I will be reporting live updates on the event for MMA-Freak at approximately 9:00pm CST with play-by-play and live results of Strikeforce Marquardt vs. Saffiedine.
Once the event is oficially written in history, stop back in to view highlights and analysis on the night’s events. Also, follow me on Twitter at @mmadocket for the latest in MMA news.
Watch highlights from the weigh ins in the video below.
Video courtesy of Strikeforce
~Prelims Results~
Estevan Payan vs Mike Bravo: Payan defeats Bravo via TKO (punches) in Round 2.
Jorge Gurgel vs Adriano Martins: Martins defeats Gurgel via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
Roger Gracie vs Anthony Smith: Gracie defeats A. Smith via submission (arm triangle choke) in Round 2.
Pat Healy vs Kurt Holobaugh: Healy defeats Holobaugh via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
Tim Kennedy vs Trevor Smith: Kennedy defeats Smith via guillotine in Round 3.
KJ Noons vs Ryan Couture: Couture defeats Noons by split decision (29-28 Couture, 30-27 Noons, 29-28 Couture)
~Herman vs. Souza~
Our first bout of the main event comes as a catchweight of 194lbs. Herman is the only UFC fighter to come over to fight for Strikeforce in their final show. Souza has always been dangerous on the ground, but now that his striking skills have improved, he is a threat to any opponent.
Rd. 1: Souza takes the center of the ring, but Herman is the first to press the action. The fighters tie up against the fence and Herman is backed against the cage. They separate and are feeling each other out in the center of the cage. Souza gets a double-leg takedown. Herman attempts to escape but the fight is stopped due to illegal up-kicks. The fight resumed with the fighters on their feet. Souza lands a big kick, he is pressing the action and the fighters separate again. Herman presses Souza against the cage and Souza puts together combinations against the fence, then shoots in and takes Herman down with a double-leg takedown; Souza is in side control. Souza locks up a Kimura and successfully taps Herman out. This was a very clean and beautiful submission victory.
Souza defeats Herman by Submission (Kimura).
Watch Souza’s post fight interview in the video below.
Video courtesy of Shosports
~Kyle vs. Mousasi~
Kyle, a former hot head, has made many changes as a fighter. Not only is he a more focused and mature, but also a Dad now. The key to victory for Kyle is to avoid the bottom in tonight’s fight. Mousasi has taken a different approach to his training when preparing for this fight. Before, he was a fighter lacking motivation. However, he seems to be rejuvenated for this fight.
Rd 1: The two fighters meet in the center of the ring to touch gloves. Mousasi lands a right low kick and Kyle puts together multiple combinations but is unsuccessful with most of them. Mousasi rushes in and Kyle catches him in a clinch and throws a couple of knees to the head. Mousasi charges in and pushes Kyle against the cage. Mousasi looks to take Kyle to the mat, while pressing Kyle against the cage. The two separate and work their way to the center of the cage where Kyle puts together a combination while they exchange punches. Kyle is really pressing the action and delivers a solid head kick. Mousasi shoots in, presses Kyle to the cage and takes Mousasi to the mat with a body lock. Kyle is very active off of his back with strikes and Mousasi is working his ground and pound. Mousasi lands a hard elbow and slides into half-guard against the cage. Kyle is trying to get up but Mousasi is doing a great job keeping him on his back. Kyle is holding Mousasi tight with a body lock, but he escapes and lands a few short left elbows just before switching into full mount. From that position, Mousasi postures up and reigns down punches forcing Kyle to eat shot after shot. Kyle rolls to his stomach to escape punishment and Mousasi is landing multiple punches before Kyle rolls to his stomach and exposes his neck. Mousasi has deep hooks in and immediately sinks in the rear-naked choke and forces the tap in the 1st round.
Mousasi defeats Kyle via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke).
~Barnett vs. Guelmino~
Guelmino is a 10-1 underdog going into this bout against Barnett. If Guelmino can win this fight, it will be a monumental accomplishment in his fighting career. Barnett enters the arena unsure of what his fighting career future may be. After a UFC conflict approximately 10 years ago, whether or not he will return to the UFC is unknown.
Rd. 1: Barnett immediately shoots in and puts Guelmino on the ground. Barnett is recovering from the flu and seems that he just wants to get this fight over with. Barnett is now working from the guard landing short elbows and then goes for a leg lock. Guelmino is able to escape and gets to his feet for a brief moment. Barnett gets him back against the cage and takes him down with a body lock. Barnett has Guelmino‘s back while both fighters are on their knees. Guelmino is fighting to keep from giving his back to Barnett so he stands up against the cage. Barnett will not release the body lock and he is able to sweep Guelmino to the floor landing in full mount. Barnett goes for an arm triangle and Guelmino tapped out. Barnett did not confirm whether he would be returning to the UFC or not following this fight.
Barnett defeats Guelmino via Submission (Arm Triangle).
Watch “The War Master” talk about his win over Guelmino in the video below.
