Tyron Woodley wants title but will pass on Tarec Saffiedine rematch

Strikeforce is in search of Nick Diaz's replacement. Tyron Woodley's wonders why.

Woodley thinks he's the guy to carry the Strikeforce 170-pound division. He told the media in attendance at Wednesday's Strikeforce workouts that he's the "uncrowned champ."

Most observers believe he'll be matched against Tarec Saffiedine next time out to decide who gets the strap. There's one problem - Woodley already beat Saffiedine last January. The unbeaten 29-year-old wonders why he'd have to face Saffiedine again.

Both fighters are featured on Saturday's Strikeforce card in Las Vegas (Showtime 10 p.m. ET/PT).

"I'm cordial with Tarec," Woodley said. "We had a conversation face to face. I said, 'I respect the fact you want a rematch, but I fought Paul Daley on the same night you fought Scott Smith. Not the same thing.You just don't jump into a title fight because you beat Scott Smith. That's not fair.'"

He has a point. Smith looked weak down at 170 and has lost 4-of-5. Saturday night, Woodley is again facing a dangerous challenge in young Jordan Mein (23-7).

"[...] I'm fighting Jordan Mein on the same night you're righting Tyler Stinson. Not the same thing.' I said, 'You have to beat someone substantial to warrant a rematch," said Woodley. "Who has he beat? He hasn't beat anyone."

Is Woodley too brash? Maybe, but he's been backing it up. He says the winning is going to continue and that includes when he gets his shot in fighters in the UFC's welterweight division.

"I'm probably the closest one to cracking the top 10. I know these guys. If you match up Tarec Saffeidine with Rick Story or Bobby Voelker with freaking (Charlie) Brenneman or someone like that, these guys can knock off these types of opponents," Woodley said. "Those guys are looking. I go into the locker rooms to corner guys in the UFC, and they won't look me in the face. They know what's about to happen."

Quotes via MMAjunkie

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/tyron-woodley-wants-title-pass-tarec-saffiedine-rematch-001241495.html

Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander

Paulo Thiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada Added to UFC on Fuel TV 2

A welterweight bout between Paulo Thiago and Siyar Bahadurzada has been booked for UFC on Fuel TV 2 on April 14 in Stockholm, Sweden after injuries recently forced both fighters to withdraw from separate matchups at UFC 142.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27105/paulo-thiago-vs-siyar-bahadurzada-added-to-ufc-on-fuel-tv-2/

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

Strikeforce Live Blog: Luke Rockhold vs. Keith Jardine Updates

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This is the Strikeforce live blog for Luke Rockhold vs. Keith Jardine, the main event of tonight's Strikeforce on Showtime event from the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Rockhold (8-1) is putting his Strikeforce middleweight belt on the line for the first time after beating Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza last September by way of unanimous decision. Jardine (17-9-2) made his Strikeforce debut last April, battling Gegard Mousasi to a majority draw. Jardine will be making his middleweight debut.

The live blog is below.



Round 1: Jardine is very active, alternating between inside and outside leg kicks. Rockhold comes over the top with an overhand right. Jardine clinches with Rockhold and looks for a single-leg takedown. Rockhold turns Jardine around and scores with knees. Rockhold breaks out of clinch with an elbow. Rockhold lands a nice spinning back kick to the body. Rockhold lands a right hook. Rockhold hits the mark with a left hand. Rockhold connects with a kick to the body. Jardine's most effective strikes have been leg kicks. Rockhold drops Jardine to his knees with a right hand but Jardine quickly recovers. Rockhold hurts Jardine with a right that backs Jardine. Rockhold throws a flurry of punches and Jardine is trying to recover. Rockhold drops Jardine with right hook. More punches and finally referee Herb Dean stops the fight when Jardine goes limp.

The finish was quite the beating. Rockhold retains his Strikeforce middleweight strap.

Luke Rockhold wins via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:26

In his post-fight interview, Rockhold brushed aside a question about contender Tim Kennedy to instead call for UFC fighters to come over to Strikeforce because he wants to fight the best. Time and time again, you really get a sense that the top Strikeforce guys would rather be in the UFC.

