By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS 13
JANUARY 7, 2011
LIVE FROM NASHVILLE, TENN Mauro Ranallo opens up the broadcast as always and runs down the fights that are on tap tonight. Stephen Quadros and Pat Miletich break down the main event between Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine, as well as giving quick thoughts on the rest of the card.
FIGHT ONE: RHADI FERGUSON VS. JOHN RICHARD (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT) ROUND ONE: Richard rushed in with an overhand right and got in close. He shot in and managed to get Ferguson to the ground. Ferguson grabbed for a leg lock but Richard got out of it and took Ferguson's back. He started landing a couple of big shots and Ferguson tried to roll through. Richard nearly got a rear naked choke locked on but Ferguson held it off and rolled again. Richard held onto the hooks. Ferguson stalled Richard, but Ferguson held onto the position. Ferguson then finally spun out and wound up in Richard's guard. Ferguson landed some short punches to the body and a few hammer fists. He knocked the mouth piece of Richard out and the ref halted it to put it in. He did it again and the ref warned him to keep it in or he'll get a point taken away. Ferguson started landing punches, but they didn't seem to have a ton of power behind them. Ferguson continued to throw punches as Richard was on his knees. Richard spit out his mouth piece again. They halted the action again for the mouthpiece and the ref took a point away from him. Both fighters are tired and the round ends in this position.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-8 Ferguson. Richard gassed two minutes into the round and gave up position, and with the point deduction Ferguson gets a big lead after taking over the second part of the round.
ROUND TWO: Both fighters are exhausted to start the round and Richard tried to throw a looping left. He landed a kick low and Ferguson tried to get a stoppage from the ref, but Richard bull-rushed him and took him down. Richard landed some strikes. Ferguson scrambled and grabbed a leg for a knee bar. Richard tried to get out and Ferguson went for a heel hook and another knee bar. Richard was finally forced to tap, but the ref didn't pull Ferguson off right away and Richard takes a bit to get back up.
WINNER: Ferguson via submission (heel hook) at 2:00 of the second round
POST FIGHT: Ferguson said he had a ton of injuries he was dealing with in training. The crowd was completely silent as Ferguson was talking.
STAR RATING: (**-) Nice submission win from Ferguson, but that was not a pretty fight. Richard was dead tired after two minutes, can't completely blame him as he took the fight on really short notice and had to cut a lot of weight, but it made for a lot of stalling in the first. But Ferguson's scrambles worked well for him, and that was a good knee bar used to finish Richard off.
FIGHT TWO: AMANDA NUNES VS. JULIA BUDD (WOMEN'S 145 LB. BOUT) ROUND ONE: Nunes landed an inside leg kick. Nunes came in with strikes and dropped Budd with a big left as she was swinging in a flurry. She followed up with hammer fists on the ground and Budd went out. Highly impressive from Nunes, but the ref was awful in stopping the fight far too late.
WINNER: Nunes via KO at :14 of the first round.
STAR RATING: (**+) The speed in which she just did that was highly impressive. Budd only had one career fight prior to this, but it was a highly impressive win over a well-regarded Shana Olsen. Her Muay Thai skills are also no joke, but she didn't even get a chance to utilize it as Nunes just blasted her with that opening flurry. Impressive stuff. On a side note, that referee was terrible with the stoppage, he got in there far too late.
FIGHT THREE: DANIEL CORMIER VS. DEVIN COLE (HEAVYWEIGHT) ROUND ONE: Cole took the center and tried to walk Cormier to the cage. Cormier landed a couple of jabs and tried to get in close but backed out. Cormier landed an inside leg kick and a hard overhand punch. He got in close and clinched, pressing Cole to the cage. Cole turned him around. Cormier landed an uppercut in the clinch. Cormier landed a nice straight kick and walked Cole down. He got in and tried to trip Cole up, then pulled off a nice throw into side control. Cole got Cormier to half guard. Cormier tried to pass and Cole scrambled and got to his feet. Cormier grabbed a body lock but let it go and landed a couple of punches. Cole landed a knee. Cormier tried to pull off another clinch and Cole held it off. Cole landed a couple of strikes and Cormier stayed on him in the clinch against the cage. After a stalemate on the cage, Cormier backed off. He landed a big overhand right, but Cole took it. Cormier threw up a head kick. He landed a few more strikes agains the cage and then pulled off a trip takedown into Cole's guard. He landed a hard punch and pressed Cole into the cage. Cormier ended the round on top.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Cormier. Not the best action throughout the round, but Cormier pulled off a really nice throw and a nice trip takedown late, as well as getting in some nice strikes as well. He's well in control right now.
