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Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy — Live Results & Commentary

(Luckily, Scott Coker was there to break the tension with one of his trademark sauerkraut farts. I’m sorry, I usually don’t go that lowbrow, but nobody’s reading this, right? / Props: Esther Lin/Showtime)

Here’s a quick list of things that people are more interested in than Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy, according to Google trends: Bastille Day. Chick-fil-A. Wayne Gretsky’s foxy daughter, Paulina Gretsky. Steam. Yes, steam, like vaporized water. Now, was all that just a cheap ploy to draw more search traffic to our liveblog? Sure. But you know what? These guys need all the attention they can get.

If you’re here with us tonight, we thank you and welcome you. Tonight, Strikeforce is presenting a title fight double-bill, with Luke Rockhold attempting to make his second middleweight belt-defense against Tim Kennedy, and Nate Marquardt and Tyron Woodley throwing down for the vacant 170-pound strap. Plus, Robbie Lawler welcomes Lorenz Larkin to the middleweight division, and Keith Jardine gets a third chance to earn a win in Strikeforce, this time against BJJ scion Roger Gracie.

We’ll be giving you round-by-round results from the Showtime main card starting at 10 p.m. ET. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and feel free to discuss Gustav Klimt and Michael Clark Duncan’s heart-attack in the comments section.

Robbie Lawler vs. Lorenz Larkin
Larkin’s not doing the pink-streak-in-his-hair thing tonight? I feel like I don’t know this man anymore. Ranallo and Miletich talk about how Robbie Lawler’s got his asthma under control, so look out, world.

Round 1: Larkin takes the center of the cage. Lawler throws a tentative kick to make first contact. Each man respecting the other’s power. Larkin tries a kick of his own but misses. Robbie lands a hard, short hook and Larkin is on wobbly legs already. Lawler tries to capitalize and they clinch against the cage. Larkin clears the cobwebs, scores a very slick trip takedown and gets on top of Lawler. Larkin in Lawler’s guard. Lawler on his feet. Larkin pushes him against the fence, throws a knee to the body. Nice dirty boxing from Larkin and a flying knee. Lawler gives some punches right back, but takes a stiff uppercut. Lakin throws more uppercuts in close with the help of a collar-tie clinch. More inside shots to the bell. I’d score it 10-9 for Larkin.

Round 2: Leg kick Larkin. And another. Larkin throws one high. A hard inside leg kick from Larkin. Larkin with a sharp straight right followed by a leg kick and Lawler is covering up and retreating. Larkin clinches up to work his inside game some more but Lawler punches out of it.They clinch again and Lawler drops for a leg. Larkin spins into a guillotine attempt. Lawer out. They return to the clinch against the cage. Short punch from Larkin. The ref breaks ‘em. Larkin bounces a kick off Lawler’s head that splits him open badly. The round ends and Larkin clinched it with the damage from that kick.

Round 3: Lawler stalking and throwing, trying to be aggressive and get the finish in the last round. Lawler goes for the single-leg against the fence, and Larkin is defending. Larkin gets out and gets slugged with punches. Larkin with a hook, but a follow-up spinning backfist misses. Nice head kick from Lawler. Larkin measuring. Lawler backs him up with a lead hook. They trade kicks. Larkin lands with short, straight punches. He’s outboxing Lawler now. Hook and an uppercut from Larkin. Leg kick Larkin. Lawler tries a head kick, but it’s blocked. More short, nasty punches from Larkin. Elbows from larkin. Lawler fires some Hail Mary haymakers at the bell, but they miss, and we’re going to the cards. Should be a no-brainer here; the fight was all Monsoon. And an impressive showing in his middleweight debut.

Larkin def. Lawler via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3). During the post-fight interview with Ranallo, Larkin admits that Lawler made him do the stanky-leg in round 1. After telling us that the better man will win tonight in Rockhold vs. Kennedy (insightful!), Larkin drops to his knees and begs Dana White to start giving out end-of-night bonuses in Strikeforce. Come on bro, Dana doesn’t do charity. Go ask Mr. Sauerkraut Fart.

