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Welcome to our live coverage of the Strikeforce Challengers Series event at the San Jose Civic Auditorium.
The event is sold out, the people standing everywhere in a 2,500 seat arena.
Raul Castillo (6-0) vs. Yancy Medeiros (4-0)
Middleweights, Castillo is from Half Moon Bay, about 40 minutes from here, but never held the International tag team championship with brother Fidel. Medeiros is from Hawaii.
No Jimmy Lennon. Medeiros moving forward. Medeiros went for a kick, Castillo went for a takedown and finally got it, but Medeiors back up. Castillo trying for a single leg. Medeiros blocking. Castillo got a punch in. Mederos punched and Castillo went for a takedown, didn’t get it and threw two wild haymakers. Castillo has both legs, can’t get the takedown and Medeiros caught him with a knee. Now Medeiros is chasing him. Good right by Medeiros. Another good right and a left by Medeiros. Loud Raul chants. But he took a knee and several punches. Castillo shot in and Medeiros sprawled. Medeiros 10-9
Medeiros seems to have more confidence starting round two. Lousy shot and Mediros caught him with several punches and a knee. Superman punch by Medeiros. High kick by Castillo missed badly. Medeiros moving in with punches but isn’t following up. Medieros missed a spinning backfist. Body kick by Medeiros. Castillo moving away mostly and offering little offense. Fans starting to boo. Castillo going for a takedown but not getting it. Medeiros broke away. Castillo did land a knee. Medeiros 20-18.
Medeiros with punches and Castillo ducked to try for a takedown, but can’t get it. Castillo is still trying the takedown. The ref had enough and separated them. Left by Medeiros. Medeiros hurt him with a left and a knee. Castillo back with knees including one low. That led to a time out. Medeiros scored a knockdown. But Castillo up quickly. Castillo shot in and got nowhere. Now Castillo is laying on his back getting his legs kicked. 20 seconds left and Castillo got up. Both throwing wild punches. Medeiros 30-27
Not much of a fight but this is a hot crowd so they made it seem good live. Scores were 30-27 across the board. Not much of a debate here.
Herschel Walker doing a promo, says MMA is the toughest sport in the world. Said MMA training is the toughest training I’ve done. Said he was shocked that Cain Velasquez had better cardio than he did. He talked like he was going to fight again, but said he was leaving it up to Javier Mendez and Bob Cook but talked like he was goign to get back to the gym. He didn’t say he was fighting in April which you’d think
Mauro Ranallo talked to Gilbert Melendez. Said another match with Josh Thomson has to be done. Said he worked was more pateient in the rematch. He said he’s in the top ten and wants to beat Shinya Aoki and bring the Dream title to San Francisco. He said if he fights like a Mexican that the Mexicans will watch.
Mauro Ranallo said there will be a big announcement on Monday. They are on television and they tell you there will be an announcement on Monday.
James Terry vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Welterweights. Terry from San Jose while Saffiedine is from Temecula, Calif. Dan Henderson is in his corner. Saffiedine rocked him with a right. Also landed some high kicks. Terry got the takedown and the place exploded. But Saffiedeine back up. Terry moved in but didn’t land anything strong. Saffiedine landed a good right and a knee. Now landed a low kick. Saffiedine 10-9
Nothing much happening early. Terry moving forward. Saffiedine caught him with a punch. Saffiedine landed a body kick. Terry moving forward but not doing anything. Saffiedine with a low kick. Saffiedine landed some punches to the body and avoided a takedown attempt. Terry tried a takedown but didn’t get it. Terry landed a few punches. Terry tried another takedown and didn’t come close. Saffiedine 20-18.
Saffiedine more aggressive with kicks to the leg and body. He connected with a punch. Another punch. Terry got the taekdown but Saffiedine right back up. Terry’s cut near the left eye is getting worse. Looks under the eye from here. Looking nasty at this point. Good body shot by Saffiedine. Knee from a Thai plumb. Another knee by Saffiedine. He followed with a hard low kick. Right to the jaw by Saffiiedine. Saffiedine continues to connect. He landed a spinning kick to the body. Terry trying takedowns. He tried again and Saffiedie landed on top in the mount and was pounding on Terry as time ran out. Almost a 10-8, but probably 30-27 will be the final score for Saffiedine.
