Tonight, Inside Fights will be providing our usual amazing coverage of “Strikeforce: Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2” event. The event takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California with the main card airing on Showtime. Check out Chris Roberts’ preview and predictions here [Preview and Picks]
The event features two great title fights: in the main event of the evening, Strikeforce Welterweight champion Nick Diaz seeks to avenge his 2007 loss to K.J. Noons while in the co-main event, Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight title holder Sarak Kaufman meets Marloes Coenen. Also on the card for this evening, lightweight Josh Thompson takes on Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante and Andre Galvao will battle Tyron Woodley in welterweight action.
Stay tuned to our live coverage and round-by-round scoring and results beginning at 10 PM ET.
Tyron Woodley vs. Andre Galvao
Referee: Josh Rosenthal
Round 1
Galvao tags Tyrone with an early jab. Andre Galvao tries to shoot for a takedown, but it’s stuffed by Tyrone, who unloads lefts to his head before letting him up. A straight right rocks Galvao. Left hand knocks Galvao down again, but lets Woodley lets him back to his feet. Another takedown stuffed by Woodley and he connects with another punch. Galvao gets back to his feet stumbling, shoots for another takedown and Tyrone stuffs a third attempt, connects with several punches before Josh Rosenthal steps in and stops the bout.
Winner: Tyrone Woodley by knockout (R1, 1:48)
Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship
Sarah Kaufman (c) vs. Marloes Coenen
Referee: Dan Stell
Round 1
Combo lands for Coenen. Both ladies are stepping in and shooting for combos with their hands. Outside leg kick from Coenen. Coenen goes for a clinch, but Kaufman circles off and presses her to the cage. Coenen tries to exit with an elbow, but Kaufman pulls her in for a clinch. Dan Stell breaks the fighters. Coenen lands a big hook out of the restart and grabs the body lock. Kaufman and Coenen jockey for position along the cage wall. Dan Stell breaks the fighters again. Coenen and Kaufman end the round with a small flurry before locking into a clinch
Coenen 10-9
Round 2
Kaufman and Coenen begin the round the same way they ended the first: short exchanges before locking into a clinch. Referee Dan Stell breaks the fighters again. Kaufman with a great exchange of punches, working combinations. Body kick by Coenen is caught by Kaufman, who underhooks Coenen and walks her to the cage. Kaufman hits knees to the inside and outside of Coenen’s thighs. Two knees to the head of Kaufman. Judo throw throw attempted by Coenen, but Kaufman ends up in guard after a reversal. Kaufman raining down punches and Coenen goes for an armbar, but Kaufman slips out as the round ends.
Kaufman 10-9
Round 3
Marloes Coenen gets a takedown right away, but Kaufman reverses and ends up in Marloes’ closed guard. Sarah pins her against the cage and postures up, striking Coenen in the body and face. A series of hammerfists from Sarah Kaufman, leaving her arms out there. Marloes Coenen grabs the armbar against the cage and gets the submission. Referee Dan Stell was late to break the submission and Coenen apologizes to Kaufman after the fight.
Winner and NEW Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Champion: Marloes Coenen by armbar (R3, 1:59)
Interview with Nick Diaz backstage. He looks very, very relaxed. Like he was against Takanori Gomi. Just saying.
Josh Thomson vs. Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante
Referee: “Big” John McCarthy
Round 1
JZ Cavalcante swings over the top and misses, Thomson counters with a knee to the body. Outside leg kick from JZ. Thomson pressed against the cage and eats knees to the thighs from JZ. Thomson with a push kick. Big left hook misses from JZ. Inside leg kick from Thomson. Thomson gets tagged with a big left and slips to the mat. JZ has a tight guillotine with the arm in, but Thomson responds with right hooks to the body and pops his head free. Ground and pound from Thompson. Josh Thomson tries to pull out an armbar attempt and slaps on an arm triangle. JZ manages to ride out the rest of the first round and is saved by the bell.
Cavalcante 10-9
Round 2
JZ pushes in and gets Thomson against the cage. Thomson switches position after some knees to the body. Knee strikes to the legs by Thomson. JZ switches position against the cage with the body lock and tries for the takedown, getting Thomson down the his knees. Thomson gets back to his feet right away and is clinched again. Thomson gets the back of Cavalcante with one hook in after a takedown. Thomson would win riding points if this were a wrestling match as JZ is avoiding the obvious submissions. Thomson goes for the arm triangle again, but JZ avoids it. Thomson in half guard, but JZ pushes him away, eating a few punches in the process.
