Strikeforce: Rousey vs Kaufman

[JWGunslinger]

Strikeforce: Rousey vs Kaufman

Bantamweight Championship bout: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sarah Kaufman
Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson
Welterweight bout: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Roger Bowling
Middleweight bout: Lumumba Sayers vs. Anthony Smith
Light Heavyweight bout bout: Ovince St. Preux vs. T.J. Cook

Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)
Bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie
Lightweight bout: Bobby Green vs. Matt Ricehouse
Middleweight bout: Adlan Amagov vs. Keith Berry
Bantamweight bout: Hiroko Yamanaka vs. Germaine de Randamie


This Saturday Strikeforce brings us another mediocre fight card, but the headliner features everyone's favorite lady Ronda Rousey so this time we do care!

I'm not even going to attempt to talk about the guys(and gals) in the prelim card but expect Randamie, Amagov and Ricehouse to pick up wins by Decision, although Amagov may score a KO.

Former Bantamweight Champ Miesha Tate fights for the first time since dropping the strap to Rousey and she'll take on a very game Julie Kedzie. Now it'll be very interesting to see how her arm is after all the rehab but from what i've heard she's doing fine with it and should be fully functional. I like Julie Kedzie because she's a brawler and she's got heart, but what she don't got is submission defense and that is where Tate is gonna take her. I'm sure Julie will put up a valiant effort at first but Tate wins by being well rounded and having a much better ground game.

Ovince St. Preux will dominate TJ Cook and pick up a solid decision.

Lumumba Sayers will pick up another submission win, maybe even a KO but the fight will probably not leave rd 1.

Bowling vs Saffiedine could be interesting, Roger has some pretty good power in his hands and if he connects on Tarec he'll put his lights out. But Saffiedine is a smart fighter and has good cage control and ground work, if he can avoid Bowling's KO shots and grind him he'll win.

Jacare gets fed another unworthy opponent, Brunson isn't bad but he's out of his league. He should be facing someone like Amagov, unfortunately for him he's gonna get another loss on top of his recent setback to Kendall Grove. Jacare gets him down and puts him to sleep with a choke.

And finally the main event, my girl Ronda Rousey takes on pissed off former champion. I respect where Sarah is coming and I do like her as a fighter but I don't think she'll be able to withstand Rousey's grappling. If she can stay on the feet she'll be in good shape, striking wise she's got an edge but anytime they clinch there is a throw waiting to happen. I think that Sarah becomes the first to get out of the first round with Rousey but she'll get caught in a sub come round 2.

So there you have it. What're your thoughts on Strikeforce:Rousey vs Kaufman?

 

[Infinity]

I might be more excited about this card than you are, but I love Strikeforce, mostly because they have a few fighters that I love watching fight. Before I loved watching Nick Diaz, Fedor, Hendo, Overeem... but now I like watching Jacare, Rockhold, Tate, Rousey, Cormier, Melendez, Masvidal, Roger Gracie, Ryan Couture, & even Herschel Walker.


Bantamweight Championship bout: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sarah Kaufman
I've got Ronda taking this with a (wait for it...) armbar! First round, just like Tate. I loves me some Ronda. Her ESPN spread is my iPhone background. =)

Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson
I am such a huge fan of Jacare! That being said, I think he under performed his last two times. It took 3 rounds for him to make Bristol Marunde tap where I thought it should have been over in the 1st... and I still believe Jacare is better than Luke. I agree with you, Souza should run through Brunson. I'm hoping for a first round submission, but I'd put my money on a 2nd Round Choke, probably rear naked but I can see another Arm Triangle finish or Darce.

Welterweight bout: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Roger Bowling
This guy. 7 of Saffiedine's last 8 fights have gone to decision. I knew it was 4 out of 5 but I just looked at his record and it's 7 of his last 8. I knew I didn't like him for a reason. That's why I'm glad he's taking on Bowling, whom I remember ending a match in less than a minute on the Melendez/Masvidal card, and on Tate/Rousey he ended Saling early in the 2nd. So, I'm hoping and also predicting a 2nd round TKO win for Bowling. Gonna catch him on the chin with a hook and finish him off.

Middleweight bout: Lumumba Sayers vs. Anthony Smith
Honestly don't know much about Anthony Smith, but Lumumba has been impressive in his last two wins. I'm going Sayers in the 1st Round via TKO, but I fear a decision victory. =/

Light Heavyweight bout bout: Ovince St. Preux vs. T.J. Cook
Perhaps the coolest name in the business, Ovince should kill Cook. 2nd Round KO victory.

Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)
Bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie
I like Tate in this one, although I'm surprised her arm is really all healed up. I'm shocked it wasn't destroyed because that was one of the nastiest looking arm bars I've ever seen. I'm thinking Tate via Unanimous Decision, but obviously I'm hoping for a finish.


That's pretty much all I wanna talk about, haha.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Watch this turn out to be one of those barn burner cards where all the no names in the undercard fights put on Shogun/Hendo type fights and the main event turns out to be a dud.

