Interviews & Review by Spaniard, Photos by Mike Renouard
Strikeforce hit The Rose City July 14th with two of the most likeable fighters in the history of the organization in defending 185 lb Champ Luke Rockhold and challenger Tim Kennedy pitted against each other in the main event. The Champion looked strong in his striking but had trouble grappling with a diligent Kennedy who pushed him all five rounds.
Kennedy almost finished Rockhold in the third when he took his back but couldn't finish the position. Rockhold scored big points late by dropping the challenger with a crushing right hook that sent Kennedy to the floor. Rockhold came out unanimous on the judges' score cards and remains middleweight champion. He is the first to have defended the 185 lb Strikeforce belt twice successfully and with 5 round wars like this, his future looks very promising for the fans!
The Co-main event served up a super highlight reel knockout that should be replayed for years. Former UFC Middleweight, Nate "The Great" Marquardt, after not fighting for 16 months came into his first Strikeforce fight against undefeated Tyron Woodley, both vying for the vacant Strikeforce 170 lb Title. Woodley came out and rocked Marquardt and attempted to get the fight to the ground, but it didn't stay there long.
Marquardt was able to bring it back to the feet and start a striking game between the two fighters that turned into a slug-fest, with the pair throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other. The bout was pretty even as both fighters were scoring points in the trading game in the second and third rounds. It was in the fourth round that the game was finished. Marquardt pressed Woodley into the cage and was able to stun him with an elbow, and then very impressively fired off a left and right uppercut that dropped Woodley so fast the referee didn't have time to intervene. Marquardt however just walked away as he saw Woodley was out and at 1:39 of the fourth round became the new Strikeforce Welterweight Champion.
The NW's own Pat "Bam Bam" Healy has now won 5 in a row in Strikeforce but not after some serious battling from Japanese fighter Mizuto Hirota. Hirota, the current DEEP 155 lb Champion, looked much smaller than Healy and came in the big underdog but once the fight was underway proved why he deserved to be in there. Hirota stunned Healy with crisp quick left hooks and stuffed takedowns, irritating Healy's offense.
It was only When Healy switched it up by getting inside and using his dirty boxing elbows to punish Hirota and getting him to the ground that Healy able to go to work. Healy finished the bout in a dominant position and was awarded the Unanimous decision victory. Afterwards, he spoke about focusing his efforts on a title shot with current champion Gilbert Melendez. "I've fought the toughest guys, I have the most wins, I'm ready for the belt!"
NW Fan favorite Ryan Couture won a split decision over Joe Duarte in a game of takedowns and submission attempts. Couture got the takedown early in the first and second and took Duarte's back almost finishing a Rear Naked Choke, but Duarte's sub defense kept him in the game. Duarte tried a submission of his own attempting a Peruvian Neck Tie in the third, after getting a takedown and had Couture in some trouble but Couture battled out. And then in true Couture fashion, Ryan executed a couple more takedowns for the score cards and after 3 rounds, the judges had it 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 for a split decision victory for Ryan Couture. Afterwards, both Ryan and his father, the great Randy Couture who was cornering Ryan, spoke with NW Fightscene about the fight.
Roger Gracie bounced back from a loss to King Mo last September by taking MMA Veteran Keith Jardine to the ground early and keeping him there, opening up a cut from an elbow that turned the fight bloody.
While unable to finish Jardine, his control through the first two rounds negated Jardine's solid third round where he shucked the takedowns and connected with strikes of his own. At the end, Gracie took the fight via unanimous decision.
Strikeforce has two big events coming on the horizon. On August 18th, Strikeforce heads to San Diego with Ronda Rousey defending her 135 lb belt for the first time against former champion Sarah Kaufman out of Victoria BC. On the same card, former Champ Miesha Tate out of Yakima MMA will have her first fight back in the cage since losing the title to Rousey when she takes veteran Julie Kedzie. And then on Sept 29th in Sacramento, Pat Healy gets his title shot against current 155 lb Champion Gilbert Melendez. Learn more at www.strikeforce.com.
MAIN CARD
Main Event - Middleweight Championship Luke Rockhold def Tim Kennedy by Unanimous Decision (All judges 49-46)
Co-Main Event - Welterweight Championship
Nate Marquardt def Tyron Woodley by KO @ 1:39 Rd 4
Middleweight Roger Gracie def Keith Jardine by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-27)