Hello everybody and welcome to Inside Fights live coverage of Strikeforce Challengers 13 which will be taking play live tonight from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The main card features five bouts that will be aired on Showtime starting at 11pm EST.
The card is easily the best one ever concocted by Strikeforce for their challengers series.
Tarec Saffiedine (170.2) vs. Tyron Woodley (170.2)
Devin Cole (239.2) vs. Daniel Cormier (249)
Abongo Humphrey (205.4) vs. Ovince St. Preux (204.8)
Julia Budd (144.2) vs. Amanda Nunes (143.2)
Rhandi Ferguson (205) vs. John Richard (206)
Check back in around 11pm for round by round updates as the night progresses. In the meantime make sure to check my in-depth preview of the event.
Hello….here is a quick recap of the overstuffed prelim card that happened earlier tonight before we dive into the live action
Stoney Hale def. Gerric Hayes via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Luke Sanders def. Josh Jarvis via TKO, Round 1, 3:15
Jason Blackford def. Jeremy Boczulak via Submission, Round 2, 1:54
Chris Barnhizer def. Karl Willis via Submission, Round 1, 2:35
Charles McTorry def. Krishaun Gilmore via Submission, Round 2, 3:46
Dustin West def. Daniel Schmitt via KO, Round 1, 0:09
Dustin Ortiz def. Matt Horning via TKO, Round 3, 2:10
John Salter def. Casey Huffman via TKO, Round 1, 2:59
Thomas Campbell def. Jeremy Wallace via Submission, Round 1, 1:26
Light Heavyweight Bout
Rhandi Ferguson (2-0) vs. John Richard (3-1)
Round 1- Some guy named Al Wichgers is the ref tongiht. Big left by Richard to start and he rolls that into a big takedown. Ferguson goes for the leg hook, Richard slides out of it and takes the back of his opponent. He seems to be softening Ferguson up for a rear named choke. Richard lands some huge fists to the side of the head. Ferguson is at least successful at playing defense. 3 minutes left and Ferguson reverses the hold and takes control though Richard does seem to have a decent guard in place. Ferguson turns it on big time landing shot after shot to Richard’s head. Richard looks to be gassed in a major way. Richard loses his mouth guard for the third time this round, he seems to be trying anything to survive to the end of the round. Wichgers enforces his authority and deducts one point from Richard for mouthpiece shenanigans. The round ends with Ferguson in control. Ultra close round, I’ll give it to Ferguson however and with the point loss that makes it a 10-8 round.
Round 2- The men refuse to engage for the first 45 seconds or so. Richard goes for a inside leg kick which hits something, Ferguson plays it up as a groin shot, Wichgers calls nothing so Richard goes for a comical charge that knocks Ferguson over. Richard lays into him with some ground and pound. Ferguson slips out of it with a scramble and in the process gets hold of Richard’s leg. It’s only a manner of time before he is forced to tap due to a knee bar.
Rhandi Ferguson def. John Richard via 2nd Round Submission (2:00)
Women’s Middleweight Bout
Julia Budd (1-0) vs. Amanda Nunes (5-1)
Round 1- They both come out ready to bang but Nunes has the upper hand from the word go, her left jab lands on the mark and drops Budd. Nunes pounces and lands a flurry of hammerfists to a clearly unconscious Budd. The ref steps in as quickly as he can to stop it.
Amanda Nunes def. Julia Budd via 1st Round TKO (0:14)
Heavyweight Bout
Devin Cole (18-8-1) vs. Daniel Cormier (6-0)
Round 1- Most of the analysis I’ve read on this bout the last day or so seems to revolve around just how badly and how quickly Cormier will destroy Cole. I think he’ll win but Cole is a tougher dude than most are giving him credit for. Feeling out process to start. Cole seems to be the aggressor. Tie up, Cormier pins Cole up against the cage. Cole eats an uppercut and then a very effective push kick. Cormier then hits a beautiful throw and gains side control. Cormier takes Cole’s back in a standing position, Cole starts throwing elbows but they don’t do much. The fighters tie up again, Cole hits a knee to Cormier’s mid section. Dirty boxing but not much action to get excited about. HUGE overhand right from Cormier, then a head kick from him as well. A few more big spots land for Cormier and a takedown to boot. I’m gonna go ahead and say 10-8 for Cormier here just because he had flashes of huge explosive offense and Cole showed us nothing other than his durable chin.
Round 2- Tie up early but Cormier manipulates than into a top position. With Cole’s arm pinned behind him Cormier lands a few shots to his face. Cormier gets side control and lands an elbow to Cole’s gut. Cole has a half guard but it seems to be slowing Cormier only slightly. Cole gets a half assed headlock on but Cormier just powers through it. Cormier is putting on a clinic as far as transitioning from one top position to another. Cormier goes for a rear naked choke. Cole is struggling to stay alive and providing no offense. Cole goes for a kimura but Cormier all but laughs it off. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 3- Leg kick to start for Cormier. Cole takes a few swings but they have no authority behind them. Tie up against the cage. Cole is running out of time to spoil the evil Strikeforce conspiracy that was devised against him. Scramble leads to Cormier taking Cole’s back (surprise!). Tie up this time with Cormier’s back against the cage, Cole lands a knee and a jab or two. Cormier reverses position and then goes to work, grinding Cole down. The ref splits them up. Slow moving affair here. Cormier gets a lazy takedown. Cole is trying to stay busy from the bottom. Ranallo gives the hard sell on why we should root for Corimer (He lost his daughter). Round ends with nothing of note happening. 10-9 Cormier. Inside Fights scorecard Cormier over Cole 30-26.