Roger Gracie vs. Keith Jardine

Round 1: Oh yeah, there’s that herky-jerky style we’ve missed so much. Jardine’s lead hand is nowhere near his face, and he’s lunging forward with his chin. He rushes in, Gracie clinches with him, and immediately takes him down. Gracie in half guard. Gracie looking to pass, but Jardine shutting him down so far. Gracie wraps up Jardine’s neck, looking for a choke, but Jardine gets up. With a little help from a fence-grab, Gracie gets the fight back down to the mat. Gracie stuffs Jardine against the cage, slugs him in the face a couple times, then passes to mount. Short elbow from Gracie. Gracie turns Jardine away from the fence and fires some short elbows. And a couple more that have some serious sting on them. The horn sounds and Jardine walks off to his corner, bleeding as usual.

Round 2: Once again, Jardine gallops in throwing terrible-looking jabs, gets snatched up and dumped on the mat. I’m starting to think this Keith Jardine guy doesn’t have a bright future in the sport. Gracie takes Jardine’s back as the Dean tries to escape. Jardine’s face is pouring blood. Gracie looking for that rear-naked choke. Gracie sinks the hooks for a body-triangle. Jardine is in the worst position possible against a grappler of Roger’s caliber, but he’s surviving. Jardine throws some desperate punches behind himself at Gracie. Gracie transitions to the arm-triangle, but doesn’t get that either. So he goes back to mount and rides out the rest of the round. Another 10-9 for Gracie, on the Unofficial CagePotato Scorecards.

Round 3: Gracie with a push kick to the body. Gracie looking a little tired on the feet. Jardine goes to the body. Gracie makes an awkward takedown attempt (too slow, too high) and doesn’t get it. This is Jardine’s moment to turn the tables, but I guarantee he won’t. Gracie tries to clinch, Jardine pulls out. Ditto. Jardine with a 1-2. He comes in firing again, Gracie drops low and tries for another takedown to slow him down. Jardine escapes, fires more punches. Okay, Gracie is basically done here. He just needs to make it to the end of the round. Gracie lands a knee from clinch. Jardine lifts his arms in Diaz-esque fashion. Gracie with a jab. Gracie lands a front kick to the body. Jardine windmills some punches. Gracie clinches. Jardine whiffs one more by a mile before the last bell sounds. He might have taken the round on aggression, but that’s another win for Gracie, whose gas-tank failed him in the third-round.

Gracie def. Jardine via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-26). Gracie blames his gas-out on a poorly-timed weight cut, but says he’ll be staying at 185.

Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley
Nate Marquardt still looks pretty jacked at 170. And so far, it’s been a good night for guys dropping to new weight classes. Tyron Woodley’s mom is the new Rashad Evans’s wife, volume-wise.

Round 1: Woodley comes out fast. Marquardt lands a groin kick that briefly pauses the action. Woodley smashes Marquardt with a punch coming in and Marquardt stumbles backwards. Woodley follows and takes Marquardt’s back. Marquardt turns and defends. They trade knees and separate. Now it’s Marquardt’s turn to land a huge shot that stumbles Woodley. Marquardt swarms and tries to lock in a guillotine on the mat. Woodley escapes. Nice knee to the grill from Marquardt in a clinch. They separate. Marquardt lands to the body. They clinch again and Marquardt gets in a short hook. Woodley punches out. Marquardt chases and attacks. Woodley rolls out, and Marquardt runs forward throwing punches to the bell. 10-9 Marquardt.

Round 2: Leg kick Marquardt, who starts out as the aggressor this time. Woodley throws a spinning backfist that’s mostly blocked. Hard leg kick from Marquardt. Marquardt lands a diving right hand. Brief clinch. Another leg kick from Marquardt shakes Woodley. Again. Damn, Woodley’s mom is annoying. Inside leg kick Marquardt. Woodley’s not doing much besides retreating and taking leg kicks. Great spinning back kick from Marquardt! Another long straight right from Marquardt lands. Marquardt follows it with a takedown. Woodley works to his feet. High kick Marquardt, counter right hand from Woodley. That’s the bell. Clear 10-9 for Marquardt. Woodley looked slow in that round; he’s got 15 more minutes to go and he needs to wake up.

