StrikeForce News - Page 8

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Strikeforce's August card now is official and will feature the first title defense of its newest women's champion. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker on Tuesday announced that the card, as previously reported, will take place Aug. 18 at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. Headlining the card will be a women's bantamweight title fight between champion Ronda Rousey (5-0 MMA, 3-0 SF) and top contender Sarah Kaufman (15-1 MMA, 6-1 SF). Details are still forthcoming on ticket on-sale times and prices, but Coker said tickets for "Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman" will go on sale Friday.

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Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold hopes Tim Kennedy will engage him in a high-paced fight when they meet next month at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy." But he's also concerned that Kennedy is going to slow down the fight with a game plan from coach Greg Jackson. "I'm not the biggest fan of Greg Jackson game plans," Rockhold said during a conference call in support of the July event. "It's mixed martial arts. I quit wrestling for a reason, so I want to fight, and I'm looking for a fight."

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Life without testosterone replacement therapy has been "challenging," Nate Marquardt today told reporters during a media teleconference, but it hasn't derailed his career. "I've had to find a lot of ways to combat it, and I've had to change my training schedule," Marquardt (31-10-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) said in advance of his fight with Tyron Woodley (10-0 MMA, 8-0 SF) at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy." "But bottom line is, I'm training hard and I feel great. I've felt like this before in training and done awesome." And after ceasing use of the controversial treatment earlier this year, Marquart said he wants to move on with his life. "I'm so sick of answering TRT questions," he added. "You'd think the media would want to talk about something new anyway. It's kind of old news. But I've got a title fight coming up, and I feel great."

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News has emerged today that middleweight fighters Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (15-3) and Derek Brunson (9-1) are expected to square off at a Strikeforce event scheduled for August 18 at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. News of the fight has been reported by multiple outlets. The main card will air on Showtime with the prelims expected to air on Showtime Extreme. Former Strikeforce middleweight champ Souza enters this fight coming off a victory over Bristol Marunde at the ‘Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey’ event which took place earlier this year. Jacare won the fight via submission in the third round and will look to build on his momentum with a win over Brunson. Prior to the Marunde bout the Brazilian fighter lost his Strikeforce 205-pound title to Luke Rockhold at “Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov” in september 2011. Rockhold was awarded the decision after a five round battle. Ronaldo originally won the belt in 2010 by defeating Tim Kennedy and successfully defended it once against Robbie Lawler before losing it to Rockhold. Jacare will now begin his journey back to a title shot.

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Representatives for Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante want to confirm the fighter tested positive for stanozolol prior to a May 19 Strikeforce event in San Jose, Calif. They have asked the California State Athletic Commission to screen him again. CSAC Executive Director George Dodd informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Cavalcante's "B" sample from his drug test following "Strikeforce: World Heavyweight Grand Prix Final" will be tested for performance-enhancers and drugs of abuse. Additionally, Cavalcante's camp has requested that one of its representatives "view the opening" of the sample and "possibly the lab analyzing the sample," Dodd wrote in an email. MMAjunkie.com initially reported that Cavalcante had filed an appeal but later learned that the fighter's camp will decide what action to take after the second test, which is expected to take place June 26. The CSAC employs a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) test facility at UCLA in Los Angeles.

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Entertaining welterweights Tarec Saffiedine (12-3 MMA, 3-1 SF) and Roger Bowling (11-2 MMA, 4-2 SF) have been targeted for a fight at Strikeforce's late-summer show. The 170-pounders are expected to fight at an Aug. 18 event likely to take place at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. MMAjunkie.com learned of the tentative matchup from sources close to the fighters. The event, which also is expected to feature women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey vs. former titleholder Sarah Kaufman, includes a main card on Showtime and prelims on Showtime Extreme.

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Later this summer, Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey returns to the cage. In the past year, the Olympian and undefeated MMA fighter has become arguably the biggest name in women's MMA, and she recently headlined a major event on Showtime. But soon, she thinks she could be plying her trade in the UFC octagon. "I think it's a distinct possibility," Rousey recently told "UFC Tonight" correspondent Ariel Helwani. "Women are tough. Women are clever. We're going to find a way to get everywhere. "You can't stop us. We'll be there at some point."

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Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante's recent failed drug test was due to stanozolol metabolites. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported Saturday, the Brazilian fighter failed a test following his May win over Mike Kyle. On Monday the California State Athletic Commisssion confirmed the substance. The CSAC on Monday also said that in addition to Cavalcante's yearlong suspension and $2,500 fine, his win over Kyle will be overturned and changed to a no-contest.

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Former UFC middleweight Nate Marquardt will finally be making his welterweight debut on July 16th in Portland, Oregon. He'll be taking on Tyron Woodley for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title, and Strikeforce posted an interview with him where he talks about his undefeated opponent. Here's what he had to say, and you can check out the whole video below the jump.

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Strikeforce light heavyweight Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante tested positive for a banned substance following his win over Mike Kyle last month in San Jose, Calif. The California State Athletic Commission executive officer George Dodd confirmed the news with MMAFighting.com on Friday. Boxing reporter Gabriel Montoya first reported the news on Twitter. As a result, Cavalcante has been suspended for one year and fined $2,500 by the CSAC. Dodd refused to disclose which banned substance Cavalcante tested positive for because he was not at his office when contacted by MMAFighting.com. He said the CSAC sent Cavalcante a letter earlier this week informing him of the failed test but they have yet to hear back from him.

