Strikeforce – Overeem vs. Werdum
June 18, 2011
American Airlines Center,
Dallas, Texas, United States

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Alistair Overeem (35 – 11 – 0) defeated Fabricio Werdum (14 – 5 – 1) by unanimous decision.  In an interesting twist, Werdum landed more strikes in this bout than his stand up based foe.  Werdum tried many times to take the fight to the floor, but Overeem continually stood up from these attempts in the 1st round.  In the 2nd and 3rd, Overeem remained in Werdum’s guard for longer periods of time, but the jiu jitsu ace was able to do nothing with the position.  The result was a prosaic decision for the “Demolition Man.”    Overeem, who is on a 7 fight win streak (has not lost since November 2007), moves up 4 spots from [#8] to [#4].  He will face [#6] Antonio Silva in the Heavyweight Grand Prix semi finals.  Werdum, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss, drops 2 spot down the ranks from [#3] to [#5].  Perhaps a bout with the loser of the [#10] Josh Barnett vs. [#13] Sergei Kharitonov semi final would be appropriate next for “Vai Cavalo.”

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Josh Barnett (30 – 5 – 0) defeated Brett Rogers (11 – 3 – 0) by arm-triangle choke at 1:17 of round 2.  Barnett did not play the striking game with Rogers for long, taking him down with a big slam early in the 1st.  He secured mount and worked for submissions from the top.  The 2nd round ended up in the same position following a textbook lateral drop from Barnett which landed him in mount.  Barnett used his submission prowess to apply a tight arm triangle from mount, and as he transitioned to side control, Rogers tapped.  Barnett, who is on a 7 fight win streak (6 by stoppage, 4  by submission), holds his rank at [#10].  He will face [#13] Sergei Kharitonov in the Heavyweight Grand Prix semi finals.  Rogers, who has lost 3 of his last 4 (albeit against top flight competition), drops 4 spot down the ranks from [#14] to [#18].  Rogers needs to get back on the winning track if he is ever to be seen as an elite heavyweight again, and a fight against [#34] Chad Griggs or even [#33] Jeff Monson could be appropriate next steps.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Jorge Masvidal (22 – 6 – 0) defeated K.J. Noons (10 – 4 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Masvidal used a dynamic strategy which was highlighted by range finding jabs, strategic takedowns and vicious knees and kicks.  One head kick nearly ended the fight in the 1st round, sending the bloodied Noons to the canvas.  Noons was saved by the bell, and was able to get back into the fight in round 2.  Though Noons hung tough and never quit, Masvidal won all 3 rounds.  Masvidal, who has back to back wins in Strikeforce (3-2 in his last 5), moves 5 spots up the ranks from[#15] to [#10].  He is the most likely candidate to face Strikeforce lightweight champion [#3] Gilbert Melendez next for the title.  Noons, who is on a 2 fight losing streak (prior to which he had a 6 fight win streak), moves from [#68WW] into the lightweight “Top 500” at [#47].  Noons is still a very good lightweight, but a 3rd loss in a row would be very detrimental to his standing.  Bouts with [#43] Pat Healey or [#60] Lyle Beerbohm would help bring more clarity to the sub-elite tier of the Strikeforce lightweight division.

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Daniel Cormier (8 – 0 – 0) defeated Jeff Monson (42 – 12 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Cormier exhibited improved boxing and used kicks liberally to vex the older Monson in what was a 3 round stand up war.  Only when Cormier would effortlessly toss Monson to the mat to shuck off a clinch did either of the opponents end up on the ground at all.  Cormier, who has finished 6 of his 8 opponents (5 by strike based stoppage), jumps 13 spots up the ranks from [#28] to [#15].  He should face the man he was originally supposed to fight before injury struck, [#38] Shane del Rosario.  Monson, who was on an 8 fight win streak prior to this loss, drops 12 spots from [#21] to [#33].  There are interesting matches to be made with Monson.  Fights with [#26] Andrei Arlovski or [#46] Mike Kyle at either heavyweight or light heavyweight would be appropriate, depending on what division he wants to fight in.

