Mixed Martial Arts Forum banner

Who takes the title fight?

Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy

6K views 84 replies 15 participants last post by  kantowrestler 
#1 ·
Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy
Date: Jul 14, 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Venue: Rose Garden
Broadcast: Showtime and Showtime Extreme



MAIN CARD (Showtime)
Champ Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy (for middleweight title)
Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley (for vacant welterweight title)
Roger Gracie vs. Keith Jardine
Lorenz Larkin vs. Robbie Lawler

PRELIMINARY CARD (Showtime Extreme)
Jorge Masvidal vs. Justin Wilcox
Pat Healy vs. Mizuto Hirota
Jordan Mein vs. Tyler Stinson
Jason High vs. Nate Moore
Ryan Couture vs. Joe Duarte

Strikeforce today announced a trio of preliminary bouts set for "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy."

New additions include lightweights Pat Healy (27-16 MMA, 5-1 SF) vs. Mizuto Hirota (14-4-1 MMA, 0-0 SF), welterweights Jordan Mein (24-8 MMA, 1-1 SF) vs. Tyler Stinson (23-8 MMA, 1-1 SF) and welterweights Jason High (15-3 MMA, 2-0 SF) vs. Nate Moore (8-2 MMA, 2-1 SF).

"Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy," takes place July 14 at Rose Garden in Portland, Ore. Main-card bouts air on Showtime while preliminary-card fights air on Showtime Extreme.

Already official for the event is a middleweight title bout between champ Luke Rockhold and challenger Tim Kennedy, as well as a bout for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight belt that pits Nate Marquardt against Tyron Woodley.

Healy is on a four-fight tear that's put him in the conversation for a shot at the lightweight title. Most recently, he snapped the five-fight win streak of Carlos Fodor at "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey." Only former champ Josh Thomson has bested him under the Strikeforce banner.

Hirota brings a championship pedigree to his Strikeforce debut. A titleholder in Japanese stalwarts Cage Force, Sengoku and DEEP, he defended his DEEP title against Seichi Ikemoto this past February. Perhaps best known for an arm-breaking submission loss to Shinya Aoki at Dynamite!! 2009 that forced him to vacate the Sengoku belt, Hirota looks to reinvent himself stateside.

Longtime Canadian prospect Mein is on the road to redemption after narrowly falling short to now-contender Woodley at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine." The loss snapped a four-fight win streak that saw him defeat onetime title challengers Marius Zaromskis and Evangelista Santos in back-to-back outings.

Stinson looks to rebound, as well, after a split decision loss to Tarec Saffiedine that ended a four-fight streak. A Bellator and Strikeforce vet, he has a notable career win over Drew Fickett.

With a six-fight win streak, High is on the ladder up the welterweight division and enjoys back-to-back wins under the Strikeforce banner. A finalist in the DREAM welterweight grand prix, he handed Mein a decision loss and outpointed Japanese veteran Hayato Sakurai at DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010."

Moore most recently put away Nathan Coy at "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg," which reversed a loss to Saffiedine in the promotion's Challengers series. A product of American Kickboxing Academy, he's earned four wins by way of submission.

A lightweight matchup between two talented prospects is the latest addition to "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy," as Ryan Couture (4-1 MMA, 4-1 SF) meets Joe Duarte (10-2 MMA, 2-0 SF).

Strikeforce officials today announced the new matchup.

Featuring a pair of title fights, including middleweight champ Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy and Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley for the vacant welterweight belt, "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy" takes place July 14 at Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

THe evening's main card airs on Showtime. Couture vs. Duarte is expected to take place on the Showtime Extreme-broadcast preliminary card.

Couture, of course, is the son of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture. The 29-year-old Ryan has fought his entire professional career under the Strikeforce banner, sandwiching a lone loss to Matt Ricehouse between a pair of two-fight win streaks. The Xtreme Couture product most recently fought in March, earning a TKO victory over Conor Heun.

Meanwhile, Duarte first earned national prominence during a stint on "The Ultimate Fighter 8," where he was eliminated in the opening round by eventual show finalist Phillipe Nover. Duarte has since gone 6-1 on the regional scene, with the lone loss coming in April 2010 in a Bellator bout with Carey Vanier.

Duarte currently trains in San Diego and boasts a five-fight win streak, including a pair of Strikeforce wins over Jorge Gurgel and Saad Awad.

A lightweight bout between Jorge Masvidal (22-7 MMA, 4-1 SF) and Justin Wilcox (11-4 MMA, 5-2 SF) is the latest addition to next month's "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy" event.

Strikeforce officials today announced the fight.

Featuring a pair of title fights, including middleweight champ Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy and Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley for the vacant welterweight belt, "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy" takes place July 14 at Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

The evening's main card airs on Showtime. Masvidal vs. Wilcox is expected to take place on the Showtime Extreme-broadcast preliminary card.

The heavy-handed Masvidal recently was on a 3-1 run with victories over Billy Evangelista and K.J. Noons. However, the American Top Team fighter, who's also dabbled in the welterweight division, then suffered a title loss to reigning lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision in December. He now fights for the first time since that lopsided five-round defeat.

Wilcox recently saw a five-fight Strikeforce win streak snapped with a stunning 13-second knockout loss to Caros Fodor in December. In one fight prior, his bout with Gesias Cavalcante ended in a no-contest when Wilcox took a deep eye poke in the second round. Prior to the setbacks, the American Kickboxing Academy fighter strung together an impressive streak of Strikeforce wins over David Douglas, Daisuke Nakamura, Shamar Bailey, Vitor Ribeiro and Rodrigo Damm.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/29103/jor...-added-to-strikeforce-rockhold-vs-kennedy.mma
 
See less See more
1
#30 ·
Skinny Marquardt, remember when he first talked about dropping to 170, I was pretty surprised he made it.
 
#32 ·
Oh God T-Wood's mom is back....

Anyone got that 'PRAISE THE LORD JESUS GOD ALMIGHTY!' gif?
 
#40 ·
Woodley is the better fighter but Nate showed the higher fighter IQ and didn't let off when he had him hurt he just hunted him down and picked his shots, Woodley shot for a TD and let Nate recover.
 
#41 ·
I am not sure Woodley is actually dedicating himself to those TD's and isn't just trying to make Nate work to defend it. I think Woodley might be looking to outlast Nate because he has a much more defensive mind set it would appear.
 
#43 ·
This is what Woodley always does, uses his wrestling to turn fights into circling and staring.

Also lulz at Woodley turning and running for like the third time.
 
#84 ·
I was thinking the same thing. Nate's grappling and sub ability is slick as hell.
 
#59 ·
I would like to see a guy like Yushin Okami in SF because I think he is about the level these guys are at. They could be fringe top 10 maybe top 5 in the UFC if the stars align right.
 
#60 ·
Are we watching the same fight? Okami would possibly lose to these guys because he's mentally weak, but he is by far more skilled, these guys are lower end of top 15.
 
#61 ·
I don't think if your fighting guy who has been to an actual war you are allowed to say you won because of what you have been throuh in life and that the fight was a war. Just a thought.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top