Strikeforce Challengers Live Blog

First I must say that in my time waiting for the fights to start, I found Everitt, Washington to be a very pleasant town and enjoyed the people I met.

There was some confusion in obtaining the internet code, so I was not able to live blog the first two prelim fights. At least when obtaining the code backstage, I got to watch Mauro Renello warming up the pipes, which was a show in itself. I can say that the fight between locals Frankie Orr and John Elam was a spirited back and forth battle with John Elam winning a split decision.

Jamen Olney (3-2) vs. Jordan Currie (8-2-1) - middleweight

Round One: Olney is stocking but is quickly taken down by Currie. Currie gets back control and is working for a rear naked choke. Olney is working hard to get out but Currie keeps haning on. He escapes and both fighters stand up. Olney lands a few leg kicks, then a right upper cut and right hook combination. Olney takes Currie down and gets side control. Olney is landing very hard ground and pound. The crowd is clearly for Olney.

Round Two: Olney throws some hard over hand rights and then clinches. Olney then goes for a double against the cage and gets it, but Currie gets up. Olney lands a hard knee to the body and takes him down again. Some hard right hands from the standing postion from Olney, and now some hammer fists from the top.

Olney wins by UD.

Quincy Spruill (1-0) vs. Chris Inman (6-1) - welterweight

Round One: The fighters touch gloves and Inman throws a left cross. Inman is punching first with his jab while Quincy seems to be waiting. Quincy is coming in aggressive now and takes a few punches and a head kick for his effort. Quincy goes for take down and Inman attempts a guillotine. Now Quincy is in Inman's guard with little happening. Some minor ground and pound by Quincy. Inman is attempting an arm bar and now a kimura and he gets it! Quincy submits just under four minutes.

Scott McDonald (5-0) vs. Doug Kay (3-1) - bantamweight

Kay comes out to bagpipes with a kilt on. Scott has all the crowd on his side.

Round One: They both come out fast with leg kicks and punches, but most aren't landing. Kay is much taller and skinnier. Scott is trying to get him down. He gets the takedown and takes side control. Scott takes his back and is working for a rear naked choke. He sinks it and gets the tap. The crowd roars. That felt quicker than two minutes.

Drew Brokenshire (9-4) vs. Jordan Macklin (2-0) - featherweight

Round One: Both fighters circle each other and trade leg kicks. Drew goes for a takedown and won't let go. He gets it and slams Jordan to the ground. Jordan is trying to use his rubber guard but unsuccessful. Jordan escapes and they get back to the feet. Drew takes him down and gets caught in a guillotine. Drew taps! They both exchange hugs immediately after the tap. The fight ends at two minutes.

Tauren Washington (7-4) vs. CJ Marsh (5-2) - welterweight

Though both fighters are local, Marsh is clearly the fan favorite and Washington recieves a loud collective boo from the audience.

Round One: Marsh throws a heavy right hand to start the action. Everyone is screaming for him. He throws another and almost falls over from it. Washington lands a right cross. Marsh lands a damaging left hook and a front kick. Marsh is winging right hooks and keeps missing. Marsh is clearly more powerful. Marsh is landing jabs and a few leg kicks. It seems like a matter of time til he connects on Washington, but both fighters are moving nicely. Marsh lands a hard right hand but Washington responds with a leg kick. The round ends with Marsh charging forward. 10-9 Marsh.

Round Two:Washington's punches and kicks don't seem to have enough power to hurt Marsh. They wrestle along the cage but Marsh is much stronger. Marsh trips him down but Washington gets right up. Marsh wings another right hand and falls over. He seems to have hurt his finger in the process. Washington is caught with a hard right hook and clearly dazed. The round ends too early for Marsh to try to finish, but he clearly will win the decision. These short fights are very limiting, with three minute second rounds and no third round. 10-9 Marsh

Marsh wins UD. The crowd loves it.

Brent Knopp (6-1) vs. Ryan Hayes (4-1) - light heavyweight

The crowd is screaming for Hayes. These local fighters are really making the night for this crowd, especially Hayes. Knopp comes out to "Gangsta Party" by Tupac and Snoop. Let's hope Knopp lives up to his nickname of "Mankill".

Round One: Both fighters look very powerful. Knopp lands a left hook and takes Hayes down. Hayes stands back up but Knopp is holding his back. Now they are clinching against the cage. The crowd is screaming. Knopp is landing some heels to the thigh and now gets a takedown. Hayes gets back up and they continue their clinch against the cage. Hayes lands a big right hook. Knopp is landing knees to the leg against the cage. A sloppy punching exchange and more clinching to end the round. 10-9 Knopp

Round Two: Hayes lands a kick to the body and the leg. Knopp hurts him with a punch and follows with ground and pound! The punches are not very hard on the ground. It is enough and the ref calls it off less than a minute into the second round.

TKO for Knopp

MAIN CARD

Sweet! The main card is starting and the lights and production are all coming together. The open seats are filling and the excitement is building. Jimmy Lennon is working up the crowd.

Cares Fodor (2-0) vs. Thomas Diagne (1-1) - lightweight

The screen is showing video interviews of both fighters. Diagne says he has been training with Josh Thompson. It is impossible to hear anything Fodor is saying because the crowd is screaming for him.

