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Sara McMann Draws Liz Carmouche for Strikeforce Debut at ‘Cormier vs. Mir’

(McMann creates the most savage punch-face in women’s MMA history, against Raquel Pa’aluhi at ProElite 1 last August. Yeesh. That is just awful.)

Strikeforce’s latest red-hot female prospect now has a debut date and opponent. According to MMAFighting, undefeated bantamweight (and Olympic silver medalist) Sara McMann will compete on the supporting card of Strikeforce: Cormier vs. Mir, November 3rd in Oklahoma City, against 7-2 U.S. Marine Liz Carmouche.

Carmouche’s last two Strikeforce appearances in 2011 resulted in losses against Marloes Coenen and Sarah Kaufman. But this year, she rebounded with back-to-back wins against Ashleigh Curry and Kaitlin Young under the Invicta banner. Carmouche is a great test for McMann, and the fight has the potential to create some heat around McMann with Strikeforce viewers — assuming that Showtime doesn’t bury the fight on the prelims like they did with Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie, which, now that I think about it, they probably will. Damn it.

Still no word on the next opponent for Strikeforce bantamweight champ/franchise star Ronda Rousey, but it’s safe to say that if McMann gets past Carmouche in November, she’ll punch her ticket to a title shot.

(McMann creates the most savage punch-face in women’s MMA history, against Raquel Pa’aluhi at ProElite 1 last August. Yeesh. That is just awful.)

MMAFix Staff Picks: Strikeforce Rousey vs. Kaufman

Ronda Rousey (-650) vs. Sarah Kaufman (+475) Ryan Poli: Kaufman is a good striker, the best Rousey has faced, but Rousey will have no problem closing the distance and making Kaufman fighter her game. Rousey.

Ronda Rousey (-650) vs. Sarah Kaufman (+475)

Ryan Poli: Kaufman is a good striker, the best Rousey has faced, but Rousey will have no problem closing the distance and making Kaufman fighter her game. Rousey by submission. Winner: Ronda Rousey

Alan Wells: I know Rousey has looked unstoppable but give me the +475 on the former champion all day. Rousey has never been hit hard and Kaufman has been training non-stop on keeping this fight standing. Not only do I love these odds but I’m picking Kaufman straight up to win. Winner: Sarah Kaufman

Ronaldo Souza (-485) vs. Derek Brunson (+385)

Ryan Poli: Souza is one of the best middleweights in the world and people seem to have forgotten that since his loss to Luke Rockhold. Souza’s grappling is top notch and will get Souza another submission. Souza by submission. Winner: Ronaldo Souza

Alan Wells: Brunson isn’t ready for Souza at this point in his career and unless Jacare comes in disinterested, he’ll earn the victory. I don’t see any value in betting either way on this fight. Winner: Ronaldo Souza

Tarec Saffiedine (-300) vs. Roger Bowling (+250)

Ryan Poli: Both fighters won there last 2 fights but Bowling has finished both his opponents while Saffiedine had 2 decision wins, with one of them being a split decision. Bowling has more momentum going for him, and that should get him the win. Bowling by KO. Winner: Roger Bowling

Alan Wells: This fight will be decided early. Either Bowling will land a knockout punch or Saffiedine will survive the early flurry and go on to earn the decision. I’m picking a winner, I’m going with Saffiedine but if I’m betting, give me the +250 on Bowling’s hands.. Winner: Tarec Saffiedine

Ovince St. Preux (-610) vs. T.J. Cook (+425)

Ryan Poli: Close fight to call, but Cook has lost several times by submission, while St. Preux has won several times by submission. St. Preux by submission. Winner: St. Preux

Alan Wells: The opening fight of Strikeforce Rousey vs. Kaufman is obviously designed to get St. Preux a win. But if you’re jonesing to put some money on the main card opener, why not put it on Cook’s right hand? Winner: St. Preux

Cris Cyborg Can’t Make 135 Pounds, Still Wants to Punch Ronda Rousey

(Those shorts used to be full-length pants, until somebody made her angry. / Photo via TitoCouture)

Nine months into her year-long steroid suspension, former Strikeforce featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (or whatever she’s going by these days) made an appearance on MMAFighting’s The MMA Hour yesterday, where she discussed her desire to get it on with bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey when she’s back in action.

There’s just one small problem. As Cyborg told host Ariel Helwani, cutting to Rousey’s weight class of 135 pounds would be a physical impossibility for the Brazilian banger, who’s currently walking around at a lean 160. But maybe Ronda could meet her halfway? As Cyborg explained:

“I really wanna fight Ronda. I really want to. She says bad things about me. I never say bad things about my opponent. I want to do my best in the Octagon, and if she says she wants to fight me, she can come to my weight or at 140…She started at 145. And she’s running to 135. She’s running to not fight me. And after, she speaks a lot of s— about me. I want to fight her soon. I’m very excited to fight her. And when we’re in the Octagon, we’ll see if she says anything. And if she says anything, I can punch her.”

