Strikeforce Challengers: Live Play-by-Play

PRO MMA’s (promma.info) Matt De La Rosa is live on scene providing up to date commentary for this evening’s Strikeforce Challengers card at the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California. The main event is headlined by lightweights Billy Evangelista and Mike Aina, with a co-feature between Miesha Tate and Sarah Kaufman. Stay tuned to PRO MMA for the latest on what is going on at the SaveMart Center.

Main Card
(LW) Billy Evangelista vs. Mike Aina
Rd. 1 – Evangelista and Aina both land a few kicks and jabs that excite the crowd. After a few slow moments Evangelista shoots in for a single leg and drives the Hawaiian up against the fence and lands some knees. Aina pushes off and lands a few shots of his own before Evangelista comes in and puts Aina up against the fence for a second time. The round ends with the two men trading standing elbows and an inadvertent low blow to Aina that does minimal damage.

Rd. 2 – Evangelista shoots in for a double but Aina throws a few knees and punches that forces the two men to the center of the cage. The action slows down but Evangelista puts Aina against the fence and takes him down with a single. Evangelista postures up in Aina’s open guard and reigns down blows to the crowds delight. After he works his way out of Aina’s guard Evangelista hits Aina with an accidental knee to the head that stops the fight temporarily. Replays show that Aina had one knee down but also that Evangelista’s knee grazed Aina’s arm. The crowd boos as Herb Dean waves off the fight. The official ruling is 3:30 in to the second a DQ win for “Iron” Mike Aina. The crowd is irrate as the replays show that Evangelista’s knee never hit Aina’s head. Aina’s arm was driven into his temple. A beer is thrown right over PRO MMA’s laptop and is covered in liquid. Evangelista receives a large ovation from his hometown crowd. Herb Dean announces that the Doctor believed that Aina’s jaw may be broken.

(BW) Sarah Kaufman vs. Miesha Tate
Rd. 1 – After trading jabs teh two women trade some nice leather in the center. Tate surprisingly enough seems contnet to stand with Kaufman and the undefeated Kaufman is happy to oblige. Kaufman appears to be the much stronger opponent and stuffs a few of Tate’s shots. Tate is able to get the double leg taking Kaufman down to close out the round.
Rd. 2 – After eating a few rights from Kaufman early on Tate takes Kaufman down against the fence. Tate is unable to work from Kaufman’s half guard due to Kaufman’s strength and ability to keep Tate close. Tate grabbed Kaufman’s back before the round comes to an end.
Rd. 3 – Kaufman keeps Tate at bay with her jab and straight right. Tate trys to shoot in for the double leg but Kaufman continues to stuff Tate’s shots and winds up on top of Tate. The round comes to an end with Kaufman landing a few straight rights and negating another shot. The judges see the bout (29-28) across the board for Sarah Kaufman.

(HW) LaVar Johnson vs. Carl Seumanutafa
Rd. 1 – Seumanutafa attempts to shoot in on Johnson and gets leveled be a right uppercut ending the bout 18 seconds into the first round. Johnson’s only punch that landed won the fight. Before Lennon can read the final results of the bout the crowd showers the Savemart center with cheers for the victorious heavyweight.

(LHW) Anthony Ruiz vs. Aaron Rosa
Rd. 1 – Both men land hard hooks to the face before clinching up against the cage. Rosa tries to break off and both men land hard shots to the head before Ruiz attempts a single leg. Rosa reverses Ruiz’s single leg attempt and dumps him up against the cage and finds himself in half guard. Rosa is able to secure Ruiz’s back and after working a few punches sinks in the rear naked choke. Ruiz does not tap and the referee waves it off with :31 seconds left in the first round. The official call is rear naked choke TKO at 4:29 seconds in the first round for Aaron Rosa.

