Emelianenko Plays Nice; Summer Return For A Strikeforce/M-1 Show On CBS Is Likely

Last week, the world's undisputed best MMA heavyweight Fedor Emelianeko (31-1) made news when he chose not to appear on Strikeforce's upcoming CBS event this April. Immediately following this announcement rumours began circulating that Fedor would either choose to return to fighting in Japan, or possibly even sign with the UFC.

As it turned out, Fedor, along with his manager Vadim Finkelstein and their company M-1 Global, simply felt that the terms of their agreement with Strikeforce needed some minor tweaking. Specifically, they felt that, even though Strikeforce had agreed to their demands of 50-50 co-promotion, the existence of that partnership was not publicized well enough in the North American market. In hindsight, they have a very solid point in that regard as most people referred to the November event on CBS only as Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers, thus including M-1's strongest bargaining chip, Fedor, without giving them their fair credit.

In any case, it now appears as though those concerns have been addressed fairly by all parties concerned and that, as a result, we can expect Emelianenko to return as early as this June on a M-1/Strikeforce card on CBS. His most likely opponent at this time would appear to be world #10 heavyweight Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1).

The following quote appears in an article on Sherdog.com and is attributed to M-1 Global's Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan:

"I think June, July is realistic (for Emelianenko's return). It's not 100 percent. Don't take this as a fight announcement, but I think during the summer. After the CBS show, we thought that the (Strikeforce) terms needed a little bit tweaking -- nothing major, just a little bit of tweaking. So, we had a round of negotiations with Strikeforce. Everything went positively. We're pretty much at the end. For us, it's really important that the M-1 Global brand is acknowledged on these co-promotion events. As much as the partners made a lot of effort to acknowledge the co-branding, the media basically picked up on the fact that it was Strikeforce and kind of forgot about everything else, which wasn't the most ideal for us."

B.C. MMA Fan will, of course, keep you updated as the story develops.

UFC Up To Old Tricks?-- May Counterprogram Strikeforce's April 17th Show

When Strikeforce first began its current growth spurt, following the acquisition of both EliteXC's remaining MMA assets in February 2009 and subsequent distribution deal with CBS, UFC president Dana White seemed to take a kinder, gentler approach to the upstart promotion. Gone were the verbal barbs he had consistently launched at now-vanquished enemies like The IFL, EliteXC, and Affliction.In their place were, gasp, friendly words of encouragement.

Well, one short year and a few key signings later, it seems that White's kid-gloves policy toward Strikeforce's Scott Coker has officially ended as it has now been strongly rumoured that the UFC will create a new live event to counter-program Strikeforce's recently-announced April 17th show. In the past, the UFC has used counter-programming to great effect, especially during Affliction's ill-fated promotional period. It is further rumoured that this unnamed April 17th UFC event would be co-headlined by an intriguing match-up of Matt "The Terra" Serra vs. Mike "Quick" Swick.

In response to this move, Strikeforce is now considering pushing their own April 17th show, called Stikeforce: Nashville, which features three title fights and the North Amerian debut of Shinya Aoki (23-4), up one week to April 24th. Doing so would put Strikeforce: Nashville in direct competition with Zuffa's secondary promotion, the WEC, as it attempts to make its long-awaited pay-per-view debut with a main event of Urijah Faber vs. Jose Aldo.

In the first scenario, Strikeforce: Nashville vs. UFC on April 17th, attempting to compete with the UFC will likely negatively impact Strikeforce's total ratings on CBS. However, given CBS' superior recognition and much wider distribution, the show would probably still beat the UFC on SpikeTV overall. Furthermore, Strikeforce would benefit from being seen standing its ground. Showing a willingness to go head-to-head with their biggest competitor, and quite likely winning, could only increase their legitimacy as a world-class promotion. The only drawback here is that CBS may be too concerned with overall ratings success to go along with this messy promotional showdown. On the other hand, SpikeTV finds itself in Strikeforce's position of only increasing it's legitimacy by taking on the biggest player in their industry-- in this case, CBS.

The second scenario, Strikeforce: Nashville vs. WEC 48 (PPV) on April 24th , would ensure Strikeforce a landslide ratings victory and could potentially devastate the WEC's PPV buy numbers, which are already expected to be dismally low due to their price-point of $44.99. The drawback here, though, is that, moving from their already-announced date of April 17th in order to avoid competing with the UFC, would be tantamount to an admission by Strikeforce and CBS that they consider themselves a second-rate show that is only capable of competing with the WEC's of the world.

So it comes down to a question of winning in public perception (April 17th) or total ratings (April 24th) for Strikeforce who have yet to make up their minds one way or another. In fact, the UFC has not officially announced a show on April 17th, though Dana white has confirmed their intention to do so soon. So, what you have here truly is a pretty twisted game of promotional chicken with millions of dollars in ad, ticket, and PPV revenue hanging in the balance.

Right now, it seems like the April 17th date is the most likely for Strikeforce: Nashville, thus setting up their first live showdwn with the UFC. The following quote is from Strikeforce President Scott Coker on MMAJukie.com:

"It hasn't been decided yet. I think we're meeting probably Monday. But for now, everything is going to be locked and loaded for the 17th. There's so many fights out there. We're going to do 20 fights this year, and they're going to do a bunch of fights. It's inevitable that there will be a conflict at some point."

B.C. MMA Fan.com will keep you posted on this story as it develops.

Strikeforce Inks More Title Fights, Signs Andrei Arlovski to Longterm Deal

Despite their recent difficulties in wrangling their biggest star attraction, Fedor Emelianenko (31-1), Strikeforce has continued to make aggressive moves to sell fans on a pair of upcoming major cards, scheduled for April 17th and May 15th, both of which will likely lack "The Last Emperor's" presence.