Round 3: 1-2 from T-Wood. Woodley swarms with more punches, and knocks Marquardt to the mat! Yep, Woodley just woke up. Woodley working some ground and pound. Marquardt looks for the armbar but can’t put it together. The ref stands ‘em pretty quickly after a brief stalemate. Woodley whiffs a superman punch. Wide hook from Woodley. Heavy leg kick from Marquardt. And a nice body punch. Woodley has officially lost his momentum again. Marquardt presses him against the cage, works some knees, and an elbow. And another. One more big punch until the bell. Harder round to score; Woodley looked great early, but then let Marquardt take over again.

Round 4: Body shot by Marquardt. And a big right to the face. Leg kick. Now Marquardt lands some nasty punches to Woodley’s face. Woodley’s got some chin on him. Again, a right hand from Marquardt snaps Woodley’s head back. And BOOM: Marquardt with some dynamite elbows to Woodley’s head against the fence, then a hook and one more uppercut to Woodley’s face as his legs give out. Nate strolls off like a boss, no follow-up shots needed. Incredible knockout. Nate the Great is back, and he’s got a belt to prove it.

Marquardt def. Woodley via KO, 1:39 of round 4. Woodley’s mom is eerily quiet.

And now, the main event…

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy

Round 1: Rockhold stalking Kennedy against the fence. Kennedy launches forward with a punch to avoid getting jammed up. Rockhold misses a high kick. They clinch. Knee from Rockhold, and they separate. Kennedy again with that long, diving punch. Rockhold presses him against the fence again, and there’s another knee. Short elbow from Kennedy. They separate. Body kick Kennedy. Rockhold makes hard contact in a flurry of punches. Rockhold pushes Kennedy against the fence, but Kennedy reverses position and slams Rockhold to the mat. Rockhold keeping Kennedy stuck in half-guard. Rockhold considering a straight armlock. He stretches Kennedy’s arm out but loses it. Rockhold gets to his feet. They slug in close from a clinch. There’s the horn. Tight round, but I might give it to Rockhold for landing more significant strikes.

Round 2: Rockhold opens with a head kick. Kennedy tries to respond with a takedown, but Rockhold takes his back in a scramble. Rockhold trying to hold the position. They trade elbows from a mutual crouching position. Kennedy bulls his way up. Wide hook from Kennedy misses. Rockhold wades in and throws hard punches. He lands a dead-on straight right, followed by a body kick. Front kick to the face by Kennedy. They go to the mat, and Rockhold briefly looks for the armlock again. They’re up, and clinched against the cage. Kennedy lands a short elbow on the way out. They exchange punches. Rockhold tries a turning side kick. Kennedy with a nice counter-punch after being tagged. Rockhold with a question-mark kick that lands. Rockhold pushes Kennedy back with punches. They both try kicks. And that’s the horn. I have the champ up two rounds to none.

Round 3: Leg kick Kennedy. He drops low and clinches, putting Rockhold against the fence. Knee to the body from Kennedy. He does it again but lands to the crotch this time. They take a break, and Rockhold is warned for shorts-grabbing. Rockhold lands flush with a right hook. Kennedy drops low to clinch again as Rockhold starts to pour it on. They break. High kick Kennedy. Rockhold with a left hand, then another hard straight left. Quick leg kick from Kennedy. Kennedy dodges and counter-punches. Rockhold tries a couple more of those Brazilian kicks. They clinch, and Kennedy scrambles and takes Rockhold’s back. Rockhold rolls and stands, but Kennedy stays on him. Rockhold with a nice escape. Rockhold tries a spinning back kick at the horn.

Round 4: Rockhold moves in, Kennedy responds with a pair of uppercuts. Rockhold following him around the cage. Kennedy sticks and moves with a leg kick and a side kick to the body. But Rockhold is still the aggressor and lands punches whenever he can find Kennedy. Hard body kick from Rockhold. High kick Rockhold, counter punch Kennedy. Rockhold goes to the body. They both land hard rights at the same time, but Rockhold’s was apparently a little harder because Kennedy falls to the mat. Kennedy tries a guillotine, Rockhold escapes it and they both return to their feet. they clinch against the fence. Rockhold tries to drag Kennedy down, Kennedy reserves him, then Rockhold reverses him, ending the round on top.

