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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
STRIKEFORCE: HENDERSON VS. BABALU
DECEMBER 4, 2010
LIVE FROM ST. LOUIS, MO
Mauro Ranallo narrates the opening video, showing Babalu calling out Dan Henderson for this fight. Henderson is predicting a knockout for the fight tonight. He brings in his broadcast team in Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich to discuss Henderson and Babalu in the main event.
The text poll for tonight's event is which fighter should be the first to face new Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante: King Mo, Gegard Mousasi, Mike Kyle or the winner of tonight's main event.
FIGHT ONE: OVINCE ST. PREUX VS. BENJI RADACH (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Both fighters started tentatively. St. Preux finally landed the first strike with a kick to the body. Radach slowly tried to close the distance and then he shot in and scored a takedwon against the cage. St. Preux did a good job to get back to his feet but Radach held onto a body lock on the cage. Radach landed a couple of knees and tried to throw St. Preux. St Preux landed a punch but took a big one from Radach as he separated. He came forward with a high kick and seemed to stun Radach. He got Radach to the ground with a straight leftand Radach gave up his back. St. Preux flattened him out after giving up on a choke attempt. He landed some hard punches to the side of the head and Radach covered up. St. Preux threw some hard shots to the body. St. Preux went back to hammer fists to the side of the head and Radach is just holding his hands on the side of his head. St. Preux snuck an arm under Radach's throat but couldn't lock it on. He tried to lock on the choke again but went back to punches. He continued unleashing shots to the side of the head and the round came to an end. I don't know why the fight wasn't stopped.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-8 St. Preux. He dominated that round after rocking Radach, and the fight arguably should have been stopped.
ROUND TWO: St. Preux rocked Radach immediately with an uppercut and took his back. After a scramble, St. Preux got to the back of Radach again. Radach turtled to his knees and St. Preux continued to look for openings. St. Preux stayed patient and landed shots to the body and to the side of the head. St. Preux landed a few from underneath the arms of Radach. He landed a knee to the body and Radach tried to roll, but St. Preux stayed on his back. The crowd booed as the action had slowed way down. St. Preux's content to stay in this position and just stay slightly busy. St. Preux tired himself out in that first round. Radach finally rolled and St. Preux tried to pull him down against the cage. Radach rolls again and St. Preux ends the round on top.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 St. Preux. He slowed way down, but again had a dominant round.
ROUND THREE: Radach came out quick and got St. Preux to the cage. Radach landed a good combination and they traded punches against the cage. Radach tried to get a takedown but St. Preux popped up. St. Preux rocked Radach with another big punch and Radach turtled up again. The crowd immediately booed as they went back to this position. Radach continued to hold his hand up to his ear to block punches. The ref stood them up with three minutes left. St. Preux threw a half hearted kick. Radach threw a few punches and dropped for a double leg against the cage. He switched to a single and he's exhausted too. They were separated as they were resting on the cage. St. Preux landed a left and Radach landed a counter right as he shot in. St. Preux held it off on the cage in the clinch. Both fighters are just exhausted. They got separated from the clinch again and St. Preux put his hands on his hips. He nearly landed a winging uppercut. Radach again got into the clinch. He finally completed the takedown and ended the fight in the guard.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 St. Preux. It wasn't pretty, but St. Preux did enough in the first half of the round to win it with little to no action the rest of the way.
WINNER: St. Preux via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
STAR RATING: (**) The fight honestly should have been stopped in the first round. Radach wasn't intelligently defending himself, and though St. Preux wasn't unleashing a furious assault he was landing shots from a dominant position for a full two minutes on Radach's back with him flattened out. The two, who took this fight on short notice, were completely exhausted from then on out.
FIGHT TWO: ANTONIO "BIGFOOT" SILVA VS. MIKE KYLE (HEAVYWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Kyle circled on the outside to start. He knocked Silva down with a huge right! He tried to follow up on the ground. He landed some big shots on the ground. Silva recovered and got Kyle into his guard. Kyle passed to half guard and landed some big hammer fists. Silva rolled and got to it to his half guard on the other side. Kyle slowed down the assault and landed some more punches. Kyle is doing a really good job of holding top control. He landed some palm strikes to the side of the head. He continued to unleash hammerfists but Silva got back to guard. Kyle landed some body strikes and just tried to stay busy in the guard. Silva has definitely recovered from the knockdown punch. Kyle landed elbows to the body on the ground. Kyle with punches to the body as well. Kyle ended the round in Silva's guard.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Kyle. Shocking knockdown right from Kyle, but Silva did a good job recovering and didn't take too much damage the rest of the round.
ROUND TWO: Silva tried to lunge for a takedown early but Kyle turned out. Silva landed a hard right that popped Kyle's head back. Kyle landed a kick. Silva got in with the takedown and took Kyle to the ground. Silva postured up and landed some big punches. Kyle tried to get a triangle choke and Silva threw his legs to the side and got to side control. Silva got to north-south and landed some big punches. Silva got to side control and Kyle tried to roll into him. Silva set up for an anaconda choke and gator rolled. Kyle got out and Silva stood. He dropped into side control with a big punch. He passed to mount and started unleashing some big punches and knocked Kyle out.
WINNER: Silva via TKO at 2:49 of the second round
POST FIGHT: Silva said the shot from Kyle connected, but he wasn't dizzy and he managed to reverse and eventually get the win. Silva said he doesn't pick opponents, and whoever Strikeforce wants him to fight, he'll fight.
