After Saturday’s Strikeforce “Evolution” the organization’s CEO Scott Coker discussed what we may look forward to in 2010.

Fabricio Werdum (13-4) is expected to get the next fight with Strikeforce’s prized heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (31-1). The fight would likely headline the Strikeforce return to CBS which is tentatively scheduled for April 2010. However, the fight has not been finalized yet.

Watch Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker interview>>>

Revgear sponsored Fabricio Werdum

I’m trying to fight in March. I’m trying to fight punk ass John Howard, but I don’t think he wants to fight. He got his win over Dennis Hallman. He got the credit to fight me, so why don’t he do it? He signed the contract once to fight me and then he backed out and now he’s renegotiating, or his managers and agents are, whatever, are being dumb about the renegotiating process. Just come on and sign the fight. Sign the contract and fight me and stop running like a little bitch. I want to fight him. I really do. I seen this interview where he said he was going to make me pay for what I said, so I’m looking forward to seeing that. John Howard, put your dukes up. Let’s do this and I’m going to knock your other tooth out because I know you got a fucked up grill. I’m going to give him the business.” – Anthony Johnson

UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson talks about his rivalry with fellow welterweight John Howard, and how he really wants to fight Howard, possibly in March. The feud started after Howard elected not to sign the bout agreement to face Johnson for their proposed bout at June’s TUF 9 finale. Howard claimed that his management made the final decision, however, Johnson saw it different, calling him a “coward” and saying that Howard backed out and did not want to fight him to begin with.

Howard then responded to Johnson’s claims.

“I don’t appreciate him calling me a coward or anything like that. He has to understand that the decisions that are made for me are smart decisions. My job is to fight. I don’t make decisions about who to fight or when I’m going to fight, and I don’t pull out of fights… Anthony Johnson has been in the UFC a little longer than me, and it’s not because I’m a coward. It just wasn’t time… I want to fight him, and the first chance I get the ‘okay’ to fight him, I will. And he’s going to eat his words – definitely. It’s personal. He’s going to regret ever questioning me.” – John Howard

The feud between Howard and Johnson is becoming one of the UFC’s most heated rivalries, and if the fight gets booked expect some testy moments between the two during pre-fight activities such as at the weigh-ins.

Johnson is coming off of a loss against Josh Koscheck at UFC 106 last month. The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak he had put together, which included previous Octagon wins over Kevin Burns, Luigi Fioravanti and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Johnson has put together a 5-3 record in eight fights in the UFC, with all five of his Octagon wins coming via stoppage.

Meanwhile, Howard scored a dramatic come-from-behind third-round knockout win over veteran Dennis Hallman at TUF 10. The win moved Howard to a perfect 3-0 with the UFC, with wins in his first two UFC bouts against Chris Wilson and Tamdan McCrory.

Fitness Boot Camps: Get Your Butt in Gear for the New Year!


The holidays are over and if you’re like most people, you’ve probably had more than your share of eggnog, heavy meals and decadent desserts in celebration of the season. Enjoying and over-indulging in delectable goodies has more than likely left you with the gift of a few unwanted pounds, but with the new year comes a resolution to get back on track and get into your best shape ever! Why not try a fitness boot camp?

To the average person, hearing the word “boot camp” immediately conjures up images of the brutal military training program that new recruits go through before being sent out to the field. These days, it has become a popular title for extreme fitness programs that command hard core group exercise that push participants to their physical limits for one reason: to obtain results. Maybe going to the gym to hit the weights and do cardio hasn’t given you the results and the ongoing motivation you were expecting? Signing up for a fitness boot camp just may be the change you need to reach your goals.

Fitness Boot Camps: Not for Wimps
Be forewarned − fitness boot camps are designed to get you out of your comfort zone and push you a bit further than you would normally yourself in the gym alone. This provides a different environment for those who get bored in a gym and find it hard to develop a habit of exercise. Fitness boot camps can be held indoors and/or outdoors depending on the time of the year, the weather and the region. Exercises often consist of, but are not limited to: jogging, sprinting, plyometrics, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges and a variety of calisthenic and flexibility exercises. One advantage of a boot camp is that the large group dynamic will help motivate participants. The interaction of a boot camp class is not only emotionally satisfying, but it helps people to push themselves physically.

