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You know the deal.
LAS VEGAS – Undefeated STRIKEFORCE® Grand Prix heavyweight champ and former Oklahoma State wrestler Daniel Cormier takes on former UFC® heavyweight champ Frank Mir, when STRIKEFORCE heads to Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Saturday, Nov. 3. The event will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
“As a former Oklahoma State wrestler and two-time Olympian, Cormier has used his wrestling background to immediately put himself among the sport’s elite,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker. “On November 3 he faces his toughest opponent to date in former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir, who has beaten legend after legend on his own path to the title. We’ve had a lot of big heavyweight bouts in the history of STRIKEFORCE, but I can tell you, without a doubt, that this is the one that you don’t want to miss.”
The co-main event will feature current STRIKEFORCE middleweight champ and training partner of Cormier, Luke Rockhold, who makes his third consecutive title defense against undefeated rising Kung Fu prospect Lorenz Larkin.
“Rockhold is rapidly approaching his first full year of being middleweight champ and he’s definitely opened a lot of eyes in that time,” said Coker. “He’s beaten three top contenders, successfully defended the belt twice and looked extremely impressive in doing so. This bout could easily be the toughest matchup he’s seen yet due to Larkin’s equally impressive standup.”
STRIKEFORCE®: CORMIER vs. MIR will air live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast). Additional fights scheduled for the event are expected to be released shortly.
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE®: CORMIER vs. MIR go on sale to the public on Friday, September 14 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available at the Chesapeake Energy Arena box office, all Ticketmaster locations, at Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices will be announced in the coming days. Applicable service charges may apply.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, September 12 at 10 a.m. CT, via the website www.UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter and STRIKEFORCE Insider subscribers Thursday, September 13, starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this pre-sale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.UFC.com and the STRIKEFORCE Insider through www.STRIKEFORCE.com.
In addition to being the current STRIKEFORCE Grand Prix heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) is also a former Oklahoma State University NCAA wrestler and two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler who now trains alongside the likes of former UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch and Mike Swick. On November 3, he takes on his second former UFC titleholder, having most recently defeated Josh Barnett in the finals of the heavyweight tournament last May. Additionally, the undefeated 10-0 AKA-trained fighter owns decisive victories over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Jeff Monson and Devin Cole. Vowing to prove he is truly one of the best heavyweight fighters in the world, “DC” will look to add Mir to that list.
Frank Mir (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) is set to make his STRIKEFORCE debut after fighting his last 20 bouts in the UFC’s Octagon. Being a former UFC heavyweight champ, as well as a former interim UFC heavyweight champ, Mir knows what it’s like to be at the top of the heap and the level of talent that you have to face every time you step into the cage. With wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Brock Lesnar, Roy Nelson, Mirko Cro Cop and Tim Sylvia, the 16-6 Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has gone toe-to-toe with best and has proven he is among the division’s elite. Fans can expect fireworks when these titans meet on Nov. 3.
Also training out of the famed American Kickboxing Academy, Luke Rockhold (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) steps back into the STRIKEFORCE cage for the tenth consecutive time, including his third straight title defense. At 10-1, the Santa Cruz-native and former surfer has let the MMA world know that he’s serious about not letting anyone take the title that he feels belongs to him. Having earned recent wins over Tim Kennedy, Keith Jardine and “Jacare” Souza, Rockhold’s next opponent is in for a long night if he’s willing to stand and trade with the renowned striker.
Finding continued success after a recent drop to middleweight, Lorenz Larkin (fighting out of Riverside, Calif.) recently defeated UFC and STRIKEFORCE veteran Robbie Lawler to earn his shot at the title. At 13-0, 1 NC, “The Monsoon” remains undefeated having survived tough bouts with Gian Villante and Nick Rossborough. A practitioner of Kung Fu, Larkin is known for his intense striking, having finished eight of his opponents via KO, and may be the perfect test for the current belt holder.
For more information or the latest STRIKEFORCE news, visit www.strikeforce.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
And we are live with Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman. Feel free to comment on the fights below.
Kaufman looks very awkward in the white leather. Like Ricky-Bobby-hands awkward.
