Highlights are shown from Brett Rogers/Fedor to hype tonight’s fight against Alistair Overeem. Tonight they fight for the Heavyweight Title.
And we are live with Strikeforce Heavy Artilery from St. Louis Missouri at the Scottrade Center. Gus Johnson welcomes us to Showtime’s coverage of Strikeforce. He is joined by Frank Shamrock on color commentary. They talk about Brett Rogers gaining momentum even in a loss against Fedor. He is also joined by Mauro Ranallo who gives more background.
Card slated for tonight:
Antwain Britt vs. Rafael Feijao
Light Heavyweight Bout: 205 pounds
Three five-minute rounds.
Round 1
Feeling out process to start. Britt with some strikes after about 30 seconds, and Feijao grabs on. Feijao with some knees to the mid section. Back to center and they trade some strikes. Jabs by Britt. Feijao with a short hook. Britt backs Feijao back to the cage. Britt with an uppercut to back Feijao off his head. Feijao grabs the head again and hits some kneelifts. Crowd gets restless as the guys continue holding onto each other at the cage. Ref breaks that off. Feijao gets fired up and hits a roundhouse kick and then unleashes a flurry of blows sending Britt reeling backfirst into the cage. Continues to pound on him! Ref pulls him off – knockout about 4 minutes in.
Winner: Feijao by KO in Round 1 (3:45)
The fighters hug after the match. Replays of the final flurry of punches – just brutal. Huge finish by Feijao.
Ranallo interviews Brett Rogers about tonight’s fight against Alistair Overeem. His strategy is to apply pressure and he predicts a first round KO.
Video package shown with Kevin Randleman talking about his fight tonight. Then Roger Gracie talks about how the name Gracie is connected with MMA.
Roger Gracie vs. Kevin Randleman
Light Heavyweight Bout: 205 pounds
Three five-minute rounds.
Round 1
Gracie has a visible height advantage. Randleman with an early lowkick to Gracie’s leg. Feeling out each other standing up with almost sparring blows. Not much happened in the first minute. Randleman ducks a jab then tosses Gracie aside. Randleman ducks another jab. Gracie continues to throw jabs and Randleman ducks them. About halfway through Round 1. Gracie with a knee, that Randleman grabs and Gracie pulls back. Tie up about 1:30 to go in Round 1. Gracie has Randleman in a headlock with his back to the cage. Battling for position – Randleman with some punches to the mid section. Gracie pulls Randleman to the mat but they quickly go back to a standing position. 40 seconds to go and they return to the light punching. Both trying to land jabs, Gracie using his longer reach to his advantage. Small flurry by Randleman as the time in Round 1 expires. Very close round. Gracie had more blows and the takedown, but it was close.
Round 2
Both come out more aggressive in the second round. Big right hook by Gracie. Standing and punching, Gracie landing more than Randleman. They clench and Randleman backs him into the cage. Gracie locks in a headlock from the top. Both bent over with Gracie holding on with both hands from the front. Pushes Randleman out with a couple of knees then hits a knee flush to the face which knocks Randleman over. Gracie pounches onto him and locks in a half mount. Then to a full mount and side choke. Randleman escapes but Gracie mounts from the back. Goes for a rear naked choke. Then a “figure four body lock” says the announcers. Randleman holds on. Gracie locks in the head too. Randleman blocks Gracie’s arm from getting under his chin. Randleman fights it off for about a minute, but Gracie locks in the choke and Randleman taps out with about 1 minute to go in the second round.
Winner: Gracie by tapout in Round 2 (4:10)
Fighters shake after the fight.
Gus Johnson interviews Roger Gracie after the fight. He talks graciously about the fight and his family.
Ranallo interviews Alistair Overeem and he talks about his title defense tonight.
Ronaldo “Jacare” de Souza vs. “Smokin” Joe Villasenor
Middleweight Special Attraction
Three five-minute rounds.
Round 1
Villasenor charges Jacare, who reverses and backs Villasenor into the cage. Takedown by Jacare into a front mount up against the cage. Jacare sits on top of Villasenor and pounds him in the face. Villasenor does an escape and gets Jacare to his feet. Grappling up against the cage. Jacare looking for a take down. Knees to the mid section. Jacare mounts. Pounds on Villasenor’s face. About 10 strikes in a short time. Villasenor covering up his face. Villasenor battling out, grappling for position on the mat. Double leg takedown by Jacare. Goes for a submission with an arm bar. Joey fights out and Jacare gets up and taunts Villasenor as the round ends. Jacare seems to have won the round but Villasenor showed heart in countering the submission attempts.
Round 2
Standing and punching to start round 2. Villasenor charging with some strikes. Jacare with a takedown. Both back standing. Wrestling to the mat and grappling. Villasenor escapes the submission again. Jacare is busted open a bit on his face. Much slower round than the first round thusfar. About 2 minutes to go in the round. Long takedown by Jacare and has Villasenor’s head against the cage. Villasenor shifts his head away from the cage. Jacare with some punches from the top. Villasenor pushing him off. About a half minute to go and Villasenor pushes him off and gets back to his feet. Jacare with a takedown into the cage but Joey holds his head in a headlock as time expires in the second round.