Train Like a Gladiator, Feel like a Pro

IFBB Fitness Professional and 2009 Fitness Olympia runner-up Tanji Johnson is an entrepreneur, marathon runner and certified personal trainer who runs her own specialized fitness boot camps primarily in the Washington state area where she resides. You may even recognize her as one of the stars of NBC’s “American Gladiators” where she played Stealth, who wreaked havoc on her opponents by challenging them physically. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and commissioned Air Force officer, she brings authenticity to her boot camps which are similarly patterned after “real” military basic training. “I started teaching boot camps because I enjoy leading groups who are motivated to take things to the next level,” Tanji says. “My camps range from all high-level female athletes to the everyday gym goer looking to get their butts kicked from an American Gladiator.”

Tanji’s boot camp sessions run for 45 minutes not including the warm up and cool down. She teaches several different boot camp classes for men and women. Her classes range from $15 to $20 per class with some classes held outdoors and some in gym aerobics rooms. For optimum results, Tanji suggests that participants take two to three classes per week. Her classes accommodate 10 to 15 people. She adds, “I like to have a large enough group to facilitate positive energy and excitement, yet small enough that I can keep everyone accountable with good form and execution.” Session structure consists of: plyometrics, calisthenics, sprints, agility drills, core exercises and exercises using moderate weights. “I begin with dynamic flexibility drills, followed by sprints and shuttle runs,” shares Tanji. “Then, I move into the main portion of the bootcamp utilizing various athletic strategies like countdowns, circuits and timed segments. We end with a cool down and group stretching.”

While some people may be concerned that they are not physically fit enough to participate in one of her fitness boot camps, Tanji reassuringly states that her programs are geared towards anyone no matter what their fitness level. “I don’t turn anyone away. During my boot camp sessions, I usually teach three different options per exercise so that each client can work out at their appropriate fitness level,” she says. “But the challenging part of my job is to make sure I can manage the various fitness levels of each client while teaching a group class. You have to be able to multi-task mentally and provide guidance while leading a class. These are two traits that I excel at, take pride in and have helped my boot camps to be successful.”

School of Hard KNOXX
Current Strikeforce Lightweight MMA World Champion Josh Thomson and 2006 NPC California State Figure Overall Champion Mona Liza Reyes joined forces to help others in their fitness quest. The result is the wildly successful “School of Hard KNOXX Fitness Camp,” which is geared towards men and women of all ages and fitness levels. The collaboration is a well thought-out effort that required both leaders to come up with a curriculum that would challenge, yet inspire and motivate their participants to stick with the program. While the duo look tough in their Army gear for this month’s cover and the photos in this article, both prefer not to call their camp a “boot camp” because they don’t want to risk frightening anyone away. Instead, they call their program a “fitness camp.”

Josh and Mona Liza’s “School of Hard KNOXX Fitness Camp” costs $350 for a 4-week program of three sessions per week with a $50 discount for early registration. Upcoming camps will be held in January 2010 for those with New Year’s resolutions and then again in April to get participants ready for the summer. Their camps are held both indoors and outdoors depending on the weather conditions and the mood of the instructors. The classes are structured, but yet there is a lot of spontaneity in the curriculum. “When indoors, we host at the infamous American Kickboxing Academy (in San Jose, Calif.), which is home to some of the UFC’s top professional fighters,” says Josh. “When we’re outdoors, we take the participants to a local high school track or a local park.”

Class structure basically consists of speed drills, box jumps, sprints, weight training, conditioning drills and kickboxing techniques with the structure changing daily to ensure that each workout is different every time. Each class lasts approximately 75 minutes and always ends with core strengthening and stretching. “Our clients pay for our services to organize great workouts for them, so we try hard not to let them down. If clients wanted to do the same thing every day, they would work out on their own at their local gym probably never pushing themselves. That’s the beauty of our fitness camps,” says Josh. “We continuously change things up to keep everyone guessing and to obtain the desired end result.”

Mona Liza adds, “Before camps begin, I always get e-mails from future participants who express worry and anxiety that they will have a hard time. Rest assured, although the workouts are challenging, it’s our goal for our participants to feel empowered and not defeated after a session. The workouts are meant to be difficult, but we teach the participant variations to modify them so that they are able to participate.”

Prepping for Camp
If you’ve never participated in a fitness boot camp, there are ways that you can prepare yourself mentally and physically to get the most out of the program. “If possible, I would recommend building a strong core and muscular endurance in bodyweight exercises like squats and push-ups using your own body weight,” suggests Tanji. Adds Mona Liza, “It’s very important to exude positive energy and come to class with a good attitude and the mindset to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s these little things that make the biggest difference in reaching your fitness goals.” MS&F

WE WANT YOU!
5 Ways to Stick To the Program

Join With a Friend. If you have someone to go to boot camp with, you will be less likely to miss class and continue to motivate each other.