For their April 17th event on CBS, Strikeforce has recently added a lightweight title fight between reigning champion Gilbert Melendez (17-2, #8 LW) and Japanese submissions sensation, and current DREAM champion, Shinya Aoki (23-4, #2 LW [Pictured Above]). Melendaz is returning from successfully avenging a previous loss to Josh Thompson (16-3), which happened at last December's Strikeforce: Evolution. Melendez' win meant that he has now avenged both of his two career loses. For Aoki, whose DREAM lightweight belt will not be on the line in April, his Strikeforce debut will be his first fight since he controversially broke an over-matched fighter's arm at this year's K-1 Dynamite New Year's show, then proceeded to flip off both his now-defeated opponent and the entire crowd.

Also on the April 17th card will be a light heavyweight title fight between champion Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1) and Muhammed Lawal (6-0). In addition, the night's main event will feature yet another five-rounder in which Dan Henderson (25-7) will attempt to steal the middleweight crown currently worn by Jake Shields (24-4-1).

As for Strikeforce's May 15th card on Showtime Sports, it is believed that the long-absent Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alitair Overeem (32-11), who hasn't fought stateside since late 2007, will finally return to face Brett "The Grim" Rogers (10-1). It is unclear at this time if that fight will be for Overeem's heavyweight title. Strikeforce has also signed Belarusian brawler Andrei Arlovski (15-7) to a new four-fight deal; he is expected to debut on the May 15th card against Antonio Silva (13-2).

Strikeforce's Next CBS Show Set For April 17; Fedor Set To Be A No-Show

The worlds most accomplished MMA heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko (31-1), and his cadre of managers/spiritual advisers, etc have proven once again that UFC President Dana White may be on to something when he calls them "crazy Russians."

How else can you explain that Fedor, who stands to benefit immensely from exposure on U.S. soil and who needs to keep busy to avoid be criticized, yet again, for his plodding approach to fight scheduling, has apparently removed himself from Strikeforce's upcoming second CBS card set for April 17th. Fedor was tentatively scheduled to fight world #10 heavyweight Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1), but has apparently decided that the very best opponent that Strikeforce can currently offer just isn't good enough. Or maybe it was the money, or some sort of co-promotional misunderstanding; in any case, Emelianenko's primary manager Vadim Finkelstein seems dead set on turning Fedor into something of a bad joke among less-seasoned MMA fans.

Suddenly, Strikeforce's surprise acquisition of Dan "Hollywood" Henderson (25-7) is looking like the best free-agent signing in MMA history, as he will now step up to the main event to battle Jake Shields (24-4-1) for the latter's middleweight title, thus saving the card from being considered a complete disaster. Dan, of course, is coming off "The KO of 2009," maybe of that entire decade, when he completely starched Michael Bisping (18-3) at UFC 100. Shields, who some fans dislike for his wrestling-first style, is coming off a widely panned victory over Jason "Mayhem" Miller at Strikeforce/M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rogers last November. Fan support for Henderson is at an all-time high, but he has never been an incredibly strong draw and the potential exists here for a fairly ho-hum decision in either direction.

Also believed to be on the card is a fight from the "too soon" file between Dutch DREAM and Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1) and the still painfully green American power-wrestler Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (6-0). If Henderson and Mousasi both win in April, it is likely that Henderson will move up to face Mousasi shortly thereafter in an attempt to hold the 185lbs. and 205lbs. Strikeforce titles simultaneously just like Dan did in PRIDE. That feat, holding any two belts simultaneously in a respectable promotion, has never been accomplished by anyone else in the sport's history.

Strikeforce may have dodged a bullet here thanks to their serendipitous signing of Henderson, but unless Emelianenko and company begin playing nice soon, Strikeforce President Scott Coker could have a hard time putting together enough main event quality fights going forward to justify their network TV presence.

Victoria, B.C.'s Sarah Kaufman Gets It Done In Five; Sweeps Every Round

Coming directly after a questionable doctor's stoppage prematurely ended the Trevor Prangley vs. Karl Amousou fight, the main event at Strikeforce Challengers 6 had an uphill battle to get the disgruntled fans in San Jose excited. The world's two finest female fighters at welterweight (135lbs.) certainly did all they could to win the crowd over during a grueling 25-minute war of attrition.

Picture Props: Sherdog.com

After watching Victoria, B.C.'s Sara Kaufman (11-0) rock and drop her opponent several times in the opening frame, many in the arena probably thought a finish was inevitable, but it was not to be. Nonetheless, the resulting fight was highly technical and very entertaining throughout, if not quite heart-stoppingly thrilling.

Most fans probably took two things away from the fight.

One is that Japan's Takayo Hashi (12-2) is one tough cookie. She absorbed a surgically methodical onslaught from Kaufman over the entire course of the fight and kept coming back for more. In a rare display of resilience and determination, Hashi somehow managed to have her best round in the fifth stanza after taking a relatively one-sided beating for the preceding four. Her many takedown attempts, which, as the fight wore on began to resemble pulling guard more than anything else, were almost universally stuffed by Kaufman's clear superior strength and her textbook sprawl-n-brawl. When a grappler isn't afforded a chance to go for any submissions you know she's in for a long night, but many lesser fighters would have cracked, psychologically at the very least, under Sarah's relentless pressure.

The other thing most fans probably took from the fight is that, after three consecutive unanimous decisions, Sarah can't seem to catch a break as far as landing her first finish under the Strikeforce banner. That's not to say she wasn't trying. At no point in the fight did Kaufman hold back, except possibly following a fifth-round eyepoke when she seemed to allow her opponent a few seconds of much-deserved respite. Of course, that didn't prevent her from sweeping the judges' scorecards to lay claim to Strikeforce's first ever women's welterweight title at 135lbs. Play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo used the word "coast" to describe Kaufman's performance, but all I saw was a very intelligent gameplan being stuck to unflinchingly.

It looks like the first challenger to Sarah's new belt may be the well-rounded Roxanne Modafferi (14-5) and there's still that eight-woman tournament in the works to find more contenders, but the champ is probably too busy celebrating her historic win tonight to be very concerned about that. In any case, it will be tough for anyone in the welterweight division to match Sarah's technical excellence and will to win.

