Manhoef and Robbie Lawler.
This is second time the pair has been scheduled to fight. Their original bout was scrapped back in February when Rockhold suffered a leg injury in training.
Tim Kennedy Victory” src=”http://www.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tim_Kennedy-e1305905318997.jpg” alt=” width=”245″ height=”163″ />
It looks like all of the circumstantial evidence suggesting that Tim Kennedy was packing his rucksack and heading to the UFC was a false alarm. That, or Zuffa realized that Strikeforce’s middleweight herd was thin on credible challengers and decided to keep their most decorated fighter on the roster for a bit longer. Tatame.com reports that the bout is likely to take place in January of next year.
Luke Rockholdreturned to action last September, shaking off seventeen months of ring rust in a title bout with Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza. Rockhold was predictably a massive underdog, but he got the better of “Jacare” throughout the five round affair and took the belt in a unanimous decision. That “W” marked Rockhold’s seventh straight victory.
This is second time the pair has been scheduled to fight. Their original bout was scrapped back in February when Rockhold suffered a leg injury in training.
Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsThe Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov fighter salaries are out and Josh Barnett received the biggest payday with $150,000 for his win over Sergei Kharitonov, $100,000, Saturday at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.
The Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov fighter salaries are out and Josh Barnett received the biggest payday with $150,000 for his win over Sergei Kharitonov, $100,000, Saturday at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.
All four of the Heavyweight Grand Prix semifinalists on the card earned at least six figures. On the other side of the bracket, Daniel Cormier was paid $50,000 to show and another $50,000 to win for a total of $100,000. Antonio Silva, who suffered a first-round TKO loss to Cormier, made $100,000.
Check out below the rest of the fighter purses, courtesy of the Ohio athletic commission.
Please note: The numbers below are the salaries Strikeforce reported to the commission and may not accurately reflect a fighter’s final earnings. Fighters earn additionally through sponsorships and possibly, other bonuses handed out by the promotion.
Showtime Bouts
Josh Barnett ($150,000) def. Sergei Kharitonov ($100,000)
Daniel Cormier ($50,000 + $50,000 win bonus = $100,000) def. Antonio Silva ($100,000) Luke Rockhold ($25,000 + $25,000 win bonus = $50,000) def. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza ($70,000)
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal ($85,000) def. Roger Gracie ($80,000) Pat Healy ($12,500 + $5,000 = $17,500) def. Maximo Blanco ($13,000)
Preliminary Bouts on HDNet Mike Kyle ($22,000 + $22,000 win bonus = $44,000) def. Marcos Rogerio de Lima ($5,000)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante ($30,000 + $30,000 win bonus = $60,000) def. Yoel Romero ($10,000)
Jordan Mein ($8,000 + $8,000 win bonus = $16,000) def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos ($20,000)
Alexis Davis ($3,000 + $3,000 win bonus = $6,000) def. Amanda Nunes ($7,500)
Dominique Steele ($3,000 + $2,000 win bonus = $5,000) def. Chris Mierzwiak ($3,000)
Filed under: StrikeforceStrikeforce delivered a full night of exciting fights in the latest installment of the World Heavyweight Grand Prix, but what did we learn once the dust had settled? To find out, we sort through Saturday night’s biggest winners,…
Strikeforce delivered a full night of exciting fights in the latest installment of the World Heavyweight Grand Prix, but what did we learn once the dust had settled? To find out, we sort through Saturday night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between.
Biggest Winner: Daniel Cormier
The former Olympian got a few laughs at the pre-fight press conference by making it very clear that he didn’t mind winning a decision over “Bigfoot” Silva. Then he went out and demolished the much larger Brazilian with some punishing right hands, rocketing himself up the ranks and into the big time. The win proved not only that Cormier can hang with quality heavyweights, but also that his size isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker. There aren’t a whole lot of 5’11” heavyweights in the top ten, but when you’re as quick as Cormier — and when you have wrestling skills that allow you to do something other than stand at the end of a taller man’s reach — maybe it doesn’t matter. Now Cormier’s in a no-lose situation. Even if he gets beat by Barnett in the finals, it won’t be so devastating. It will be just his tenth pro fight, after all. If he wins, he’s the newest heavyweight superstar. Now let’s just hope that his hand injury isn’t too serious. The most disappointing possible outcome would be Strikeforce replacing him in the finals. It would also be the dumbest possible outcome, but more on that later.