All three judges have it 30-27 for Saffiedine
Luke Rockhold (6-1) vs. Paul Bradley (12-1)
Rockhold is a local star, big article in the paper on him today. Bradley is a former University of Iowa wrestler. Looks like a powerhouse. Rockhold will probably be the biggest star on the show to the live show. Rockhold brought his surfboard with him in his prematch interview. Middleweight bout. Based on billed size, he’s got seven inches in height on Bradley, 6-3 to 5-8..
Rockhold moving forward. He dropped Bradley with a punch and now on top. He’s throwing body punches. Bradley back up. He dropped Bradley a second time with a punch to the back of the head and knocked him down with a short jab as he was getting up. Bradley back up. Rockhold with a punch to the jaw, high kick and more punches and knees and it was stopped by the ref. This was an impressive win. Time was 2:24
Trevor Prangley vs. Karl Amoussou
Middleweights. Prangley from San Jose by way of South Africa. Amoussou from Paris, France.
Amoussou throwing hard early. He noved in and threw but Prangley powered him to the ground wth 3:10 left in the round. Prangley did nothing from the top so a stand-up was ordered. Amaossou in with punches again. Prangley moved in and tried a takedown but he got tagged a few times. They touched glvoes. Big trade and Prangley got the last shot in. Looked like an eye poke by Prangley. A thumb into the right eye. The match has been stopped. Amoussou seemed unhappy about it. Prangley hugged in and apologized. Too bad, as this was looking like the best fight on the show.
The doctor made the evalauation and it was his decision to stop the fight based on the injury. It was ruled a technical draw at 4:42. He said he couldn’t open his eye, but he did want to continue.
Sarah Kaufman vs. Takayo Hashi for the women’s welterweight title is the main event
Five rounds for the title. Crowd doesn’t really know either woman. Hashi looks like she wants to stand. Kaufman knocked her down right away but Hashi is back up. They are tied up against the fence. Kaufman with a few body punches. Ref Dan Stell broke them up. Kaufman connected with a left hook. Another left hook by Kaufman and two right jabs. Kaufman landing some more. Low kick by Kaufman. Good right by Kaufman. Kaufman knocked her down a second time. She’s controlling the top position and moved back to let Hashi up. Easy 10-9 for Kaufman.
Kaufman connected with a few jabs. Kafuman dropped her again with a right. Hashi really needs to at least try a takedown as this standup isn’t working. Hard right by Kaufman. Slow round. Kaufman moving forward, Hashi back and nobody atttempting to take it down. Three punches by Kaufman in a flurry. Dull round. They traded some at the end. Kaufman 20-18
People are starting to leave at this point. They completely lost the crowd, nobody booing and people leaving now in droves. Kaufman put her down again. Kaufman with a few low kicks. Overhand right by Kaufman. Kaufman dropped her again with a right but let her up. Hashi finally went for a takedown with ten seconds left in the round. She didn’t get it, but at least she tried. 30-27 Kaufman.
People again leaving between rounds. Hashi went for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Kaufman with a few body punches in the clinch. Ref separated them as people were about to boo. Another takedown attempt by Hashi. Kaufman let her up again. Another dull round. 40-36 Kaufman.
Easily two-thirds of the crowd is gone at this point. Hashi went for a takedown again. Kafuman sprawled and got up. I’ve never seen a match empty out a crowd like this. Hashi tried another takedown and didn’t get it. Hashi tried another takedown. Kaufman punched a few times on the ground and let her up. Kick to the face by Hashi with her best offensive move so far. Two jabs by Kaufman. Hashi got poked in the eye. But it’s back on with 40 seconds left. Hashi tried a takedown and didn’t come close again. Hashi tried another takedown and didn’t get it. 50-45 for Kaufman but a dull fight.
Underwhelming night to be sure.
Scores were all 50-45 for Kaufman.
Maybe 300 people wree left for the announcement of the winner.
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