The Jon Jones – Dan Henderson debate strikes again. Chris and Bernard are yelling. I mean yelling.
Thank God, King Beardy the Wise is reffing.
Round 1
St Preux throwing big early.
Cook throws with huge power. So does St Preux. Holy crap, these boys swang.
St Preux gets Cook’s back to start the fight, and collapses him with a left. After a scramble, St Preux is chasing him down the fence with punches, and Cook rocks him with a right. St Preux is holding a clinch, and this fight is nuts.
St Preux with a big head kick, and follows up again, now Cook is against the fence.
St Preux gets top position in Cook’s guard against the cage. He goes for a key lock, then lets it go. He still wants it though. Now he has Cook’s back. Cook backdoors out, and the round ends with a last exchange and some exhausted stares.
I have it 10-9 St Preux after 1
Round 2
Feeling out early.
Beardly is about his business.
Cook throws bombs when he throws. St Preux lands a huge left kick to the body. Head kick by St Preux. Cook just answers with punches every time.
Distance doesn’t seem to bother Cook.
Left leg kick allegedly hits reproductive orga…upon review, no “allegedly”, he definitely just got his DNAs hit.
StP misses a head kick, Cook counters. StP with a beautiful takedown. Big Orange and whatnot.
StP to side control. Seems to be working a choke north-south.
StP to mount. He is really dominating the ground work. Now throwing huge lefts from top, and Cook gives up his back, then back to mount for StP.
I have it 10-9 20-18 St Preux after 2
Round 3
St Preux looks much fresher. GIGANTIC PUNCH. St Preux might have just killed TJ Cook. Oh God.
Ovince St Preux wins by KO 17 seconds into the 3rd round
Smoke break!
Lumumba Sayers calls his hands “Dynamite” and “C-4″. I have nothing witty to say. He’s bigger than me.
Round 1
“Perifee-uhl vision”
Smith gets mount quick. Damn. Keeping his weight on top very well, and securing it with the legs.
Sayers’ head is cut, and leakin out the back. Blood everywhere.
Crazy scramble, and Sayers has his back standing. Big elbow by Smith.
Smith with a nice low kick that drops Sayers to his knees-ish. Big shot by Sayers, and Smith drops to his back. Sayers working from top, caught in a triangle, and this fight is over.
Anthony Smith wins by triangle choke with 1:12 left in the 1st
This card has been pretty solid so far. Preeeettty, pretty solid.
They need to find a way to get Beardy’s individual beardril on the corresponding side to raise for the winner during decisions.
Round 1
Punches and leg kicks for both men early.
Body shots.
They’re throwing, but nothing significant. Until Bowling gets hit with a knee in the clinch. Bowling throwing big shots.
Bowling goes for the double, no dice against Saffiedine.
Knee to the body from Saffiedine as they’re scrambling across, and they go from on the cage on one side to on the cage on the other.
Bowling wants the takedown bad.
Saffiedine with a big kick before the bell.
I have it 10-9 Bowling after 1
Round 2
Saffiedine leg kick, Bowling body shot.
Bowling gets accidentally poked in the eye parts. Short break.
Back on it, more leg kicks.
Nice boxing from Bowling. Saffiedine trading with him.
Mortal Kombat combo from Saffiedine. Nice exchange for each from a Saffiedine thai clinch.
Saffiedine holding Bowling against the fence. Bowling goes for takedown, transitions to front choke, and back to the first sentence in this paragraph.
They break apart and go back to the center. Bowling lands a right, Saffiedine an uppercut.
Nice right by Saffiedine. First round was close, but he held down the striking in the 2nd.
I have it 10-9 Saffiedine 19-19 after 2
Round 3
Leg kicks from Saffiedine, Bowling responds with a big punch.
Saffiedine has him against the fence again. Back to the middle.
Saffiedine is really working the leg kicks.
Bowling gets his back, but they go to the cage with Saffiedine holding Bowling. Again.
Short knees against the cage for both men.
Saffiedine is wearing Bowling out against the cage.
Back to the middle, and they both want it with a mintue to go. Bowling goes for the takedown, Saffiedine stufs it and goes to back.
