LAS VEGAS – “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine” takes place this evening at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will put his title on the line tonight against UFC vet Keith Jardine in the main event.
In the co-main event, Robbie Lawler will face Adlan Amagov in a middleweight showdown, and former light heavyweight champ “King Mo” Lawal returns to face striker Lorenz Larkin in a 205 pound showdown.
Tonight’s fight card will air LIVE on Showtime (main card) and Showtime Extreme (preliminary card) as part of their Free Preview Weekend. ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) will provide LIVE results and play-by-play commentary.
“Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine” quick results:
MAIN CARD (Showtime)
- Luke Rockhold (c) def. Keith Jardone by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:26)
- Robbie Lawler def. Adlan Amagov by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (1:48)
- Mo Lawal def. Lorenz Larkin by TKO (punches) Rd 2 (1:32)
- Tyron Woodley def. Jordan Mein by unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
- Tarec Saffiedine def. Tyler Stinson by split decision (28-29. 30-27, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Showtime Extreme)
- Nah-Shon Burrell def. James Terry by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Gian Villante def. Trevor Smith by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:05)
- Ricky Legere def. Chris Spang by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Estevan Payan def. Alonzo Martinez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
“Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine” play-by-play:
(160) Alonzo Martinez vs. Estevan Payan
Round 1 – Leg kick from Martinez. Body shot. Leg kick. Nice overhand right but gets countered with a left. Right hand by Martinez, leg kick. Left hook. Payan with a jab. Leg kick Martinez. Left hook from Payan connects. Counter jab from Martinez, overhand right. Left to the body from Martinez, he shoots, grabs a single but Payan escapes. Right counter from Payan. Leg kick from Payan. Jab, right, left hook from Payan. Body kick. Leg kick from Martinez, jab from Payan, backs Martinez against the cage and lands a couple punches and a knee. Counter left from Payan, leg kick. Jab. Two minutes to go. One two from Payan, jab. Big leg kick from Payan. Body shot from Martinez, backs Payan to the cage, dropping levels, can’t get it. Counter left from Payan, leg kick, they tie up against the cage, knee from Payan, he backs out. Leg kick Martinez. Leg kick from Payan. PMN scores the round 10-9 Payan.
Round 2 – Left from Payan. Inside leg kick from Martinez, outside. Left hook from Payan, followed by a one two that knocks Martinez’s mouthpiece out. Left hook from Payan and a big leg kick, left jab. Payan counters, landing a nice left right combo that causes Martinez to shoot for the takedown, stuffed. Payan pushes him to the cage, backs away. Jab. Leg kick from Payan. Payan fights out of Arizona Combat — the Lally brothers are in his corner. Martinez with a jab. Body kick. They tie up, Martinez shoots, stuffed. Martinez has a cut on his left cheek. Left from Martinez. Jab from Payan, left hook, right. Jab. Nice right hook counter from Payan. A slower pace this round but Payan still gets it 10-9.
Round 3 – Martinez lands a couple leg kicks. Left to the body and left hook to the face from Payan. Nice left from Martinez. Misses a body kick. Body shot from Payan. Nice jab. Jab from Payan. Nice jab, hook to the body and a left hand to the face from Payan rocks Martinez’s head back. Leg kick from Payan. Left hook. Martinez drops levels, stuffed. Martinez shoots, Payan shrugs him off as Martinez lands on his back. Big leg kick from Payan. Jab from Payan, again. Left hook from Payan. Jab. Nice right to the body from Payan, straight left, leg kick. Jab. Left counter from Martinez. Jab from Payan, nice body shot, jab. Nice left to the body right to the head from Payan. Martinez shoots in for a miracle, he’s stuffed and the fight is over. PMN scores the round 10-9 and the fight 30-27 for Payan.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Estevan Payan def. Alonzo Martinez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)
(170) Ricky Legere vs. Chris Spang
Round 1 – Spang with a jab and a hook, push kick, Legere picks him up and puts him on his back. Legere inside Spang’s full guard. He throws up an armbar, lets it go after Legere defends. Spang tries to use the cage with his back to get up. Legere does a good job keeping him down, yanking his arm out from underneath him preventing him from posting up. Legere delivering body shots while inside guard. Legere moves to side control. Legere drops some short elbows. Spang recovers half guard. Now full guard. Short elbow and a right to the head from Legere. Spang explodes out and gets to his feet. High kick from Spang. Legere pushes him to the cage, drops levels, picks Spang up. Sets him down but Spang drops down for a guillotine. Legere raises his hand it looks like he may tap, time runs out. PMN scores the round 10-9 Legere.