Biggest Loser: Yoel Romero
The Cuban light heavyweight came into his undercard bout with “Feijao” Cavalcante looking like he had all the makings of a future star. Between his wrestling skills and his mini-Bobby Lashley physique, he seemed like someone who might be only a big win or two away from being thrust into the spotlight. But after a bizarre first round in which referee Dan Miragliotta actually called timeout so he could implore Romero to fight, he got knocked into the land of wind and ghosts by a brutal assault that left him stretched out on his back. That’s not the image you want to leave people with. Especially not after you just spent five minutes breakdancing. All in all, it was a bad night with a worse ending for Romero. Now it’s just a question of what he decides to do with it.
Most Consistent: Josh Barnett
When the Grand Prix bracket was first revealed it seemed like Barnett had the surest path to the finals. But then, between Fedor Emelianenko’s opening round loss and Alistair Overeem’s withdrawal, nothing in this tournament worked out the way it was supposed to. Nothing except Barnett, that is. He rolled right through his first two opponents and now he’s through to the finals with a minimum of cage time. Though everyone else derailed in one way or another, Barnett is pulling into the station right on schedule. He’s also keeping things interesting with his pro wrestling-style promos from time to time, and yet not overdoing it to the point where it becomes cloying. Basically, Barnett’s starting to look like he could be a valuable asset for the UFC. It’s just that history of failed drug tests and the contentious relationship with Dana White that stands in his way. The former has a lot to do with the latter, but all he can do now is play by the rules, make nice, and hope for the best.
Most Remarkable Recovery: Luke Rockhold
Several times in his middleweight title fight with “Jacare” Souza he got rocked by big right hands, but thanks to his mutant healing powers he was right back in it before Souza could capitalize. I still gave the slight edge to Souza in the bout, but it was close enough that I can absolutely see how you might score it 48-47 for Rockhold (though, 50-45? that’s just crazy talk). At least the title shake-up gives Strikeforce some much-needed options at middleweight, since Souza had already fought just about everyone there was in the division. Rockhold is probably looking at a fight with Tim Kennedy now, but whether he wins or loses, this is a problem that isn’t going away. The pool of contenders at 185 pounds is too small in Strikeforce. If they end up passing the title back and forth among each other, it won’t take long before fans lose all interest. Meanwhile, the UFC could sure use some new faces at middleweight now that Anderson Silva has demolished every credible contender. I have an idea for a solution that could benefit both parties…
Least Secure Future: (tie) Antonio Silva and Sergei Kharitonov
As we’ve already noted, fate has not been kind to the losers in the heavyweight Grand Prix thus far. At least Silva and Kharitonov made it into the semis before getting beat, but now what do you do with them? I suppose you could have them fight each other in some kind of third-place match, but that’s probably not going to excite the fan base all that much. In the end, Zuffa is still looking at two mid-level heavyweights who don’t speak much English. When the UFC eventually absorbs these guys (come on, we all know that’s what’s eventually going to happen) you have to wonder how much value it will see in Silva and Kharitonov. If they do meet each other, it might be in a bout that’s more of an audition than anything else.
Worst Idea, Even in Theory: Replacing Daniel Cormier
When Strikeforce’s Scott Coker said that the organization might have to move on with the Grand Prix final without Cormier if his hand injury sidelines him for too long, I admit I was stunned. I could see replacing someone earlier in the tournament, but in the final? Barnett-Cormier is the only fight that makes sense at this point, and it’s the only one anyone wants to see. It’s a great match-up too, plus there’s Cormier’s whole Cinderella story as an alternate who made the most of an unexpected opportunity. Even if it takes a year, I think you have to wait it out. There are simply no other decent options. Who would you even replace Cormier with at this point? Who’s the alternate for the alternate? Chad Griggs? Antonio Silva? Fabricio Werdum? None of those would feel like a genuine tournament final bout. It would be better to risk leaving this unfinished than to move on with some artificial ending that Strikeforce tries to sell as a meaningful finale. Not only would no one believe it, it would just be insulting and degrading for all of us, Strikeforce included.