Keep Hydrated. Make sure you bring a big bottle of water to quench your thirst and keep your body hydrated during your fitness boot camp sessions.

Modify Your Diet. Yes, you will be burning more calories than ever by participating in a fitness boot camp, but make healthy food choices by cutting out soda, refined sugar and processed foods.

Push Yourself. If your instructor demonstrates exercises on a different fitness level, try the next level up. Stop if you cannot continue, feel pain or experience shortness of breath.

Continue Training. After you’ve completed your sessions of fitness boot camps and/or have reached your fitness goals, continue training two to three times a week using what you’ve learned. You may not need to sign up for another set of classes because the exercises you learn at boot camp classes can be done nearly anywhere.

Article from Max Muscle Fitness Magazine

Scott Smith – $55,000 def. Cung Le – $150,000
Gilbert Melendez – $55,000 def. Josh Thomson – $30,000
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souzav – $65,000 def. Matt Lindland – $50,000
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal – $19,000 def. Mike Whitehead – $30,000
Antwain Britt – $10,000 def. Scott Lighty – $5,000
Justin Wilcox – $5,000 def. Daisuke Nakamura – $200
Alex Crispim – $4,000 def. AJ Fonseca: $2,000

by Dan Libon

Twenty three times Kickboxing legend Cung Le walked into a competition and walked out with a win. That all changed last Saturday night at Strikeforce: Evolution. Last time we saw Le in an octagon, it was right after winning the Strikeforce Middleweight title by breaking Frank Shamrock’s arm with one of  his signature kicks. Funny what a difference 21 months can make. Without a belt because he decided to make movies that have a better chance of winning Razzies than Oscars and without the complete and proper training needed for a fight, the now former undefeated star found himself on in back losing by KO to Scott Smith in front of a sold out crowd at the HP Pavillion in San Jose. How the mighty have fallen.

Don’t get me wrong, Cung Le looked good for the first two rounds. He looked real good. He was getting his kicks in and had Smith on the ground for a good part of the first round. There was a point where I thought Smith almost lost it. But he would come back by just surviving. While Le was hitting Smith with a large amount of smaller clean shots, Smith’s strikes were rare yet powerful.  The dangerous strategy paid off as Le hit the wall in the final round to lose by KO. Six times Le fought in MMA and won. Last night Strikeforce’s newest middleweight Dan Henderson was in attendance to watch the fight. Henderson is the number 3 middleweight in the world and Le is going to have to put some training in if he wants to remain competitive. If he decides not to, then I am sure that many people will be thrilled to see him in the upcoming Tekken movie.

And now some random thoughts

Dana White has announced that Boston will play host to a UFC show in August. Its been a long battle to sanction MMA in Massachusetts.  After delays in the State House due to legislation far more important, the vast majority of the House and Senate approved of a bill to sanction MMA. Yet, the news of note wasn’t that the UFC was coming to Boston but it was that the UFC may come to Fenway Park in 2011. Has it occurred to anyone that no one is going to be able to see the fight if they hold it in Fenway?  Either you will be in the front of the park and too low to see or you will be high with an obstructed view. Have it at Gillette Stadium where you can have more people and a better view.

Speaking of the Boston show, Brock Lesnar was rumored to make his comeback at that show. Dana White has denied these rumors as it is too early for anyone to say when and if Lesnar will fight again. You have to feel for the guy. The man wins the Heavyweight belt, beats the only man who he ever lost to and now he’s on the sidelines with a questionable future.

Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva will headline the injury plagued UFC 108 on January second. This seems like one of those shows that needs to just happen so we can all move on. Personally, I am looking ahead to UFC 111 in March so we can all watch Georges St. Pierre defend his Welterweight Championship against Dan Hardy.

With that being said, it would be unfair to skip over UFC 109. Its always a thrill to see Randy Couture fight and see how long he can hold off Father Time. With his upcoming fight against Mark Coleman, we get to see how the old men of MMA can do. This will actually be a rematch of a 1989 wrestling match between the two. Coleman won the previous confrontation by 1 point.