Round 5: Again, Kennedy is content to backpedal in the standup exchanges. That’s not the best strategy to win a title fight, and won’t help the Jackson camp’s reputation for that sort of thing. Nice straight left from Rockhold. Kennedy grabs on against the fence, dropping low for a takedown. A mad scramble that ends with Kennedy looking for a guillotine choke. Rockhold escapes and drives a knee to Kennedy’s ribs before escaping. Side kick to the body from Kennedy. Kennedy driving forward to clinch. Rockhold gets out. Not enough sense of urgency from kennedy, who’s clearly down on points. Knee to the ribs from Rockhold in the clinch. Dirty boxing inside. Kennedy drives forward for another clinch as the last horn sounds. Nothin’ left but to make it official.

Rockhold def. Kennedy via unanimous decision (49-46 x 3). Solid performance for the defending champ, and Rockhold credits his team for his win over Kennedy. But it just wasn’t a fight that will drastically change public opinion of either man. Will Rockhold have to face Larkin or Gracie now, or will he just fight Jacare Souza again? Who else is there? On the bright side, Nate Marquardt is back from the dead, and did it hormone-free if you believe him. So what did you think of tonight’s fights? Sleep on it, and we’ll talk more tomorrow and Monday. Sweet dreams, Potato Nation.

Strikeforce – Rockhold vs. Kennedy MMAFix Staff Picks

Luke Rockhold (-290) vs. Tim Kennedy (+245) Ryan: Both fighters are pretty well rounded, but I give Rockhold an edge in almost every skill. Rockhold by decision. Winner: Rockhold Alan: This fight sets up perfectly.

Luke Rockhold (-290) vs. Tim Kennedy (+245)

Ryan: Both fighters are pretty well rounded, but I give Rockhold an edge in almost every skill. Rockhold by decision. Winner: Rockhold

Alan: This fight sets up perfectly for Rockhold. He should be able to defend Kennedy’s takedowns and strike his way to victory. Winner: Rockhold

Nate Marquardt (-115) vs. Tyron Woodley (-105)

Ryan: Woodley’s wrestling won’t be enough to control Marquardt. Just too strong and too skilled. Marquardt by KO. Winner: Marqaurdt

Alan: I’m torn on this fight. We’ll know as soon as Woodley shoots the first time how this fight will play out. I’m going with Woodley’s wrestling ability and the weight cut to welterweight breaking Marquardt down over five rounds. But if Marquardt can defend the takedown, he should cruise to victory. Winner: Woodley

Robbie Lawler vs. Lorenz Larkin

Ryan: Lawler could end the fight at any time with one punch, but he hasn’t been very consistent. Larkin is the more diverse striker and I think that will be the difference in this fight. Larkin by decision. Winner: Larkin

Alan: This fight is almost impossible to predict, which I’m guessing is why there’s no line at any of the major sites. Larkin is the better striker but Lawler has the power. I’m going to guess that Larkin won’t be able to stand for fifteen minutes without getting dropped but it could just as easily of the other way. Winner: Lawler

Roger Gracie (-260) vs. Keith Jardine (+180)

Ryan: I’m going with Gracie based on the fact that Travor Prangley was able to work Jardine over, while Gracie tapped him out quick. Gracie by submission. Winner: Gracie

Alan: This is another fight that could go either way. Gracie is a significant favorite but I’m going with the underdog. I’m betting on Jardine finding Gracie’s somewhat glassy chin before Gracie can drag him down to the mat. But if Gracie does get the fight to the ground, this one will be over instantly. Winner: Jardine

There’s a Big Strikeforce Event Tomorrow Night, And ‘Nobody Gives a [Expletive]‘

(Meh. / Photo via Strikeforce)

I get it; we’re all a little burned out right now. With two UFC events over the last six days and a Strikeforce event scheduled for tomorrow night in Portland, you might be thinking, well, maybe I can sit this one out and come back strong for Rousey vs. Kaufman. Over-saturation must be the culprit, because there’s no other explanation for why a card with two title fights — featuring the always-thrilling Luke Rockhold and the return of Nate Marquardt — should be completely ignored by fans and media alike. You want to talk about lack of heat? Wikipedia hasn’t even bothered to create a page for this event. That is cold, brother.