Filed under: StrikeforceDepending on who you talk to, Strikeforce is either dying a slow death or in need of a life-saving procedure. Either way, things don’t look great for the promotion that just a few months ago, seemed poised to steal some of the U…
Depending on who you talk to, Strikeforce is either dying a slow death or in need of a life-saving procedure. Either way, things don’t look great for the promotion that just a few months ago, seemed poised to steal some of the UFC‘s spotlight.
After being purchased by the UFC’s parent company, the company has seen some of its best parts cherry-picked away for the bigger brand. Its heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem is gone. Its welterweight champion Nick Diaz is gone. Its light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson is likely to be gone soon enough.
This is good and bad of course. Those transactions are likely to lead to superfights in the UFC, but they are just as likely to damage Strikeforce or put it out of business altogether. Most of this is simple business. Zuffa now has UFC under a brighter spotlight, and so it makes sense to have all its resources available to its bigger promotion. And when it comes to Strikeforce, Zuffa wants shows to turn a profit, and that’s no simple task when events include highly paid fighters. Because of those reasons, it seems logical to move its biggest names to UFC if possible. But what about those who remain?
Saturday night’s World Grand Prix semifinals showed that Strikeforce’s remaining athletes have plenty of fight in them yet, with a series of bouts that delivered. It’s a shame that more people didn’t see them. According to reports from the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, the event was sparsely populated, though at least those who attended made their share of noise.
My colleague Ariel Helwani reported on fight night that there may have been 1,500 people in the stands. Contrast that to the opening night of the Grand Prix back in February, when the excitement surrounding the tournament drew 11,287 fans to the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and you can clearly see the dropoff has been fast and precipitous.
Though that is the case, we can’t really blame the fighters. There have been plenty of memorable moments in recent months, from Paul Daley and Nick Diaz producing possibly MMA’s round of the year, to Dan Henderson knocking out Fedor Emelianenko to Miesha Tate upsetting Marloes Coenen.
It was more of the same on Saturday, which boasted an overall event that — fight-for-fight — could rival the excitement level of nearly any card all year.
Just in the main card, there was Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal knocking out Roger Gracie, Luke Rockhold shocking Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, submissions by Pat Healy and Josh Barnett, and Daniel Cormier blasting his way through Antonio Silva.
While in recent Strikeforce events, there still seemed to be a bit of uncertainty about the future, now the promotion’s athletes seem to be a little more sure that they see the end coming. A week prior to the event, Lawal infamously compared the organization to a “dying cancer patient,” saying, “We’re just waiting for it to die, to pass.”
But, he added, “As long as I can get my fights in and they’re still around, I want to get them in.”
That seems to be the prevailing thought of every fighter competing under the banner. Barnett and Cormier lobbied for Strikeforce to name the Grand Prix winner as the heavyweight champion. After all, Overeem essentially vacated the belt when he was moved over to the UFC. The pair never got an answer to their request, but the winner might as well be the de facto champion, and both performed well enough to make you wonder how they would have done against Overeem had he stuck around.
Whether they do or don’t, it’s obvious that the fighters will continue to do what they do. As anyone who has worked at a company in trouble probably knows, it’s not always easy to concentrate on your job when the future is in doubt. At this time next year, anything is possible. Maybe Lorenzo Fertitta finds a way to make the math work and Strikeforce is still running, or maybe Showtime doesn’t want to give up on mixed martial arts and extends its option. Or maybe neither of those things happens, and Strikeforce is just a memory, with its talent absorbed into the exploding UFC.
Either way, the fighters continue to leave us with good memories. It shouldn’t be possible to take away so much talent and not hurt the product, but as Cormier, Rockhold and the rest showed on Saturday night, you can take away the fans and the spotlight, but you can’t take away their pride.
Strikeforce on Thursday announced four of the five televised bouts slated for its Jan. 7 event at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
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