Tag: Tyron Woodley

Falling Action: Best and Worst of Strikeforce: Challengers

Filed under: StrikeforceIn theory, Strikeforce: Challengers is the event where the prospects carve a name for themselves before moving on to the big show. You know that because the ham-fisted opening sequence tells you, in the most direct and stilted w…

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In theory, Strikeforce: Challengers is the event where the prospects carve a name for themselves before moving on to the big show. You know that because the ham-fisted opening sequence tells you, in the most direct and stilted way possible.

In reality, there are usually two types of fighters on Challengers: the prospects, and the guys the prospects are supposed to beat up.

Friday night’s main event showdown between up-and-comers Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine was a welcome departure from that. It was a showdown between two tough guys who had come up through the ranks in Strikeforce and were looking to make the jump to the next level.

SF Challengers 13 Aftermath: Cormier, OSP, Woodley Dominate (The Scorecards)

(OK, Julia watch for the le-. Never mind. VidProps: ProMMANow.)
What’s this? A fairly solid Strikeforce Challengers card that (for once) accomplishes its stated mission of showcasing a bevy of the promotion’s up-and-coming fighters? Belie…


(OK, Julia watch for the le-. Never mind. VidProps: ProMMANow.)

What’s this? A fairly solid Strikeforce Challengers card that (for once) accomplishes its stated mission of showcasing a bevy of the promotion’s up-and-coming fighters? Believe it, people. Strikeforce managed to prolong some of the momentum it established late in 2010 and took advantage of the Showtime channel’s free preview weekend on Friday night with a decent card that saw a number of its more favored prospects pull off victories. Granted, things dragged a little bit down the stretch with Daniel Cormier, Ovince St. Preux and Tyron Woodley grappling their way to consecutive unanimous decisions, but on the whole this show has to be considered something of a success, at least as far as the often maligned Challengers series goes.

For the more punch-hungry fans out there, Amanda Nunes’ lightning quick 14-second knockout of Julia Budd certainly broke the monotony of the wrestling clinic, too. Video of that at top. After the jump, further musings on what it all means …

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Strikeforce Live Blog: Tyron Woodley vs. Tarec Saffiedine Updates

Filed under: StrikeforceThis is the Strikeforce live blog for Tyron Woodley vs. Tarec Saffiedine, a welterweight bout on tonight’s Strikeforce Challengers 13 on Showtime card from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

Two-time NCAA Al…

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This is the Strikeforce live blog for Tyron Woodley vs. Tarec Saffiedine, a welterweight bout on tonight’s Strikeforce Challengers 13 on Showtime card from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

Two-time NCAA All-American wrestler Woodley (7-0) is one of a few homegrown stars out of Strikeforce. Heading into his sixth fight for the promotion, Woodley will be coming off the biggest win of his career, a first-round knockout over Andre Galvao last October at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons. Saffiedine (10-2) out of Team Quest in Temecula, Calif. is 2-0 on Strikeforce cards and last September scored a win over UFC veteran Brock Larson at Shark Fights 13.

The live blog is below.

Woodley, Cormier, ‘OSP’ Back in Action at Tonight’s Strikeforce Challengers Show

Strikeforce returns to Nashville for the first time since The Incident tonight when their "Woodley vs. Saffiedine" Challengers card pops off at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. You can catch the main card on Showtime beginning at 11 p.m….

Strikeforce returns to Nashville for the first time since The Incident tonight when their "Woodley vs. Saffiedine" Challengers card pops off at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. You can catch the main card on Showtime beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT. (It’s one of those free preview weekends, by the way.) If you have no plans tonight but feel like staying up late anyway, here’s what you could be seeing…

Tyron Woodley (7-0) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (10-2-1)
Coming off a dominant first-round TKO over Andre Galvao, Woodley has been making his name as one of Strikeforce’s best welterweights. The former University of Missouri wrestler will meet Belgian Team Quest product Saffiedine, who is 2-0 under the Strikeforce banner and is coming off a huge decision win over Brock Larson at Shark Fights 13 in September. 

Daniel Cormier (6-0) vs. Devin Cole (18-8-1)
We’re not sure why Daniel Cormier didn’t get an alternate-spot in Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament — with six stoppage wins on his record and championship belts in two separate leagues (King of the Cage and Australia’s Xtreme MMA promotion), he’s one of the fastest-rising prospects in the division. IFL vet Devin Cole is coming off a decision loss to Aaron Rosa at Shark Fights 13, but he’s a seasoned vet who might be able to withstand the pressure that Cormier brings.

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Strikeforce Challengers 13 Weigh-In Results

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsAll 10 fighters competing on the televised portion of Friday’s Strikeforce Challengers 13 made weight on their first visit to the scale.

Welterweight contender hopefuls Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine each weighed in a…

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Tyrone Woodley vs. Tarec SaffiedineAll 10 fighters competing on the televised portion of Friday’s Strikeforce Challengers 13 made weight on their first visit to the scale.

Welterweight contender hopefuls Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine each weighed in at 170.2 for their main event matchup, which will headline the event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Woodley will be looking to improve to a perfect 8-0 while Saffiedine hopes to notch his fourth straight win.

Tyron Woodley: Nobody Wants to See Me Laying on Tarec Saffiedine

Filed under: StrikeforceIt’s hard for Tyron Woodley to stay patient. He’s tried, and is still trying, but waiting his turn isn’t the most natural of inclinations for the former Mizzou wrestler. That’ll happen when you grow up with 12 siblings. Either y…

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It’s hard for Tyron Woodley to stay patient. He’s tried, and is still trying, but waiting his turn isn’t the most natural of inclinations for the former Mizzou wrestler. That’ll happen when you grow up with 12 siblings. Either you learn to seize your moment, or you get ignored.

But as the undefeated Woodley zeroes in on tonight’s main event bout against Tarec Saffiedine at a Strikeforce: Challengers event in Nashville, Tenn., he has to remind himself that everything will come in due time – as long as he keeps winning.

“The fighter and the competitor in you comes out at a certain point,” Woodley said of his rise through the Strikeforce ranks. “It’s less about not rushing, and more about not comparing yourself to others. If you start looking at what other guys are doing, then you might get frustrated. So what I started doing is, I think that what God has in mind for my future and my plan is for me. Nobody else is going to have my route and what I’m supposed to do in mixed martial arts.”