 

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/01/07/strikeforce-live-blog-luke-rockhold-vs-keith-jardine-updates/

Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander

James Toney and Ken Shamrock Nearly Fight at a Press Conference - James Toney

James Toney and Ken Shamrock are supposed to fight sometime in the fall of 2011. The two had a short press conference in Van Nuys, California to announce the fight, but started to get physical a little early.

Source: http://mmalice.com/james-toney/james-toney-and-ken-shamrock-nearly-fight-at-a-press-conference-video_184a34575.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone bury the hatchet and express mutual respect

LAS VEGAS - The prefight lead up for Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz was as nasty as any this year in the UFC. When they finished crushing each in the cage tonight for 15 minutes, a strange thing happened, the bitter enemies hugged, said sorry and patted each other on the back.

Diaz won the fight pretty convincingly, but his face still showed wear from the battle. Cerrone's face was extremely swollen, but he seemed almost thrilled about what he'd just experienced.

"It's awesome. That's what I like to do. That's what makes fights," said Cerrone, who saw a six-fight win streak snapped "That to me was a good time. That was fun. I mean standing there and throwing, that's what everyone likes to see."

Cerrone had genuine dislike for Diaz before the fight. After 15 minutes in the Octagon, he couldn't help but admire him.

"He stood there and went toe-to-toe. There's some respect in that," Cerrone said. [After the fight] I looked him in the eyes and said 'god [expletive], you're a tough SOB.'"

Diaz and his brother Nick often complain that fight game is filled with wrestlers, who try to win fights on points. On this night, Cerrone was getting battered but never tried to take the fight to the ground.

"I knew he was tough and he was going stand there and keep fighting," Diaz said during the postfight press conference. "[...] I don't like getting hit, but that's just what happens. I'm there to fight and if you're not taking me out, keep trying."

It wasn't all nice in there. During the prefight staredown in the middle of the cage, Cerrone gave Diaz the middle finger and Diaz returned the favor with a double-bird before the third started. They took it out on each by landing a combined 335 shots. According to FightMetric, Diaz doled out most of the punishment by landing 238 at a 66-percent clip.

Their boss, Dana White rewarded them with the Fight of the Night bonus.

"They're nasty man. These guys are fighters. You talk about the word fighter and what it means to be a fighter ... these two guys sitting up here are it," White said during the postfight press conference. "They went out there and proved that tonight."

Diaz started the prefight bad blood in October before UFC 137. Cerrone tried to shake his hand during a workout session. Diaz reacted by slapping his hand away and cursing at him.

Cerrone told the story often in the lead up to this fight which juiced up Diaz even more. On Thursday during the prefight press conference, Diaz further fanned the flames by knocking Cerrone's hat from his head. It all led to Cerrone fighting with too much bravado and not enough strategy.

"I just wanted to stand. I just wanted to play. I got outboxed and I talked a lot of [expletive]," said Cerrone explaining why he never tried to change the style of the fight. "He got in my [expletive] head. He was good. He brought the fight to me. All the [expletive] I talked and he made me eat my words, didn't he?"

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nate-diaz-donald-cerrone-bury-hatchet-express-mutual-085047132.html

Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

Brookins vs. Rocha, Watson vs. Dillashaw Booked for UFC on Fuel TV 1

With their original opponents sidelined, featherweights Jonathan Brookins and Vagner Rocha will now square off at UFC on Fuel TV 1, while a bantamweight bout betweenWalel Watson and TJ Dillashaw has also been booked for the February 15 event in Omaha, Nebraska, the UFC announced Thursday.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27094/brookins-vs-rocha-watson-vs-dillashaw-booked-for-ufc-on-fuel-tv-1/

Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

Strikeforce Champ Cris Cyborg Tests Positive for Steroids

Strikeforce women's featherweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos has tested positive for steroids following her 16-second TKO of Hiroko Yamanaka in December, resulting in a one year suspension, $2,500 fine, and the win being changed to a no decision. UFC President Dana White said Santos has been stripped of the title.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27109/strikeforce-champ-cris-cyborg-tests-positive-for-steroids/

Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander