Join us here at Cageside Seats tonight for live coverage of Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg, beginning at 8:15 PM ET with the Sherdog stream. The main card begins at 10 PM ET, and features Roger Gracie taking on the biggest challenge of his young career in Trevor Prangley, athletic legend Herschel Walker stepping in to the cage for a second time against Scott Carson, and two title fights, Ronaldo Souza vs. Robbie Lawler, and Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Santos. Check out the play by play after the jump, and please, join us in the comment section!
Preliminary Card live on Sherdog:
We're fifteen minutes out, and I'm excited for a solid night of fights. Any predictions for tonight's bouts?
Jenna Castillo vs. Charlene Gellner:
Castillo begins the first round strong, engaging in the thai clinch, but Gellner is fires back as well. After trading and separating they circle, and clinch again. Gellner pulls guard and works a high guard, Castillo working some strikes, but very wary of submissions. Gellner snatches up an armbar that looks pretty tight, but a slam from Castillo makes her transition to a triangle, which she loses quickly. Castillo looking very tedious, and a stand up by the ref with ten seconds left in the round. Round ends. 10-9 for Castillo.
Gellner looks comfortable on the feet, but shoots for a take down after eating a knee, Castillo ends up on top. After a little bit of work, Castillo stands, and they're on the feet once again. Gellner has been finding a home for her left hand, Castillo wants to stand, but at striking distance, she's not really impressing me. Another shot by Gellner ends with her pulling guard, Castillo giving up a guillotine. Castillo avoids trouble and stands once again, and lands a nice leg kick. Castillo seems more confident letting strikes go now that she knows she can defend the takedown. Gellner shoots, and eats two hard upper cuts looking hurt. Castillo lands a few more strikes, then a big knee, Gellner is hurt, Castillo throws a second knee as Gellner falls, misses, but the fight is stopped. Man, I dig chick fights. Jenna Castillo wins via KO in the 2nd round.
Lucas Gamaza vs. James Terry:
Cesar Gracia vs. Cung Le camp here, should be fun. Terry wants to touch gloves, Gamaza has no interest in that. Gamaza looks real lengthy, much like his training partners, the Diaz brothers. Lots of exchanging, not much landing, Gamaza's go to move is the 1-2. Terry rocks Gamaza bad with a very hard knee, and he's back pedaling. Terry can't swarm on him, and Gamaza recovers. Head kick by Gamaza, Terry drops him with a hard punch, Gamaza stays down to avoid being kneed, but Terry is throwing some bombs. A couple of hard right hands to Gamaza as he's posted on his knees forces Gamaza to turtle up, and the fight is stopped. James Terry wins via TKO in the 1st round.
Germaine de Randamie vs. Stephanie Webber:
Randamie looks like the type of gal I'd want with me in a bar fight. Webber walks straight out, and gets dropped with a hard punch from de Randamie, she recovers fast, and shoots for the takedown, de Randamie defends, and they clinch against the cage. Occasional knee from de Randamie, but Webber is working hard to get a take down. After a long struggle, Webber secures a take down. de Randamie working a solid closed guard, controlling Webber well. So far, de Randamie has landed more strikes from bottom than Webb has from the top. Triangle from de Randamie! It's loose, they scramble and they de Randamie fires a headkick as she stands, but trips. They clinch again, and Webb is looking for that takedown. Woah! Huge knee from de Randamie sends Webber crashing to the ground as de Randamie throws another. Should de Randamie tighten up that ground game, she could be a great addition the women's 135lbs division. Germaine de Randamie wins via KO in the first round.
Ron Keslar vs. Eric Lawson:
Right hands by both men to start, Lawson clinches and works for a take down. Lawson works a low single, but gives up his back. Keslar has hooks in, with an arm trapped, and transitions to and armbar. Possible triangle being worked now, hard time getting a good look. Lawson working some punches, but is still caught. ...The fight is over? Looks like Lawson tapped, crowd is silent, but apparently it's over. That was weird, but man, Keslar was all over Lawson here. Ron Keslar wins via submission (triangle armbar) in the first round.
Isaiah Hill vs. Bobby Stack:
Isaiah Hill firing a great deal of kicks, WOAH, flying knee to Stack as he shoots, Stack stumbles across the cage, and Hill goes for another flying knee! Stack gets a take down, but finds himself in a triangle/armbar! Stack taps! Another anticlimactic finish due to poor camera angles, but damn, that was nice. Isaiah Hill wins via submission (triangle) in the first round.
