“Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal” LIVE results and play-by-play

SAN DIEGO – “Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal“ takes place this evening at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, and will air LIVE on Showtime starting at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez puts his title on the line against American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal in the main event. In the co-main event, Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos defends her title against Japan’s Hiroko Yamanaka, who is making her Strikeforce and U.S. debut.

ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) will provide LIVE results and play-by-play commentary of tonight’s event. In the meantime be sure to check out our ProMMAnow.com “Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal” staff picks to see our breakdown of each of the main card bouts.

“Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal” quick results:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

• (Title) Gilbert Melendez def.  Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) Rd 3 (5:00)
• (Title) Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos def. Hiroko Yamanaka by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:16)
• Gegard Mousasi def. Ovince Saint Preux by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3
• KJ Noons def. Billy Evangelista by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Caros Fodor def. Justin Wilcox by KO (punches) Rd 1 (:13)
• Roger Bowling def. Jerron Peoples by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:42)
• Devin Cole def. Gabriel Salinas-Jones by unanimous decision
• Eddie Mendez def. Fernando Gonzalez by split decision
• Herman Terrado def. Chris Brown by submission (armbar) Rd 3 (4:05)

Press F5 on your keyboard to refresh the page as fight results and play-by-play will be updated in real time following each round of action.

“Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal” play-by-play:

K.J. Noons vs. Billy Evangelista

Round 1 – Leg kick by Noons, Evangelista checks the next one. Noons shoots and gets it down but Evangelista is right back up. Wow, surprising start from Noons. They tie up briefly. Leg kick from Noons. Evangelista pushes him to the cage. Short body shots from Noons. Evangelista puts him down, Noons right up, Evangelista goes for a standing guillotine but Noons gets free. They tie back up, Evangelista looks for a trip takedown but Noons defends. They square up, Noons not letting his hands go so far, being patient. Throwing out a feeling jab. Inside leg kick. Evangelista returns one. Noons with an outside leg kick. Uppercut and a big left hook from Evangelista. They tie up, Noons with a jab. Inside leg kick from Noons. Evangelista with his own. Leg kick from Noons, lands a hook on the third punch. Evangelista pushes him against the cage. Knee from Evangelista and an elbow before the bell. PMN scores the round 10-9 Evangelista.

Round 2 – Leg kick from Noons, again. He stops a takedown. Leg kick from Evangelista. Inside leg kick from Noons and a right. Spinning back kick and a hook from Noons. Body shot, eats a counter left. Front kick from Noons. He moves from left to right. jab from Evangelista. Leg kick from Noons, front kick and a right. Body shot. Jab, jab from Evangelista. Big right from Noons. Shoots, stuffed. Leg kick from Noons. Big right from Evangelista. Inside leg kick from Noons. He shoots, stuffed. Leg kick from Noons. Right from Evangelista. Leg kick from Noons. Leg kick from Evangelista. He slips a couple Evangelista punches. Knee from Noons. Left hook from Evangelista as Noons avoids a takedown. Elbow from Evangelista. Right, left from Noons, leg kick. Leg kick from Evangelista and Noons checks it. Body shot from Noons, Evangelista pushes him to the cage, knee. Noons shoots, pushes Evangelista to the cage. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Noons. — Noons looks like a completely different fighter. Reinvented from himself.

Round 3 – Leg kick Noons. Jab, left from Evangelista. Jabs from Noons. Evangelista hunting, big right. Noons with a nice uppercut and a right. Evangelista lands one. Inside leg kick from Noons, a left. Right from Evangelista. Jab from Noons. Head kick from Noons out of nowhere. Evangelista shoots, stuffed. Inside leg kick from Noons. Knee from Evangelista. Noons slips a one two. Leg kick, uppercut from Noons. Jab. Leg kick from Evangelista. Jab from Noons. He stuffs a shot. Knee from Evangelista, hunting, body shot. Jabs from Evangelista. Noons fighting him off with punches. Evangelista ties up, Noons gets free, shoots, Evangelista locks on a standing guillotine, Noons goes to the ground a gets free. They start slugging it out, punches coming slow and sloppy now as they both tire. Noons lands a one two as they talk to each other. Noons misses with a haymaker. Left hook lands for Noons. Jab from Noons getting the better of the slugfest. Body shot from Evangelista. They leave it all in the cage. PMN scores it 10-9 for Noons and 29-28 for Noons. Fun fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: KJ Noons def. Billy Evangelista by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)