December 2009

1. Anderson Silva (UFC): Anderson Silva is not only the best middleweight in the world, but also the best Light Heavyweight.  The only things that could possibly slow Silva down at this point would be injuries or age, and those are often one in the same when you’re talking elite athletes in their mid-thirties.  Silva is in fact back in training after a longer than expected recovery period from minor elbow surgery.  My hope is that a Silva vs GSP fight takes place while Silva is still in his prime, and we’d also like to see him step back up to claim the Light Heavyweight title because he is clearly the best, and any other title holder will always have a cloud of doubt hanging over them until they beat Silva, who is the people’s champion of that division.

2. Fedor Emelianenko (Strikeforce/M-1 Global): Say what you will about Fedor’s advancing age, diminishing speed, and questionable conditioning because the bottom line is that he continues to rack up win after win.  Brett Rogers was a top ten heavyweight coming off of an impressive one round knockout of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski, and truth be told, he put up a hell of a battle while it lasted, but in the end the result was the same.  Scott Coker is saying now that Werdum will be Fedor’s next opponent, but we think that most of us are waiting for the Alistair Overeem fight, which will probably be Strikeforce’s first pay per view in 2010.

3. George St. Pierre (UFC): GSP was injured in his last fight, where he completely dominated Thiago Alves, but he is set to return to action in 2010 against Dan Hardy.  The UFC are the best at hyping fights that are almost universally seen as mismatches when first announced, so much so that by fight night we are often surprised when the fight turns out to be just as one sided as we always knew it would be.  The Alves fight was a perfect example of that, and the Hardy fight looks to be deja vu all over again.  GSP is so well rounded, and so well conditioned that it’s hard to see how Hardy could pull that upset off, but I’m sure Dana White and the UFC will convince us otherwise in the hype leading up to it.  When will we see GSP move up to challenge himself and Anderson Silva for the middleweight title?

4. BJ Penn (UFC): Skill wise, BJ Penn might actually be number two on this list, and after his total domination of Diego Sanchez we were tempted to move him up a couple of slots, but until GSP or Fedor loses, we’re going to keep BJ Penn at number four.  At this point, BJ might be the man to make one of those two scenarios happen because he’s cleaned out the UFC’s lightweight division, as far as interesting fights are concerned, and we don’t see BJ Penn dropping down in weight, so it’s onward and upward once again…unless, the UFC can sign Alvarez or Aoki.  Both of those fights have juice on the international stage.  It would be interesting to see a co-promotion with Strikeforce obviously, but Dana and the Fertittas are not likely to make that move any time soon.  The Marinovich brothers have provided the missing piece to the BJ Penn puzzle.

5. Gegard Mousasi (Strikeforce): Gegard Mousasi has one of the most impressive skill sets in mma, but there are still skeptics out there who are unconvinced that he is who we claim he is in terms of being a top ten pound for pound fighter.  After the Machida vs Rua debacle, it’s clear (to us anyway) that Anderson Silva is the best at 205 pounds, but it’s also clear to us that Mousasi might be the only up and coming fighter with the tools to beat Silva.  Long before that happens, we will probably see a Gegard Mousasi vs Dan Henderson super fight, which will help the public at large to better gauge where Mousasi is at this point in his still young mma career.  Mousasi could also cut down to middleweight where many challenges await him if he so chooses.

6. Lyoto Machida (UFC): Coming off a fight that many people felt he lost, Machida’s less than stable position atop the light heavyweight division is even more unstable going into 2010.  Lyoto Machida is currently healing from hand surgery, but as soon as he is healthy we will probably see a rematch with Mauricio Rua, which will make clearer who the second best light heavyweight in the division is behind Silva.  It wasn’t long ago that Machida was being talked about as the Anderson Silva or BJ penn of his division.

7. Jose Aldo (WEC): Jose Aldo is still growing and improving as a mma fighter, but when you consider how dominant he already is, it’s not too shocking that he has managed to take Mike Brown’s former slot on our top ten list.  Some mma sites have posted articles and blog entries claiming that Aldo could make a run at BJ Penn’s lightweight title soon.  While that does seem far fetched at this point in time, it’s clear that Jose Aldo is being looked at as one of the top ten pound for pound mma fighters in the world.