Unfortunately, the fighters have to compete whether you guys care or not. And they know you don’t care. And that really sucks for them. Strikeforce held a press conference yesterday to promote the Rockhold vs. Kennedy card, in which the headliners answered questions from “two reporters in four rows of chairs,” according to this thoroughly depressing account by Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie.

“I just came from Vegas, where they had 2,000 people at the weigh-in,” said Tyron Woodley, who will be fighting Marquardt for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title. “I think it’s a disrespect to Strikeforce. It should be advertised a little bit more.” Marrocco points out that the UFC 148 weigh-in attendance was closer to 8,000 if you want to split hairs.

Tim Kennedy, as you can imagine, was even less courteous in his assessment:

(Meh. / Photo via Strikeforce)

Tim Kennedy, as you can imagine, was even less courteous in his assessment:

“Take a picture. There’s not a single goddamn reporter here. There’s four of you guys. This is two title fights for Strikeforce. It’s crystal clear that nobody gives a [expletive]. They don’t. I knock Rockhold out on Saturday night? Changes nothing for me. Nothing in, like, what media publications are going to cover me, who talks about me, sponsors I’m going to get. Do you know how much money I didn’t make in sponsors for this fight because nobody cares about Strikeforce? It’s insane.

“I’m fighting one of the best fighters on the planet. Not top 10 — like top five. I’m very confident that both Luke and I would clean house all the way to the top one or two guys in the UFC that could finally give us a fight, and nobody cares. It doesn’t make any sense. Just the ignorance of the sport and the athletes, there’s no way we can change that unless you let us fight other guys outside of the organization, and that’s just not going to happen.”

No, it’s not, at least for the foreseeable future. The current contract between Zuffa and Showtime to broadcast Strikeforce events runs through 2014, which means that at least some of Strikeforce’s fighters will be forced to toil away on this promotional ghost-ship indefinitely. For fighters like Kennedy and Rockhold — who are dying for more exposure and the chance to prove that they rank among the best middleweights in the world — it must feel like a prison sentence. Sure, there’s always the possibility down the road that the UFC will poach the guys who continue to win, but Strikeforce isn’t exactly a priority for Dana White these days.

If it matters, we’ll be liveblogging Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy tomorrow night starting at 10 p.m. ET. Come by and say what’s up. It’s literally the least you could do.

Strikeforce – Rockhold vs. Kennedy: Pre-Fight Analysis

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy Headlining the Strikeforce card on Saturday night is a middleweight title fight between champion Luke Rockhold and challenger Tim Kennedy. Rockhold has earned eight straight victories after suffering his only.

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy

Headlining the Strikeforce card on Saturday night is a middleweight title fight between champion Luke Rockhold and challenger Tim Kennedy. Rockhold has earned eight straight victories after suffering his only loss in his second career fight. His last two victories have been his most impressive coming against Ronaldo Souza and Keith Jardine. Kennedy has put together back to back victories over Melvin Manhoef and Robbie Lawler after losing a championship fight against Souza.

Rockhold comes in with momentum after dominating Jardine and finishing him via TKO in the first round. But his victory before that against Souza to win the belt was even more impressive. Souza is one of the better fighters in the middleweight division and Rockhold managed to keep the fight mostly on the feet and battered him from there. He has shown an increasingly diversified striking game combined with a defensive wrestling and scrambling ability that allow him to take advantage of his strengths in the standup. He will look to do just that against Kennedy who prefers to take fighters down and work for submission. Kennedy is a good striker but Rockhold should have the advantage and as long as he can keep the fight standing, he should be able to earn the victory. Kennedy will be tough to finish but if he does it, that would be another impressive statement. More likely is a unanimous decision after five rounds of high level striking.

Kennedy’s biggest asset to this point in his career has been his grappling. He has found the most success by taking his opponents down and working for submissions. He has also shown some excellent ground and pound. If he wants to use those skills, he has a tough task as Rockhold has shown excellent takedown defense and Kennedy isn’t a great wrestler. He will need to mix in his takedowns with his striking and time his shots as counters to Rockhold’s striking to have the best chance of success. He will also need to work hard to keep Rockhold down as he has shown an excellent ability to get back to his feet once on he hits the ground. If Kennedy can get Rockhold down and keep him there, he can win this fight. But that will be difficult to do and he will need to keep Rockhold guessing and off balance in order to do it.

