Thumbs up

Best match: Daniels vs. Edwards

Worst: maybe Generico/Elgin but nothing was bad

Overall, this seemed to have more highly rated matches than previous PPVs (I gave 3 matches between 3.5 & 4 stars), but this one didn't have the anticipation and long builds for most of the matches like Final Battle. FB left me with the impression of being a "must see" show due to culmination of feuds whereas this was just a really fun, really good wrestling show.

Tim Noel

Thumbs in the Middle
Best Fight: Lorenzo Larkin vs. Scott Lighty
Worst Fight:  Wayne Phillips vs. Damian Douglas
 
1) Wayne Phillips vs. Damian Douglas:  In Damian Douglas's pre-taped
promo during his ring entrance he said he was he fights not for money
or fame, but to be the best martial artist.  That is all fine and good,
but have fun on a Challengers circuit for the rest of your life. 
Damian Douglas looked good in the opening few minutes of Round 1, but
gassed out.  Wayne Phillips never took advantage.  Many times
throughout the fight Douglas looked like he was one hard shot away from
defeat, but Phillips never took advantage.  In Round 3,  Phillips never
took advantage of the gassed Douglas, who later came to life in the
Round 3 and actually won that round.  In one of the biggest rip offs of
2011,  Damian Douglas won the decision even though it was clear
Phillips won Round 1 and 2.  In Damian's post match interview he said
he felt he won the fight because he hit harder. Bullshit, you got lucky
judges call.  Douglas's hometown crowd of Stockton, CA booed him out of
the building.   Should not Mauro Ranallo the Strikeforce play by play
commentator made a reference to Wrestlemania and CM Punk which I
thought was funny.
 
2) James Terry vs. Josh Thornburg:  Thornburg took this fight on short
notice, so it was was  catchweight bout.  James Terry has a ton of
charisma and people should keep an eye for this kid.  Great movement
and great strikes and finally Terry connected with one clean on the
button and KO'd Thornbug.  After the fight Terry challenged Ronnie from
the Jersey Shore.  Well,  Snooki is in the WWE, Jwoww is in TNA, and so
why not a Jersey Shore guy in MMA?
 
3) Lorenzo Larkin vs. Scott Lighty:  Fun fight, and Larkin who took
this match as a replacement looked like Strikeforce or I mean ::Cough
Cough:: UFC has found a young star in the making.  He is fast on his
feet and he hits and kicks hard.  Also bonus he has a star look to him
as well.  Though not Jone Jones level of exciting, he did do some wild
kicks and moves.  Lighty kept Larkin at bay sometimes and even I
thought Lighty was going to catch Larkin, but the Larkin was too much
and hit with too much power for Lighty to handle.  Remember Lorenzo
Larkin fight fans.
 
4) Carlos Fedor vs. David Douglas:  David Douglas is the twin brother
of Damian Douglas who fought earlier.  These Douglas brothers both look
like two space cases.  Not that exciting fight, but Fedor dominated
Fedor and finally finished Douglas with some nasty knees against the
cage.  Damian Douglas earlier came off as a total douche bag, I was
actually hating David Douglas before he even came out.
 
5) Justin Wilcox vs. Rodrigo Damm: Poor fighters had to stand in the
middle of the ring for a minute a half or more waiting for the State
Athletic Comission to get their doctors at ringside.  They where still
busy in the back attending to fighters earlier on the card.  So lame
and it came off very bush league.  Crowd was really upset about this
and referee Josh Rosenthall wasn't happy either.  Justin Wilcox is one
of my favorite young MMA fighters today.  He has it all and has the
ability to be one of the best fighters.   Wilcox dominated Damm and
with elbows now legal in Strikeforce, Wilcox used that to his advantage
and split open Damm.  Blood was everywhere and between rounds the
referee called the fight.   It is time for Justin Wilcox to graduate
from Challengers Series to the Strikefoce or I mean the UFC cards.
 
John LaRocca
San Jose, CA