8. Dan Henderson (Strikeforce): Dan Henderson is still basking in the glow of his near decapitation of top UFC middleweight contender Michael Bisping.  The winner of that fight had initially been promised a shot at Anderson Silva.  That second shot never materialized for Henderson, and while he waited, Henderson’s UFC contract ran out.  Dana White and company decided that Dan Henderson wasn’t worth resigning at this stage in his career.  Strikeforce felt otherwise, and soon we will see a Jake Shields vs Dan Henderson middleweight title fight on free television.  Time will tell how much Henderson has left, but he is already perceived as a heavy favorite against the current champion, and there is talk of him moving back up to light heavyweight to challenge for Mousasi’s title once he has established himself as the top middleweight.

9. Brock Lesnar (UFC): Brock Lesnar is still recovering from a recently diagnosed illness, and consequently he has been fairly inactive as fighter and champion of late, but we weren’t willing to remove him from our top ten just yet.

10. Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce): Gil Melendez is the second best lightweight in the world, although it’s so close a call that Melendez got the top ten nod here based mainly on his rematch victory over Josh Thompson, which just took place on the Cung Le vs Scott Smith card last Saturday, and his reclaiming of the Strikeforce lightweight belt.  A 2010 fight with Aoki may help to clear things up a little better, but the biggest hinderance to any lightweight trying to stake his claim as the best at 155 pounder in the world would have to be the fact that BJ Penn appears to be just hitting his prime.

Other fighters that I considered for top ten mentions were Shinya Aoki, Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, Brian Bowles, and Jon Fitch.

-Jason Emanuel

Thanks to Team Tribull for their support! Much success to them in the upcoming year!

Ronaldo Souza defeated Revgear sponsored Lindland via submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:18 of round 1.

Photos by D. Mandel from sherdog.com

Strikeforce “Evolution”, December 19, 2009: Revgear Sponsored Alex Crispim defeated AJ Fonseca by unanimous decision.

Photos by D. Mandel from sherdog.com

The following is an actual recording of a conversation between Ed Honcho and a would-be Honcho Award winner. We join the action in progress, as most everything prior to this point was boring.

Ed Honcho: Wait… are you trolling for sympathy?

Would-Be Honcho Award Winner: No!

EH: Empathy?

WBHAW: No!

EH: Is this a pity play? Is that what this is?

WBHAW: No! Don’t be ridiculous.

EH: I don’t know, ______, blaming the whims of your coach? Calling attention to the specific game situations? Throwing your teammates under the bus? It feels like you’re trolling for something.

WBHAW: We’re just talking here. If we happen to stumble on certain facts concerning how I may or may not have gotten fucked, so be it. It’s just the natural course of our discussion.

EH: What do you want from me?

WBHAW: You know what I want… one of them Honcho Awards.

EH: Look, I have my standards, and unless this conversation ends with substantial flattery or a more than generous bribe, I’ve got to stick to my guns here.

WBHAW: You’re the best.

EH: That’ll do. I think I’ll also give them to:

- Jerome Harrison, for that absurd, out-of-nowhere game against Kansas City. Seriously… 286 yards and three touchdowns? That’s the third best single game rushing total in NFL history. I’m going to say that again, both for emphasis and because I’m trying to up my word count… that’s the third best single game rushing total in NFL history. Now, while I prefer things of the “best ever” and “greatest of all time” variety, I’m going to make an exception for Mr. Harrison here and give him a Honcho. I’m nothing if not magnanimous.

- Scott Smith, for his stirring comeback against Cung Le at Strikeforce. Smith was on the ropes, and… well, maybe “on the ropes” isn’t the appropriate cliche’ in this instance… against the fence? Alongside the cage? Rubbing the steel? Yeah, that one… let’s go with that one. So Smith was rubbing the steel against Le, just getting pummeled… but he wouldn’t go down. You could practically hear the Rocky music playing in my head (oh, that was just me?). And wouldn’t you know it… in the 3rd round, Smith unleashed a cracking left and KO’d Le. Whenever a performance makes movie music play in my head… that’s a Honcho.

- Ben Roethlisberger, for his 503 yard, 3 TD game against Green Bay, including the winning touchdown pass on the game’s final play. That’s more like it… the “best ever” passing game by a Steeler. That’s what I’m looking for. Get that man an award.

- Zach Randolph, for the 32 points and 24 rebounds he gave the Grizzlies in their victory over the Nuggets, on the heels of scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 boards against the Pacers two nights earlier. That 24 rebounds? That’s the “best ever” for this season. OK, that doesn’t really make sense, but it makes as much sense as Zach Freaking Randolph getting a Honcho, the odds of which I’d have put at 1% at the beginning of the season. And yet, here we are.