Congratulations Sarah, you've done well by your chosen sport and given all Canadian MMA fans something to stand up and cheer about.

Programming Reminder: MMA Double-Header -- "MFC 24: Heat XC" and "Strikeforce: Challengers 6" Both Live Tonight

Many Canadian sports fans will be transfixed by the men's hockey semifinal against Slovakia this evening, but there are also a pair of great MMA cards competing for attention on this day-- Friday, February 26th. In a perfect world we could watch all three events, but there may have to be some tough choices made tonight. Below is a rundown of the two MMA events and some links that might help you make up your mind.

B.C. MMA Fan will, of course, have coverage of both MMA events available this evening.


Event: MFC 24: HeatXC
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Start Time: 7:00pm PST/ 10:00pm EST
How To Watch: Tickets Still Available, Live Stream Available for $9.99

Main Card:

155lbs.: Yves Edwards (155.5) vs. Derrick Noble (156)

185lbs: Tom Watson (184.5) vs Travis Galbraith (186.5)

205lbs.: Ryan McClain (205) vs. Dwayne Lewis (205

170lbs.: Jesse Juarez (171) vs. Nathan Gunn (169.5)

170lbs.: Dami Egbeyemi (170.5) vs. Paapa Inkumsah (170)

Undercard:

170lbs.: David Letourneau (169.5) vs. Nick Hrynchyshyn (170)

185lbs.: Elliot Duff (193) vs. Jason Gorny (185.5)

155lbs.: Chris Barber (153.5) vs. Garret Nybakken (154)

Catchweight: Eric Chouinard (207) vs. Zach Blaber (207)

Event: Strikeforce Challengers VI
Location: San Jose, CA
Start time: 7:00 pm PST /10:00 pm EST
How To Watch: Showtime (USA), SuperChannel (Canada)

Main Card:

135 lbs.: Sarah Kaufman (133.8) vs. Takayo Hashi (132)

185 lbs.: Trevor Prangley (185) vs. Karl Amoussou (184.5)

185 lbs.: Luke Rockhold (185) vs. Paul Bradley (186)

170 lbs.: James Terry (169) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170)

185 lbs.: Raul Castillo (183) vs. Yancy Medeiros (185.5)

Undercard:

185 lbs.: Eric Lawson (185.5) vs. Wayne Phillips (183.5)

185 lbs.: Chris Stewart (182.5) vs. Samuel Bracamnonte (180)

155 lbs.: Tristan Arenal (156) vs. George Miller (155.8)

145 lbs.: Jesse Tobar (141.5) vs. Johnson Nguyen (144.8)

145 lbs.: Renee Robinson (141) vs. Lilia Salas (145)

265 lbs.: Steve Dickie (242.8) vs. Alan Lummel (253)

135 lbs.: Ronald Carillo (132.8) vs. Anthony De Los Santos (134)

Sarah Kaufman Video Interview From Strikeforce HQ

With just over twenty-four hours left until the opening bell rings at Strikeforce Challengers VI: Kaufman vs. Hashi, Strikeforce themselves caught up with Victoria, B.C.'s Sarah Kaufman (10-0) to produce this wide-ranging pre-fight interview.

B.C.'s Sarah Kaufman Has Title Fight Elevated To Main Event Status At Strikeforce Challengers (Feb. 26th)

Strikeforce's first-ever women's bantamweight (135lbs) title fight, featuring Victoria B.C.'s Sarah Kaufman (10-0) and Takayo Hashi (12-1) of Japan, has been elevated from co-main event status and will now serve as the featured attraction at Strikeforce: Challengers VI.

Originally, a fight between experienced veteran Trevor Prangly (22-5) and up-and-coming M-1 prospect Karl Amoussou (11-2-1) was set to conclude the night, but I suspect that the overwhelming fan and media interest in Kaufman's potential as a future women's MMA superstar caused the Strikeforce brass to re-think their approach.

Strikeforce: Challengers VI takes place this Friday (Feb. 26th) live from San Jose. In Canada, the show is available on SuperChannel 2, but other viewing opportunities may become available at the fights approach.

Full Card:

Main Event:

Sarah Kaufman (10-0) vs. Takayo Hashi (12-1)

Main Card

Trevor Prangley (22-5) vs. Karl Amoussou (11-2-1)
Luke Rockhold (6-1) vs. Paul Bradley (12-1)
James Terry (7-1) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (7-2)
Raul Castillo (6-0) vs. Yancy Medeiros (4-0)

Undercard

Eric Lawson (9-2) vs. Wayne Phillips (3-3)
Chris Stewart (Amateur Debut) vs. Samuel Bracamnonte (Amatuer Debut)
Tristan Arenal (Amateur; 3-1) vs. George Miller (Amateur; 3-1)
Jesse Tobar (Amateur; 2-0) vs. Phil Balducci (Amateur; 1-1)
Renee Robinson (Amateur Debut) vs. Lilia Salas (Amateur Debut)
Steve Dickie (Amateur; 3-0) vs. Alan Lummel (Amateur; 1-0)
Ronald Carillo (Amateur; 1-0) vs. Anthony De Los Santos (Amateur Debut)

B.C. MMA Fan's exclusive interview with Sarah will be posted shortly.

Press Release-- Canada's First Lady: Sarah Kaufman

By Strikeforce Staff

Though gaining in respect and popularity, the sport of women’s MMA is still in its infancy. There are many firsts ahead for the athletes competing in the formative years of women’s combat sports. Nevertheless, some women have already made serious strides. One who has worked hard and attained numerous firsts is Victoria, British Columbia, Canada’s Sarah Kaufman (10-0, 2-0 in STRIKEFORCE).

At 17 years of age, Kaufman stumbled upon MMA when a school opened in the building where she was studying dance. She was supposed to meet a friend to check out ZUMA Martial Arts but the friend never showed and Kaufman went in anyway. Initially she enrolled in an aerobic kickboxing class but before long she was taking every class head instructor and BJJ black belt Adam Zugec offered.

Kaufman competed in tournaments to hone her skills and began fighting MMA professionally in 2006. Beginning her “road of women’s MMA firsts” was competing in the first women’s MMA bout held in Winnipeg, Manitoba when she beat Alexis Davis by TKO at the Ultimate Cage Wars show in April of ’07. Her bout at TKO 29 in June of 2007, where she beat Valerie Letourneau with strikes in the second round, was the first women’s bout in the promotion’s history.

Her follow-up fight that year, yet another first, was competing for and winning the first Hardcore Championship Fighting women’s bantamweight (135 pound) title. There she pounded experienced fighter Ginele Marquez, stopping her with strikes in the second round. Kaufman defended the title five months later, beating down Molly Helsel and scoring her seventh consecutive career victory by KO or TKO.

Kaufman made her STRIKEFORCE debut last May as a late replacement for Kim Couture (1-2, 1-1 in STRIKEFORCE) in a bout with Miesha “Takedown” Tate (8-2, 0-1 in STRIKEFORCE). In the opening round, Kaufman moved forward, landing lefts and rights and stuffing the takedown attempts of Tate to control the opening phase. In turn, Tate dominated the second period getting an early takedown and controlling Kaufman on the mat for the majority of the round. In the third, Kaufman continued to stuff takedowns and landed a hard right hook midway through round. Kaufman dominated the remainder of the contest, landing strikes standing and on the ground, and took the unanimous decision victory.

Her second STRIKEFORCE bout last June was also her most recent “first”. It was the first women’s bout contested under five-minute rounds. In round 1 Baszler got an early takedown and applied a unique Josh Barnett-inspired choke but Kaufman worked hard, released the pressure and gained top position. Shayna was able to tie her up against the cage and avoid strikes in the clinch to close out the round. In the second, Baszler again worked to control in the clinch but Kaufman found the range with her strikes and began to strike effectively. Using leg kicks and superior in-and-out movement, Kaufman had her way in round 2 and closed the round with a flurry of strikes. The final round opened with Baszler’s frantic attempt to bring Kaufman to the mat. She successfully pulled guard but a follow-up sweep and subsequent kneebar attempt only led to Kaufman getting behind her and back to her feet. Kaufman’s confidence grew as she used distance effectively and flustered Baszler, tagging her at will. In the final 30 seconds, Baszler rolled for a kneebar but Kaufman stayed closed, avoided the submission and took a unanimous decision win to stay unbeaten in the sport.

At just 24 years old, Kaufman is already 10-0 in a sport where many competitors don’t even have 10 fights under their belt. Now Kaufman prepares for the biggest first of her career; the STRIKEFORCE Women’s 135lb title. She must take on skilled Japanese grappler Takayo Hashi (12-1, 0-0 in STRIKEFORCE). And if successful, the victory will serve as not only yet another in a long line of “firsts” but also as a historic achievement.

"Strikeforce: Miami" Quick Results

Quick Results For-- Strikeforce: Miami
Location: Bank Atlantic Centre; Sunrise, Fla.
Date: January 30th, 2010

Main Event:
Diaz def. Zaromskis by TKO, Rd. 1 (4:38)

Main Card:
Santos def. Coenen by TKO, Rd. 3 (3:40)
Walker def. Nagy by TKO, Rd. 3 (2:17)
Lawler def. Manhoef by KO, Rd. 1 (3:33)
Lashley def. Sims by TKO, Rd. 1 (1:11)

Undercard:
Hieron def. Riggs by Unanimous Decision

Prelims:
Ray def. John Clarke by TKO, Rd. 1 (3:14)
Gomez def. Oxley by Unanimous Decision
Alfonso def. Matta by Submission, Rd. 1 (1:47)
Hassan def. Keenan by KO Rd. 2
Kelly def. Homasi by Submission [RNC], Rd. 2


Main Event:

Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis [For Strikeforce Welterweight Title]
Winner: Diaz by TKO, Rd. 1 (4:38)

Round1:

• Both fighters begin with an impressive flurry that Zaromskis, perhaps, gets the best of.
• Diaz pushes Zaromskis up against the cage and unleashes a barrage of 45+ knees to Zaromskis' legs. Diaz fails in a takedown attempt, returning the fight to a stand-up.
  
• Zaromskis lands a powerful punch that knocks Diaz on his butt. Zaromskis then prevents Diaz from standing, while raining blows from above.
• Diaz manages to stand and almost immediately begins landing with a furious combination of punches from every direction. Zaromskis is hurt and eventually succumbs to the onslaught.
  

Main Card:

Cristiane Santos vs. Marloes Coenen [For Women's Strikeforce Featherweight Title]
Winner: Santos by TKO, Rd. 3 (3:40)

Round1:

• Santos imposes her will early, uses superior strength to muscle Coenen to the ground. She then lands several powerful shots from guard position.10-9 Santos.
  

Round2:

• Coenen fares slightly better in this round, lands some strikes of her own, but Santos lands the cleaner combinations and scores another takedown. 10-9 Santos.
  

Round3:

• Coenen continues to show her toughness with a nice kick and a gutsy takedown attempt. Another combination of punches knocks Coenen to the ground. Santos delivers some parting shots from above to score the TKO.

Greg Nagy vs. Herschel Walker [Catchweight (215lbs.)]
Winner: Walker by TKO, Rd. 3 (2:17)

Round1:

• Walker shows solid jab, great takedown defense, secures dominant position, avoids submissions, lands shots. 10-9 Walker

Round2:

• Walker unleashes heavy leg kicks, gets side control, drops some heavy shots. 10-9 Walker

Round3:

• Walker gets takedown fairly easily, defends armbar well, gets full mount, then back mount, rains down blows until the fight is called.

Our Score:

Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef [Middleweight]
Winner: Robbie Lawler by KO, Rd. 1 (3:33)
Round1:

• After a long feeling out period, Manhoef begins landing heavy leg kicks. Soon he is landing with everything: body kicks, hooks, you name it.
  