Cris Cyborg is wearing a shirt that says “Who’s the Man”. Oh goodness.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux

Round 1 – Here we go. Body kick from OSP. Leg kick from Mousasi. Again. Again. Body kick from OSP. He blocks Mousasi’s high kick. Body kick from OSP. Mousasi hunting. Right from Mousasi. Leg kick from Mousasi. One two from Mousasi lands. Lands a right. Mousasi catches a body kick and OSP ends up on his back. Mousasi in half guard on top. Two rights from Mousasi, a couple more as he postures up over OSP. Mousasi in side control. Elbow, again. Left punch. Body punch. He has him in a crucifix but OSP gets up and gets put back down. Mousasi with elbows and maintains side control. Mousasi goes for a kimura but OSP is free, sweeps and is on top in half guard. Only 30 seconds left. Mousasi sweeps, stacks him up, big left and elbows and punches. Gets a crucifix and lands some punches as time runs out. PMN gets the round 10-9 and OSP is a little slow to his feet.

Round 2 – OSP needs to let his hands go if he’s going to fare any better this round. High kick from OSP blocked. He shoots, stuffed. Mousasi trips OSP to the ground with great technique. Full guard. Mousasi stacks up. On top in half guard is Mousasi, lands a couple elbows. Three minutes to go. Elbow from Mousasi. Ref warms Mousasi to improve. Ref stands them up. Big leg kick from Mousasi. Lunging knee from OSP but Mousasi catches it, ends up on his back though with OSP on top inside full guard. Ref tells him to improve it. OSP in side control. Elbow to the body, and a few punches. Less than a minute to go though. OSP in half guard. Mousasi gets up. Misses a head kick. And OSP misses one. Shoots, stuffed. PMN scores the round 10-9 Mousasi.

Round 3 – Leg kick from Mousasi. Lunging knee from OSP. Clinched against the cage. Knee from OSP and Mousasi gets the takedown. Trying to take OSP’s back. OSP turns around, grabs a single. OSP swoops him down and ends up in side control. OSP looking for crucifix. Full mount, Mousasi tries to esacape. OSP controls him but Mousasi gets up. drives all the way across the cage and takes OSP’s back. OSP gets up, Mousasi tries to drag him down, and ends up on bottom but scrambles to top position. This stupid ref keeps telling them to work and they have been scrambling. OSP spins around but ends up on his back. Mousasi on top in half guard. Regardless, this is a great learning experience for OSP.  OSP gets out and up lands a straight left. Under a minute to go. OSP on top now with 30 seconds to go. OSP locks on a D’arce but time runs out. Wow! He won the round but lost the fight in my book. PMN scores the round 10-9 for OSP, but the fight for Mousasi 29-28. We saw OSP go for the finish but just a little too late. Great gutsy fight by both guys. I don’t see this as a setback for OSP.

OFFICIAL RESULT:  Gegard Mousasi def. Ovince Saint Preux by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Rd 3 (5:00)

Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Championship
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka

Round 1 – It has been so long since Cyborg has fought, she is ready to unleash the beast. They touch gloves by direction of the referee. Yamanaka comes out ready to bang — not a smart move. Cyborg gets the better of the exchange and Yamanaka goes down from a right hook. She makes her way up but gets dropped again. Cyborg stacks her up against the cage with big punches and the ref stops it. — Camera pans to Ronda Rousey who looks excited.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos def. Hiroko Yamanaka by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:16)

Cyborg said she thinks Rousey speaks too much and says, “Bring her on, I’m ready.”