Rockhold is the big favorite at -310 with Kennedy at +255. This fight sets up in Rockhold’s favor as he should be able to defends against Kennedy’s takedowns and keep the fight standing. If that happens, Rockhold should have the advantage and strike his way to a victory. But if Kennedy can somehow find a way to get the fight to the mat and control Rockhold , he could pull of the upset.

Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley

The first title fight of the night will feature former UFC contender Nate Marquardt and undefeated prospect Tyron Woodley competing for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight belt. Marquardt comes to Strikeforce after alternating wins and losses in his last five UFC appearances. He earned a decision victory over Dan Miller at UFC 128 in his last fight after losing to Yushin Okami in a title contender elimination fight. Woodley has been impressive in his undefeated Strikeforce run earning victories over Jordan Mein and Paul Daley in his last two fights bringing his record to ten wins and no losses.

Marquardt has long been one of the better fighters in the middleweight division but has been unable to climb to the top of division. Because of that, he has decided to not only drop to welterweight but has also made the jump from the UFC to Strikeforce where he can fight for a title immediately. Marquardt basically had no choice but to be a big fish in the small Strikeforce pond after the UFC released him. He has lost a bit of credibility in the past year with his testosterone replacement therapy saga but this fight is an opportunity to get his career back on the right track. He brings a well-rounded skill set to the cage with the ability to finish from any position. Against an excellent wrestler like Woodley, expect him to try to keep the fight standing. The key to this fight will be his defensive wrestling. If he can fend off Woodley’s takedowns, he should have the advantage in the striking game. But if he finds himself on his back, he’ll be in trouble. The other key will be how his body handles the weight cut. If this fight goes five rounds, his body will be tested. Any time a fighter makes a change in weight class the first fight is always a bit of a challenge and five rounds will only make the challenge even more difficult.

Woodley’s win streak to start his career is now at ten fights and he will look to make it eleven by earning the first title of his MMA career. He is not as well-rounded as his opponent and will rely almost entirely on his wrestling to earn the victory. He needs to be able to get Marquardt down and control him on the ground. At this point in his career, he doesn’t have the striking to compete on the feet. He has the power to land a haymaker but not the technique to consistently outstrike Marquardt. Because of that, he needs to focus on getting the fight to the ground and grinding his way to victory. The more he can force Marquardt to wrestle the better his chances of wearing him out and testing the weight cut become. His chances also improve as the fight goes longer for the same reasons. If Woodley wants to win, he has to make the fight slow and ugly. And luckily for him, that’s exactly his style.

Marquardt is the slight favorite in this fight at -130 with Woodley coming in at +110. That seems about right as Marquardt has a significant advantage in experience and Woodley has never faced anyone of his caliber before. If Marquardt’s defensive wrestling is good enough to keep the fight standing, he should be able to earn the victory. But if Woodley can be successful with his takedowns and maintain top position, he’ll grind his way to a decision.

Robbie Lawler vs. Lorenz Larkin

Strikeforce is showing a little love to the fans by giving us a guaranteed slugfest and more than likely a KO or TKO finish with a middleweight fight between Lorenz Larkin and Robbie Lawler. Both fighters prefer to stand and both have the power to finish. Larkin is the more technical fighter and uses a more well-rounded striking attack incorporating a variety of kicks into his game. Lawler prefers to box and mix in some powerful knees when the opportunity arises. However, Lawler may have the slight advantage in power and explosiveness.

The analysis for this fight is pretty straightforward. These guys are going to stand and bang and eventually one of them is probably going to fall. None of the major sites have a line on this fight but if they did, it would have to be close. Either fighter is capable of landing the strike that ends the fight at any moment. I could stretch this out longer to try to sound smarter but this fight is what is so enjoy it for as long as it lasts. I know I will.