• More devastating leg kicks from Manhoef who looks like he's trying to kick Lawler's leg clean off.
  
• Manhoef opens up for a finishing flurry, but is suddenly KO'ed courtesy of a right hook from Lawler. Manhoef is out cold. Lawler is limping badly, but wins impressively.

Bobby Lashley vs. Wes Sims [Heavyweight]
Winner: Bobby Lashley by TKO, Rd. 1 (1:11)

Round1:

• Lashley easily scores a takedown. Hits Sims with a series of short shots to the head. Sims shows a unique and impressive guard, but is soon pounded out.
• Lashley wins without too much trouble, but Sims dislikes the stoppage and should be commended for stepping up on limited notice.

Heads-Up: "Strikeforce: Miami" Official Online Stream Available For $24.95

Hey there fight fans! After all that belly-aching, my plaintive cries for another viewing option were answered!

You can order the fights as an official online stream, direct from the Strikeforce website, for just $24.95. Of course, if you have s-video cables or something like it, you can watch the fights on your television as well.

Strikeforce previously limited this option to customers in the USA, but it is now available everywhere. The service is called Strikeforce: All Access because it offers several behind the scenes features. For one thing, you can toggle between the broadcast feed or four other different camera angles. One of those angles is the ref cam, which is a pretty cool way to watch a fight.

Here's an even better explanation of the service direct from Strikeforce:

With Strikeforce: All Access, fans can be their own director and toggle among five live cameras with full pause and rewind capabilities including Showtime Sports exclusive CageCam®—a small, high quality camera worn by the referee which takes viewers inside the cage during the fights. Audio tracks will include the Showtime telecast fight call by host and play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo, and color commentators Frank Shamrock and Stephen Quadros, as well as the corresponding audio to the selected camera. Showtime is again working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-media experience. All Access fans also will receive a live Twitter feed from the event and can join behind-the scenes staff in tweeting about "Strikeforce" and "Showtime Sports" during the evening. Through a Facebook® Connect application, fans will be able to make predictions, comment on the live fights, discuss outcomes and more directly on the All Access page.

"Strikeforce: Miami" Main Card Weigh-In Results

Every main card fighter at Strikeforce: Miami came in on-weight for Saturday's event (Jan. 30th), which begins at 7:30pm PST and takes place live at the Bank Atlantic Centre in Sunrise, Florida.

B.C. MMA Fan will have results and reactions for this event available the same night.

[Picture Props: Dave Mandel at Sherdog.com]

Click Here For Our Official Main-Card Predictions.

Main Event (Broadcast on SHOWTIME Sports [USA], SuperChannel [Canada])

Max 170.0lbs.: Nick Diaz (169.5) vs. Marius Zaromskis (169)
[Vacant Welterweight Title Bout]

Main Card

Max 145.0lbs: Champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (144.5) vs. Marloes Coenen (143.75)
[Women's Featherweight Title Bout]

Max 215.0lbs.: Greg Nagy (210.5) vs. Herschel Walker (214.25) [Catchweight]
Max 185.5lbs.: Robbie Lawler (185.75) vs. Melvin Manhoef (185.75) [Middleweight]
Max 265.5lbs.: Bobby Lashley (252.25) vs. Wes Sims (258.25) [Heavyweight]

PRELIMINARY CARD (Broadcast on EASportsMMA.com)

Max 170.5lbs.: Jay Hieron (170.25) vs. Joe Riggs (170.5) [Welterweight]


The undercard weigh-in results for "Strikeforce: Miami" are available at MMAJunkie.com

Another Classic Robbie Lawler Interview

Nobody in MMA makes the simple act of answering questions look so uncomfortable as "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-5). It isn't that Robbie downright rude, okay maybe just a little, it's more the sense you get that he would rather fight the interviewer right there on the spot than have to answer another question. In a way, it is actually kind of endearing, but there's no point trying to describe it.

If you haven't witnessed the train wreck that is a Lawler interview, you're better off just to see one for yourself. The unfortunate victim here is Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com.

Predictions for "Strikeforce: Miami"

It has been an unusually long stretch of time since the last major MMA card, Ultimate Fight Night 20: Maynard vs. Diaz, went down on Monday, January 11th. As a result, my prediction record has remained frozen at 142-81 (%63.7) overall, and 18-6 (%75) in main events, but that will finally change after Saturday's Strikeforce: Miami at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

Unfortunately, most Canadians will be unable to watch the fights live because Strikeforce's main broadcast partner, Showtime Sports, is available exclusively in the USA. Technically, Strikeforce: Miami can be seen in Canada on the premium cable station SuperChannel, but the vast majority of Canadians do not receive that either.

The card itself has been widely criticized both for featuring too many unevenly matched fights and for prominently showcasing all-time football great Herschel Walker in his MMA debut. That said, the card also features two world-title matches and a slew of quality fighters in meaningful bouts.

Ranked fighters include:

USA TODAY/SBN Poll Rankings:
Marius Zaromskis (#12 WW), Jay Hieron (#13 WW), Nick Diaz (#15 WW), Melvin Manhoef (#17 MW), Robbie Lawler (#10 MW)

Unified Women's Rankings:
Christiane Santos (#1 FW), Marloes Coenen (#2 FW)

On to the picks...

Main event:

170 lbs.: Nick Diaz (-260, 20-7) vs. Marius "The Raging Demon" Zaromskis (+200, 13-3) [For Vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Title]

Any MMA fans unfamiliar with Marius "The Raging Demon" Zaromskis are in for a rare treat this Saturday. Not only does he love to exchange strikes, but his signature finishing move is MMA's equivalent to the grand-slam home run: the head kick. A London-based fighter, by way of Lithuania, Zaromskis has scored (T)KO's in over %75 of his career victories and has finished each of his last three consecutive fights, all of which occurred in Japan's DREAM promotion, via head-kick KO.