Twenty minute break, see you guys then!
Nate Coy vs. Nate Moore:
No hesitation to exchange at the bell, Coy throwing a leg kick, and getting hit with a hard counter. Moore scores a take down, Coy tries to stand, but gets his back taken. Moore has one hook, Coy stands, and falls to his back trying to shake Moore, but no luck. Coy works hard and looks to grab a single leg, and fins himself on top. Nice display of wrestling by both men. Coy holding on to headlock, attempts to turn the corner and take the back, but no luck, Moore looking for a single, but Coy is using this headlock to control him well. A big knee from Coy, and they're against the cage, still wrestling. They stand and clinch against the cage. Coy looking to get the fight to the mat again, Moore looks for a kimura, but no luck. Huge bombs from Coy, but Moore isn't phased. They're on their knees again and Coy works the front headlock once again. The round ends. 10-9 round for Coy.
The second round begins, and they trade kicks early. HARD RIGHT HAND FROM MOORE! Coy is OUT COLD. The reply shows that Coy landed a big right hand, a jab, and then followed up with a diving punch to Coy on the ground. Damn these were some good prelims! Nate Moore wins via KO in the second round.
The event begins in fifteen minutes, here's to hoping that the main card delivers as well!
Main Card:
We're live, first fight coming shortly! I like how Frank Shamrock says that he thinks 2011 will be the year Nick Diaz becomes a superstar. Hmmm...
Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley:
The commentary crew is on point tonight, thats refreshing. The two men touch gloves, Gracie probing with jabs and kicks early, Prangley waiting for an opening. Solid leg kicks by Gracie. Prangley lunges with two punches, just grazing Gracie. Crowd already growing restless, Prangley looking to counter, but Gracie is wise with his strikes. Roger rushes in, clinches, lands a series of knees to the body and head of Prangley. They separate, Gracie scores a takedown. Prangley being controlled, both men a few strikes. Prangley trying to roll away, Gracie takes his back, then finds himself in mount. Not how Prangley wants to find himself. Prangley uses the cage to attempt to escape, nearly gets away, but Gracie takes his back, hooks in, then transitions to a body triangle. Gracie working for a rear naked choke, he gets it, and it's all over. Roger Gracie wins via submission (rear naked choke) in the first round.
Christiane Cyborg Santos in the crowd, she cleans up nice- OH! Meisha Tate. :D Cain Velasquez on screen, and then MC Hammer. Text poll for tonights show asks what division the fans would like to see a grand prix in next, personally, middleweight gets my vote.
Herchel Walker vs. Scott Carson:
The men come out and go to work, Carson lands a head kick and Walker gets in the zone quick! Big punch from Walker and Carson drops, Walker pounces, but Carson is aware and blocking. They scramble, Walker takes his back. Carson stands, Walker attempts a suplex, but doesn't pull it off, dropping Carson back to his knees. Walker working well from Carson's back with knees to the thigh and side, with some hard punches. Walker is landed hard punches under Carsons armpit finding his jaw. Carson loses his mouth piece. Walker still going to work. More punches and Carson rolls away, Walker lets him stand and crushes him with a hard shot, Carson drops, Walker gets his celebration on. Walker looks to be addicting to fighting like some people get addicted to tattoos. Herschel Walker wins via KO in the first round.