Daniel Cormier def. Devin Cole via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Light Heavyweight Bout
Abongo Humphrey (7-2) vs. Ovince St. Preux (9-4)
Round 1- The boys come out swining. St. Preux forces him to eat a nasty left. They are really pushing this “OSP” thing too hard seeing as how it is just a cheap knockoff of GSP. St. Preux takes control and a stalemate ensues on the ground though St. Preux is clearly winning the fight. Humphrey squirms and tries to escape but St. Preux moves to side control and then attempts a full mount, misses it and Humphrey escapes. From there he takes OSP down with a single leg, St. Preux counters with a triangle. Grappling ensues, Humphrey get a wicked looking knee bar on though St. Preux gets out of it. St. Preux gains top position and makes his crazy ground and pound work for him. Then he goes for an arm triangle choke that seems to locked in, Humphrey is surviving for the time being. And he gets out of the round. 10-9 St. Preux.
Round 2- Kick from OSP is blocked to open the round. Humphrey goes for a single leg takedown but St. Preux reverses it and had Humphrey up against the cage. There is a small amount of blood on Humphrey’s face. The ref stands them up for lack of action…stupid. Huge slugfest breaks out, Humphrey lands some ugly shots to St. Preux’s kisser, then he hits a few knees but OSP only seems to gain strength and then he starts swinging and landing. Wildly entertaining stuff right there. OSP (I like it now because it’s short) takes him down and then starts landing slow, gassed fists clearly devised to appease the ref. Humphrey goes for a hook but eats a knee and then another and then a kick. But then he finds his range and unleashes another angry flurry on St. Preux, he seems wobbled but lunges at Humphrey’s feet just to save himself. They grapple but OSP moves into the guard and the round ends. 10-9 St. Preux but the judges may have seen this one going either way.
Round 3- The fighters seem to be out of gas and the announcers speak of how worn out St. Preux must be at this point. St. Preux gains another takedown and it looks similar to the end of the last round with him just trying to throw anything to maintain the advantage. Ref stands them up. Humphrey goes some some kicks, St. Preux goes for a takedown but Humphrey gets his guillotine on. Can’t really get it all the way on, St. Preux is on top but isn’t doing anything with it. Ranallo calls Pat Miletich his favorite Republican in the whole wide world, I concur. St. Preux lands those soft shots to the ribs. . .the ref stands them up again. Humphrey is feeding off of those things. Both fighters go for a kick but of course Humphrey ends up on his back. Time is ticking down, OSP unloads a few right before the bell to secure the round. 10-9 St. Preux. Inside Fights scorecard St. Preux 30-27.
Ovince St. Preux def. Abongo Humphrey via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Welterweight Bout
Tarec Saffiedine (10-2) vs. Tyron Woodley (7-0)
Round 1- This one has the potential to be a doozy. They come out ready to fight, they tie up quickly and then exchange knees. Woodley gets the best shot in. Miletich says that he saw a head clash, I missed it if it happened. Woodley spins Saffiedine to the mat and moves to press him up against the cage, Saffiedine uses it to get back to his feet. Woodley’s strategy appears to be just to push Saffiedine against the cage as hard as possible. Woodley is now going for a takedown, wearing down the legs with knees but can’t quite manage it. Points for Saffiedine for attempting a footstomp. Woodley claims he took a finger to the eye, the ref tells him too bad because he didn’t see it. Push kick from Woodley. Back in the clinch Saffiedine hits a knee or two. Woodley has maintained enough control to win the round by default but Saffiedine did a good job of shutting down most of his game plan. 10-9 Woodley.
Round 2- Headkick by Saffiedine is blocked. Woodley takes a few jabs but Saffiedine pins him up against the cage and lands a knee and then a few more. Woodley explodes off the cage and overpowers Saffiedine and hits an inside trip for a takedown. Woodley working hard from the top trying to pass guard bu wanders into a triangle choke. He recognizes the danger and skedaddles. Open guard for Saffiedine, both are working hard. Miletich points out that his business might work against him because it prevents another standup. Woodley grinds and struggles and kind of takes the back. Saffiedine has Woodley’s wrist and makes it work for him. Woodley gives up his choke attempt due to lack of time but still easily wins this round. 10-9 Woodley.
Round 3- One round left and it seems like Saffiedine will need a stoppage to win. They both throw big punches to start but that only goes for about 15 seconds before they find themselves in the clinch again. Saffiedine pushes him up against the cage. They disengage, Woodley goes for the takedown and Saffiedine sprawls his way out of danger. Saffiedine takes the top position and then side control. No real urgency from Saffiedine here and woodley escapes. Woodley is executing his plan much better in these later rounds. Takedown for woodley, Saffiedine tries for some sort of submission…triangle, then kimura, but nothing sticks. They scramble but Woodley has him smothered before he reaches his feet. Ref separates them after maybe 10 seconds of being on the cage, there is something about these Challengers refs. Saffiedine keeps trying to gain some distance but can’t do anything with it. The round ends with Saffiedine trying his best to land a knockout but it is futile. I’m going to give the round to Saffiedine because he had control for the majority of the round, time wise, even though I have this sense that Woodley was more dominant for the brief periods in which he had the upper hand. 10-9 Saffiedine. Inside Fights scorecard Woodley 29-28.
Tyron Woodley def. Tarec Saffiedine via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
And that is it for the first Strikeforce show of the New Year. Woodley has certainly established himself as possibly the #1 contender for the Welterweight Title. Also, the image that will most likely stick in our minds the longest is the brutal, 14 second KO of Julia Budd by Amanda Nunes. I don’t think Cris Cyborg has anything to worry about but it would be something I might be interested in. Good night and stayed tune for further coverage of this show and all other MMA action.