Clearly, Zaromskis has a formidable skill-set, but it is not one that is likely to produce favourable results against Nick Diaz. The Stockton, CA native, Diaz, has a style that poses significant challenges particularly for a power-striker like Zaromskis. For one thing, Nick excels at using his lanky limbs to land a high-volume of medium-strength punches that, taken cumulatively, can do serious damage. Dealing with Diaz' patented pawing-barrage technique, should make it difficult for the more-compact Zaromskis to set up his own strikes. On top of that, Diaz has a stalwart chin, meaning he can probably absorb a head-kick or two, even from "The Raging Demon." Supposing Nick is really getting the worst of the stand-up, which I doubt will happen, he conveniently possesses the much more advanced grappling skills, holding a BJJ black belt under Cesar Gracie.

Zaromskis could certainly land a head-kick, or another cinematic power shot, to put Nick Diaz away and claim the Strikeforce title, which he would then add to the DREAM welterweight belt that he already owns. However, it is too risky to predict a win by "puncher's chance" when the opponent in question is as well-rounded and accomplished as Nick Diaz. I predict that, after a wildly entertaining start, Diaz will begin dictating the pace of the stand-up. Eventually, he could even wear Zaromskis down to score a TKO.

Even at -260, I believe there is some value in a cash bet on Diaz.

Diaz by TKO, Rd. 4

Main card (Televised):

145 lbs.: Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (-500, 8-1) vs. Marloes Coenen (+325, 17-3) [For Santos' Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Title]

This is one of the night's most obvious mismatches, but Strikeforce actually deserves a pass here because no woman in the world right now at 145lbs. poses a credible threat to Cris "Cyborg" Santos. Her style is reminiscent of Wanderlei Silva (32-10-1)'s circa 2001-2004 when he went on a 12-0-1 tear through PRIDE with 11 (T)KO's. Relative to her division, "Cyborg" hits that hard. I could go on about how The Netherlands' Marloes Coenen also exhibits elite striking, or bring up her impressive twelve career submissions, but, at the end of the day, Coenen is lucky if she packs even half as much power as Santos, who, being a Brazilian professional fighter, is doubtless no slouch on the ground herself.

Santos wins via a brutal, first-round smashing to retain the belt and move one fight closer to cleaning out the division's legit contenders, with only Erin Toughill (10-2-1) left standing in the way. That said, I would not suggest a bet on this fight, unless you enjoy laying down serious amounts of money on prohibitive favourites.

Santos by KO, Rd. 1

265 lbs.: Bobby Lashley (-1100, 4-0) vs. Wes Sims (+600, 22-12-1)

It's a fight between Lashley, one of the world's biggest heavyweight prospects who parlayed his pro-wrestling fame into a budding MMA career, and Wes Sims, one of the biggest heavyweight goofballs who parlayed a trio of UFC loses into a gig as a professional journeyman.

Most see this fight as a farcical mismatch, and I am generally inclined to agree, but, given Wes Sims' significant edge in experience, plus his impressive stoppage ratio of over %90 in wins, a flier bet on Wes almost, kinda, nearly makes sense at these insane odds.

Lashley by TKO, Rd. 1

185 lbs.: Melvin Manhoef (-200, 24-6-1) vs. Robbie Lawler (+160, 16-5)

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler, who has fought in the UFC, IFL, EliteXC and now calls Strikeforce home, is a known commodity to North American MMA fans. His friendship with welterweight icon Matt Hughes and propensity to swing leather have been well publicized. Many may be unfamiliar, however, with his opponent, Dutch striking sensation "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef, who has competed almost exclusively in Japan's K-1 and DREAM promotions since leaving the European scene behind in 2006.

Both are among the middleweight division's most devastating strikers, with a combined 36 (T)KO's in their 40 career wins. It is, therefore, very unlikely that this fight will go the distance. Robbie Lawler should have significantly better wrestling and would be wise to utilize it because Manhoef has never been considered a threat on the ground. Chances are, though, that Lawler will elect to stand as he often does. As for who will knock out who assuming this fight becomes a straight-up kickboxing match, I would take Manhoef whose wider array of strikes, superior hand-speed, and elite explosiveness should allow him to "swarm and destroy."

Realistically, anything can happen in this fight. Your betting money is probably better spent elsewhere.

Manhoef by KO, Rd. 2

205 lbs.: Herschel Walker (-325, 0-0) vs. Greg Nagy (+250, 1-1)

The debate as to whether debuting former NFL great Herschel Walker deserves a spot on the main card at Strikeforce: Miami will rage on until the fight starts. Once it does, it will finally be up to the forty-seven-year-old Walker to prove his doubters wrong. That seems likely both because Herschel's world-renowned coaches at American Kickboxing Academy seem beyond-confident in his skills, and because there is no reason to think Strikeforce would select a debut opponent that Walker could not easily defeat. When you consider that Walker is known as an incredibly gifted natural athlete and has studied martial arts for most of his life, it becomes pretty tough to pick the completely unheralded Greg Nagy here.

Nagy has commented in the media that he will win because he has been training MMA longer than Walker. While he clearly does have more MMA experience to draw on, odds are that experience alone will not be enough to secure him the victory.

Some have argued the opposite, but I believe Walker-to-win is the most advisable wager here, even at these low-paying odds.

Herschel Walker by Unanimous Decision

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron (-350, 18-4) vs.
Joe "Deisel" Riggs (+275, 32-10)

Many MMA fans felt that Hieron vs Riggs was deserving of a main card slot and were initially upset that it would not be televised. Luckily, EA Sports.com has stepped-up to broadcast the fight live via free online stream (Sat., Jan. 30th) at 6:05 pm/PST (9:05 pm/EST).

The fight is between well-rounded Jay Hieron, best known for terrorizing the IFL, and Joe Riggs whose long and storied MMA career is most notable for a 4-4 run with the UFC. Both fighters are riding considerable winning streaks, which means each should be full of confidence come fight night. Rumour has it that the winner of this bout will face the newly-crowned Strikeforce welterweight champion-- namely, whoever wins the night's main event.

