Strikeforce Challengers: Jorge Gurgel vs. Billy Evangelista

Cung Le says he’s back December 19th. I can’t help but mark out. Place is unglued for Evangelista.

Round 1:
Gurgel with leg kicks. He lands a stuff jab. Billy with his own leg kick and a right hook. He’s already got a mouse under his left eye though. They trade kicks that glance. Gurgel is just waiting to plant his feet and square up. He won’t do anything unless Billy does. Billy is fast enough to evade as soon as Jorge puts both feet parallel. Gurgel’s left knee is looking shredded. Evangelista hits a a takedown at the end of the round. OK, this brunette ring girl is totally doing it for me.

Round 2:
Jorge looks angry. He’s trying to bullrush Billy now. Billy lands a hard right hand. Gurgel goes wild and billy hits a takedown. Ground and piuns is indeed effective. Gurgel gets to full guard looking for Kimuras. Ref stands them up. Billy changing levels to fake him out and Gurgel lands a sick headkick that drops Evangelista. He catches a Guillotine but Billy escapes at the horn.

Round 3:
Clearly Gurgel stopped caring about winning and losing. He wanted to use up all the energy reserves he had and throw every punch like he was going to win with it. Billy spent most of the round trying not to get hit. Jorge went for a takedown and missed; his shots are as rare as lunar eclipses. Billy got a takedown at the end of the round and rode out the bell. Really interested in the decision.

Result:
30-27 and 29-28 for Billy Evangelista over Jorge Gurgel.

Weird decision. I had it 29-28 Gurgel.

Well, thanks for reading guys. Hope you enjoyed it and hope there’s a next time. Take care!

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Strikeforce Challengers: Shane Del Rosario vs. Brandon Cash

Round 1:
Cash throws a big right and goes for a takedown. He then drops del Rosario with a big punch and just throws bombs from up top. This is brutal. He gets side control and Shane gets back to half guard. They scramble up and Cash just hugs him down. Shane throws a triangle that Cash uses to pass. Shane trows some more subs that Cash uses to get better positions with. Shane hits an Omoplata and gets a tap. I just saw an Omoplata finish. MMA history.

Result:
Shane del Rosario def. Brandon Cash by submission (Omoplata) at 2:57 of round one.

Attendance is 4,157 tonight.

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Strikeforce Challengers: Luke Rockhold vs. Jesse Taylor

PEE PANTS! He’s the only fighter I can say I’ve seen live twice consecutively (he lost on the prelims of Carano/Cyborg). Should’ve come out to “Kite 2 da Boyz” instead of this free house music they can play on Showtime. He looks a lot bigger than he did at 170 two months ago. Let’s see if Hieron only beat him because of better stamina. Even then, I still am looking at a guy who tapped out Yoon Dong Sik. Bobby Southworth in Rockhold’s corner. Where’s Chuck to lock him in a sauna?

Round 1:
Luke pancakes Taylor’s shot and catches a front headlock. JT ain’t givin’ up man. Luke gets taken down but gets right back up. Trip by Monies and he’s in Luke’s guard. Taylor scrambles and gets Luke’s back. Luke stitches and gets Talylor’s back. Going for the RNC but can’t get it. He taps Taylor with a neck crank it looks like. JT looks messed up.

Result:
Luke Rockhold defeats Jesse Taylor by submission (rear naked choke) in round one.

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Strikeforce Challengers: Thomas Digane vs. Warren Merrit

John Schorle is the ref; Jordan Breen groans at home.

Round 1:
Digane lands a hard leg kick and then a headkick that does no damage. Throws another. Merrit wades in but gets the fence. I can’t help but “ooooh” when Digane gets a slam takedown - so much for professionalism. He advances to half guard and there’s not much action. Thomas is trying but nothing’s happening. Man, the last ref stood them up for taking a deep breath. Warren goes for a leglock. He gets the tap with a heel hook (there’s a giant head in my way so I couldn’t see. Digane is in the corner looking really upset. Maybe he needs to do The Happy Dance - WITH SINGING.

Result:
Warren Merrit def. Thomas Digane via submission (heel hook) in round one.

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Strikeforce Challengers: Elisha Hellspur vs. Zoila Frausto

I refuse to drink Rockstar because I don’t support Michael Wiener. Video package of Zolia gets a massive pop. Her voice sounds like Johanna from The Real World: Austin. Loudest the crowd has been all night.

