Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg – August 15th, 2009
Report by www.MMAJunkie.com
-Gina Carano vs. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
R1: Cyborg moves in quickly with a flurry, but Carano clinches and takes her down. Cyborg nearly lands a leg lock. Carano gets out, they move back to the feet and Cyborg rocks Carano with some heavy punches. Carano bull rushes Cyborg and takes her down, dropping some heavy shots from mount, but lets Cyborg back up and they quickly clinch on the fence. They separate and start trading shots. Cyborg catches a kick and throws the counter right. They clinch and Carano tries to roll to a knee bar and eats a hard shot on the way up. Carano lands a front kick and then a super “woman” punch. Cyborg starts stalking and drops a couple heavy shots, they clinch, and then Cyborg powers her down. But they’re quickly back to their feet and trading blows; Cyborg getting the better of the exchanges. They clinch and Cyborg takes Carano down, landing on top in half guard. The Brazilian goes for an Americana, but Carano quickly out, Cyborg still on top. She stands up and drops bombs on Carano, as referee Josh Rosenthal steps in just as the bell sounds, almost dead even with his stepping in to stop the fight.
Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Gina Carano by TKO (Strikes) at 4:59, R1
-Renato “Babalu” Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi
R1: Babalu catches a kick from Mousasi, they clinch, then Mousasi takes Babalu down and starts ground and pound. Babalu moved back to the fence, still on his back, and Mousasi unloads with a brutal flurry that finishes Babalu. Your new Strikeforce light heavyweight champ is Gegard Mousasi.
Gegard Mousasi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO (Strikes) at 1:00, R1
-Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
R1: Melendez defending Ishida’s early takedown attempts. Melendez lands a couple hard right hands, hurting Ishida. Melendez then lands a left uppercut that has Ishida blinking, looks a little foggy. Ishida recovers and finally scores a takedown. He takes Melendez’s back, tries to get rear naked, but can’t hold it. Melendez reverses and scores a double-leg takedown of his own. Not much offense from either for the last minute as Melendez holds position on the ground.
MMAWeekly scores round one 10-9 for Melendez.
R2: Melendez again starts to pick away with his boxing, getting his jab going. Melendez sprawls out on the takedown and drives a knee to the body, then clinches and knees the legs of Ishida. Melendez separates and lands a hard right elbow to the head. Melendez holding center cage and hurting Ishida with jabs and hard rights. He sprawls an Ishida takedown and peppers him with left hands. Ishida up, but Melendez takes him down. Melendez has Ishida pinned on cage, driving hard knees to the body and solid uppercuts and body punches. Melendez catches a kick and dumps Ishida as the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores round two 10-9 for Melendez.
R3: Ishida now trying to get his own jab going, but getting beat to the punch more often than not by Melendez. Melendez sprawls out another takedown, drives the knee and Ishida goes down, eating numerous punches from Melendez on the mat. Ishida tries to hold on as Melendez pours it on. Melendez using shoulder punches, combinations, hammerfists. He move to Ishida’s back, attempts the rear naked choke, can’t get it, and then starts pounding punches into the sides of Ishida’s head. The referee steps in and stops the fight.
Gilbert Melendez def. Mitsuhiro Ishida by TKO (Strikes) at 3:56, R3
-Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Kyle
R1: Kyle starts headhunting right away, but Werdum not backing down. After trading punches, Werdum starts a kicking attack, but eats a couple counter punches from Kyle. Werdum then scores the takedown and nearly gets caught in an armbar. Standing up, Werdum sinks a guillotine and drops to his back, sinking it in tighter, causing Kyle to tap.
Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Kyle by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:24, R1
-Jesse Taylor vs. Jay Hieron
R1: Taylor the aggressor on the feet, he shoots for a takedown but Hieron defends well. Taylor continues to go for the takedown but Hieron defends well and ends up on top. Hieron not doing much except for landing some sporadic ground and pound. Tyalor tries to get back up but Hieron puts him back on his back. Hieron doing a solid job of keeping Taylor on his back. Not a lot of action as they get back to their feet. They end the round stalking one another.
MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Hieron.