Round One: They exchange jabs and Diagne lands a leg kick. Fodor rocks Diagne and drops him. He gets up and is hit hard again. Diagne is regaining his composure but is being controlled against the cage. They remain clinched against the cage with Fodor landing minor peppering shots. Fodor is coming forward now as they break apart. They exchange some glancing shots but return to the clinch on the cage. Neither fighter can get the other down.  Diagne lands a spinning back kick to the body of Fodor. Back to the clinch. 10-9 Fodor

Round Two: Diagne lands a few solid jabs and a front kick. More clinching. They exchange hard punches and knees to the body against the fence. The crowd is getting restless. Fodor lands multiple hard punches to reignite the crowd. Fodor gets a huge takedown and the crowd goes nuts. He lands in side control. Both fighters trade Kimura attempts and reversals. 10-9 Fodor

Round Three: Diagne lands another spinning back kick tot he body and they exchange punches. Diagne lands two head kicks, inluding a crescent kick to the jaw. Three punch combination lands for Fodor and they clinch against the cage. Fodor gets a takedown and gets to half guard. Fodor is trying a kimura. Wow he is cranking it hard! Diagne refuses to tap and finally escapes. Very close call. Hammer fists from the top by Fodor. 10-9 Fodor

The crowd is proud of their boy and are blowing the roof off this place.

UD for Fodor

Abongo Humphrey (7-1) vs. Mike Kyle (16-7-1) - light heavyweight

Round One: No touching of gloves and they go right at it. Kyle is landing hard punches on Humphrey coming in. Humphrey clearly wants a takedown but is leaving himself open when he goes for it. They clinch against the cage and trade knees. They exchange heavy shots against the cage with Humphrey getting the better of it, Humphrey gets his takedown and gets in half guard. Humphrey falls back and attempts a guillotine with Kyle's arm in. Kyle gets out but gets in it again. Another escape and they get to the feet. Kyle lands a hard punch and hard knee and Humphrey takes him down again. Kyle reverses on top. Another guilotine attempt and the round ends. Close round. 10-9 Humphrey

Round Two: It's a boxing match with Kyle getting the best. Humphrey is coming forward and getting picked off. Humphrey goes down for a heel hook but Kyle gets out and goes to his back. Humphrey is in the guard landing minor ground and pound. The ref stands it up. They exchange again and Kyle takes Humphrey down. Kyle gets mount after a scramble but Humphrey gives up his back. Hard shots from the top by Kyle and he sinks in a rear naked choke. Humphrey taps. Good fight.

Kyle by rear naked choke

Kyle says his boy Cain Velasquez will kick Brock Lesnar's ass.

Cory Devela (9-4) vs. Bobby Voelker (21-8) - welterweight

The crowd is going nuts for Cory. They know who their locals are.

Round One: They immediately clinch and go to the cage. Cory gets the takedowna nd goes right to mount. Cory lands a lot of punches while Bobby attempts to buck him off. Bobby escapes and they go back to clinching against the fence. Corey gets another takedown and lands in half mount this time. Cory continues with his ground and pound. Cory tries a guillotine and gets reversed. Bobby's turn on top, but the round ends. 10-9 Devela

Round Two: Cory takes a kick to the body and then more clinching against the cage. I'm getting a migraine from these locals screaming behind me. This has the feel of a high school football game. "Spit on him!" "Kick him in the balls!" This is brutal. Bobby has been on top for most of this round. Cory comes back and rocks him in the remaining seconds. 10-9 Voelker

Round Three: Guess what? More clinching against the fence. Both fighters are exhausted, especially Cory. They trade some big punches in the middle of the ring. Bobby takes him down. Wow this fight ends excitingly with both fighters trading huge hooks with barely any energy left. Very hard round to score for multiple reasons. I will call it 10-10.

Split decision win for Bobby Voelker. The crowd hates it.

KJ Noons gets an interview and is asked the most standard MMA questions and responds with the most standard MMA answers. Training, game plan, opinion of opponent, etc.

Sarah Kaufman (11-0) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (15-5) - women's welterweight (135) for the Strikeforce title

It really is ridiculous that this fight isn't the main event, but I can understand for this crowd's sake that they put two big punchers in the finale.

Round One: Roxanne runs out and grazes Sarah with a flying knee. They clinch against the cage and Sarah gets taken down. The ref stands them back up and Sarah is stalking with her jab. Sarah is peppering with knees against the fence. Uneventful round. 10-9 Kaufman

Round Two: Kaufman is connecting repeatdedly. Modafferi is hurt, but is hanging on. Kaufman lands another barrage. Modafferi is trying to pull guard but Kaufman won't let her. Kaufman lands a series of knees to the body. Kaufman with another series of heavy punches and she drops her opponent. 10-8 Kaufman

Round Three: Kaufman is using her jab. Modafferi takes Kaufman down and is throwing  weak punches. A hard right gets through. Kaufman gets up. Sarah lands a left hook and cross combination. Her boxing looks great. Modafferi pulls guard.  Kaufman picks her up and slams her hard. She is out!! Wow what a finish! The crowd goes nuts.

Kaufman KO

That would have been a suitable finish to the night. Shame she was not the main event like she deserved to be.

Shane Del Rosario (9-0) vs. Lolohea Mahe (6-1-1) - heavyweight

This should be a quick one.

Round One: Rosario lands a hard leg kick. They clinch and exchange short shots. The ref seperates them. Hard leg kicks from both and missing punches. This really should not be the main event. Hard uppercut by Mahe and then he takes a low knee. Ref gives him time to recover. Mahe looks powerful. Hard body kicks from Rosario. You can hear them across the arena. Hard knee to Mahe. He crumbles. Fight is over.

Rosario TKO