Round 3
Bunch of jabs by both fighters and Villasenor hits him in the face to where Jacare’s face is dripping with blood. Jacare seems to be getting tired. Villasenor advances and begins to take control of the fight. Jacare with another takedown to stall Villasenor’s momentum. Grappling on the mat. Villasenor defends off Jacare’s strikes and hits some counter-strikes. Blood is pouring out of Jacare’s nose and mouth but is pounding on Villasenor on the mat. Only 1 minute to go, they have been in this position for a while. The ref stands them up with about 50 seconds to go. Villasenor with a kick and a stiff knee, but Jacare battles through with another takedown. 15 seconds to go. Jacare has position. Hits some punches and has the position as the fight ends. It will go to the judges.
Winner by unanimous decision: Ronaldo “Jacare” de Souza
Judges had it at:
Sal Damato: 30-27
Jackson Harper: 29-28
Anthony Manes: 29-28
Video package hyping the next fight.
Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva
Heavyweight Fight
Three five-minute rounds.
Round 1
Big crowd reaction for Arlovski. Ref is John McCarthy. Fighters trade kicks. Tentative first minute. Both land some jabs. Arlovski hits a double jab and a leg kick. Silva counters with a left hook. Halfway into the first round, Arlovski with another leg kick. Silva with a couple of huge shots and Arlovski stands up to them. Silva attacks into the cage. Silva punches but Arlovski is blocking some. Silva is aggressive. Arlovski pushes and Silva takes him down. Silva on top and drives Arlovski into the cage. 30 seconds to go in the round. Arlovski with a side headlock with Silva holding onto the legs. Fighters stand up. Arlovski throws a wild punch that misses to end the round.
Round 2
Silva counters a combo by Arlovski to start. Silva charges and pushes Arlovski back to the cage. Arlovski is busted open and bleeding. Standing and holding against the cage. Arlovski with some knees. Silva with a couple knees of his own. Announcers joke about Arlovski trying a “flying knee”. Ref breaks up the clench. Silva goes for a takedown after the break, but Arlovski blocks. They return to a similar position against the cage. Silva leans up against Arlovski on the cage, applying pressure. Ref breaks it again. Arlovski going for some legkicks. Silva switches his stance briefly. Arlovski mixing kicks and punches. Wild exchanges by both fighters. Missed hook by Arlovski and Silva backs him into the cage side. Less than a minute to go in round 2. Silva with some punches and he backs Arlovski up. Arlovski counters with some kicks and they back into the cage again as the second round expires. Silva seemed to take that round.
Round 3
Both fighters come out punching and kicking in a burst to start the last round. SIlva continues to switch his stance from right to left. Silva with a kick into a combo of punches and grabs Arlovski. Pushes him into the cage. Ref breaks it up. Arlovski with a combo and Silva counters with one of his own. Silva hits a couple stiff right hands to the face and Arlovski is bleeding from the nose again. Arlovski backs Silva into the cage. Variety of clenches by both men. Ref breaks it up and both are back to standing in the middle of the cage. Wild blows by both men. Arlovski with a kick into a right hook and Silva grabs on. About 2 minutes to go in the fight. Crowd boos then Silva takes down Arlovski almost on cue. Silva with a right hand. Silva on top. Arlovski pushes off and gets back to his feet. 20 seconds to go. Ref breaks it up with 10 seconds to go. Silva does some taunting and dodging of Arlovski’s punches as time expires.
Winner: Silva by unanimous decision
All three judges had it at 29-28
June 16th Strikeforce returns to Showtime with Robbie Lawler, Bobby Lashley. Various fighters show in the crowd. Dan Henderson. King Mo.
Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers for Strikeforce heavyweight title
Heavyweight Fight
Five five-minute rounds.
Round 1
Both fighters feeling it out for a bit. They engage about 30 seconds in. Ref is again John McCarthy. Overeem backs Rogers up a bit with some kicks. Another leg kick. Rogers charges ahead and goes for some jabs. Overeem tosses Rogers to the canvas. Overeem grabs Rogers’ legs and then goes to the mat. Overeem mounted across Rogers and goes for some elbows. Rogers scrambles out but Overeem stops him, attempts a guillotine but Rogers blocks. Overeem pushing Rogers into the cage. He stands up and then goes back down with some punches. Knees to the gut. A flurry of hooks. Rogers is covering his face. Overeem is peppering with punches to the face and head. Overeem just pummeling him. Ref calls it off – a dominating TKO by Overeem over Rogers to retain the title.
Winner by TKO: Overeem in Round 1 (3:40)
After the fight, Overeem is interviewed by Gus Jackson. Overeem wants Fedor in his next fight.