R2: Taylor goes for a takedown but Hieron defends and locks on a guillotine choke that forces Taylor on his back. Hieron has him mounted but then gets his back and goes for a choke but Taylor escapes. They get back to their feet and Taylor looks gassed as Hieron gets back on top. They are restarted on their feet, as Taylor tries to mount some offense. He goes for a takedown but Hieron defends as the round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Jay Hieron.
R3: Taylor is unable to get the takedown as the two fighters work on the feet. Taylor again fails to get the takedown as Hieron sprawls. Taylor finally gets a takedown as he works from Hieron’s guard. Hieron gets back to his feet and Taylor is unable to get the fight on the ground. Hieron then gets the fight on the ground. The fight is restarted on the feet, The fighters stalk one another as the crowd gets restless, the fight ends with the two fighters stalking one another.
MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Jay Hieron and the fight 30-27 for Jay Hieron.
Jay Hieron def. Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Scott Lighty vs. Mike Cook
R1: Lighty starts to land some good combinations as Cook looks to clinch up from the get go. They seperate and and Lighty drops Cook with a good one-two combination. He drops a couple of shots but is unable to finish him. Back on the feet and Lighty is lighting up Cook, he lands a vicious body shot and Cook shakes his head that he wants out as Lighty lands one more before the fight is stopped.
Scott Lighty def. Mike Cook by TKO at 2:05, R1.
-David Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox
R1: Wilcox gets the takedown off the bat but Douglas gets back to his feet and cracks Wilcox, dropping him. Wilcox gets back to his feet and gets cracked again and secures a takedown. He drops some ground and pound but Douglas gets back to his feet. Wilcox cracks Douglas with a one-two combination and takes the fight down to the ground again. He’s in side mount and and works his way to mount. He lands some decent ground and pound but Douglas escapes but Wilcox maintains side mount as the round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Wilcox.
R2: Wilcox gets the takedown to start the round. He is in Douglas’s guard for a bit but is able to pass into side mount. After a short time, he moves into mount and drops some ground and pound. Wilcox is just simply mounted on Douglas and is dropping constant ground and pound. Nothing overwhelming but it has bloodied up Douglas. The round ends with Wilcox on top of Douglas.
MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Wilcox.
R3: Wilcox now looking to strike as he lands a couple of solid shots before securing the takedown. He mounts and then gets Douglas’s back before mounting him again. He is just mauling Douglas, who is taking some punishment as his face is bloody. Wilcox continues to pour on the punishment as Douglas’s looks to survive, Wilcox gets his back and finishes the fight with a rear naked choke. Impressive performance by Wilcox.
Justin Wilcox def. David Douglas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:16, R3.
-James Terry vs. Zac Bucia
R1: The two fighters feel one another out, Terry finally lands a big shot that drops Bucia, he pounces on him and lands a couple more punches before the referee stops the fight.
James Terry def. Zak Bucia by TKO at 0:23, R1.
-Alex Trevino vs. Isaiah Hill
R1: A lot of feeling out to start the fight but Hill finally takes the fight to the ground. Trevino reverses and is now in Hill’s guard. Trevino mounts Hill but Hill escapes and mounts Trevino as he trades back and forth with the mount and the back. He falls back for a leg lock but Trevino escapes and gets on top, where locks on a key lock and forces a tap.
Alex Trevino def. Isaiah Hill by Submission (Key Lock) at 3:56, R1.
CARANO VS. CYBORG RESULTS:
Main Card:
-Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Gina Carano by TKO (Strikes) at 4:59, R1
-Gegard Mousasi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO (Strikes) at 1:00, R1
-Gilbert Melendez def. Mitsuhiro Ishida by TKO (Strikes) at 3:56, R3
-Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Kyle by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:24, R1
Preliminary Card:
– Jay Hieron def. Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Scott Lighty def. Mike Cook by TKO at 2:05, R1.
-Justin Wilcox def. David Douglas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:16, R3.
-James Terry def. Zak Bucia by TKO at 0:23, R1.
-Alex Trevino def. Isaiah Hill by Submission (Key Lock) at 3:56, R1.
