San Jose, CA - Scott Smith gave Cung Le a harsh welcome back to Mixed Martial Arts last Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in Strikeforce's Evolution card aired live on Showtime.

Staying true Scott Smith Slugger fashion, Smith took a beating and kept on swinging. Initially in the bout, Smith rushed Le trying to avoid his set up kicks and strikes. But, once Le found distance it was powerful kick after kick forcing Smith on the defensive. The fight came extremely close to being stopped in the first after Smith was dropped by a ridiculously hard and fast spinning back kick. Le pounced on Smith as Smith struggled to get half guard and stop eating punches. Referee "Big" John McCarthy warned Smith to defend or work, or he would stop the fight. Yet, late in the third it was Smith ending the fight by dropping Le with a right hand and jumping on the former champ, finishing with another right hand that forced John McCarthy to step in at exactly 3:35 of the third round.

Former Champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez dethroned Champion Josh "The Punk" Thompson in a five round war for Thompson's lightweight title belt.

After the fight both fighters quoted the movie Rocky and said-"there isn't going to be no third!" These fighters both fought their hearts out for five rounds and left everything in the cage ala Apollo & the Italian Stallion. Thompson came out strong, but Melendez took the fight and ran with it in the later rounds winning a unanimous decision to become the new Strikeforce Lightweight Champion.

"Jacare" Souza submitted "The Law" Matt Lindland for a second time in their competitive history. 

Lindland and Souza met at the 2003 Abu Dhabi grappling tournament where Souza grabbed the win by arm-bar. This time Souza submitted Lindland in 4:18 of the first round by arm-triangle. Lindland tried to transition and almost had an Omoplata of his own, but Souza's BJJ is on a whole different level.

"King Mo" Lawal defeated season two Ultimate Fighter contestant Mike Whitehead by knockout in a heavy weight bout. 

Lawal looked to counter punch as Whitehead moved in with his jab. Mo threw a left, right hand combo that dropped the Medford OR native, and finished with two night ending right hands. The final time was 3:08 in the very first round, about the same amount of time it took his entourage of six dancers throwing rose peddles, holding his umbrella and dancing to the beat to escort the "King" to the cage.

3 non televised bouts started out the evening at the HP Pavilion at San Jose. Alex Crispim and Justin Wilcox both took home well deserved decision victories,

while Light Heavyweight Antwain Britt overwhelmed Scott Lighty through one round forcing the ringside physician to stop the fight.

For more on Strikeforce, including interviews with the fighters, visit Strikeforce.com

Bout 1 - 145 lbs

  Alex Crispim ( 3-2, Pleasanton) def AJ Fonseca ( 4-1, Santa Rosa)

by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bout 2 - 155 lbs

Justin "The Silverback" Wilcox ( 7-3, San Jose) def Daisuke Nakamura ( 20-11, Japan)

by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

 Bout 3 - 205 lbs

Antwain "The Juggernaut" Britt ( 9-3, Virginia) def Scott Lighty ( 5-0, San Luis Obispo)

by TKO (Doctor's Stoppage) after Rd 1

TELEVISED BOUTS

Bout 4 - Heavyweight

"King Mo" Lawal (218.6 lb, 5-0, CA) def Mike Whitehead (261.6 lb, 24-6, Las Vegas)

by KO @ 3:08 Rd 1

Bout 5 - 185 lbs

"Jacare" Souza ( 10-2, Manaus, Brazil) def Matt Lindland ( 21-6, Oregon City, OR)

by Arm Triangle @ 4:16 Rd 1

Bout 6 - Strikeforce World Lightweight Championship

Gilbert Melendez ( 16-2, San Francisco) def Josh Thomson ( 16-2, San Jose)

by Unanimous Decision (49-47, 49-46, 49-46)

Main Event - 185 lbs

Scott Smith ( 17-6, Sacramento) def Cung Le ( 6-0, San Jose)

by TKO (Strikes) @ 3:25 Rd 3