Event: Strikeforce: Miami
Airdate: Saturday, January 30th, 2010 (Showtime)
Location: The BankAtlantic Arena in Sunrise, Fla.
Results by MMAScoops.com
Sabah Homasi vs. John Kelly
Round 1
Homasi swings wildly over the top of Kelly’s head, Kelly clinches but Homasi shrugs him off. Homasi gets a takedown but Kelly is right back up to his feet. The two fighters exchange frantically with neither landing much of consequence. Homasi is put on his back by a trip takedown and Kelly quickly moves to mount. Kelly delivering blows from the top position before moving to his back. Homasi defends and gets back to his feet as time expires.
Round 2
Homasi takes top position but is swept. Kelly works a rear naked-choke while Homasi continues to defend. He works his way clear of the attacking arm for a moment but Kelly slips it back under his chin and cinches the submission. Homasi taps out at 2:48 of the second round.
Hayder Hassan vs. Ryan Keenan
Round 1
Not much action as the two fighters feel each other out. Hasan steps in for a combination and Keenan counters with neither fighter landing. Hasan is moving forward and finally lands the first meaningful shot of the fight but is immediately countered by Keenan with a solid right hand. Hasan corners Kennan along the cage and blasts him with a sequence of punches that leaves him stumbling to the mat. Hasan follows him down and lands a few more before standing back up and allowing Keenan to stand. Hasan lands another flurry that sends Keenan is back peddling again.
Round 2
Hasan, still moving forward, punishes Keenan with another three-punch combination. Keenan still looking fresh while Hasan is starting to breathe a little heavier. Hasan darts in and launches another salvo of punches along the cage, catching Keenan as he tried to return fire with a big right hand the knocks him unconscious at 2:42 of the second round.
Pablo Alfonso vs. Marcos da Matta
Round 1
Alfonso leads with his left and pops da Matta with a nice combination. Again, Alfonso slides a lead left from his southpaw stance to the head of da Matta. Da Matta shoots in for a takedown, but Alfonso locks up a guillotine and falls to his back. Da Matta escapes but immediately gets caught in a tight armbar that forces him to tapout at 1:47 of the first round.
Craig Oxley vs. David Gomez
Round 1
Gomez rushes in for a shot and bullies Oxley to the mat. Oxley grabs a loose guillotine choke and uses it to sweep Gomez to his back. Oxley gives up the hold as he tries to move to mount but Gomez uses the opening to scramble back to the top and into side control. Oxley gets his guard back but Gomez is undeterred, landing punches from the top. Gomez stands in the guard and unloads again before settling back into the guard. The bell sounds and Gomez lands one more punch for good measure. Oxley is not appreciative of the gesture and clobbers him back before the two separate and head back to their corners.
Round 2
Gomez shoots and hits a takedown to begin the second frame. He tries to take the back but Oxley scrambles free. The fighters engage in a leg lock battle with neither fighter gaining an advantage. Gomez rolls back to top position in Oxley’s guard. Oxley sweeps from half guard and puts Gomez on his back for a moment. As they scramble, Oxley tries to lock up a triangle but Gomez defends. After a brief lull on the ground the fighters are brought back to the center of the cage. On the restart, Oxley lands a nice two-punch combination and finishes off the round with a spinning-back kick. Oxley looks to have injured his knee on the kick. He falls to the ground but quickly jumps back to his feet and limps to his corner.
Round 3
Gomez shoots back in to start the third and plants Oxley on the mat. Not a whole lot of action going on here as Gomez seems content to sit in Oxley’s guard. Oxley goes for a triangle but Gomez easily defends and moves to side control. Oxley gets his guard back, but can’t really do much as the round comes to a close.
The official scores are 30-27 for David Gomez on all three cards.
John Clarke vs. Joe Ray
Round 1
Clarke pushes Ray up along the cage and works for a takedown. Ray uses an underhook to keep Clarke away from his legs and the two stalemate. Ray lands a nice knee from the clinch but there is not much else going. Referee Jorge Ortiz breaks the fight and restarts it in the center of the cage. Ray lands a big knee that staggers Clarke. He throws him to the canvas and follows up with punches that force Ortiz to halt the action at 3:14 of the first round.
Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
Round 1
Riggs paws with his jab while Hieron circles looking for an opening as the middleweight contender match gets underway. Hieron leaps in with a nice right hand that Riggs takes well before changing levels for a takedown. Hieron retreats and they reset in the middle of the cage. Hieron lands another lead right hand. Hieron with a two-punch combination punctuated with a spinning back-kick that lands to Riggs shoulder. Riggs moving forward now but it is Hieron landing most of the meaningful shots. Riggs throws a superman punch but Hieron ducks under and takes him to the ground with a body-lock. There is zero action on the ground before the round closes.
Round 2
Riggs, from his southpaw stance, continues to push forward as the second period gets started. He has only thrown single shots up to this point while Hieron has been throwing more shots in bunches. Hieron takes the fight back to the floor early in the round and settles into Riggs’ guard. Hieron pounds away, unabated, at the body of Riggs with right hands until his opponent ties him up. Apparently the crowd is not pleased with the tactical fight that is being waged and they shower the cage with boos. Hieron finally lands a good shot from the top and the crowd briefly stirs. Riggs walks up the cage to get back to his feet as the 10 second warning sounds and the round closes with the fighters clinched along the cage.
Round 3
Riggs down two rounds and needs to make something happen. Riggs stuns him with a right hook. Heiron goes for the takedown and gets it. Riggs appears to be cut above his left eye. Riggs working to get out of the grips of Heiron who is hanging on. The referee stands them up with 2:20 remaining. Rigs missed with a big right hand. Heiron lands a clean punch that drops Riggs. He follows Riggs to the canvas Riggs recovered quickly and establishes his guard. Riggs works for a kimura, but lets it go. The referee stands them up with ten seconds left. Riggs a bloody mess.
Jay Hieron def. Joe Riggs by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
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The opening video airs. They shoot backstage to Herschel Walker who says he’s ready for his MMA debut tonight. He says age is just a number.
Bobby Lashley vs. Wes Sims
Round 1
Wes Sims is out first followed by Bobby Lashley. They air a long video package of Lashley hyping him up. Lashley gets a mixed reaction. More cheers than boo’s. They do the introductions. Lashley is def. the crowd favorite here. Huge pop.
Sims holds his left hand high, asking Lashley for a test of strength. Lashley ignores it and ducks under a right hand before getting a single-leg takedown. Lashley postures on Sims’ high guard and delivers right hands to the head. Sims closes his guard and Lashley pounds away exclusively with his right hand. Sims is eating some leather. The Hammer House product turns his back to avoid punishment and Lashley unloads. Referee Troy Waugh steps in to halt the contest prematurely. Sims complains, but he offered little defense.
They interview Lashley after the fight. He says he’s satisfied. He said this was a good fight for him and thanked Wes for taking the fight on short notice. He’s says he’s ready to step up. He wants more fights before he feels he becomes a number one contender.
Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef
Round 1
Manhoef takes the center of the cage and Lawler circles away. Lawler misses a kick to the head and Manhoef drills him with a kick to the body. Manhoef blocks another head kick attempt and the crowd grows restless. Manhoef lands another kick to the ribs 90 seconds in. Lawler misses a low kick and Manhoef connects with a sharp kick to Lawler’s lead leg. Manhoef roughs up Lawler’s leg and piles it on to the body. Manhoef opens up with his hands and lands a right end to finish off a flurry. Manhoef is bullying the UFC and Pride veteran with kicks and punches. Manhoef connects with a jumping knee to the chest and continues to unload with uppercuts and hooks. Just when it looked as if Lawler wanted out of the fight, he lands a right-hand counter that stops his opponent in his tracks. Manhoef slowly falls and Lawler crushes him with a brutal left hook for good measure. Manhoef lays motionless for several tense moments, but eventually gets to his feet under his own power. The official time is 3:33 of round one.
Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy
Round 1
Walker falls short on a jab, but connects on his second attempt. Walker lands a low kick to Nagy’s left leg. And another. Walker is dancing, taunting his opponent. He throws another low kick that hurts Nagy. Walker sprawls on a lazy double attempt and controls the head in a four-point position. Walker transitions to the top and begins to hit the head with both hands from half guard. Nagy goes high with his hips in search of an armbar, but Walker has none of it. Walker is controlling from the top like a savvy veteran, pushing the right leg down and controlling the wrists. Nagy sets up a heel hook and Walker escapes. 90 seconds remain in the first stanza. Walker moves to north-douth position and is warned for punching the back of the head by referee Troy Waugh. Walker pins Nagy’s left arm under his left leg and works a one-arm kimura on his foe’s left arm. Walker lands punches to the head with his right hand as the round ends.