Joe Riggs has some slick submissions and likely hits harder, but Jay Hieron has superior conditioning and more technical wrestling. I believe this is an extremely close match, but that Hieron will be much better prepared for a fight of this magnitude because he has consistently faced better competition in recent years. Besides that, Hieron, who currently trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, has access to a much deeper roster of potential sparring partners than Riggs does at Elite Performance.

This fight should be a fair amount closer than these lines suggest, making a wager on Riggs the most reasonable course of betting action, or perhaps a non-bet if you are convinced Hieron will edge it out.

Hieron by Unanimous Decision

Sarah Kaufman Speaks About The Public's Need For Education On Women's MMA

Victoria, B.C. native Sarah Kaufman (10-0) has been making the media rounds since it was announced that she would be facing Takayo Hashi (12-1) for the vacant Strikeforce women's world 135lb. title. The two professional fighters are ranked #1 and #2 in the world respectively and will clash at Strikeforce Challengers VI on February 26th.

In an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly.com, Sarah identified herself as a trailblazer of sorts. She explained that she hopes he upcoming fight will help to dispel some common misconceptions people have about women's MMA, such as the notion that there aren't any weight classes, which, of course, there are.

"I think it's going to help fans understand it's not just females fighting, there are divisions...Probably my most common question that I get, ‘When are you fighting, first it was Gina (Carano), and now it's when are you fighting Cyborg?’ Cause they don't really understand that there are different divisions, and we need to promote them as different, just as you would for the guys."

Tickets For Strikeforce Challengers VI feat. Sarah Kaufman On Sale Today

Statistically, very few readers of a Canadian, B.C.-centric MMA blog are likely to find themselves in Southern California on any given Friday in February, but, just in case you plan to be there, make absolutely sure you snap up some tickets to Strikeforce Challengers VI set for San Jose's Civic Auditorium on February 26th. Of course, that's because Sarah Kaufman (10-0), the fighting pride of Victoria, B.C., will fight in the co-main event against Japan's Takayo Hashi (12-1) for the vacant 135lb. women's world title.

The tickets go on sale today and are available through Ticketmaster (800-745-3000)/ Strikeforce.com. They start at just $30 USD; don't worry, that's just $31.65 CAD at today's exchange rate.

So, if you're a Sarah Kaufman groupie who is a bit hard-up for cash, here's my advice: find some like-minded hard-cores, rent/borrow/buy a hippie van (preferably one that runs on natural gas) unless you already have one, make very certain that you all have passports, and head on down there to catch the show! Come to think of it, that's a great idea! All I want to know is, who's coming with me?

Alright, I'm not totally serious, but I would certainly consider any propositions that might find their way to bcmmafan@gmail.com. After all, who really has, Strikeforce's Canadian broadcast partner, Superchannel in their homes these days? Nobody I know, that's for sure. Then again, if this whole Kaufman-groupie-van idea doesn't pan out, I might have to look into getting it because I can't, in good conscience, miss seeing this fight live. Does anyone know of a sports bar that gets Superchannel? Probably not, I guess.

The rest of the Strikeforce Challengers VI card looks pretty darn good, too:

• Trevor Prangley (22-5) vs. Karl Amoussou (11-2-1)
• Sarah Kaufman (10-0) vs. Takayo Hashi (12-1)
• Luke Rockhold (6-1) vs. Paul Bradley (12-1)
• Jame Terry (7-1) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (7-2)
• Raul Castillo (6-0) vs. Yancy Medeiros (4-0)

Update: Showtime Confirms Kaufman vs. Hashi for Feb. 26th

It was reported here earlier today that Strikeforce was considering arranging a spring title fight between Victoria, B.C. based Sarah Kaufman (10-0) and Tokyo, Japan's Takaya Hashi for the women's 135lb. title. Now a firm date has been announced on the official site of Strikeforce's longtime broadcast partner, Showtime Sports.

According to Showtime, Kaufman vs. Hashi will serve as the co-main event on Strikeforce Challengers: Prangley vs. Amoussou on February, 26th. The show will air at 11PM ET/PT. See the full announced fight card below:

• Trevor Prangley (22-5) vs. Karl Amoussou (11-2-1)
• Sarah Kaufman (10-0) vs. Takayo Hashi (12-1)
• Luke Rockhold (6-1) vs. Paul Bradley (12-1)
• Jame Terry (7-1) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (7-2)
• Raul Castillo (6-0) vs. Yancy Medeiros (4-0)
  

Unfortunately, almost no Canadians receive the Showtime network. In Canada, the fights will be broadcast on Superchannel, but the majority of Canadians do not get that premium cable station either.

More on this story as it develops.

B.C. Fighter Sarah Kaufman Likely For Strikeforce 135lb. Title Fight This Spring

Sherdog.com's Loretta Hunt recently spoke with Strikeforce president Scott Coker about promoting women's MMA in 2010. One bit of new information he offered was that, in addition to the women's 145lb title fight scheduled for January 30th between Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (8-1) and Marloes Coenen (17-3), Strikeforce is planning a 135 lb. women's title fight "sooner rather than later," "February or March" was mentioned as the likely time frame. Coker went on to say that Victoria, B.C. based knock-out artist Sarah Kaufman (10-0) is considered the front runner for that title fight along with Japanese fighter Takayo Hashi (12-1), who is 8-0 since 2005.

Kaufman, who trains at Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts (ZUMA) in B.C.'s provincial capital, began her professional MMA career with eight consecutive (T)KO victories in less than three years between June, 2006 and April, 2009. In May of 2009, Sarah moved up to Strikeforce's women's division, one of the toughest and deepest in the world, to fight the well-rounded Miesha Tate (8-2). They met at Strikeforce Challengers - Series 1, and the bout ended with Sarah Kaufman scoring a unanimous decision to hand Miesha Tate only her second career defeat. Sarah quickly followed that victory up with another convincing decision win over Shayna Bazler (9-6) at Strikeforce Challengers - Series 2 in June of 2009. Since that time Sara has been patiently awaiting her next fight and it now sounds as if that match will be a world title bout with Strikeforce.