Video courtesy of Shosports
~Cormier vs. Staring~
Cormier, undefeated (10 – 0) in his fighting career, is now considered one of the top heavyweight fighters in all of mixed martial arts, and he claims to always enter a fights in an impressive fashion. Staring, training partner of Alistair Overeem, is a very experienced, very dangerous fighter and he should not be taken lightly, regardless of being a 21-1 underdog coming into this fight.
Rd. 1: Big John McCarthy is officiating this fight. The fighters touch gloves and Staring misses an uppercut. Cormier throws a left high-kick just before the fighters clench up. Cormier throws a powerful low kick and Cormier tries to take Staring down but is unsuccessful. After struggling in the clench for a brief moment, Cormier successfully takes down Staring. Cormier starts working small left elbows to the face of Staring. Cormier is being very patient from side control and trying to pin down the right arm of Staring but transitions into a crucifix for a brief moment. Staring sweeps out of the crucifix and Cormier has his back. Staring gets back on his feet and Cormier is trying to take the fight back to the ground. Staring survived the takedown attempt and the fight resumes on their feet. Cormier went for a big head kick and misses, but then lands multiple punches that end in him chasing Staring to the fence. Cormier takes him down, landing in side control, and seems to have set that takedown up perfectly. Cormier is working for a submission in side control but lets go. He is landing small, short, right elbows trying to wear down his opponent. Staring scrambles back to his feet and John McCarthy stops the fight to give Staring‘s mouthpiece back to him. Cormier seems to be struggling to keep this fight on the ground at this point. He pushes Staring up against the cage and trips him to the mat, landing in full mount against the cage. Cormier postures up and begins to drop right and left hands: Staring could be in serious trouble here. Cormier is working elbows to the side of Staring‘s head. With 20 seconds left in the 1st round, the fighters are scrambling on the ground until the timer runs out. Staring has got a good chin but he cannot stop these takedowns.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Cormier
Rd. 2: Staring comes out aggressive and pushes Cormier against the fence. Cormier switches the position and puts Staring back and delivers a knee to the stomach. Cormier is still attempting to takedown Staring against the fence, but the two separate and meet back in the center of the ring. Cormier opens up with a combination and takes Staring back to the mat. He is then able to move Staring‘s legs and gain side control again. Staring works to his knees and Cormier takes his back immediately. Staring monkey rolls and Cormier lands in half guard and continues to land in ground and pound. A big elbow is delivered by Cormier causing Staring to land to his stomach only to receive multiple right hands from Cormier. Cormier was warned by John McCarthy for illegal shots to the back of the head. Staring is just trying to survive this round as Cormier is imposing his will on him. Staring‘s only defense is to roll over and give up his back and take a beating from Cormier. Staring gets to his knees only to have Cormier attack his back and dominate him once again. Staring keeps working from his back to his stomach; Cormier stands up and circles the fighter before pouncing on him again. The fight is stopped by Big John McCarthy in this round.
Cormier defeats Staring via TKO.
Watch Cormier speak his mind in the post fight interview below.
Video courtesy of mmafighting.com
~Marquardt vs. Saffiedine~
Although Saffiedine enters this fight as a 3-1 underdog, this is the biggest fight of his career. In order to win this fight, he needs to keep his head clear and focus on the objective. Marquardt spent most of his career at 185lbs and is now fighting at 170lbs. Having only cut 7lbs for this fight, he is definitely the bigger fighter stepping into the ring tonight.
Rd. 1: Big John McCarthy is officiating the final fight of the evening. The two meet in the center of the octagon. Saffiedine, in South Paw stance, circles the ring and lands a low kick on Marquardt. The fighters exchange a few punches and Saffiedine lands another low kick. Marquardt misses a flashy kick to the body. The two continue to feel each other out in the center of the octagon. Marquardt is already showing damage to the lead, outside leg. Marquardt presses forward and Saffiedine, backing from Marquardt, lands a punch dropping Marquardt momentarily. After a scramble, Saffiedine has Marquardt‘s back against the cage. The two fighters separate after a huge elbow by Marquardt, then the fighters return to the center of the cage. Marquardt is pressuring Saffiedine, who continues to switch stances and pull off the outside leg kick on Marquardt. Marquardt misses another flashy high kick and then rushes forward, but after a scramble, it is his back against the cage. Marquardt begins to go for a standing arm triangle but releases it. Marquardt now has Saffiedine against the cage and both fighters exchange body kicks. Saffiedine keeps Marquardt pressed against the cage and is working the clench position. The two scramble against the fence, trading positions, and then squaring off in the center of the ring when the time runs out.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Saffiedine
Rd. 2: The fighters feel each other out in the beginning of the round. Saffiedine is still working the lead leg of Marquardt. The longer the match goes, Saffiedine seems to be more confident. Marquardt gets hit and is on one knee working a single leg. He trips Saffiedine to the mat, but the fight returns to their feet. Marquardt puts Saffiedine‘s back to the cage only to have the position reversed and Saffiedine put Marquardt‘s back to the cage. They exchange positions again and it seems to be a back and forth battle between the fighters. Big John McCarthy is asking the fighters to keep working. Marquardt goes for a foot stomp and misses. Marquardt is desperately working for a takedown but they are separated by Big John McCarthy. High kick gets through for Marquardt and Saffiedine lands a leg kick before delivering a head kick of his own. Saffiedine continues to punish the lead leg of Marquardt who rushes for a takedown. Saffiedine has his back against the cage and the two separate and return to the center of the cage. Saffiedine blocks a high kick by Marquardt. The two are exchanging punches and Marquardt goes for a jazzy kick and slips ending the round.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Saffiedine