Round 2
Walker goes to work on Nagy’s left leg with two early low kicks. Walker effortlessly slams Nagy to the canvas and lands directly into side control. Walker punches the back of the head and gets away with it. Waugh’s view was obstructed and did not see the fouls. Walker transitions to Nagy’s back, and coolly flattens him out. Nagy turns over, and Walker has a smothering high mount. Nagy gets to his feet and eats a knee on the mouth. Walker pushes his opponent’s head to the floor and sprawls on a single leg. Walker moves to his back, and he secures both hooks. The former runningback legend punches the head with both hands and Nagy has no defense for the tight positioning. Walker moves to mount before the round ends.
Round 3
Nagy comes out swinging for the fences. He grazes Walker with an overhand right. Walker shakes it off and muscles Nagy to the floor. Walker easily moves to mount and he’s turning it up. Walker hits the head and forces Nagy to roll over and expose his back. The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner unloads to the sides of Nagy’s head and body until Waugh steps in to save the dominated fighter at 2:17 of round three.
Strikeforce Women’s Championship
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen
Round 1
Coenen opens with a front kick and Cyborg flurries both hands. Coenen ties up with the Brazilian and Cyborg pushes her against the fencing. Coenen throws a straight right and Cyborg swings for the fences. Santos trips her opponent to the floor. Cyborg stands up and lunges punches downward before jumping back into the guard. Coenen works for an armbar and Cyborg pulls her arm free and dives back in. A Coenen upkick connects with the champion’s chin. Coene stands and is blasted by a right hook. Coenen has the cleaner punches, by Cyborg has a large power advantage. Cyborg moves to the challenger’s back while standing, but can’t hold the position. Now in the clinch, both fighters trade knees to the body and high thigh. Coenen breaks the clinch with an elbow that misses. Cyborg chases her prey across the cage and lands a right hook.
Round 2
Coenen throws a short right and Cyborg knocks the unbalanced fighter to the floor with power punches. Cyborg stands over her opponent and then engages the guard. Coenen goes high with her hips, looking to isolate an arm. Cyborg stacks and moves her challenger to the fence. Referee Jorge Ortiz stands the fighters. The champion lands a hard low kick and a counter left hook. A hard left body kick connects with Coenen’s liver. Coenen dips under a punching flurry and nearly gets a single. Cyborg sprawls late but stops the takedown. Coenen then pulls guard. Cyborg stays patient and then stands to her feet. She kicks Coenen’s left leg and then jumps back into guard. She stands, punches, and then back to guard. 30 seconds remain in the round. Coenen opens his guard, and Santos controls her feet and punches downward.
Round 3
Coenen charges forward and pushes Cyborg to the cage. Cyborg defends the takedown and unleashes both hands. Coenen weakly tries to clinch and Cyborg trips her to the canvas. From half guard, Coenen crossfaces with her left elbow. She releases to punch with her right hand. Right hands rain down and connect with the challenger’s body. Cyborg controls well as Coenen raises her legs high in search of offense. Cyborg stands and Coenen belts the champion with a straight right. Coenen looks surprised that Cyborg isn’t fazed. Coenen shoots and ends up pulling guard. The pounch must have angered the Brazilian, and she shifts to another gear with her punches. Right after left land to the face of the Dutch fighter. Cyborg stands in a north-south position and continues the violence. Ortiz has seen enough. He steps in halt the bout at 3:40 of the third period to pull Cris Cyborg off her overwhelmed foe.
Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis
Round 1
Zaromskis quickly lands a one-two and Diaz is all over him with punches. Zaromskis struggles to stay on his feet as Diaz swarms with both hands, landing lefts and rights. Zaromkskis lands a knee to the body as Diaz grabs the right leg for a single. Zaromskis leans against the fence and Diaz knees the exposed thigh as he holds the single. Over and over again Diaz knees the right thigh of Zaromskis, before dragging the Dream champion to the floor. Zaromskis stands and begins to bob and weave under Diaz’s assult. Zaromskis lands a left hook that knocks Diaz to the floor. Zaromskis swarms and Diaz recovers. Both fighters are now standing. Diaz clinches and lands a knee to the body. Diaz breaks free and absolutely beats up Zaromsiks with right and left hooks. Diaz mixes in an uppercut and a punch to the body. Zaromskis is in a world of trouble. Diaz punches the body and goes to the head again. Zaromskis falls to a short right hook and Troy Waugh calls an end to the beating at the 4:38 mark of the first.
Diaz did an excellent job of working all levels of his opponent with knees to the thigh and punches to the head and body.