Round 2 – Spang lands a couple punches, a jumping knee as Legere dives in for a takedown and puts Spang on his back. Inside full guard. Legere working the ground and pound from inside the guard. Nice right elbow from Legere. He postures up. Spang goes for an ankle, Legere tries to pass, stacks Spang up back inside guard now. Ref stands them up. Nice combo from Spang. Legere ducks a spinning backfist, shoots and pushes Spang to the cage as he drops levels. Picks Spang up and walks across the cage for a slam a la Matt Hughes. Legere on top in half guard. Digging elbow from Legere looking to advance position. Legere covers Spang’s mouth, gives some short punches. PMN scores the round 10-9 Legere.
Round 3 – Overhand right from Spang, body shot. One two from Legere. One two and a body shot from Spang. Legere shoots and puts Spang on his back by pushing through. Legere inside full guard. Ref stands them up after a slow pace. Legere pushes Spang to the cage. Under two minutes to go. Spang gets underhooks but Legere picks him up for another takedown. Legere goes to work from inside guard. Spang pushes him off and gets up. Spang stuffs the takedown, scrambles and takes Legere’s back. He goes for the choke but doesn’t have both hooks in. Legere is safe for the moment with under 30 seconds to go. Legere reverses and gets full mount before the bell. Almost an upset by Spang at the end there. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Legere and the fight 30-27 for Legere.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ricky Legere def. Chris Spang by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)
Pat Miletich also scored the fight 30-27 for Legere.
(205) Trevor Smith vs. Gian Villante
Round 1 – Ms. Winslow is the ref. Leg kick from Smith, Villante catches it and gets the takedown but Smith gets right up. Knees to the thighs from Villante, he backs away. Body kick from Smith, leg kick. Leg kick from Smith, Villante gives one back followed by a left hook that rocks Smith. Smith goes for a leg and Villante gives him several hard hammerfists and Kim Winslow waves the fight off. Smith does not stop and keeps going after Villante causing Ms.Winslow to fall. The replay shows the fight was stopped early. Smith’s face was face down but he was in the midst of a scramble taking hammerfists to the back of the head. Definitely an early stoppage and an anticlimactic ending.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Gian Villante def. Trevor Smith by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:05)
(170) Nah-Shon Burrell vs. James Terry
Round 1 – Leg kick from Terry. Nice overhand right from Terry. Straight left and leg kick from Burrell. Right from Terry. Leg kick from Burrell. Superman punch from Terry. Counter left from Burrell. Terry shoots, pushes Burrell to the cage. Burrell defends but ends up on his back. Terry inside full guard. Burrell makes it to his feet. Terry immediately drops levels, puts Burrell down, gets full mount. Burrell muscles out and to his feet. Terry shoots again, Burrell defends, goes to his knees, Terry goes for his back. Burrell to his feet. Terry goes for a single pushing Burrell to the cage. Gets Burrell to the ground but he makes it back up pretty quickly. Burrell misses an elbow on the break. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Terry.
Round 2 – Burrell blocks a high kick. Terry dancing on the outside, gets caught with an uppercut. Burrell misses a left hook. Nice right from Terry, pushes Burrell to the cage. Nice slam, lands in half guard. Burrell sits up but Terry stays on top, takes Burrell’s back. Burrell makes it to his feet. Nice right from Terry. Left from Burrell. Big leg kick from Burrell. Under two minutes to go. Terry ties him up against the cage. Burrell gets off the cage, lands a knee to the body under the armpit. Jab, shoot from Terry. Burrell stops it, momentarily. Terry on top in half guard. Burrell gets up before the bell, just misses a big elbow. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Terry.