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Chad Griggs (11 – 1 – 0) defeated Valentijn Overeem (29 – 26 – 0) by submission due to punches at 2:08 of round 1.  Griggs was in control from the start, pressing Overeem up against the cage and hitting a lateral drop.  He proceeded to punch out of an americana keylock attempt from Overeem, then pounded Overeem into submission.  Griggs, who is on a 6 fight win streak (all by strike based stoppages), jumps 12 spots up the ranks from [#46] to [#34].  A bout with fellow prospect heavyweight [#38] Shane del Rosario would be excellent in propelling one of the fighters to the next level in the division.  A bout with [#18] Brett Rogers would be an absolute stand up war.  Overeem, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (all by stoppage under 1:45), plummets 31 spots from [#98] to [#129].  Other than a fight with [#33] Jeff Monson, there aren’t many bouts that would not have a high possibility of Overeem giving up and submitting to strikes in the end.
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BAMMA USA – Badbeat 2
June 11, 2011
Commerce Casino,
Commerce, California, United States

Bantamweight (135 lbs)

WEC veteran Chad George (12 – 6 – 0) defeated Bobby Sanchez (6 – 14 – 0) by submission due to an arm triangle choke at 2:32 of round 1.  George, who stopped a 2 fight slide which occurred in WEC with this win, drops 2 spots down the ranks from [#93] to [#95].  Sanchez, who is on a 6 fight losing streak (5 by 1st round choke based submissions), remains unranked.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Dominique Robinson (7 – 4 – 0) defeated Dionisio Ramirez (3 – 2 – 0) by split decision.  Robinson, who is on a 3 fight win streak, drops 5 spots down the ranks from [#99] to [#104].  Ramirez, who had back to back wins prior to this loss, remains unranked.

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Bellator vet Georgi Karakhanyan (16 – 3 – 1) defeated Vince Ortiz (7 – 6 – 0) by submission due to a rear-naked choke at 2:01 of round 1.  Karakhanyan, who has scored back to back 1st round choke based submission wins, holds his rank at [#61]. Ortiz, who is on a 3 fight losing streak (preceded by a 7 fight win streak), remains unranked.
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Maximum Fighting Championships 30 – Unplugged 4: Up Close and Personal
June 10, 2011
Mayfield Inn Trade and Conference Centre,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Lightweight (155 lbs)

UFC veteran Brian Cobb (19 – 6 – 0) defeated fellow UFC vet Drew Fickett (41 – 14 – 0) by TKO due to punches at 4:44 of round 1.  Cobb, who is on a 4 fight win streak (3 by stoppage), bounds 9 spots up the ranks from [#18] to [#9].  Fickett, who was on a 5 fight win streak prior to this loss, drops 13 spots down the ranks from [#34] to [#47].

Welterweight (170 lbs)

In a rematch from UFC 69, Marcus Davis (19 – 9 – 0) defeated Pete Spratt (22 – 20 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Davis, who has won 2 decisions in a row since being released from the UFC, moves from [#54LW] into the welterweight “Top 500” at [#67].  Spratt, who is 1-3 in his last 4, drops 2 spots down the ranks from [#157] to [#159].

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Sheldon Wescott (5 – 1 – 1) defeated Thomas Denny (27 – 19 – 1) by unanimous decision.  Wescott, whose last fight was a draw with Thomas Denny, rockets 100 spots up the ranks from [#290] to [#190].  Denny, who is 1-3-1 in his last 5, plunges 105 spots down the ranks from [#295] to [#400].

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Dhiego Lima (6 – 0 – 0) defeated Jamie Toney (14 – 7 – 0) by KO due to punches at 2:47 of round 1.  Lima, who has finished all 6 of his opponents (4 by submission), surges 221 spots up the ranks from [#351] to [#130].  Toney, who had won 6 in a row (excluding 1 No Contest) prior to this bout, plummets 105 spots down the ranks from [#159] to [#307].
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UFC 131 – Dos Santos vs. Carwin
June 11, 2011
Rogers Arena,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Junior Dos Santos (13 – 1 – 0) defeated Shane Carwin (12 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Dos Santos battered his opponent for the better part of 3 rounds, but Carwin showed tremendous heart by battling on and never quitting.  By the end of the fight, Carwin’s face was covered with a crimson sheen of blood and his nose was broken.  Dos Santos, who is on an 8 fight win streak (6 by stoppage), holds his rank at [#4].  He will face champion [#1] Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight title.  Carwin, who has lost 2 in a row, drops 1 spot down the ranks from [#6] to [#7].  Carwin needs to win his next bout to stay relevant at the top of the heavyweight division, and should look to face either a hard nosed up and comer like the iron jawed [#15] Mike Russow or the winner of the [#16] Cheick Kongo vs. [#43] Pat Barry fight at UFC live 4 on June 26th.

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Kenny Florian (14 – 5 – 0) made a successful transition to 145 lbs and defeated Diego Nunes (16 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Nunes came out strong in the 1st, dropping Florian in the closing seconds of the 1st round.  Florian controlled much of the next two rounds, using his range and size to punish Nunes on the feet and on the floor.  Nunes, who looked very fatigued by the end of the 2nd round, stunned Florian again at the close of the 3rd round.  It was too little, too late in the eyes of the judges.  Florian, who is 3-2 in his last 5 (all at 155 lbs), moves from [#8LW] into the featherweight “Top 250” at [#2].  Dana White has said that Florian will most likely be the next opponent for featherweight champion [#1] Jose Aldo.  Nunes, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss, drops 2 spots down the ranks from [#12] to [#14].  Despite the loss, Nunes is still a promising prospect who should look to face another game opponent in [#13] Mark Hominick which would surely produce fireworks on the feet.