No doubt on this round, as Saffiedine holds back the last 40 seconds, holding rear naked the last 5.
I have it 10-9 29-28 Saffiedine after 3
Tarec Saffiedine wins by unanimous decision 30-27 30-27 30-27
“Who is with me for title?” I am with you for title, Tarec. I am with you for title.
Gilbert Melendez is the best 155 on Earth. Who want some?
I know his name is Mike Beltran. His name to me is Beardward.
Round 1
Jacare throwing early, and CRUSHES Brunson with a monster right. This fight is over. Very, very over.
Jacare wins by TKO 39 seconds into the fight.
Kaufman comes to fight. This should be magnificentular. Shakespeare ain’t got nothing on me.
Jimmy Lennon, Jr. is an American treasure.
Round 1
Rousey comes out punching, closes the distance. Gets her aginast the fanece, to armbar. It’s over. Wow.
Ronda Rousey wins by armbar 49 seconds into the fight.
You know from the moment you’re scheduled to fight Ronda Rousey that she will want to armbar you. 50 seconds later, armbarred.
The weigh-ins for Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman are complete, and errybody made weight.
Full results below.
| Weight | Name | Weight Class | Name | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135 | Ronda Rousey | Women’s Bantamweight 135 |
Sarah Kaufan | 134 |
| 186 | Derek Brunson | Middleweight 185 |
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza | 186 |
| 170 | Roger Bowling | Welterweight 170 |
Tarec Saffiedine | 169.5 |
| 185 | Lumumba Sayers | Middleweight 185 |
Anthony Smith | 186 |
| 203 | T.J. Cook | Light Heavyweight 205 |
Ovince St. Preux | 205.5 |
| 135 | Julie Kedzie | Women’s Bantamweight 135 |
Miesha Tate | 136 |
| 186 | Adlan Amagov | Middleweight 185 |
Keith Berry | 186 |
| 144 | Germaine de Randamie | Women’s Featherweight 145 |
Hiroko Yamanaka | 145 |
| 155 | Bobby Green | Lightweight | Matt Ricehouse | 155 |
You can’t deny the fierceness in Ronda’s eyes. Nor the fierceness she puts into her training. Being the niece of legend Judo Gene LeBell, would you expect any less? She is a monster in the cage. A beautiful monster. But a monster nonetheless. Too bad you never get to see her fight longer than two minutes or so.
STRIKEFORCE® women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will make her highly-anticipated initial title defense against former champ Sarah Kaufman when STRIKEFORCE®: ROUSEY vs. KAUFMAN comes to Valley View Casino Center on Sports Arena Blvd. in San Diego, Calif. on Saturday, August 18. The five-round bout will air live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast). Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.
MMMjunkie.com is reporting that their sources have confirmed the addition of a match between Welterweights Tarec Saffiedine (12-3) and Roger Bowling (11-2) to the Strikeforce plans.
The bout is expected to take place in late summer, possibly August 18th in San Diego, according to the MMA website’s sources close to each fighter. This event is already believed to be the targeted venue for the much-anticipated women’s fight between undefeated (and champion) Ronda Rousey and lady brawler (and former champion) Sarah Kaufman. With the addition of two explosive fighters like Saffiedine and Bowling, Strikeforce appears to be well on its way to delivering a solid and fan-focused card for the dog days upcoming.
The crew discuss their views of how Josh would fare against various top Heavyweight fighters in the UFC, in their deservedly humble opinions, following an Josh Gross article on the same subject.
Length: 9:45
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We speak to TapouT Magazine and MMAWorldwide.com Big Kahuna in Charge Chris Staab about the ramifications of the Alistair Overeem testosterone issue and what not and what for.
Length: 9:40
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It was recently announced that Josh “The Punk” Thomson would be fighting Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez for the third time. We took the opportunity to bring out a recent interview with Thomson, conducted just before his fight with K.J. Noons.
Length: 14:20
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The crew opens up the program with a quick discussion on the results of UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann and Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey.
Length: 9:00
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Chris gets the lowdown on Gina Carano and steroid use in MMA from Loretta Hunt, veteran writer for Sherdog and Sports Illustrated.
Length: 11:40
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