Tag: Tyron Woodley

‘UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar’: The New Guys

(Bobby Green vs. Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennet at KOTC – Fight 4 Hope.)

For obvious reasons, the main focus of Saturday night’s UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar card is on both the headlining title fight and the title implications of an Alistair Overeem win, but that is not to say that there aren’t plenty of intriguing matchups to be had on the undercard as well. Featuring the UFC debuts of a couple Strikeforce veterans and an undefeated Hawaiian prospect, UFC 156 promises to deliver from top to bottom, so join us after the jump to get the inside scoop on all of the unfamiliar faces that will be stepping into the octagon Saturday night.

(Green vs. Dan Lauzon at Affliction: Day of Reckoning.) 

Bobby “King” Green (LW)


(Bobby Green vs. Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennet at KOTC – Fight 4 Hope.)

For obvious reasons, the main focus of Saturday night’s UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar card is on both the headlining title fight and the title implications of an Alistair Overeem win, but that is not to say that there aren’t plenty of intriguing matchups to be had on the undercard as well. Featuring the UFC debuts of a couple Strikeforce veterans and an undefeated Hawaiian prospect, UFC 156 promises to deliver from top to bottom, so join us after the jump to get the inside scoop on all of the unfamiliar faces that will be stepping into the octagon Saturday night.


(Green vs. Dan Lauzon at Affliction: Day of Reckoning.) 

Bobby “King” Green (LW)
Experience: 19-5 (7 KO, 8 Sub), including notable victories over TUF 15 alum Daron Cruickshank, Charles Bennett, and Matt Ricehouse. Multiple appearances under the Strikeforce and KOTC banners, the latter of which he was the junior welterweight champion and undisputed lightweight champion.
Will be facing: Jacob Volkmann (15-3, 6-3 UFC, 0-1 Secret Service)
Lowdown: Although he is perhaps best known for having two points deducted for low blows in the first round of his fight with Dan Lauzon (see above), Green is a legitimately well-rounded fighter who poses all sorts of problems for Volkmann. A solid submission artist who attacks from any position he is in, look to see Green’s bottom game tested against the smothering top game of Volkmann. Although personally, I think Green’s best chance of victory here will be on the feet, where he could easily stun and possibly finish Volkmann if he can avoid the inevitable takedown.


(Vallie-Flagg, seen here dropping a first round TKO to a waxed linoleum floor.) 

Isaac Vallie-Flagg (LW)
Experience: 13-3-1 record (5 KO, 3 Sub), including a notable split decision win over Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier and a notable loss to Rudy Bears. Compiled a 4-1 record under the King of the Cage banner.
Will be facing: Yves Edwards (42-18-1, 10-6 UFC)
Lowdown: A measured, technical striker with a solid submission game, this Jackson’s MMA product will likely be looking to stick and move his way to a decision victory over the heavy-handed Edwards, who will enjoy both a tremendous experience and grappling advantage heading into this one. Check out a full video of Vallie-Flagg’s Strikeforce debut victory over Cavalcante here.


(Highlights from Kimura’s most recent KO victory over Guy Delumeau at PXC 34.)

Dustin Kimura (FW)
Experience: 9-0 (2 KO, 6 Sub), including one appearance under King of the Cage that resulted in a first round submission via rear-naked choke victory over Toby Misech.
Will be facing: Chico Camus (12-3, 1-0 UFC)
Lowdown: There’s not honestly much out there about this kid, but Kimura has gained notoriety for his solid submission and grappling game, and based on his most recent fight, has made some strong improvements to his standup as well. He’ll be facing a talented grappler and Duke Roufus product in Camus, who demonstrated some fierce ground-n-pound (but some subpar striking) in his UFC debut victory over Dustin Pague at UFC 150. This fight could very well be determined on the feet, with Kimura using his grappling in reverse to showcase his newfound striking prowess.


(See! I told you guys Woodley was in an entertaining fight once!) 

Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley (WW)
Experience: 10-1 (1 KO, 5 Sub), including an 8-1 run under the Strikeforce banner. Notable victories include Jordan Mein, Paul Daley, and final Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffeidine.
Will be facing: Filling in on short notice for Erick Silva against Jay Hieron (23-6, 0-3 UFC)
Lowdown: Honestly, if you don’t know what Tyron Woodley’s gameplan is by now, then you’ve clearly never seen a Tyron Woodley fight. This fight will be determined by one sole factor: whether or not Hieron can stuff Woodley’s endless takedown attempts. Based on his luck in the UFC, I’m betting “The Thoroughbred” wont be able to. Woodley by UD.

–J. Jones

Erick Silva Out, Tyron Woodley in Against Jay Hieron at UFC 156


(“Come on, you guys, give him a hand for trying.”)

If you were looking over the UFC 156 fight card and thinking to yourself “Hey, this card is almost too stacked. I could really use a lackluster fight to make a sandwich or go to the bathroom during,” well then do we have some great news for you. Now that Erick Silva has fallen victim to the great injury curse of 2012 (2013 status pending), it appears that Strikeforce welterweight Tyron Woodley has been called over to the UFC in his absence. As was the case with future highlight reel victim Lucas Martins, Woodley will be making his promotional debut on short notice against a much more experienced opponent. However, unlike Martins, Woodley actually finds himself in a matchup that he stands a good chance of winning.

Woodley will be squaring off against Jay Hieron, a Bellator/IFL/Strikeforce veteran who has simply not been able to put it together in the octagon, going 0 for 3 in the promotion thus far. After we hyped the hell out of his UFC return, Hieron put on an incredibly disappointing — not to mention tepid — performance against Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FX 5, resulting in a unanimous decision victory for the Omaha native. You guys remember that fight, right? Anyone? Who am I kidding, not even Hieron’s mom remembers that fight.


(“Come on, you guys, give him a hand for trying.”)

If you were looking over the UFC 156 fight card and thinking to yourself “Hey, this card is almost too stacked. I could really use a lackluster fight to make a sandwich or go to the bathroom during,” well then do we have some great news for you. Now that Erick Silva has fallen victim to the great injury curse of 2012 (2013 status pending), it appears that Strikeforce welterweight Tyron Woodley has been called over to the UFC in his absence. As was the case with future highlight reel victim Lucas Martins, Woodley will be making his promotional debut on short notice against a much more experienced opponent. However, unlike Martins, Woodley actually finds himself in a matchup that he stands a good chance of winning.

Woodley will be squaring off against Jay Hieron, a Bellator/IFL/Strikeforce veteran who has simply not been able to put it together in the octagon, going 0 for 3 in the promotion thus far. After we hyped the hell out of his UFC return, Hieron put on an incredibly disappointing — not to mention tepid — performance against Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FX 5, resulting in a unanimous decision victory for the Omaha native. You guys remember that fight, right? Anyone? Who am I kidding, not even Hieron’s mom remembers that fight.

Anyway, considering he’s fighting one of the most prominent lay-n-pray artists in the sport in Woodley, expect this one to go down in similar fashion to Hieron’s Bellator 56 title scrap against Ben Azzzzkren. In other words, Hieron will spend most of the fight fending off takedowns and scoring minimally from the outside, his jabs doing little to stifle the chorus of boos from the audience. By the end of three rounds, he will have emerged a clear victor, yet the fight will be scored a split decision in favor of Woodley. Hieron will then walk away in disgust and rant and rave in his post-fight interviews that Woodley “Didn’t come to fight” and yadda yadda yadda I’m really tired today.

Who do you like for this one, Potato Nation? And more importantly, how do you plan on entertaining yourself for the loong fifteen minutes this fight will ultimately last?

–J. Jones

The New Era of Nate Marquardt

After seven years of pursuing a championship title, Nate Marquardt’s efforts have finally paid off. After more than a year of inactivity, Marquardt was not only able to capture the vacant welterweight title in his.

After seven years of pursuing a championship title, Nate Marquardt’s efforts have finally paid off. After more than a year of inactivity, Marquardt was not only able to capture the vacant welterweight title in his Strikeforece debut, but do so by knocking out undefeated Tyron Woodley in spectacular fashion.