Jacare Souza vs. Robbie Lawler:
Middleweight title on the line, referee Big John McCarthy is the third man in the cage. The two touch gloves, and Robbie looks light on his feet. Jacare keeping his hands high, no punches thrown thirty seconds in. Head kick from Jacare misses, Robbie throws a punch/knee attack, no dice, the men clinch up, and Jacare takes it to the mat. Jacare passes to side control, and has Lawler locked down. Jacare looking for an arm, no luck, but Robbie can't get the skilled jiu jitsu artist off of him. Jacare just schooling Lawler on the mat, and as I say this, Lawler gets to his belly and stands. Jacare misses a choke. Lawler looks to bang, but eats a big punch, as they exchange, Robbie rocks Jacare, he chases him down, drops him, and follows Jacare to the mat. Jacare uses the cage blatantly to change position, Big John gets on his case. Not much going on here, Robbie being patient, not letting Jacare make a move. Big John stands them up, Robbie lands a liver kick, and Jacare lands a punch, then shoots in. Moments later, the round comes to a close. 10-9 Lawler
We have a fight on our hands here folks. They touch gloves again, and meet in center cage. Robbie looks significantly more calm now. Kicks from Lawler to start, Jacare closes the distance, and secures a takedown against the cage. Jacare in mount momentarily. Jacare more liberal with punches now, but Lawler is looking to get back to his feet. More punches from Jacare, near miss on an arm triangle for Jacare. The champion passes to side control, and is all over Robbie. North south, then side control again. Punches from Jacare. The crowd boos and Jacare drops some hammer fists. Jacare attempts to pass to mount, Robbie pushes him off, but Souza sticks to him, and gets into side control again. North south, then Jacare looks for a leg. Punches from Jacare, and scramble. Armbar attempt from Jacare, but Lawler escapes! They scramble some more, and another armbar from Jacare! Lawler escapes with ease! Lawler in Jacare's guard and the round comes to an end. 10-9 Jacare.
This fight is all that I expected it to be and more. Both men look a little banged up at the beginning of the round. Jacare secures a thai clinch and fires some knees, then snatches a single leg. Robbie gets his leg free and they're clinched against the cage. Another big knee from Jacare, and then a takedown for the Brazilian. Jacare in half guard, Robbie scoots to his butt in attempt to stand, he gets to his feet, and Jacare pulls him down, takes his back, and gets both hooks in. Body triangle from Jacare. The champion is looking for the rear naked choke, he gets it, and Lawler taps!!! Amazing fight! Heart of a champion from Jacare here, and Robbie has nothing to be ashamed of. Jacare Souza wins via submission (rear naked choke) in the third round.
Nick Diaz vs. Cyborg Santos:
No touch of gloves after a big stare down. Head kick from Cyborg misses. Spinning back kick to the knee also misses for Cyborg. Cyborg looks good at welterweight. Diaz hasn't gotten off yet, solid inside leg kicks from Cyborg. Four inside leg kicks. Bombs from Cyborg. Diaz clinches and puts Cyborg's back against the cage. They separate and Cyborg continues to get the better of the stand up. How long can it last? Combo for Cyborg lands, more inside leg kicks. Diaz starting to let his hands go, but Cyborg is bombing Diaz as he comes in. Hard hooks finding Diaz's jaw, but he's not phased. ANOTHER hard inside leg kick. And another, Cyborg is out for blood tonight folks. Cyborg goes to the body then throws looping hooks to the head, two land. Diaz pushes forward, lands some blows, and Cyborg is hurt. Hooks to the body from Diaz, and more jabs from Diaz as Cyborg slows down. More punches begin to land on the face of the challenger. Cyborg trying to get started again, but the fire may be gone. Jabs from Diaz, knee from Cyborg. They trade and Diaz scores a jab at the end of the round. Hot damn! 10-9 Cyborg due to leg kicks + and the first half of the round. Could easily go to Nick for rocking Cyborg momentarily though.
Round two begins, Cyborg throws a head kick and Diaz begins taunting. Leg kick for Cyborg, Diaz pushes forward, Cyborg lands two hard hooks slowing the champion down. These guys are going to war. Jabs from both men, Cyborg working body and head, but Diaz covering up well. Diaz may be looking to let Cyborg tire, but he's paying for it. More leg kicks for Cyborg, two elbows thrown for Diaz's head. Diaz answers with an elbow of his own. Both men catching their breath, leg kick for Cyborg. Jabs from Diaz are answered with some hard hooks from Cyborg. Yet again, hard inside leg kick for Cyborg, and both men are probing and looking for a big shot. Cyborg fades, but Diaz rests as well. Cyborg circles away, lands a hard uppercut as Diaz comes in. They trade once again, nothing of note landing though. Diaz taunting with a little more than a minute left. Diaz jabs, and eats a leg kick. Cyborg fires some hooks and gets a knee in from the thai clinch. Diaz jabbing, eats another knee to the belly. Spinning back kick to the leg from Cyborg. Big takedown from Cyborg, he lands in Diaz's guard. Armbar attempt from Diaz, he rolls Cyborg over, Cyborg defends for a moment, then Diaz gets it, and Cyborg taps! Great fight! Nick Diaz wins via submission (armbar) in the second round.