STAR RATING: (***) That was a very fun fight. Kyle nearly pulled off the shocking upset in great fashion in the first round, but Silva's size was too much to overcome in the second, and after a sweet looking submission attempt he moved to the mount and got the vicious win. I really liked that fight. Kyle won't lose anything from that loss with the short notice nature, it being out of his weight class against a guy 45 lbs. heavier and his performance in the first round.
FIGHT THREE: ROBBIE LAWLER VS. MATT LINDLAND (MIDDLEWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: They exchange punches in the center to start the fight. Lawler looks... different with a beard. Lawler lands a big overhand left. Lincland tries to walk in close but he keeps getting tagged. Robbie dropped him with a huge right hook, Lindland turned over to his back and Lawler dropped down with one more blow and knocked him out cold! Holy hell that was violent. Lindland is scarily out, this is reminiscent of his Affliction bout with Vitor Belfort. Lawler set it up with a big uppercut and came over with the hook after. Lawler thankfully knew Lindland was out after the follow up shot and he didn't throw any more after that. Lindland finally came to and the doctor's kept him down to make sure he doesn't damage himself further. Lindland was brought up to a stool as the result was announced.
WINNER: Lawler via KO at :50 of the first round
POST FIGHT: Lawler said he thought Lindland would stand with him and that's what happened. Lawler said he's going to take a one day break then he's going to get back into the gym, talk to his manager and he'll fight anyone.
STAR RATING: (***+) That's right up there with the best knockouts of the year. Lawler still has plenty left to compete in the middleweight division, and that was one of the most vicious finishes he's ever had. Lindland has to consider whether he's going to continue fighting after that. It was another very entertaining fight, albeit a very short one, on this card.
FIGHT FOUR: PAUL DALEY VS. SCOTT SMITH (WELTERWEIGHT)
PRE FIGHT: Mauro Ranallo talked about Daley's sucker punch of Josh Koscheck and talked about Daley getting, and deserving, a second chance in Strikeforce.
ROUND ONE: Both fighters traded jabs early. Daley threw a leg kick. Daley popped in with a jab. Smith stumbled Daley with a left but Daley recovered quickly. He landed another leg kick. Daley threw a good right. Daley dropped Smith with a two punch combo. Smith got to his knees and Daley landed a couple on the ground before Smith worked back to his feet. That was a big combo, but Smith is recovering. Daley stayed on the offensive, walking Smith down. Daley landed an overhand right. He got in with the left hook. He landed a few more left hooks. Smith tried to come forward and Daley knocked him out cold with a left hook. Smith's face slammed into the canvas, and that was nasty. Huge KO from Daley. Second straight scary knockout on this card. Daley went and jawed at the broadcast booth with a smile. Smith was finally brought back and he's alright, thankfully. He slammed hard into the mat after that knockout blow.
WINNER: Daley via KO at 2:09 of the first round
POST FIGHT: Daley said he wants K.J. Noons next. He said he's for real.
STAR RATING: (***+) Two straight "KO of the Year" nominees on this card. Not bad from Strikeforce tonight. Daley avenged his last two fights with that knockout. Smith has been finished before, but that may have been the most vicious and violent loss he's ever suffered.
-They announce Tyron Woodley vs. Tarec Saffiedine headlining Strikeforce Challengers 13 in Nashville on January 7.
MAIN EVENT FIGHT FIVE: DAN HENDERSON VS. RENATO "BABALU" SOBRAL (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Babalu threw a high kick early but it was blocked. Babalu continues to work the kicks as Henderson tries to move forward. Henderson threw the right hand but it missed. Henderson came in with a few big punches. He flustered Babalu and they got into a scramble. Henderson landed a huge punch as he spun around. Babalu got to his back. Henderson dropped down with a big punch. He landed a few more in succession and Babalu was out cold. That looked like Mousasi's KO of Babalu. Huge win for Henderson. Babalu came to after a minute or so but he was still very much out of it. The second shot dropped down on Babalu by Henderson is what put him out, but Hendo got down with four more before the ref stopped it. Another vicious knockout on this card.
WINNER: Henderson via KO at 1:53 of the first round
POST FIGHT: Henderson said he prepared for this fight and his body felt better than it has in a long time. He said he tried to stay patient, but he knew it would come and came faster than he expected. He said he appreciated the fans in St. Louis coming out and said hopefully there will be a lot more to come. He said a lot of people thought he was done in this sport but he's going to be around for a long time.
STAR RATING: (***+) That was the performance Strikeforce wanted to see out of Henderson in April, and they got it tonight. In the main event, Henderson stepped up big time and got his most vicious win since last year's knockout of Michael Bisping.
That's another Strikeforce event in the books, and this was one of the best Strikeforce shows they've ever put on. The fights were one-sided for the most part, outside of a shocking Mike Kyle performance in the first round of his fight against "Bigfoot," but it was all action and provided three of the most vicious finishes of the year. This was a great night of fights, and hopefully those that were watching the TUF finale live at the very least DVR'd this event.
Thanks for joining us once again, make sure to check out Rich Hansen's TUF 12 Finale report, and stick with us throughout the week as we analyze the fallout from both of these events as well as heading towards next weekend's gigantic UFC 124 event from Montreal.
Tonight's Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale event is being covered by Torch Columnist Rich Hansen. To follow along with his report of that event CLICK HERE.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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