Ever since his defeat at the hands of Anderson Silva in 2007, Marquardt wanted nothing more than to get back into title contention. Unfortunately, he always seemed to be just one win away from making that a reality. Matters only got worse for Marquardt when he was released from the UFC due to issues with his testosterone replacement therapy. This alone would be enough to end a fighters confidence, and therefore, his career. However, this didn’t deter Marquardt, and he pushed on. Just seven months after being released from the UFC, his determination and perseverance were rewarded with the opportunity to fight Tyron Woodley for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title.

Many people thought Marquardt would have his hands full with Woodley. After all, Woodley had a perfect 10-0 record and was an NCAA division l wrestler. In 2010, Woodley was named Strikeforce’s rising star of the year and later fought and defeated former UFC top welterweight, Paul Daley, in 2011. It was obvious that even if Marquardt was able to leave with the belt, it would be no walk in the park.

Although he took several heavy shots from Woodley early in the fight, Marquardt was able to regain his composure and impose his will, which won him the first two rounds. He dropped Woodley on several occasions and was even able to take him down. By the beginning of the fourth round, Woodley looked as if he didn’t have much more fight left in him, and that Marquardt simply sucked out all of his will. It wasn’t more than a minute later that Marquardt landed a flurry of punches and elbows that landed flush to the head of Woodley, forcing the referee to waive off the fight, and making Marquardt the new Strikeforce welterweight champion.

The belt that had eluded Marquardt for seven years is finally around his waist, making him the first Strikeforce welterweight champion since Nick Diaz. After his dominating performance against Woodley, in his first fight at welterweight, Marquardt has sent a powerful message to all his fellow welterweights that he isn’t a force to be taken lightly. It’s hard to imagine a fighter who could possibly challenge Marquardt for his title, let alone take it from him. If anyone poses the skill to be a champion who can defend his title a significant number of times, it’s Marquardt. With that being said, the Strikeforce welterweight division has truely entered a new era, the era of Nate “The Great” Marquardt.

Written by: Ryan “Fight Freek” Poli

Photo of the Day: Nate Marquardt’s Elbows > The Gillette Mach 3

marquardt woodley elbow knockout
(We believe the words you’re looking for are Like a Boss. Props to Fightlinker for the gif.) 

Aside from bringing Tyron Woodley’s championship aspirations (not to mention his mother’s dramatic retelling of Big Momma’s House 4: The Skriekening) to a crashing halt, it turns out that Nate Marquardt’s brilliant standing elbow also did a fair share of damage to Woodley’s upper lip. To put it simply, the wound most closely resembles what would happen if you were to mix Ambien with PCP and attempt to dry shave in a Southwest airplane bathroom. During takeoff. With a flensing knife. Also, you’re blind. OK, so maybe that wasn’t as simple a description as it could have been, but you get the point.

Check out the nasty cut after the jump.

marquardt woodley elbow knockout
(We believe the words you’re looking for are Like a Boss. Props to Fightlinker for the gif.) 

Aside from bringing Tyron Woodley’s championship aspirations (not to mention his mother’s dramatic retelling of Big Momma’s House 4: The Skriekening) to a crashing halt, it turns out that Nate Marquardt’s brilliant standing elbow also did a fair share of damage to Woodley’s upper lip. To put it simply, the wound most closely resembles what would happen if you were to mix Ambien with PCP and attempt to dry shave in a Southwest airplane bathroom. During takeoff. With a flensing knife. Also, you’re blind. OK, so maybe that wasn’t as simple a description as it could have been, but you get the point.


(Photo props go to MiddleEasy.) 

It’s a good thing Woodley is into facial hair, because he is going to have a terrible case of the hair lip from this day forward.

–J. Jones

Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Aftermath – Challengers Fall, Making Sounds


“And now there’s a tree in the woods involved? Geez, throw me some more curveballs, Dana!”