(FW) Bao Quach vs. Tito Jones
Rd. 1 – The two men start off with the usual feeling out process to begin the fight and the crowd boos at about one minute into the fight. After minutes of circling in the center, Jones slips a Quach hook and clinches. After a few knees the round is over and the loudest ovation of the fight comes when the ring girls take to the rim of the cage.
Rd. 2 – The second round appears to be a mirror of the first as the two men circle in the center trading the occasional low kick and cross. The crowd grows angrier by the minute.
Rd. 3 – Jones and Quach clinch and as they separate Jones lands a right hook that sends Quach to the canvas. Jones jumps on Quach and throws punches from the top position but Quach pulls through and makes it to his feet. After making their back to the middle Jones knocks Quach down again with another right that sends him reeling to the mat. Quach again weathers the storm and the fight finds it way back to the feet. The pace slows and the crowd starts to grumble again after the furious start to the round. Jones comes in with a flying knee but Quach counters with a right hook seconds before the horn sounds. Jimmy Lennon Jr. reads the cards as the judges see it all (29-28) for Bao Quach and the crowd, which was unhappy for the majority of the fight, lets Quach and the judges have it with a slew of boos, obscenities and hand gestures.

Non- Televised Undercard
(MW) Chad Sutton vs. Spencer Herns
Rd.1- The two men exchange low kicks to start the round of and Sutton secures a take down against the fence but Herns pops back up. Sutton is able to take down Herns again and the referee stands them up after Sutton is unable to mount any offense. After another brief exchange of rights Sutton grabs another take down against the fence as time expires.
Rd. 2 – Sutton attempts to throw Herns to start off the round but Herns blocks it and finds himself on top of Sutton. Herns throws a few blows while in full guard but the two are eventually stood back up. They clinch up against the fence and Herns scores the double leg take down. Herns stays on top of Sutton to close out the round.
Rd. 3 – The two middleweights feel one another out on the feet to a slew of boos from the Fresno faithful. With hardly any action to speak of the crowd continues to boo until Herns throws a looping right hook and Sutton tries to grab a double leg up against Herns corner of the cage. Herns is able to move into Sutton’s open guard. Herns ends the round working from Sutton’s open guard. The judges score the bout for Spencer Herns in a Majority Decision win.

(LW) Fabricio Camoes vs. Torrance Taylor
Rd. 1 – After a few exchanges of low kicks and right hooks the two men clinch up against the fence and throw some knees to the body. Camoes attempts a take down and Taylor applies a whizzer to defend but Camoes slams Taylor in the center of the cage. The Brazilian has Taylor’s back with both hooks in and Taylor bucks to defend but winds up with Camoes on top in full mount. Camoes throws some vicious ground and pound before getting Taylor’s back and locking in the rear naked choke. The official call is RNC in the first round at 3:21 mark.

(LW) Thomas Diagne vs Kaleo Kwan
Rd. 1 – Diagne pushes the pace with a pair of brutal kicks to Kwan’s body and lands a nice spinning back kick. Diange is showing off the skills that he has gathered at Cung Le’s gym by throwing hard low kicks and a few standing side kicks that stun Kwan. The round ends with the light weights exchanging punches in the center of the cage.
Rd. 2 – Diagne lands another spinning back kick at the start of the round and his low kicks continue to find their mark. Kwan attempts to throw jabs and right straights but can not close the distance. Kwan is able to work his way in and land a one-two combination but Diagne answers back with a combo of his own. The round ends with Kwan attempting a shot from the outside.
Rd. 3 – Diagne attempts to grab the Thai plumb and throws some knees but Kwan fights his way out with rights and lefts. Diagne is putting on a Kickboxing exhibition with beautiful round houses and spinning heel kicks. Diagne grabs the Thai clinch and lands a few more knees. Diagne lands a kick to the body that causes the crowd to gasp. Kwan mounts a come back and hits Diagne with devastating over hand rights and dirty boxing. As the final seconds wind down Kwan has Diagne up against the fence and is landing combos and one hard overhand shot that nearly knocked Diagne down one second before the horn sounded. Before the decision is read Diagne is on his stool being tended to by his corner and ring side physicians. The judges give Thomas Diagne the Unanimous Decision win.

(160) Ben Holscher vs. Cody Cantebury
Rd. 1 – Holscher attempts a big slam but Cantebury blocks it and winds up working a standing guillotine. Holscher powers out and takes Cantebury down to the ground. Holscher works his way to half guard and gets Cantebury’s back, pounding away looking for the rear naked choke. “The Teacher” continues to punish Cantebury with blows and locks in the choke earning the tap. The crowd goes wild for their local star and Holscher jumps on the fence to a hero’s ovation. The official call is 2:47 in the first via rear naked choke for Ben “The Teacher” Holscher