- Mariano Andujar, for his seven saves for Catania in their 2-1 victory on the road against mighty Juventus. It’s been 45 years since Catania beat Juventus in Torino, and any time you spearhead a charge that does something for the first time in 40+ years, that’s worth a Honcho. Yes, it’s another stipulation I’m throwing in. The Honchos are complex, I agree, but they’re so worth it.

- Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 383 yards and three TD’s, and rushed for 22 more and a TD. A monster day in fantasy football (especially if you award extra points for long TD’s, a provision I highly recommend). So he was outshined by Roethlisberger. It was still one of the better days a QB’s had all season… and combined with this moustache photo, puts him into some sort of “best ever” category. Something like “best ever day for a QB statistically who also won a Honcho Award which was displayed with an awesome moustache photo”. Oooh, I butchered that from a linguistic standpoint, but I kinda love it.

- Jonas Gustavvson, for his shutout of the high-scoring Bruins. And it wasn’t just any shutout, it was his first career shoutout. And it wasn’t just any first career shutout, it was his first career shutout in his first game back from being sidelined. And it wasn’t just any first career shutout in his first game back from being sidelined, it was his first career shutout in his first game back from being sidelined by heart surgery. And it wasn’t just the first time he did that, it’s the first time anyone, ever, did that… which fits neatly into one of my earlier stipulations for Honcho-awesomeness and subsequent Honcho Awarding. Well done, Mr. Gustavvson.

- Trevor Ariza, for filling up the boxscore in Houston’s 95-90 win over the OKC Thunder. How’s this sound: 31 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot. That’s what I call “giving a boost to the old fantasy team”. Regrettably, in my case, “The Old Fantasy Team” is my opponent this week, so yeah, I’m screwed. But my bias doesn’t blur my Honcho-vision… I can still see greatness when it’s right in front of me, kicking my ass. At least he doesn’t play for the Lakers anymore.

- Josh Cribbs, for two kickoff returns of at least 100 yards. What does a man have to do to get any attention around here? He broke the career record for kickoff returns, and tied the single-game record, and he still plays second fiddle to the game his teammate Harrison put up. Let the award soothe your pain, Joshua. Rub it where it hurts.

- Robo Kreps, for something about game-winning shots over division 1-A opponents for the first time ever, and a good season so far, and… oh, who am I kidding. Young Robo is a man/boy after my heart with a moniker like that. And, you know, he doesn’t suck, so it’s not like I’m totally reaching here… OK, I’m reaching a little. I don’t care. Robo, you may pick your Honcho Award up at the Bursar’s Office. Good day.

EH: There, are you happy?

WBHAW: Yes. Yes I am.

EH: About that money you promised.

WBHAW: Yeah… I was lying about that.

EH: Hey! I can edit this!

WBHAW: You can, but you’re not going to.

EH: Oh yeah! Why not?

WBHAW: Look out your window.

EH: Oh. Congratulations then.

WBHAW: Thank you.

December 20, 2009 by Ares-mma.com staff

The Strikeforce event last night, Strikeforce: Evolution, was a solid event from top to bottom. In his Strikeforce debut, “King Mo” Lawal began the Showtime telecast with a first round technical knockout of Mike Whitehead. Whitehead was game, but Mo was beating him to the punch for the entire fight. Mo has the personality and the fighting skills to be a mixed martial arts superstar. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza made a statement in his Strikeforce debut with a first round submission (arm triangle) of perennial middleweight contender Matt Lindland. It seems that Dan Henderson will get the next shot at Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields in April. One more solid win may earn Jacare a shot at the winner.

Gilbert Melendez won the undisputed Strikeforce lightweight title in a unanimous decision in his rematch with Josh Thomson in a great fight. The two fighters are now 1-1 against one another, and a rubber match seems to be inevitable. In the main event of the evening, after a two-year absence, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Cung Le made his return to the Strikeforce cage in a fight with Scott Smith. Cung Le dominated the action throughout with kicks. Le landed several spinning back heel kicks that planted Smith on to his backside. Le thoroughly controlled the action in the cage until Smith landed the left hook in the third round that changed the fight. Le was stunned and went into survival mode. Smith took advantage and threw a series of punches that forced Le into a defenseless position and referee John McCarthy was forced to stop the fight.

Strikeforce continues to prove to be the second best promotion in mixed martial arts, and the promotion is quickly getting bigger and better. Competition is important for the sport, and Strikeforce may be the promotion that the sport needs to challenge the UFC for supremacy.