Judging by the activity in our liveblog’s comments section, there weren’t many of you who tuned in to last night’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy. Judging by the “advertising” that went into this event, which included Frank Shamrock’s acting chops and a last second plug on the UFC’s Facebook page (to which one of the comments with the most “likes” asked who the guys were in the main event that looked more like accountants than fighters), Zuffa is perfectly okay with this. And from the two – yes, two – reporters who even bothered to show up to the pre-event press conference, we have to admit that the ghost ship that has become Strikeforce is partially all of our faults.

It’s a shame that Strikeforce is getting the Bamboo Lounge treatment, but after the entertaining main card that those of us who watched were treated to, at least the promotion is fading into obscurity with dignity.

Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold earned a convincing unanimous decision over the formidable Tim Kennedy. He came forward with an aggressive striking attack throughout the fight, managing to stuff numerous takedown attempts as well. Granted, Kennedy never seemed like he was in danger of being knocked out or submitted, but that’s far more of a testament to how game Kennedy is than it is a criticism of Luke Rockhold.


“And now there’s a tree in the woods involved? Geez, throw me some more curveballs, Dana!”

Judging by the activity in our liveblog’s comments section, there weren’t many of you who tuned in to last night’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy. Judging by the “advertising” that went into this event, which included Frank Shamrock’s acting chops and a last second plug on the UFC’s Facebook page (to which one of the comments with the most “likes” asked who the guys were in the main event that looked more like accountants than fighters), Zuffa is perfectly okay with this. And from the two – yes, two – reporters who even bothered to show up to the pre-event press conference, we have to admit that the ghost ship that has become Strikeforce is partially all of our faults.

It’s a shame that Strikeforce is getting the Bamboo Lounge treatment, but after the entertaining main card that those of us who watched were treated to, at least the promotion is fading into obscurity with dignity.

Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold earned a convincing unanimous decision over the formidable Tim Kennedy. He came forward with an aggressive striking attack throughout the fight, managing to stuff numerous takedown attempts as well. Granted, Kennedy never seemed like he was in danger of being knocked out or submitted, but that’s far more of a testament to how game Kennedy is than it is a criticism of Luke Rockhold. 

For the twenty-seven year old, the Strikeforce championship has to feel far more like a curse than an achievement. He’s arguably a top-ten middleweight, but can’t book a fight against a big enough name to prove this. He’s defeated virtually everyone that Strikeforce can offer him, yet still has to stick around to be used as a measuring stick for guys like Roger Gracie and Lorenz Larkin (more on that later). In the post-event press conference, Rockhold called for a rematch with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, because hey, what else can he rally for? All of the top non-Zuffa middleweights are going to be offered UFC contracts without even discussing the possibility of sending them to Scott Coker. And frankly, when the UFC is in the position to offer a top non-Zuffa middleweight a laughably bad contract, that speaks volumes about the “future plans” for Strikeforce. 

On a slightly less depressing note, Nate Marquardt answered almost all of the questions that we had about him after his year-long absence from the sport in his welterweight title fight against up-and-comer Tyron Woodley. How did he look without using TRT? Pretty damn good, if you managed to catch the fight. Is he still a dynamic striker? Was he able to keep his power while dropping to welterweight? Did his cardio hold up by the end of the fight? Could he still be a top-tier fighter in a new weight class after all of the time away from competition? Yes to all of the above – just ask Tyron Woodley’s face after eating those elbows and uppercuts.

Of course, the only question that remains unanswered is can Nate “The Great” do the same thing against the UFC’s welterweights. To which, we can do nothing but speculate for the time being.

As for Roger Gracie and Lorenz Larkin, I say make them fight each other before putting them up against Luke Rockhold. Both fighters looked impressive last night, but I’m not convinced that either guy is ready for a title shot yet.

This is especially true in Roger Gracie’s case; his fight was far more of a wake-up call for Keith Jardine that he should retire than a breakout performance for Roger. This isn’t meant to disrespect either fighter, but when you manage to land only three strikes in the first round – and five total power strikes, according to the Strikeforce announcing crew – against a Gracie on your way to a unanimous decision loss, it’s time to call it a career. “The Dean of Mean” is the same fighter that had been figured out years ago, except now he’s in the twilight of his career. A prospect that’s ready for the big leagues can beat an opponent like Keith Jardine, and that’s exactly what Gracie did…

…Wait, didn’t I write the exact same thing last time Jardine got in the cage? Yeah, I did. You looked good in your middleweight debut, Roger Gracie, but failure was literally never an option against Jardine. I’ll need to see one more convincing victory before I clamor for a title shot.