Rd. 3: Saffiedine comes out and misses a spinning kick but follows up with and lands a massive low kick to the lead leg of Marquardt. The fighters are tied up in the clench and Saffiedine attempts to trip Marquardt but is denied. The fighters are pressed against the cage exchanging position while throwing small punches. Saffiedine has proved himself to be very difficult to take down. Marquardt goes for a flying knee but Saffiedine is able to block it. The punishment continues on Marquardt‘s leading leg and the fighters return to the cage. Punches to the body are being delivered by Saffiedine. The fighters separate and Marquardt is able to land a low kick and front kick. Saffiedine lands another kick to the very damaged leg of Marquardt before landing a big right hand. The fighters reset in the center of the cage and it is evident that Marquardt is wearing down. Saffiedine still looks fresh and lands three outside leg kicks back to back. Marquardt is trying to throw together some combinations but he is nearly defenseless against the leg kicks. Marquardt shoots in but is stuffed by Saffiedine. In order to continue in this fight, Marquardt is going to have to stop the leg kicks. Taking the fight to the ground may be his only hope at winning this fight.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Saffiedine
Rd. 4:Saffiedine enters the round on fire and appears ready to dominate this round. Saffiedine goes for a spinning elbow but it is not clean. He continues to go for leg kicks but Marquardt has changed speed and is putting together some really rapid right hands. Marquardt is going for big power shots to end the fight. Saffiedine lands a huge low kick again and Marquardt seems to slow back down. Marquardt is delivering some strong punches, but due to the leg kicks, he seems to be fighting on one leg. He catches a kick by Saffiedine and it makes you wonder why Marquardt is not changing positions to save his leg. Marquardt is trying to time the kicks so he can take Saffiedine down but is unsuccessful. The fighter’s scramble and are in the clench. From this position, Saffiedine is heel kicking Marquardt in the leg. The fighters break apart only to clench again and Marquardt pushes away in an effort to stop the damage to his leg. Marquardt lands a few uppercuts while Saffiedine solely focuses on the leg kicks. The fighters are in the clench with 10 seconds left and Saffiedine knees the legs of Marquardt until the time runs out. The kicks are not that hard, but they are consistently in the same location.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Saffiedine
Rd. 5: Marquardt shows to the round with a tremendous amount of heart and presses forward through the leg kicks being delivered by Saffiedine. The fighters are in the clench and continue to change positions and Saffiedine implements a good amount of dirty boxing. Saffiedine is working for a takedown but gives up and pushes away only to return to the center of the cage. Marquardt presses forward and puts jabs together. Saffiedine lands a nice right hand to the face of Marquardt whom attempts a takedown but is stuffed and pinned against the cage. Once again, the two battle against the cage. Once they separate, they stand toe to toe and exchange punches with less than a minute left in the fight. Saffiedine goes for a takedown against the cage and is successful. He is in half guard, working ground and pound with his right hand and elbow. Marquardt looks completely exhausted on his back while Saffiedine is finishing the fight strong. Marquardt gains full guard as Saffiedine continues to pepper him as the bell rings and this gruesome fight comes to and end.
MY PREDICTION: 10-9 Saffiedine
OFFICIAL DECISION: Saffiedine defeats Marquardt via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) en route to becoming the NEW Strikeforce Welterweight World Champion!
Watch the post fight interview with Saffiedine in the video below.
Video courtesy of Shosports
Final thoughts: Facebook Poll Results deemed the Upset of Fedor as the Most Memorable Moment of Strikeforce on Showtime by 54%. Souza showed that he was superior to Herman in his grappling by winning the first in the 1st round by Kimura and now possesses 13 wins by submission. Mousasi, winning his 35th MMA bout, demonstrated his excellent standup abilities before taking Kyle to the mat and submitting him by rear-naked choke. Barnett submitted Guelmino by working the takedown and pulling off the submission early in the fight. At this point, Barnett‘s future in the world of MMA is unknown. Hometown hero, Cormier, dropped explosive ground and pound en route to his victory against Staring. In his post-fight interview, Cormier said he has signed a contract with the UFC and will now be preparing to fight Frank Mir on April 20th on Fox. In the main event, Saffiedine made a stunning impression. Leg kicks were the name of the game tonight as Saffiedine wins by unanimous decision and becomes the New Strikeforce Welterweight World Champion. Strikeforce has played a key role in the promotion of Mixed Martial Arts as it is known today. The organization possessed some of the greatest fighters the sport has ever seen and had a large impact on women being included in the sport. Strikeforce, for now, has no intentions of being involved in the future of MMA, but it will forever be a foundation that got it to where it is today.
Watch Frank Shamrock share his final thoughts on Strikeforce in the video below.
Video courtesy of mmafighting.com