Congratulations, Sarah Kaufman.

Scott Coker also announced that Strikeforce plans to hold two eight-woman tournaments at 135lbs. and 145lbs. that will determine the next title challengers. The winners of those tournaments will face the winners of the confirmed Santos vs. Coenen (Jan. 30th, 145lbs.) and the likely bout of Kaufman vs. Hashi (135lbs.).

Follow this and other B.C. MMA stories at the Facebook group, "B.C. MMA Fans"

Check out this highlight package of Sarah Kaufman available on Youtube.com and her official site:

Is Herschel Walker's Upcoming "Strikeforce" Debut Good or Bad for MMA?

Set to air on Showtime Sports Jan. 30th, Strikeforce Miami is stacked with talent. It even includes two title matches featuring welterweights Nick Diaz (20-7) vs. Marius Zaromskis (13-3) and, for the women's 145lb. title, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (8-1) vs. Marloes Coenen (17-3). Still, one fighter sporting an 0-0 pro MMA record is garnering the lion's share of media attention. Perhaps you've heard of 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and 12-year NFL veteran, Herschel Walker?

If not, here are some of his impressive stats courtesy of Wikipedia.org:

In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards.^[11] This gave him 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL's all-time leaders in total yardage at the time of his retirement; as of the start of the 2007 NFL season, ten years after his retirement, he still ranks eighth.^[12] He also scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and two kick off returns for touchdowns.^[11] ...Walker is currently ranked eighth all time in all-purpose NFL yards with 18,168, despite spending his first three seasons in the USFL.

Even if you are not personally interested in football, understand that Herschel Walker is extremely well-known and widely beloved among NFL fans-- who are universally considered the largest single group of sports fans in North America. Is that the type of athlete you might promote in order to compete with the industry-leading UFC for attention? Well, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker certainly thinks so.

Of course, not everyone is supportive of a long-since retired football player competing in such a high-profile MMA debut. In fact, numerous MMA commentators have accused this fight of being little more than an ill-conceived publicity stunt. They argue that Walker's involvement in Strikeforce Miami will draw attention away from the card's credible stars, and that it will not significantly increase the public's acceptance of MMA. They question why a man with zero experience, former NFL superstar or not, deserves a spot on the main card of arguably the biggest Fedor-less Strikeforce card to date.

Certainly, these questions carry some weight. As do the sincere concerns some have expressed for Walker's personal safety. After all, at almost forty-eight years old, Walker is nearly three full years the senior of longtime UFC and PRIDE FC stand-out Mark "The Hammer" Coleman (16-9). Their thirty-three-month age difference is significant because some have already expressed concern about"The Hammer" competing at his age, and that is being voiced despite Mark's numerous years of big-fight experience.

As you might expect, Herschel Walker has his own cadre of supporters in the MMA community and beyond. Simply put, they say, Herschel Walker is not built like the rest of us-- he is a cut above. He is, indisputably, a supreme natural athlete who consistently impressed even his former NFL colleagues with his insane workout regimen. It is said to have included literally thousands of push-ups and sit-ups daily. Not only that, but Walker is also a sixth-degree black belt in the Korean striking art of Tae Kwon Do.

On top of his natural ability and longstanding study of the martial arts, Walker has dedicated nearly every day of the last several months to training at one of the world's best MMA gyms, American Kickboxing Academy. Though commonly noted for its famous trio of UFC welterweights, A.K.A. is also the permanent home to several high-quality light heavyweights and heavyweights [Walker will fight at a 220lb. catchweight]. That group even includes a current UFC heavyweight contender, Cain Velasquez (7-0), who provided Walker with some excellent sparring sessions. The expert coaching and instruction that Walker received there, from the likes of A.K.A's Javier Mendez and Dave Camarilo, could not have hurt either.

With two such committed camps of opinion, what middle ground can be found?

While, media interest in Walker could certainly distract attention from more established MMA stars at Strikeforce Miami, there is also a commonly ascribed to notion that there is no such thing as bad publicity. While that cliche statement is not entirely true (just ask Tiger Woods) it is instructive in this case.

By bringing the sports-world's attention to the card, Herschel Walker will almost certainly boost Strikeforce's television ratings. If he wins, which he should considering his opponent, Greg Nagy (1-1), is not an athlete of Walker's caliber, Strikeforce will score a mass-media touchdown of sorts. There is even the obvious possibility of setting up a second fight with one of several viable MMA luminaries from years-gone-by. For example, perhaps the great Don Frye (20-8-1) could be persuaded to step up? A fight like that would sell through the roof.

Marketability aside, some would argue that Herschel Walker deserves a passing grade on this move because he is clearly doing it for the love of the game. Don't kid yourself, the man does not need any more money. In fact, Walker has already committed his entire purse to Project Turnaround-- a charity dedicated to helping urban youth and rebuilding communities in Dallas, TX. In addition, Walker is arguably a great ambassador for the sport because he truly believes in MMA's intrinsic beauty and limitless potential:

“I’ve followed MMA for a long, long time. I love it, and I want to help promote it. This is a wonderful sport. It’s a human chess game. How can a sport that combines all that -- jiu-jitsu, judo, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling -- not be one of the best sports out there?” (Props: Sherdog.com)

Herschel Walker is nobody's fool. He knew from the start that there would be legions of naysayers. He must also have realized that many among them would make very valid points as to why he should not compete at MMA. Nonetheless, after objectively assessing Walker's incredible athletic talents, his infectiously positive attitude, and his vast potential marketability, only a very stubborn few could conceivably blame Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker for giving him a shot. Will it be good or bad for MMA? Only time will tell.


Video Interviews with both Walker and Coker can be found below:



Props: The Fight Nerd.com



Props: MMA Fighting.com