(Those shorts used to be full-length pants, until somebody made her angry. / Photo via TitoCouture)

Well, I don’t know about this “running” business — 135 pounds is clearly Rousey’s ideal weight class, and swelling back up to fight a 160-pound Cyborg puts Ronda at an obvious disadvantage. Still, Dana White recently said that Rousey is the one woman he could see fighting in the UFC sometime in the future, and she’d need a high-profile dance partner. So who cares if the fight is held at a 140-pound catchweight, and who cares if there’s a belt on the line? Ronda vs. Cyborg needs to be booked, just for it’s potential to promote women’s MMA, and when it happens, it should be on a UFC pay-per-view. Breaking the gender barrier could be just what the UFC needs to pull out of its rut. Make it happen, Zuffa.

Ronda Rousey is DTF Fight Week, Y’all. In Related News, You Still Have No Chance With Her

Not to overexpose you to Strikeforce champion Ronda Rousey (as if that were possible) but we just saw a clip of her recent appearance on the Conan O’Brien show and she caught our eye and ear. Conan asked Ronda if women fighters stick to the old maxim prevalent in male fight camps – no sex before a fight.

Ronda, bless her soul, said that rule was rubbish for women. In fact, she said, sex is good for women (told you, Lindsey!) fighters (oh, ok) before a fight because it increases their testosterone. She also said that although she doesn’t know the science behind it, it might be that women suck it out of men during sex…alright.

Rousey is getting pretty good at this fight promotion thing, isn’t she? Combine her charisma and sexuality with the fact that she is a savage in the ring and apparently simply hates other fighters’ arms, and she’s the total package. And, oh yeah, she’s totally single so maybe if you get your groupie ass to San Diego in the third week of August you might have a shot with the champ.

No you won’t.

In any case, watch the full clip above and then watch Rousey defend her Strikeforce belt against Sarah Kaufman August 18th on Showtime.

– Elias Cepeda

[VIDEO] Bad Ass Women on The March: McMann, Davis, Carmouche & More Win at Invicta FC 2

2004 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann won a hard-fought unanimous decision over Shayna Baszler after three rounds at last night’s all-women Invicta FC 2 event. Baszler rocked McMann with a left hook late in the fight but McMann had evidently gotten far enough ahead on the judges’ scorecards to get the win. Check out the full fight video above.

Scores were 29-28 (twice) and 30-27 for McMann. “That was by far the toughest and most skilled fighter I have ever fought,” McMann said post-fight of Baszler.

With the win, McMann improves her MMA record to 6-0. Baszler dipped to 14-7.

Full results via MMAFighting, as well as video of Liz Carmouche‘s submission win over Kaitlin Young, are after the jump.

2004 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann won a hard-fought unanimous decision over Shayna Baszler after three rounds at last night’s all-woman Invicta FC 2 event. Baszler rocked McMann with a left hook late in the fight but McMann had evidently gotten far enough ahead on the judges’ scorecards to get the win. Check out the full fight video above.

Scores were 29-28 (twice) and 30-27 for McMann. “That was by far the toughest and most skilled fighter I have ever fought,” McMann said post-fight of Baszler.

With the win, McMann improves her MMA record to 6-0. Baszler dipped to 14-7.

Full results via MMAFighting, as well as video of Liz Carmouche‘s submission win over Kaitlin Young, are after the jump.

“Sara McMann def. Shayna Baszler via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Alexis Davis def. Hitomi Akano via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:41 of round two

Liz Carmouche def. Kaitlin Young via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:34 of round two

Ayaka Hamasaki def. Lacey Schuckman via submission (armbar) at 4:45 of round three

Amanda Nunes def. Raquel Pa’Aluhi via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:24 of round one

Sarah D’Alelio def. Vanessa Porto via submission (armbar) at 3:16 of round one

Barb Honchak def. Bethany Marshall via TKO (punches) at 1:22 of round two

Julia Budd def. Elina Nilsson via TKO (elbows) at 3:49 of round one

Carla Esparza def. Sarah Schneider via TKO (punches) at 4:28 of round two

Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc def. Angelica Chavez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Raquel Pennington def. Sarah Moras via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Jessamyn Duke def. Suzie Montero via TKO (elbows) at 2:32 of round three

Jocelyn Lybarger def. Cheryl Chan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Liz McCarthy def. Jessica Philippus via TKO (doctor stoppage) at the end of round one”

Liz Carmouche vs. Kaitlin Young Video:

For more Invicta FC fight videos, visit their YouTube channel.

–Elias Cepeda

Knockout of the Day: Veronica Rothenhausler Dunces Chick in Five Seconds — Again

(From Tuff-N-Uff’s “Festibrawl 2” event last Friday. Props: TuffNUffTV via Tru)

In retrospect, Ashlee Evans-Smith should have touched gloves; it might have given her an extra second of consciousness before Veronica Rothenhausler demolished her with that straight right. And how about those follow-up shots? God damn, this girl came to murder.

The fight was officially called at 0:05 of round one — which makes it two fights in a row that Rothenhausler has won by five-second knockout. Seriously. We can’t find video of her previous mauling of Noelle Cherry, so if you have it, please send it in. The latest victory increases Rothenhausler’s record to 3-0, with all wins by first-round KO/TKO. Time to give her a shot, Strikeforce.

After the jump: A reverse angle via AXS TV Fights.

(From Tuff-N-Uff’s “Festibrawl 2″ event last Friday. Props: TuffNUffTV via Tru)

After the jump: A reverse angle via AXS TV Fights.

(Props: ’3 Strikes’ on the UG)