Thank you for joining Fighters.com’s live coverage for Strikeforce live from Portland Oregon. This is where you can find information about the televised preliminary card on Showtime Extreme as it happens.
Fight Summaries (updated after each round: )
Blue Corner: Tyler Stinson (21-8, 1-1 Strikeforce) vs. Red Corner: Jordan Mein (23-8, 1-1 Strikeforce)
The crowd again seems to be split 50/50 amongst Mein and Stinson. First round is conducted standing, much to the pleasure of the Portland crowd. Stinson’s corner hasn’t been quite as vocal as Jordan’s father Lee Mein, who was calling for him to finish early in the round. Both fighters throw a flurry of punches, with Mein cutting Stinson open and landing two big blows.
Second round opens with Stinson fighting back and landing a couple big shots. After a few torrid exchanges, Mein starts to land big shots again, and Stinson lands a takedown with a minute left, but Mein quickly gets up. Round ends with both fighters landing shots. Round was closer than the first, and it may be a hard one to judge.
Third round opens with the crowd screaming mixed support. Some thing Stinson is winning, and some are pulling for Mein. Mein lands some huge shots while Stinson works his jabs, which have been effective, though Mein has not been able to let him set up much more. Mein enters the mid-part of the round landing numerous big unanswered shots, and the tide has turned fairly into Mein’s favor. Mein and Stinson continue to exchange blows to the end of the third round, and it should be Mein’s victory.Winner
Winner: Jordan Mein via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Blue Corner: Justin Wilcox (11-4-0-1, 5-2-0-1 Strikeforce) vs. Red Corner: Jorge Masvidal (22-7, 4-1 Strikeforce)
Crowd is fairly in Masvidal’s corner, just like at the weigh-ins. Masvidal has a huge 7 inch reach advantage on Wilcox. Biggest ovation of the night next to the High finish is the introduction of Big John McCarthy as the referee for this fight. Wilcox opens early with a couple of flashy strikes. Masvidal’s corner speaking completely in Spanish to him and have been far more vocal than Wilcox’s from the getgo. Wilcox scrambled for a couple takedowns 2 minutes in, but let Masvidal back up for an exchange of shots. Masvidal catches Wilcox with a huge knee, and is nearly able to end the fight, but Wilcox survives after managing to scramble away long enough to catch his senses. Masvidal hits another knee which rocks Wilcox, but again, he is able to make it through the rest of the round, with Masvidal holding all momentum at the horn.
Masvidal opens the second round strong, but Wilcox starts to push forward with strikes and leg kicks, though few are landing. Masvidal appears to be goading Wilcox at times, walking into exchanges with his hands down but raising them at the last second. Masvidal is showing strong defense, stuffing takedowns, and letting almost none of Wilcox’s better strikes through. Wilcox is nearly able to land a takedown with 40 seconds in the round, but Masvidal is able to scramble up quickly. Wilcox looked better this round than the first, but wasn’t able to break through on Masvidal, but he may have done enough to take the round.
Wilcox comes out of the gate in the third round pushing the pace. Wilcox is throwing more strikes, but Masvidal is timing and landing more it seems. Wilcox begins to shoot for another takedown halfway through, and eventually powers Masvidal down against the cage at mediaside. A fact flashes showing that Wilcox has landed 30% of his takedown attempts, while Masvidal has not attempted any as they go back to the center of the cage standing. Masvidal manages to stuff another takedown attempt, and they stand and exchange until the end. This one too will go to the judges scorecards, though it might be a bit closer than the Mein/Stinson fight.
Winner: Jorge Masvidal def. Justin Wilcox via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Blue Corner: Joe Duarte (10-2, 2-0 Strikeforce) vs. Red Corner: Ryan Couture (4-1, 4-1 Strikeforce)
It goes without saying the crowd is solidly behind Ryan Couture, fighting in his home region. By far the loudest ovation of the night as he walks out. Couture spent a good part of the opening minutes exchanging and working for a takedown on Duarte. After a little bit of back and forth, Duarte opens up by trying to land a flying knee, which eventually leads to Duarte taking him down, and Couture working to try to secure a triangle, and then an arm. The round ends standing, much to the crowd’s approval.
Couture opens up round 2 by landing a takedown, and pinning Duarte against the cage to land a couple strikes. Couture is looking pretty comfortable, and after being taken down by Duarte, quickly gets back up. Couture clinches Duarte up against the cage, and both fighters exchange knees and short range punches. In the closing minutes, Fouture is able to take Duarte down, and begins to work toward a rear naked choke. Duarte is able to finish the round, which ends with Couture attempting another rear naked choke on Duarte’s back.
Couture begins the third round by rocking Duarte with a knee. Couture presses Duarter up against the cage, and attempts to take him down again, but Duarte manages to sneak out, take him down and attempt a guillotine. Duarte manages to stay on top after Couture escapes. After a slmall standing exchange and another submission attempt by Duarte, they press up against the cage again and Couture is able to power Duarte down again, and manages to keep him down until the bell. A much more technical round with lots of action and lots of takedown attempts. This is likely Couture’s fight as it goes to the judge’s scorecards.
Winner: Ryan Couture def. Joe Duarte via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Blue Corner: Mizuto Hirota (14-4-1, Strikeforce Debut) vs. Red Corner: Patrick Healy (29-15, 5-1 Strikeforce)
The crowd goes crazy when Healy comes out, as you’d expect given that he’s fighting in his backyard, and the ovation goes right into Jimmy Lennon’s announcement. Healy possesses a pretty solid reach advantage over the much shorter Hirota. Hirota takes Healy into the cage, and manages to take him down. Hirota and Healy hit a stalemate as the ref yells for action. Both corners are quieter than previous fights. The ref eventually pulls them both up. Healy then presses Hirota up against the cage, and Hirota is able to reverse before going back to the center of the cage. Healy presses repeatedly for a takedown, and Hirota continues to avoid them. Most of the rest of the round is spent in the clinch and with both fighters stuffing each others’ takedown attempts.
Second round opens with a big standing exchange, and then Hirota and Healy begin another clinch, with Hirota pressing Healy into the cage and taking him down. Hirota scrambles to keep Healy down, but eventually lets him go. After another small exchange, Healy is able to press Hirota into the cage, where he hits Hirota with a couple of elbows, and then works for another takedown, which is stuffed. Healy does eventually take Hirota down, and works from the top. Healy peppers Hirota with body shots and presses on Hirota as he tries to get up. The end of the round sees Healy working more takedowns and catching Hirota with an elbow in close range.
The crowd cheers for Healy as the 3rd round opens. Both corners have taken to yelling endless instructions to the fighters. Much like the rest of the fight, Healy and Hirota as almost at a stalemale, stopping each others’ attempts at anything left and right. Healy takes Hirota down, and again, Hirota is able to get up. Healy has Hirota pressed up, and manages to scamble to the top when they go down. Healy absorbs some tough shots from Hirota and takes him down. After a fairly back and forth round, this takedown may be the difference. Healy begins to transition as the round ends, and closes attempting to get Hirota’s neck for a choke. This fight goes the distance and will be going to the judges once again.
Winner: Patrick Healy def. Mizuto Hirota via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
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Paul Buentello Josh Burkman Mikey Burnett Murilo Bustamante Grant Campbell
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