Round 3 – Terry circling. Burrell going after him with punches. Can’t connect. Lands a leg kick and a left. Ties Terry up, breaks and lands a one two. Hunting Terry. Stuffs a shot, lands a knee. Nice right to the body left to the head from Burrell. Terry’s pace has slowed. Nice right from Burrell, uppercut, he’s hunting, flying knee. Leg kick, backs him to the cage. Thai clinch, knee to the body. Body kick. Leg kick from Terry. Under two minutes to go. Leg kick from Terry. Burrell letting him breathe too much. Big right from Burrell. Just over a minute to go. Big uppercut snaps Terry’s head back. Right hook. Leg kick from Terry. Terry shoots, pushes Burrell to the cage. Burrell drops down for a guillotine. Big mistake, now he’s on his butt. Terry postures up with a hammerfist. PMN scores the round 10-9 Burrell but the fight 29-28 for Terry.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Nah-Shon Burrell def. James Terry by unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)
Miletich and Shamrock both agreed with our analysis that Terry won the fight. Terrible freaking decision by the judges. Ridiculous in fact. — I think I saw a woman judge, for the record.
(170) Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler Stinson
Round 1 – Leg kick from Saffiedine, he’s countered with a combo. Leg kick from Stinson. Leg kick from Saffiedine. Stinson checks a leg kick. Head kick from Saffiedine. Leg kick from Stinson. Inside from Saffiedine. Inside from Saffiedine. Stinson with a push kick. Head kick from Saffiedine, blocked. One, two, three from Saffiedine, leg kick. Leg kick from Saffiedine, overhand right, head kick, leg kick. Front kick to the face. Stinson still coming forward, they tie up. Knee from Stinson. Stinson rocks Saffiedine with an elbow that puts him on rollerskates. Saffiedine gets a takedown. Stinson goes for an armbar. Saffiedine is out and Stinson is back to his feet. Saffiedine gets up and he is bleeding from his right eye. A left hook scores for Stinson. He’s hunting Saffiedine. They tie up. Elbow from Stinson. PMN scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine.
Round 2 – Left from Stinson. Head kick from Saffiedine. Stinson hunting. Left from Saffiedine. Left from Stinson and a head kick. Stinson backs Saffidine against the cage with a combo. Stinson with a one two. Inside leg kick, he shoots and gets the takedown, lands on top in half guard. Stinson with an elbow off his back. Saffiedine with ground and pound, body shots. Saffiedine dropping some elbows from inside full guard. Right hand from Saffidine. Stinson’s face is bloodied up. Round ends with Saffiedine still inside guard doing damage. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Saffiedine.
Round 3 – Inside leg kick from Saffiedine travels too high. Time out for Mr. Saffidine. Inside leg kick and high kick from Saffiedine, he shoots, big high takedown for Saffiedine. Stinson looking for an arm but Saffiedine defends and stays active on top. Two minutes to go. Saffiedine staying busy enough not to get stood up, he’s dropping elbows. The ref finally stands them up. Both guys are bloody. Saffiedine just misses a big right hand. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Saffiedine and the fight 30-27 for Saffiedine.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Tarec Saffiedine def. Tyler Stinson by split decision (28-29. 30-27, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)
(170) Jordan Mein vs. Tyron Woodley
Round 1 – Mein with a big height advantage. Body kick from Woodley. Leg kick. Mein backing him up to the cage. Misses a high kick, Woodley shoots, drives across the cage, pushing Mein to the cage. Grabs the single, Mein defending the high crotch lift well. Knee from Woodley to the thigh. Mein is much more experienced here. Started fighting at 14. Ref separates them. Mein backs him up with a jab. Woodley ducks a hook. Mein lands an uppercut. Woodley ties him up and gets the takedown with a body lock. Woodley on top in half guard. Woodley laying on Mein keeping him flattened down. Mein explodes, but Woodley maintains control and retains half guard. Mein tries to pop out but Woodley is glued to Mein. Shoulder strikes from Woodley, big elbow scores. Another elbow and Mein explodes to his feet. Thirty seconds to go. Mein using nice feints. They tie up, knee from Woodley. Front kick from Mein. PMN scores the round 10-9 Woodley.
Round 2 – Woodley catches a leg kick, lets it go. Nice right from Woodley backs Mein up. He grabs a body lock. Takes Mein down and is on top in half guard. Body shots from Woodley. He postures up, elbow. Mein starts to try to sit up against the cage but Woodley keeps him down. Mein with elbows to the back of the head. Mein fighting off his back. Woodley not doing much, a few light punches. Mein looks for an armbar briefly but Woodley lays him flat. Elbows from Mein off his back. Woodley with very light punches to the body, not wanting to give up position. Mein throws his legs up as Woodley stacks him. Time runs out. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Woodley.