Strikeforce Lightweight Championship
Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal

Round 1 – Masvidal patient. Big leg kick from Masvidal. Nice jab from Melendez. Leg kick from Masvidal, jab. One two from Melendez, counters a leg kick. Masvidal tells him to bring it on. Leg kick from Masvidal. Right hand from Masvidal. Leg kick counter from Gilbert. Head kick from Masvidal blocked. Leg kick from Masvidal after a punch exchange. Leg kick from Masvidal sweeps him to the ground. Jab from Masvidal. Leg kick again. Right from Melendez, he catches a kick. Locks a guillotine on Masvidal, he gets free. Right from Melendez during an exchange. Jab from Masvidal. PMN scores the round 10-9 Melendez.

Big John is a judge tonight. And that is a good thing.

Round 2 – “El Nino” chants. Masvidal playing the counter game. Melendez missing a few punches. Melendez lands a body shot. Leg kick from Masvidal, eats a counter right. Left hook from Melendez. Head kick blocked by Melendez, counters with a right. Leg kick, one two, backs Masvidal up to the cage. Jabs from Melendez being the aggressor, leg kick. Straight left from Masvidal. Nice body shot from Melendez. Masvidal with a body shot. Right hook from Melendez. Jab from Masvidal. Jab left hook from Melendez. Leg kick from Masvidal. Double jab and a right from Melendez as Masvidal covers up. Masvidal still playing the counter game, but not effectively. Nice right from Melendez. PMN scores the round 10-9 Melendez.

Round 3 – One two from Melendez. He backs Masvidal up. Gilbert shoots, stuffed. Lazy leg kick from Masvidal. Nice right from Melendez. and lands a few more on back of it. Melendez getting the better of the boxing so far. Jumping knee from Masvidal lands but no effect. Counter right from Masvidal and Melendez’s mouth piece flies out. Melendez backs him up, one two. Masvidal baits him with taunts, calling him on. Masvidal covering up and blocking much of it. Body shot from Masvidal and a double jab on the back of it. Nice right from Melendez. Left from Melendez. Masvidal moving forward now. body kick from Masvidal. Melendez lands a right. Masvidal ducks and dodges many of Melendez’s punches of a combo. PMN scores the round 10-9 Melendez. — Masvidal is fighting like he’s the champ waiting for Melendez to take the title from him.

Round 4 – One two from Melendez. Double jab, right from Melendez. Again. One two. Masvidal not doing much, looks like he’s sparring almost. Left hook from Masvidal. One two from Melendez. Nice right. Left from Masvidal. Masvidal with a left. Leg kick from Masvidal. Left from Masvidal counters. One two from Melendez. Masvidal acts like he is in anything but a title fight. Melendez trying to make it a fight. Melendez’s right eye almost swollen shut. Jabs from Masvidal, leg kick. Melendez misses with a combo and an elbow. Masvidal raises his hand after the round. A few claps and boos from the crowd. PMN scores the round 10-9 for Melendez.

Masvidal’s corner seems to be acting like he’s winning the fight or something. Very bizarre.

Round 5 – Melendez shoots, stuffed. Melendez goes back to boxing. Masvidal lands a jab, flying knee, again, misses both. One two from Melendez, big right. Jab from Masvidal, leg kick. Masvidal dodges a few punches, lands a body shot. Nice double jabs from Masvidal and a left hook. One two from Melendez and Masvidal taunts. Leg kick from Masvidal. One two from Melendez, two more. Right from Melendez. Right hook from Melendez. Left hook from Masvidal. One two from Melendez. One minute to go. Straight left from Melendez. Nice combo. They both start opening up with punches in the pocket with half a minute to go. Masvidal shoots, gets the takedown but for a split second and Melendez is up and this fight is over. PMN scores the round 10-9 and the fight 50-45 for Melendez. Melendez came to fight. Masvidal came to counter.

“This is my belt, he needs to take it from me,” said Melendez. Melendez said they need to bring some people to challenge him, bring in the UFC guys. — The commentating crew is having a hard time reading the prompter after the bout.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Gilbert Melendez def.  Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) Rd 3 (5:00)