ROUND TWO: Cormier rushed in with punches but Cole backed off. Cormier shot but Cole stuffed it. Cormier then threw him in the clinch and got him to the ground. Cormier landed strikes against the cage in the half guard. Cormier passed to mount, but Cole got out of it using the fence to kick off. Cormier scrambled and got back to side control. Cole tried to turn into him and Cormier stepped back into half guard. Cormier stayed busy with short strikes to the body and head in the half guard, then passed to side control. Cole tried to scramble and Cormier stayed on his back and put a hook in. He got the other hook in and went for the choke but lost position as Cole rolled. Cole managed to roll to his back and got Cormier into the half guard. Cole tried to grab for a kimura late in the round and Cormier tried to hold it off. Cole couldn't lock it on and Cormier held off to the end of the round. He wasn't in trouble with that sub attempt at all.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Cormier. Cormier's dominating the position, but Cole's staying in it with scrambles. It's still quite sloppy, but Cormier's still in control.
ROUND THREE: Cole tried to move forward early and ate a hard leg kick from Cormier. Cole landed a right but Cormier countered with a few punches. Cole threw some punches with very little on them and missed. Cormier grabbed a clinch and tried to get a trip takedown but Cole held it off. The clinch was a stalemate and the ref separated them. Cormier landed a hard right to the body. Cormier rushed in for a takedown, Cole moved aside and nearly landed a knee to a grounded Cormier's head. Cormier scrambled and took his back, but Cole got back to his feet. They jockeyed for position in the clinch against the cage. Cormier tried to separate and Cole held him and landed a knee. Cormier landed another right, but the action slowed and they were separated with a minute and a half left. Cole pressed Cormier back to the cage and tried to land a few punches. Cormier grabbed a body lock and took Cole down hard on the cage. Cormier stayed on Cole against the cage, who tried to walk up the cage. Cole just threw punches to Cormier's back as he was getting smothered. Cormier started throwing a few flurries and finished the round and fight on top.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Cormier. Both fighters were quite tired by fight's end, but again it was mostly Cormier. Cole just didn't have any energy to do anything, and Cormier cinched up the round with the late takedown.
WINNER: Cormier via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
POST FIGHT: Cormier gave Cole credit. He said he was disappointed, and Mauro couldn't understand why he was disappointed. But Cormier promised to be back better the next time.
STAR RATING: (**-) Despite the fawning over Cormier throughout the fight by the broadcast team, it wasn't a great fight. Cormier's got immense talent, and he clearly won the fight, but it wasn't the best he's looked. Cole hung in there despite being outclassed, though. Cormier continues to have a ton of upside, and has a lot of great tools, it simply wasn't his best fight so far. Still, with the schedule he's kept over the last year, that he's won six fights in 10 months is damned impressive.
FIGHT FOUR: OVINCE SAINT PREUX VS. ABONGO HUMPHREY (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT) ROUND ONE: St. Preux tagged Humphrey early with a big left. He landed a body kick and Humphrey got a hold of him. He tried to pull of a throw and St. Preux landed in his guard. Abongo tried to push St. Preux off, and St. Preux stayed on him. He landed a good right and then passed to half guard. He then passed nicely to side control and tried to trap Humphrey's arm in a crucifix. Humphrey got out. St. Preux went for the mount but Humphrey scrambled and got into his guard. St. Preux tried to lock on a triangle. Humphrey then dropped down for a leg. St. Preux tried to hold it off and finally moved into mount. St Preux started dropping some hard shots and Abongo turned. St. Preux landed some big punches from behind. He then exploded to lock on an arm triangle. Humphrey tried to fight out and finally did. St. Preux's head was too high up on the side, but he ended the round in the mount.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 St. Preux. Very good opening round for St. Preux. He stunned Humphrey early and had him on defense on the ground throughout much of the round.
ROUND TWO: Humphrey tried to press in early. He blocked a high kick from St. Preux. St. Preux stunned Humphrey with a big combo and Humphrey shot in. St. Preux stuffed it, then turned him around and took him down. St. Preux landed some short punches and called for a stand up as Humphrey held onto him. Humphrey rushed in and they started swinging wild punches. This just broke down into sloppiness here. Both fighters landed shots there, but most of the strikes missed. St. Preux then dropped down and took Humphrey down again. Humphrey held the closed guard again and St. Preux just landed some body punches. He's tiring out here. He postured up and landed a couple of hammerfists. He passed to half guard. The ref stood them up again. Humphrey tried to press in and St. Preux landed a couple of hard knees as Humphrey ducked in. Humphrey started teeing off on St. Preux on the cage and St. Preux shot for a really bad takedown that he actually completed. Humphrey had a guillotine choke attempt but it wasn't on tight and the round ended.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 St. Preux. St. Preux's hectic schedule the last two months has him really tired right now, but that round was definitely fun despite its sloppiness.
ROUND THREE: St. Preux got another takedown early and Humphrey closed his guard. St. Preux stayed slightly busy, but Humphrey held control of him and forced another stand up. St. Preux is really tired right now. Humphrey threw a high kick but it hit the body. St. Preux shot in for another takedown and Humphrey grabbed a guillotine on the way down. St. Preux stayed calm and worked out of it and got to side control. Humphrey pulled him back to guard. They were stood up again due to inactivity. St. Preux landed a high kick as Humphrey was throwing one and it knocked Humphrey down and St. Preux landed on him in half guard. St. Preux landed a few hard punches as the round ended.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 St. Preux. St. Preux was tired, but he continued to take Humphrey down and keep control in the fight. Humphrey tried to do some damage, but it was all OSP in this one.