Round 3 – Woodley ducks a knee and puts Mein on his back. Mein gets his feet on the cage, pushes himself out toward the center. Woodley with some body shots. Mein lands some elbows off his back. Mein tries to explode out. Ref tells them to stay busy. Woodley playing the lay and pray game unfortunately, which has been the biggest knock on him. Body shots from Woodley. Lots of boos from the crowd. Woodley drops an elbow. Mein looking for a kimura. Ref stands them up as Mein is in mid-submission attempt. Mein slips on a front kick. Woodley gets a body lock, knee to the body. Mein with a couple punches to the body. Knee from Woodley, again. KNee from Mein. Boos from the crowd. Woodley’s wife cheers. She’s the only one happy. PMN scores the round 10-9 Woodley, the fight 30-27 for Woodley.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Tyron Woodley def. Jordan Mein by unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27) Rd 3 (5:00)
The fact one judge gave the fight to Mein is absolutely ridiculous. That person should be immediately fired from the commission.
(205) Lorenz Larkin vs. Muhammed Lawal
Round 1 – Mo ties him up, grabs a single and dumps Larkin on his back, drops a big right, left elbow. Postures up with more punches. Mo stands up moves to half guard. Larkin looking for a sweep. Mo drops some more elbows. Larkin trying to sit up but Mo flattens him. Elbow from the bottom from Larkin. Right hands from Mo. He postures up. Woodley should take notes on ground and pound. Mo postures up with more rights and lefts. Body shots, head shots. Big right to the face. Stupid freaking referee stood them up. Ridiculous. Mo blocks a right. Mo’s hands are down. Jab from Larkin. Mo misses a left hook. Right jab to the body. Larkin lands a right before the bell. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Mo.
Round 2 – Overhand right from Mo, shoots, stuffed. Shoots for a single, lifts Larkin’s leg high, tries to sweep it, finally dumps him. Mo postures up with a few right hands to the body and face. Big right hands and Larkin is hurt, it’s over as he goes out. Nice solid win for Mr. Lawal.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Mo Lawal def. Lorenz Larkin by TKO (punches) Rd 2 (1:32)
Mo said the fight should have been stopped sooner. He even told the referee after the fight she let him throw too many punches.
(185) Adlan Amagov vs. Robbie Lawler
Round 1 – Lawler comes out swinging and Amagov puts him down. Lawler gets up to his feet. Amagov has a body lock from behind and drags Lawler back down. Amagov on top in half guard. Lawler gets to his knees, illegal knee to the head. Amagov is deducted a point. It was a hard shot too. The doctor checks Lawler out and looks ready to go. They shake hands. Lawler being tentative now. Lawler with a flying knee and he flies over Amagov’s head but not before catching Amagov on the way over, Amagov drops face first to the canvas. Lawler gives him a few punches to finish him. Replay shows the knee actually caught him on the top/back of the head with the knee. I guess that’s how you respond to an illegal knee.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Robbie Lawler def. Adlan Amagov by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (1:48)
I’ve seen it all now — UFC President Dana White is being interviewed about the future of Strikeforce. The strange thing about this is that this is sort of Scott Coker’s job… is it not? “Business as usual”.
(Title 185) Champ Luke Rockhold vs. Keith Jardine
Round 1 – This is a funny fight… it’s like Ken vs. an outlaw biker. Leg kick from Jardine, inside. Inside leg kick. Head kick from Rockhold, to the body. Misses a right hook. Lands a counter right. Body kick from Rockhold. Jardine shoots. Rockhold turns him around to the cage. Knees to the body from both guys. Big knee from Rockhold to the body, another one. Knee from Jardine. Knee from Rockhold. Elbow from Rockhold on the exit. Jardine misses a body kick. Head kick from Rockhold misses, spinning back kick lands perfect to the body. Nice left from Rockhold, nice left from Jardine. Leg kick from Jardine. Rockhold misses a spinning back kick. Nice body kick. Jardine misses a combo. Leg kick lands, again. Jardine gets hit behind the head and drops down but he may have been off balance. Right hand from Jardine. Rockhold lands a big left as Jardine is rushing in. Rockhold lands a right hook and Jardine goes down. Rockhold lands about 20 more punches before referee Herb Dean saves him from unnecessary punishment. I don’t know what was going on tonight, but the judges and the referees were awful tonight. Jardine took some brutal punishment there.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Luke Rockhold def. Keith Jardone by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:26)
Luke Rockhold says the UFC should bring over some top contenders, says he wants to fight the best in the world.