Thomson 10-9
Round 3
Thomson shoots for the takedown, but JZ stuffs. Josh swings wildly on the way out. Thomson presses JZ against the cage and works for the sweep, Cavalcante gets the mount out of a strong takedown attempt. Thomson controls the head of Cavalcante, not letting JZ get space to do any damage. Thomson tries to buck JZ off, but is only able to get him in half guard. Thomson points and poses for the camera while he has JZ in rubber guard, but JZ slips out and lands two long punches. Both men are back on their feet, Cavalcante tags Thomson as he shoots in and he ends up in Josh’s guard against the fence. Thomson is trying for submissions, but JZ is content to ground and pound out the last 10 seconds of the round.
Cavalcante 10-9
Winner: Josh Thomson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Post-fight, Josh Thomson says that there is “no way” he won that fight 30-27 and suggests that judges have to take a clinic. Couldn’t agree more, as the decision should really have hinged on the result of the 1st round scoring.
Outside the cage, Dan Henderson and “Babalu” Sobral stand around for an interview about their December 4th fight at Light Heavyweight.
Main Event
Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
Nick Diaz (c) vs. K.J. Noons
Referee: Josh Rosenthal
Round 1
Leg kick to start from Diaz. Noons misses a big left hook. Noons going for body punches. Left hook lands from Noons. Left-right from Diaz lands, but Noons counters with a body shot. Diaz catches Noons with a cross and drops him, passing into side control. Shoulder strikes from Diaz. Noons fights his way back to his feet. Right hook from Diaz lands. Diaz taunts Noons by opening his hands encouraging him to fight. Diaz eats a jab. Noons hits a body shot, but it’s counter by a shot to the head by Nick. Two hooks from Noons glance off Diaz as he talks smack to end the round.
Diaz 10-9
Round 2
Right hand to the body, left upstairs from Noons. Noons talks back to Diaz. Nick is bleeding and pissed off about it. Left hook lands for Noons. Jabs from Noons that are making their way through. Combination of jabs and leg kick from Diaz. Body kick from Diaz. Knee to the body from Noons. Body shot from Diaz countered by Noons in the same location on Nick. Another set of give-and0take body punches. Right hand catches Diaz but the left misses. Head kick, leg kick both deflected by Noons. Big right from Noons. Nick tries to tie Noons up, but Noons gets free and circles away. Two punches, a knee and kick by Noons to end the round.
Noons 10-9
Round 3
Diaz shoots for a takedown, but Noons slips out. Right straight from Diaz, followed up strong by a body shot. Noons working the jab and body shot. Big shot from Diaz as he sets the jab. Right hook to the body from Nick. Noons misses a big left hook. Jabs from Noons land clean. Outside leg kick from Diaz lands cleanly. Diaz sticks his chin out, trying to get Noons to cut loose dangerously. Jabs land from both fighters simultaneously. High kick from Diaz is deflected. Jab from Noons after a body kick. Knee to the body from Diaz. Body shot and jab from Diaz. Two punch combo from Diaz, and he grabs the back of Noons head before he slips out. Two kicks from Diaz are blocked and the round ends.
Diaz 10-9
Round 4
Both fighters exchange leg kicks. Body shot from Diaz is countered by a left from Noons. Both fighters are content to work in and out with jabs to the body. Head kick from Diaz is blocked. KJ Noons is bleeding from the nose now. Nick grabs the muay thai clinch on KJ and hits a few short punches. Two great punches land from Nick Diaz from the southpaw stance. Left hook from KJ Noons lands clea. Both fighters are letting their hands go; Diaz with peppering shots and Noons zeroing in on Diaz’ body. Thai clinch from Diaz sees a knee land flush. Right uppercut from KJ Noons. Collar tie from Diaz and knee to the face. Noons and Diaz punching for the win, but Diaz has been getting off first in this round.
Diaz 10-9
Round 5
Diaz goes for the takedown, but Noons is able to work his way out of danger. Kick to the jaw from Diaz. Thai clinch from Diaz who hits a series of lefts to the head of Noons. Noons wings punches into Diaz’ range, but Diaz gets him against the cage. Noons is measuring for big shots and isn’t let much fly. Diaz grabs at KJ for the clinch against the cage, but Noons gets away cleanly. Big right from KJ Noons connects, but doesn’t affect Nick. Thai clinch and short punches to the head of Diaz. Noons needs to work with more urgency. The cut in Nick’s right eyebrow looks like he was bludgeoned, but KJ doesn’t try and finish it. The fight ends with both fighters thinking they won.
Diaz 10-9
Winner and still Strikeforce Welterweight Champion: Nick Diaz by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-47, 49-46)
Prelims (Non-Televised):
James Terry beat Bret Bergmark via unanimous decision
Josh McDonald def. Ron Keslar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jess Bouscal def. Luis Mendoza via submission (R2, arm triangle choke, 3:00)