Likewise, Lorenz Larkin was always small and doughy at light-heavyweight. When he decided to drop to middleweight, we all assumed it would be a good idea. Sure enough, Larkin looked convincing in his middleweight debut against Robbie Lawler. While the aging veteran managed to rock Larkin early on, Lorenz Larkin kept his composure and out-struck him for the remainder of the fight, earning the unanimous decision victory. But again, I’d like to see one more test for Larkin before Strikeforce offers him a title shot. Lawler always shows up ready to scrap, but let’s be honest with ourselves – he’s also in the final stages of his career and has lost three of his last four outings.

For the time being, I say let Rockhold have his rematch against Jacare and let Larkin fight Gracie. It may not be the best option, but it’s probably the easiest option. And the easiest option for Strikeforce is just business as usual.

@SethFalvo

Strikeforce – Rockhold vs. Kennedy Post Fight Breakdown

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy In the headlining fight of the night, Luke Rockhold defended his middleweight title with a unanimous 49-46 decision victory over challenger Tim Kennedy. Rockhold controlled the majority of the fight.

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy

In the headlining fight of the night, Luke Rockhold defended his middleweight title with a unanimous 49-46 decision victory over challenger Tim Kennedy. Rockhold controlled the majority of the fight and did enough to win even if his performance wasn’t overwhelming. Kennedy was game but simply didn’t have the skills to threaten Rockhold. He struggled with the size and reach disadvantage throughout the fight and was never able to impose his gameplan.

The first round was one that could have been scored for Kennedy on the strength of one of his few takedowns. He managed to stay on top of Rockhold and maintain control but was unable to do any significant damage. Rockhold controlled most of the rest of the round pushing Kennedy against the cage and landing a few right hands. The second round saw Rockhold begin to take control of the fight. He stuffed Kennedy’s takedowns and scored one of his own. He took Kennedy’s back briefly and worked for a choke but never got close to finishing. Again, he landed several right hands and generally controlled the pace of the fight. The third round was Kennedy’s best as he gained his most dominant position by climbing to Rockhold’s back after a takedown. Again, this round could have been scored for Kennedy and was probably the one the judges gave him. The fourth round saw the most significant moment of the fight with Rockhold landing another right hand but this time landing clean enough to drop Kennedy. He attacked for the finish but Kennedy survived. The fifth round saw little action, which is a bit disappointing considering that an optimistic view could have had the fight at two rounds each. But neither fighter seemed to feel a sense of urgency and Rockhold deserved the round based mostly on cage control.

Neither fighter was overly impressive in the fight but Rockhold earned the decision and the right to retain his belt. As is the case in most divisions, Strikeforce doesn’t have much to offer in terms of competition at middleweight so we’ll have to wait and see who’s next for Rockhold. Kennedy has established himself as a quality fighter but has now lost twice in title fights and seems unlikely to ever hold the belt. A match with Lorenz Larkin would seem to make sense after his victory over Robbie Lawler earlier in the night.

Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley

Nate Marquardt made the most of his first fight in Strikeforce scoring an impressive knockout over Tyron Woodley. The fight also marked his first appearance at 170 lbs and the weight cut didn’t seem to impact his performance at all. At this weight, he’s going to be tough to deal with and shouldn’t have much competition in Strikeforce. Hopefully, he can put together one or two more performances like this and get a second chance in the UFC.