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"I don't understand it. I'm a fighter – I just want a fight." Devin Cole (20-9-1 MMA, 2-1 SF) is frustrated. The former Strikeforce heavyweight on Friday told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) a contract and scheduling fluke, for lack of a better word, has him stuck in "no man's land" right now. But if it's at all possible, he'd love to get one more crack in the Strikeforce cage – against Josh Barnett (31-6 MMA, 2-1 SF). Cole fought in December at "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal" and picked up a unanimous-decision win over Gabriel Salinas-Jones for his second straight victory in the promotion. But he said because the fight was the last on his deal, and because most of the rest of the Strikeforce heavyweights had already been moved to the UFC, he essentially was left without a home.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) outcast Nate Marquardt recently labeled his upcoming opponent, current Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley, a "boring fighter" criticizing his wrestling-based style ahead of their 170-pound title fight at Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Kennedy" on July 14, 2012. Undefeated (10-0) in his young mixed martial arts (MMA) career, Woodley has used his outstanding wrestling skills to grind his way to the victory and keep his record mint. On the flip side, six of his 10 wins have come by way of submission or knockout, with five of those finishes coming in the very first round. So it is safe to say that "T-Wood" is not a one-trick pony. Responding to "The Great's" comments, Woodley says the solution is simple, if you don't want a "grown man" taking you down, then get back to your feet and keep it there. The former undefeated (48-0) High School wrestling champion also says the criticism shouldn't go to the fighter that is taking his opponent down at will, but to the one who can't stop it from happening. Check out Woodley's comments on his recent appearance The MMA Hour

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Strikeforce has released former welterweight title challenger Paul Daley. Wad Alameddine of Fight Management today confirmed the news via press release. According to a statement, Daley, who most recently suffered a March loss to Kazuo Misaki via split decision, is pursuing options with other fight promotions, due in part to his inability to fight frequently with Strikeforce.

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Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has established herself as the top dog at 135lbs, and hopes to prove it again in her next bout. She faces former champion Sarah Kaufman in a title fight currently rumored to take place on Aug 18 in San Diego. With the fight still more than two months away, the odds have already been released for the showdown between Rousey and Kaufman and as expected, the champion opened as a monstrous favorite.

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The Strikeforce promotion has added two more bouts to it’s upcoming July 14, 2012 card with a pair of lightweight bouts, Jorge ‘Gamebread’ Masvidal (22-7) is set to meet ‘The Silverback’ Justin Wilcox (11-4, 1NC), while Ryan Couture (4-1) takes on Joe ‘Hybrid’ Duarte (10-2). Both bouts were made official by the promotion via Twitter (@Strikeforce) on Thursday. The Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy event is expected to take place on July 14 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The event will feature two title matches as defending middleweight champ Luke Rockhold takes on Tim Kenndy, and undefeated fighter Tyron Woodley meets promotion newcomer Nate Marquardt for the vacant welterweight title.

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Three new undercard contests have joined the fight bill for Strikeforce’s July 14 return to the Pacific Northwest. Strikeforce “Rockhold vs. Kennedy” now features veteran Pat Healy, who faces Deep lightweight champion Mizuto Hirota. Canadian welterweight talent Jordan Mein will lock horns with Bellator vet Tyler Stinson, while onetime UFC competitor Jason High takes on American Kickboxing Academy representative Nate Moore. The event takes place at the Rose Garden arena in Portland, Ore., and will be headlined by a titular middleweight title confrontation between Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy. The evening’s co-main event features a welterweight championship showdown between Tyron Woodley and Nate Marquardt and airs on Showtime immediately following the preliminary card broadcast on Showtime Extreme.

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Well prior to the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final, it was announced that the eventual victor would have to fight one more time under the promotion's banner before moving over to the UFC. As it turns out, the loser will have to do the same. According to a report in USA Today citing Strikeforce and UFC parent company Zuffa as the source, Josh Barnett's next fight will also be in Strikeforce. Barnett (31-6) fell to Cormier in a one-sided unanimous decision at last Saturday's Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier event. Given his past history with UFC president Dana White, there had been speculation about what his future might hold given a loss, but now we know that he will be kept in the fold, though for Strikeforce, for at least one fight.

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After his dominating victory over Josh Barnett this past Sat., night (May 19, 2012), Daniel Cormier won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix title and in the process, staked his claim as a very dangerous fighter that all heavyweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ranks will have to contend with very soon. In the interim, Cormier, who is undefeated at 10-0, still has business outside the Octagon to tend to. That's because even though he won the grand prix title and there are basically no more heavies in Strikeforce to contend with, the former Olympic wrestle tells The MMA Hour that he still has to compete once more with the San Jose-based promotion before he can make his eventual jump to the UFC. But who can possibly fit the bill to face off against the current tournament champion?

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As expected, Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett have emerged from a five-roung slugfest with significant medical suspensions following "Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final." Both are suspended for six months – unless cleared by a doctor – for hand injuries, and both earned additional two-month terms for lacerations. "Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final" took place this past Saturday at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., and aired live on Showtime and Showtime Extreme. Full List Daniel Cormier: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible right middle finger fracture. Also suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact, or until cleared by physician, for left eyelid laceration. Josh Barnett: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible left hand fracture. Also suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact, or until cleared by physician, for multiple facial lacerations. Josh Thomson: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible left knee fracture and possible right hand fracture. Gesias Cavalcante: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible left shoulder ligament injury. Gian Villante: Suspended 180 days or until clear by physician for possible left middle finger fracture. Also suspended 30 days for hard bout. Yuri Villefort: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible right knee ligament injury. Bobby Green: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by physician for possible fracture on left ring finger. Isaac Vallie-Flagg: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by physician for one-inch laceration for right south-orbital area. James Terry: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by physician for possible nasal fracture and laceration.

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