Roger Gracie vs. Keith Jardine

To open a big night for Strikeforce that features two title fights, Roger Gracie will face Keith Jardine in the light heavyweight division. Gracie carries the banner for the first family of MMA into this fight against Jardine who carries the banner for ugly fighting styles. These two fighters are polar opposites in their approaches with Gracie coming from a storied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background and employing a traditional style that led him to great success on the grappling circuit while Jardine seems to come into every fight looking to make it an ugly brawl to create openings for his powerful punches.

Gracie’s striking has improved in recent fights but he is still a grappler first. He will be looking to get the fight to the mat as quickly as possible and avoid engaging Jardine on the feet. The question will be whether or not he has the wrestling to succeed in taking down Jardine. If he can, the fight will likely be over quickly after that. Jardine will be looking to ugly up the fight as much as possible and use his unorthodox striking to keep Gracie off balance. While Gracie has shown a willingness to strike, he still doesn’t seem to respond well to getting hit and if Jardine can land one of his looping punches, he could get an opportunity to finish his opponent. But he needs to be careful because if he stuns Gracie and follows him to the ground to try for a finish, he could find himself in a submission.

The bookmakers have Gracie as a solid favorite at -260 with Jardine at +180. I’m not sure why Gracie is such a big favorite given that the fight will start on the feet and Jardine has a significant advantage in that area. I’m also not convinced that Gracie will be able to drag Jardine to the mat before eating a few shots. Both fighters have a clear path to victory here and the winner will be determined by who executes his gameplan more efficiently. If Gracie gets the fight to the ground, he should be able to wrap it up quickly. But if Jardine can keep the fight standing, he has the power to finish Gracie.

Nate Marquardt Signs With Strikeforce, Match With Tyron Woodley in the Works

(Snot rocket, five points.)

Eight months after being fired by the UFC for elevated testosterone levels before a scheduled match with Rick Story, Nate Marquardt is back under the Zuffa umbrella. The former UFC middleweight contender has signed with Strikeforce, where he is expected to make his long-delayed welterweight debut later this year. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news on last night’s edition of UFC Tonight on FUEL.

MMA Junkie adds that Marquardt’s first opponent in Strikeforce could be undefeated (though occasionally boring) 170-pound contender Tyron Woodley, who holds victories over Jordan Mein, Paul Daley, and Andre Galvao; verbal agreements are reportedly in place for the matchup. With the Strikeforce welterweight title still vacant, a Marquardt vs. Woodley match could have great significance to the promotion. Could this be Nate’s first step back to the Octagon? Or does Woodley pull a Chael and out-wrestle Marquardt for three rounds?

(Snot rocket, five points.)

Before signing with Strikeforce, Marquardt spent a fruitless six months signed to BAMMA, where his debut was postponed twice, leading Marquardt to part ways with the company in January. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory over Dan Miller at UFC 128 last March.

Falling Action: Best and Worst of Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine

Filed under: StrikeforceHope you enjoyed your free preview weekend of Showtime in all its MMA-tastic glory. Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine went down more or less exactly as expected on Saturday night, with every favorite notching a victory and every…

Filed under: Strikeforce

Hope you enjoyed your free preview weekend of Showtime in all its MMA-tastic glory. Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine went down more or less exactly as expected on Saturday night, with every favorite notching a victory and every underdog taking a beating that was almost perfectly in line with how long their odds of success were.

With the event over and the Showtime preview curtain drawn closed, it’s time once again to sort through the action in search of the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between.

Biggest Winner: Luke Rockhold
He took a tough situation and made it look easy. Granted, a win over Keith Jardine doesn’t mean what it did five years ago, but you can’t complain about a first-round knockout. Rockhold was calm when he needed to be and ruthlessly aggressive when he saw his opening. He looked like a champion, in other words. His appeal for the UFC to send him some challengers was also a pretty savvy move. Zuffa won’t bring him over to the big show? Then let the big show come to him. Framing it that way lets the fans know that he wants bigger challenges just as badly as they want to see him challenged, but without alienating his employers in the process. For now, Strikeforce could match him against either Tim Kennedy or Robbie Lawler without eliciting too many groans, but if Rockhold keeps winning that talent pool is going to become a puddle very quickly.