Bantamweight Championship bout: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sarah Kaufman
I think people are underestimating Kaufman, she is a terrific fighter. The problem is that the Rousey doubters are running out of things to try to derail her hype train. I was skeptical once but I have since jumped on that thing.

Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson
Strikeforce has a few solid guys at 185 and Souza is one of them, the problem is that the top few guys like Souza, Rockhold, Kennedy can't just fight each other over and over and there is a huge gap between the top guys and the rest of the field. So they have to bring in guys that are practically scrubs. Brunson is an okay fighter, but the loss to Grove really proved he has no business challenging the 185 elite. Hopefully the UFC will bring over the top guys eventually, until then try to enjoy watching Souza choke Brunson out in a lopsided fight.

Welterweight bout: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Roger Bowling
This fight has some potential to be good. Bowling has some solid hands and Saffiedine has some decent grappling skills. This is a decent fight to have on a card, but it probably won't mean much to title rankings. Saffiedine already lost to Woodley and neither guy will beat Nate consistently.

Middleweight bout: Lumumba Sayers vs. Anthony Smith
Lumumba Sayers nickname is Heavy Hands, yet he only has one KO win. The other five have been by submission and I love watching a good sub.

Light Heavyweight bout bout: Ovince St. Preux vs. T.J. Cook
There was a time when people on a certain shitty MMA forum were saying OSP was the next big thing and should be challenging the elite at 205. Then he fought Gegard and disproved that. He is a solid fighter and should take a decision. Odd that this is his first fight this year, he averages three a year.

Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)
Bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie
Echoing what was said earlier, Kedzie is a tough girl and fights her heart out. Always puts on a solid show, but she is the Cheick Kongo of her division, the perfect gatekeeper. This will be a good test for Miesha coming back. Kedzie could present some problems on the feet, but it Tate plays to her strengths and takes the fight to the ground she should walk away victorious.
Lightweight bout: Bobby Green vs. Matt Ricehouse
This could be a decent fight. I remember watching Ricehouse beat Ryan Couture a little while back. Both guys are pretty middle of the road, but are on winning streaks.
Middleweight bout: Adlan Amagov vs. Keith Berry
Hoping to see a nice KO from Amagov. He has good pop in his striking and last time he went out there Robbie Lawler laid him out with a flying knee.
Bantamweight bout: Hiroko Yamanaka vs. Germaine de Randamie
I don't know much about Germaine, and I don't know a lot more about Hiroko. I do know she was a lamb to the slaughter in her last fight and was absolutely murdered by Lady Cyborg. Failed drug test or not she was torched in that fight. She should take this one though, as she is a solid fighter and aside from the NC against Cyborg her only loss was back in her 5th pro fight.

 

[JWGunslinger]

Some great performances last night, we knew Ronda vs Kaufman would deliver but damn that card overall was pretty great.

Bobby Green got a decent win over Ricehouse. Randamie shut down Yamanaka with very superior striking. Amagov got a controversial TKO but it was obvious that at some point in that fight Berry's lights were going to be put out and he just got saved from more pain.

Holy shit Miesha Tate and Julie Kedzie gave us a barn burner, incredible first round by Julie with that awesome striking of hers and nearly KO'd Tate. Second round Miesha got her rythem a little better but was still having trouble and then after another extremely impressive start to the round by Kedzie with the kick and punches Tate snagged her sub for a sick comeback win. I've been a fan of Julie's since her fight with Carano and Tate since right before her fight with Coenan, but man have both of these girls grown as fighters. They are two of the girls along with the headliners that give me faith in Womens MMA, incredible competitors and a truly wonderful fight.

OSP racked up two dominant rounds before taking out Cook with a great left, he was out as soon as it hit him. Awesome KO and great performance to get OSP back on track.

Sayers and Smith was awkward but exciting, disappointed in Lumumba but good sub win for Smith.

Saffiedine vs Bowling was a good one, Tarec was obviously on another level than Roger as Bowling couldnt do much with his power and when it came down to talent and technique there was a clear winner. Good solid performance from Saffiedine and Bowling had the stones to go all three round with probably the 2nd or 3rd best in the SF 170 division.

Jacare Fuckin Souza, man that was awesome. As soon as I saw the way Brunson was throwing his shots I knew that he was gonna get hit with something but I never expected Jacare to finish a fight with anything other than a sub. Great KO and he shows that he definitely deserves a rematch for his title, really looking forward to Jacare-Rockhold 2.

And Rowdy Ronda Goddamn Rousey, how amazing is this girl and can she get more amazing? She took what I expected to be her toughest opponent yet and took her out in under a minute. Phenomenal performance by Ronda and she has definitely become not only the face of Womens MMA and the one who will get it mainstream but a great figure for MMA in general. Unfortunatly the Cyborg fight we all want to see probably wont happen as the dude wont go to 135 and now is stating that she wants her release from SF because her division is dead, coward.

Ronda will continue to dominate and win over every fan out there, dont know who she'll fight next but I want to see her and Tate again because Miesha is definitely her best competition, she'll beat her again but it'll be a great fight. I'd like to see her against someone like Coenan if we could get that fight, whatever happens i'll be excited.

Excellent event from Strikeforce, theyve really stepped their shit up and I love it.