Round 1:
Zolia misses a superwoman punch and headkick. Elisha lands some legkicks; Zoila with one of her own. Maybe it’s my perspective but these women look bigger than me. Misses another superwoman punch. They’re both missinh high kicks. Elish getting upset with the partisan crowd when they cheered a missed headkick. She lands a punch to Zoila that backs her up. Zoila throws some crazy karate kicks that kinda land. Nothing much now. Zoila throws and lands a punch. Zoila wades in and gets hit with a straight right. Superwoman pinch finally (spellcheck hit that as “vaginally”) lands and they’re throwing bombs. Round over. Now HERE are the ring girls. And by ring girls I mean strippers.

Round 2:
Zoila wades in and then Elisha does. Clinch against the cage earns Elisha some good uppercuts. Now they’re afraid of each other or something. Elisha finally breaks the tension witha good outside leg kick. clinch with some kness by Zoila and they separate. Elish hits a teep that sends Ziola across the cage. These girls are hitting each other really hard. Zoila lands some ground and pound after a reversed trip attempt. Oh not, there’s blood. that’s why Roxy and Marloes won’t be on the main card tomorrow. Zoila landing knees in the clinch. I am afraid of these girls. Big bombs in the center of the cage. Elisha lands a sick combo when Zoila grabbed her leg and the bell sounds. Not attracted to these ring girls at all.

Round 3:
Elisha doing the pistons to Zoila’s body against the cage. Pummeling for their lives, and Elisha gets half guard after a teakdeown. Crows boos and ref stands them up for it. Ridiculous. Zoila lands a hard jab and she realizes it’s working. Elisha does too so she rushes in for the clinch. Against the cage trying not to get taken down. Ref breaks them up. Is the crowd the actual ref or something. Zoila is throwing everything. She lands a left-right-high kick. Elisha starts unloading every time zoila catches her leg. Zoila with a takedown and some brutal ground a pound. Elisha is helpless off her back. Zoila is able to load up like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Crazy fight.

Result:
All three judges give it to Zoila for the decision over Elisha.

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Strikeforce Challengers: Ben Holscher vs. Johnny Goh

I just noticed I’m in the first row of the press section - thanks again, Strikeforce. Holscher gets a loud pop while coming out to “Eye of the Tiger”.

Round 1:
Both guys pull a Randleman and rush to the center of the cage. Goh looks to be throwing some good hooks that cause Ben to shoot in. Clinching against the cage. Separate. Really telegraphed shot by Ben. Goh with a big strike and Ben gets the takedown. In guard with not much going on. Goh has a body triangle from the bottom. Ben postures up and starts throwing, but Goh ties him up. Round over. Josh Thomson is in Ben’s corner. In between rounds is spellcheck time.

Round 2:
Ben his a bodykick after some circling. Goh missing leg kicks. Ben gets a takedown and Goh ties him up. He’s starting to get some offense through but not much. Ref stands them up. They trade and Ben gets another takedown. He passes to the crucifix and hammers away. loses it but stays in side control. Goh gets sidecontrol back but Ben locks in an anaconda that he loses. Round over, thankfully.

Round 3:
Ben with ANOTHER takedown. Goh throws up an armbar but loses it. Ben still on top. Not much action. I should’ve brought Game Boy. Metroid II I’d have been playing. Goh hits a sick upkick and he takes Ben’s back. Ben scrambed and but Goh panckaes and elbows the head. Ben gets side control and crowd goes nutz. They scramble and Ben gets a short slam to end the round.

Result:
30-27 for Ben Holsher over Johnny Goh.

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Strikeforce Challengers: Casey Olson vs. Chris Culley

Alright, maybe that wasn’t Evan Showman that walked by earlier. There’s a Jay-Z concert here tomorrow night, so I think that’s why the arena is configured the way it is. Chris Culley is coming out to “Down With the Sickness”, which is greeted with appropriate apathy. Annnnnd Casey Olsen gets a big pop even though he’s coming out to “I Stand Alone” by Godsmack. Antonio Banuelos and John Hackleman are in his corner.

Round 1:
Superman punch by Casey misses. He’s backing Culley up but that’s it. Clinch against the cage with some durrry boxing and knees by Casey. He isn’t able to finish the takedown, but then picks him up and slams him like Hughes/Trigg II. He goes for the choke but finishes with stirkes form backmount. They play “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”. Wow.

Result: Casey Olsen def. Chris Culley by submission (strikes) in 2:36 of round one. They call it “Knockout” for some reason.

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