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Mark Munoz (11 – 2 – 0) defeated Demian Maia (14 – 3 – 0) by unanimous decision.  This closely contested match showed much improved stand up from Maia and vicious ground and pound from Munoz.  Maia wobbled Munoz in the 1st with a left behind the ear, but Munoz gained control in the 2nd with combinations on the feet and ground and pound.  The 3rd was very close, but the judges had it for Munoz in the end.  Munoz, who is 6-2 in the UFC (and on a 3 fight win streak), jumps 10 spots up the ranks from [#18] and into the Top Ten at [#8].  He should look to face [#6] Brian Stann (also on a 3 fight win streak), who laid waste to [#11] Jorge Santiago two weeks ago at UFC 130.  Maia, who is 3-3 in his last 6 (never losing 2 in a row), drops 4 spots down the ranks from [#8] to [#12].  Maia will be looking to get back on the winning track, and he could face [#11] Jorge Santiago to try and accomplish this feat.

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Dave Herman (21 – 2 – 0) defeated Jon Olav Einemo  (6 – 2 – 0) by TKO due to punches at 3:19 of round 2.  Herman and Einemo threw caution to the wind in this wild affair that earned both fighters “Fight of the Night” honors as well as a cool 70K each.  Herman incurred damage on the feet in the 1st round while using knees to the head from the clinch to answer his Norwegian foe.  The 2nd round was action packed, with Herman taking a stunning knee to the face from Einemo only to answer with a knee and a left hook of his own that sent Einemo to the mat.  Shortly after action returned to the feet, Herman TKOed his man.  Herman, who is on a 3 fight win streak (6-1 in his last 7), holds his rank at [#23].  Herman should face [#22] Travis Browne next to see which man will come closer to the top tier of the division.  Einemo, who had not fought since late 2006, remains unranked.  Einemo looked like he had many weapons in his arsenal despite losing tonight.  Battles with [#49] Stefan Struve or [#55] Rob Brougton would be perfect for a European UFC card.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Donald Cerrone (15 – 3 – 0) defeated Vagner Rocha (6 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Cerrone used low kicks to nearly cripple Rocha (who was a late replacement for [#30] Mac Danzig), who could offer nothing more than errant right hands and failed takedown attempts.  By the end of the fight, Rocha could barely put weight on his left leg without wincing.  Cerrone, who is on a 4 fight win streak, moves up 1 spot from [#22] to [#21].  A bout next with [#18] Jeremy Stephens would most likely be a barn-burner.  Rocha, who is 1-2 in his last 3, drops 1 spot down the ranks from [#417] to [#418].  If Rocha stays around (which he may based on the fact that UFC praises late replacements) he could face fellow jiu jitsu ace [#398] Kyle Watson on a “Fight Night” undercard.

SPIKE TV Preliminary Bouts

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Sam Stout (17 – 6 – 1) defeated Yves Edwards (40 – 17 – 1) by KO due to a punch at 3:52 of round 1.  Stout waded through Edwards’ punches and landed a counter left hook that left his opponent out cold on the mat.  Edwards did not regain consciousness for a couple of minutes following the brutal KO.  Stout, who is 4-1 in his last 5, jets 30 spots up the ranks from [#44] to [#14].  [#16] Gleison Tibau would pose a poor style match up for Stout in his next bout, while a fight with [#21] Donald Cerrone would produce a stand up war.  Edwards, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss, drops 19 spots down the ranks from [#16] to [#35].  Edwards could face [#30] Mac Danzig in his next fight, which would test the fighters on the ground and the feet.

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Chris Weidman (6 – 0 – 0) defeated Jesse Bongfeldt (40 – 17 – 1) by submission due to guillotine choke at 4:54 of round 1.  Weidman scored the early takedown and tried to secure a kimura from side control.  Bongfeldt returned to his feet following scramble and went for a takedown of his own off a knee to the body from Weidman.  Weidman applied a textbook guilltone choke and forced the submission seconds before the end of the round.  Weidman, who has finished in 4 of his 6 fights, moves 1 spot up the ranks from [#22] to [#21].  Weidman could face fellow winner on the card [#26] Nick Ring for his next test.  Bongfeldt, who was on a 7 fight win streak prior to going 0-1-1 in his last 2 (both inside the UFC), drops 10 spots down the ranks from [#104] to [#114].  Bongfeldt needs to procure his first win in the UFC if he wishes to stick around, so a match with fellow loser on the night [#87] James Head could be appropriate.
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