The fight started with Marquardt and Woodley both landing big right hands. Woodley’s landed on the temple and staggered Marquardt. But Marquardt was able to defend, recover and take over the fight from there. The key going in to this fight was whether or not Woodley would be able to take Marquardt down and we found out quickly that he was not able to do so. Marquardt stuffed every takedown attempt easily and the only way Woodley was ever able to get the fight to the mat was by scoring knockdowns with his punches. But Marquardt was the one landing the majority of the strikes and continuously battered Woodley with right hands. By the end of the first round, Woodley was barely able to stand and seemed to not be fully aware of where he was when the round ended. Woodley came out tentative and still hurt in the second round. Marquardt took advantage and continued to batter him with strikes. Woodley seemed to wilt as the round continued and Marquardt was in full control of the fight by the end of the round. But Woodley wasn’t done yet and showed his heart by exploding on Marquardt to open the third round. He dropped Marquardt with a flurry of punches and tried to finish but couldn’t land anything clean enough to end the fight. Marquardt recovered and was back in control of the fight by the end of the round. He then came out in the fourth wasting no time and looking to end the fight. He landed several big combinations before eventually backing Woodley against the cage and landing an impressive elbow and punch combination to score the knockout. Woodley was never going to win the fight unless he could consistently earn top position and once Marquardt established the pattern of the fight as a striking match, the outcome was inevitable.

Marquardt is clearly the best welterweight in Strikeforce and should hold the belt for as long as he wants. No one currently in the division is a threat to him. Realistically, he should be in the UFC but based on all the drama surrounding his release, who knows if that will ever happen. For Woodley, this will either be the fight that establishes his ceiling or the fight that motivates him to work harder than he ever has before. If his gutsy performance to start the third round is any indication, he will come back stronger from this loss. He has the wrestling base and athleticism to be a title contender but he simply does not have the experience to compete with someone like Marquardt. As his striking becomes more fluid and he can mix it with his wrestling, he still has the potential to become a championship caliber mixed martial artist.

Roger Gracie vs. Keith Jardine

The second fight of the night was a bit of a head scratcher. Roger Gracie completely dominated the first two rounds. But he was only able to dominate because Jardine showed an egregious lack of discipline. To start each of the first two rounds, Jardine rushed Gracie putting himself off balance and allowing Gracie to score easy takedowns. From there, Gracie completely dominated the ground game as would be expected. He repeatedly made his way into dominant positions and used them to slice Jardine’s face with elbows. He also spent a significant amount of time in the second round on Jardine’s back and was probably only prevented from locking up a rear naked choke because of all the blood pouring out of Jardine’s head making it difficult to hold on to any submissions. The fight was clearly over after the second round unless Jardine could pull off a finish. In the third round, Jardine executed the exact gameplan he should have used in the first two rounds. Instead of rushing in recklessly, he stayed on the outside and despite all the punishment he had already taken, was able to win the round. Two of the judges gave that round to Gracie but I can only assume their scoring was basically a carry over from the first two rounds. Had Jardine employed that strategy for all three rounds, he probably would have won the fight because Gracie showed nothing to indicate that he could have scored a takedown without Jardine so anxiously throwing himself off balance. Regardless, Gracie earns the victory and will likely get a tougher fight in his next appearance. Unfortunately for those who want so desperately to see a Gracie climb the MMA ranks again, he showed little improvement in his wrestling and striking. His shots lacked explosion. His chin was high and waiting to be hit. Better and smarter fighters than Jardine will exploit those weaknesses. Jardine continues to slide down the rankings and has now lost both of his fights at 185 lbs. Strikeforce’s relatively weak middleweight roster will likely ensure that he gets more fights but at this point, he can no longer be considered a serious threat.

Robbie Lawler vs. Lorenz Larkin

In the opening fight of the main card, Lorenz Larkin outstruck Robbie Lawler on his way to a decision victory. The fight went exactly the way most people thought it would. Both fighters came to the cage looking to strike. Lawler landed a solid right hand to Larkin’s temple early in the opening round but was not able to take advantage and finish the fight. After than, Larkin controlled the fight and Lawler seemed to fade as the fight continued. Larkin showed the more diverse striking game as expected and Lawler was never able to land the type of power shot that could have earned him the victory. Larkin showed no ill effects from his first cut to 185 lbs. However, he still needs to develop the rest of his game if he hopes to be a serious contender. Lawler remains essentially a gatekeeper in the middleweight decision and should continue to provide interesting matchups for Strikeforce because of his willingness to stand.