WINNER: St. Preux via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
POST FIGHT: A very tired St. Preux said he knew he needed to win the third round. He said he's excited to get home for awhile after a hectic schedule.
STAR RATING: (**+) There was a lot of fun action in that fight, but both were so tired by the end that there was a ton of stalling. Still, that's to be expected with St. Preux fighting 45 full minutes in a very short period of time after never having gone to decision before.
MAIN EVENT FIGHT FIVE: TYRON WOODLEY VS. TAREC SAFFIEDINE (WELTERWEIGHT) ROUND ONE: Woodley popped in with a nice kick and a right hand. They clinched as Saffiedine got in close and Woodley landed some nice strikes in close before pushing him to the cage. Woodley held onto Saffiedine and landed a few knees before pulling off a nice throw to get Saffiedine to the ground. Saffiedine pulled back to the cage and tried to walk up the cage and he got back to his feet. Woodley stayed on him on the cage. Saffiedine landed a couple of knees and Woodley responded in kind. He dropped down for a double leg. Saffiedine held off the attempt. Woodley landed a knee. Saffiedine tried to shake Woodley off but Woodley stayed on him on the cage and landed a couple of knees. Saffiedine threw some strikes and knees of his own with his back against the cage. Woodley landed more hard knees to the thighs and the ref finally broke them. Woodley got poked in the eye as they separated and the ref said because he didn't see it he wasn't going to give him time. That was.... ridiculous. Woodley then popped in with a superman punch. He landed a kick and another punch and got back to the clinch. He pressed Saffiedine to the cage and the round ended.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Woodley. He landed some good strikes, got a takedown and controlled the position in the clinch. Good start. Awful officiating on the eye poke.
ROUND TWO: Saffiedine walked Woodley to the cage and threw a high kick. Woodley landed a nice right. Saffiedine got in close with a right hook and clinched Woodley against the cage. He controlled Woodley's body and landed some hard knees on the cage. Woodley exploded and got a nice trip takedown. Woodley landed some short strikes. Saffiedine pressed Woodley off with kicks and nearly locked on a triangle. He moved to an omoplata but Woodley popped out. Woodley tried to pass but Saffiedine kept him in the guard. Saffiedine crawled back to the fence. Woodley held him down and landed a couple of short strikes. Saffiedine gave up his back and Woodley landed a hard knee to the body. Woodley landed a few more knees and then tried to get a hook in. He ended the round with Saffiedine on his knees holding onto his wrist.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Woodley. Saffiedine was winning early in the round in the clinch, but then he got taken down and Woodley continued to work from the top and had positional control for three minutes of the round.
ROUND THREE: Saffiedine landed a hard leg kick early. They got into the clinch and exchanged strikes in the center of the cage before jockeying for position on the cage. Woodley landed an uppercut as Saffiedine backed off. Woodley shot in for a single leg. Saffiedine sprawled and held it off. Saffiedine scrambled and got into side control on Woodley. Woodley exploded back up and landed a knee and got into the clinch. Saffiedine pressed him to the cage. Woodley landed a few knees with his back on the cage. They traded knees. Woodley landed a hard right and shot in for a takedown and completed it. Saffiedine tried to grab for a kimura as Woodley got him down. Woodley held onto Saffiedine's leg and this will lead to a stalemate. Saffiedine pulled on the arm but Woodley popped out. They scrambled and Woodley stayed on him. The ref then separated them with a minute left. Saffiedine landed a knee. Woodley landed a couple of punches. He landed a hard body kick. He shot and got stuffed immediately, and they clinched on the cage. Saffiedine tried to back off and Woodley shot in. Saffiedine got separation and Woodley stayed on him again. Saffiedine separated and they exchanged shots as the round ended.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Woodley. Saffiedine was too willing to clinch in this fight, and I think it will be his downfall for this fight. Woodley negated Saffiedine's early takedown with one of his own and I think Woodley edged the fight.
WINNER: Woodley via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
POST FIGHT: Woodley gave Saffiedine credit for being a tough opponent, but he thought he did well tonight. He said it was about getting out of his range and popping in when he had his spots.
STAR RATING: (**+) Solid fight, very even through most of the bout, but nothing too impressive from either guy tonight. Woodley remains a highly talented prospect, and he played his game in this one and forced Saffiedine to fight his fight, and it worked for him. Another good win under his belt and he'll get back to action with little wear and tear after this one.
-That's another event in the books. Thanks for sticking with us tonight, and make sure to check back throughout the weekend and beyond as we begin gearing up for an extremely packed schedule of MMA action over the next few months.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_8080.shtml
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