Biggest Loser: Adlan Amagov
It looks bad enough when you wind up and hit a guy with a very illegal knee early in the first round. It looks even worse when that same guy comes right back at you with a very legal knee that floors you en route to a quick finish. Amagov seemed to be doing well against Lawler in the opening seconds, but that flagrant foul halted his momentum and only made Lawler mad. Then Amagov found out for himself what it’s like to be on the business end of a Lawler blitz. Strikeforce seemed hot on the young Russian coming into this bout, and that enthusiasm was not entirely unfounded. But this loss shows that he’s still in need of a little more seasoning — and maybe a primer on the unified rules — before he’s ready for the big fights.

Most Predictable: Keith Jardine
Again, you can’t blame Jardine for stepping up and taking his shot when Strikeforce offered — what’s he supposed to say, ‘Thanks, but I don’t deserve it’? — but the rest of us saw this coming. Jardine’s toughness has never been a question, but his skills have eroded with age. So has his chin. As nice a guy as Jardine is, we’ve got to be honest and admit that he’d done nothing to justify a title shot. Yes, he’s had a full, interesting career. And sure, anything can happen in a fight. At least, theoretically. At the same time, just because a given outcome is not impossible that does not make it likely. ‘Anything can happen’ is what you tell yourself when you’re about to do something that you know is a bad idea. It’s a way of reassuring yourself that while failure may be likely, it’s not guaranteed. That’s fine for some pursuits, like buying a lottery ticket. But maybe it’s not the right way to go about booking title fights.

Most Impressive in Defeat: Tyler Stinson
When the fight stayed standing, he had Tarec Saffiedine looking worried and confused. It was just when it hit the mat that Stinson seemed woefully out of his element. If he had better takedown defense or even just more of a sense of urgency about getting off his back, maybe this one would have gone a different way. Instead, he came off looking like a decent prospect with some obvious holes in his game. That’s not the worst thing that can happen. Saffiedine is a good fighter who’s struggled less with bigger names, so Stinson can take some minor solace in that. He can also get back in the gym and improve his wrestling, and then maybe the next time he gets a shot like this he’ll earn more than just a moral victory.

Least Impressive in Victory: Tyron Woodley
If you’ve been waiting for Woodley to develop into something more than just a wrestler with perfunctory ground-and-pound, your wait continues. He had little trouble taking Jordan Mein down and keeping him there, but once on top he seemed to put it in cruise control. Woodley’s ground attack appears designed solely to avoid stand-ups and submissions. Anything else — say, I don’t know, damaging his opponent in search of a finish — is a bonus. There were very few bonuses to be had against Mein, and so Woodley contented himself with staying on top and out of harm’s way. That’s smart, in a way, and it resulted in a decision victory. But as far as career advancement goes, it’s maybe not the best strategy. Woodley is 10-0 in his three years as a pro, which means he ought to be able to do a little more than just wrestle at this point. This fight was a great opportunity for him to show off a more well-rounded game, or at least a little more aggression once he had the fight where he wanted it. He took the cautious approach instead, and fans surely took note.

Most Passionately Compassionate: Mo Lawal
After knocking out Lorenz Larkin with a torrent of rapid-fire right hands, Lawal’s biggest concern seemed to be the lack of concern displayed by referee Kim Winslow. He seemed disgusted with how long she allowed the beating to continue and could even be heard on the broadcast chiding her for it as they stood awaiting the official announcement. Winslow claimed she wanted to give Larkin the chance to show he was still in it, but this was after he’d already been knocked out of it and then briefly back in again. Apparently Lawal doesn’t like being forced to hurt his fellow man more than is absolutely necessary, which is strange, considering his stated goal of ending “Feijao” Cavalcante’s career in a rematch. Let’s hope Winslow isn’t the ref for that one.

Strangest Sight: Mauro Ranallo interviewing Dana White
A year ago it would have been difficult to imagine a Strikeforce broadcast punctuated by a cageside interview with the UFC president. And now there he is, standing alongside the voice of MMA on Showtime, doing an interview that is noticeably less enthusiastic than the screaming pre-fight pitches he’s used to doing with Joe Rogan. In fairness, this time White didn’t have a pay-per-view to sell, but neither did he look terribly happy about his camera time. I guess some things you do because you want to, and other things you do because you have to. For White, all things Strikeforce seem to fall into the latter category.

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