As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary for Strikeforce Challengers 13. The live blog will start with the beginning of the Showtime broadcast (11 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
The event is headlined by a bout between Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine. Many other recognizable names are on the card from Daniel Cormier to Ovince St. Preux.
As always we have our one rule: NO SPOILERS! In the interest of not ruining anything from the undercard that may make the broadcast we ask that you do not discuss the results of the undercard in the comments until either the broadcast ends or the fight makes the air.
The Showtime Broadcast is live.
Rhadi Ferguson vs. John Richard – Round 1 – Richard throws a huge punch that doesn’t connect but he manages a takedown and Ferguson looks for a heel hook, Richard escapes and they roll with Richard on Rhadi’s back. A few big punches and now Richard is looking for the rear naked and when he can’t get it initially he goes back to throwing big punches. Both hooks are in but after a minute Ferguson turns and is on top in Richard’s guard. Rhadi with small punches to the body. Richard’s mouthpiece comes out twice and the ref replaces it both times but the second time issues Richard a warning. Rhadi starting to let his punches go. Rhadi has good position with control of Richard’s body as he is turtled and he’s doing good work so the ref issues a warning that he’ll stand it up for…some reason. Richard spits his mouthpiece out again but Rhadi is working hard enough that it takes a bit before the ref can replace it and now the ref deducts a point from Richard which is the correct call. Scary opening to the fight for Rhadi but he came back to win the round. 10-8 with the point deduction.
Round 2 – Leg kick by Ferguson and Richard is breathing very heavily. What looked to be a low blow by Richard on a leg kick hurts Ferguson and the ref doesn’t see it so Richard charges in and tackles Rhadi to the ground and is landing some heavy punches. Again Rhadi dives for a leg, this time looking for a kneebar. Richard escapes and now Rhadi switches to the other leg and Richard is forced to tap out. That was a fairly weird and ugly fight at times but Rhadi is now 3-0. Rhadi Ferguson wins by submission (kneebar), round 2.
Julia Budd vs. Amanda Nunes – Round 1 – Nunes with a few nice right hands and now a left hand that drops Budd and now Nunes is throwing huge hammerfists down and Budd is out cold. That was just crushing. Amanda Nunes wins by TKO (punches), round 1.
Daniel Cormier vs. Devin Cole – Round 1 – Cole throws a few jabs with no real aim. Cormier with a jab and now a leg kick. Right hand by Cormier and he closes distance and gets double underhooks against the cage. Cole turns him around but eats an uppercut. Body kick and a push kick by Cormier and now a nice takedown to side control. Cormier looks tremendous so far. Cormier tries to pin the arm but Cole gets out. Cole manages to stand up with Cormier on his back. Cormier working some punches to the body. Knee to the body by Cole and now Cormier fires another uppercut. Cormier can’t get the inside trip. Cormier is pushing Cole into the fence still but Cole is doing well at staying on his feet. Nice right hand by Cole as they separate. Huge overhand right by Cormier lands and now a pair of punches and a head kick. Left hook now and an uppercut. Cormier’s stand-up has improved a ton. Now a takedown by Cormier. The round ends and it was a 10-9 round for Cormier.
Round 2 – Leg kick by Cormier. Left hook by Cormier. They clinch up and Cormier gets the takedown. Cormier grinding away from half-guard with Cole pushed up against the fence. Cormier into mount now. Cole walks up the fence to escape and Cormier gets back on top of him in the scramble but only in side control. Body shots from Cormier and he’s just staying busy with grinding punches here. They scramble and Cormier takes the back but can’t lock up the choke and Cole rolls back to half guard. Cole looking for a kimura and Cormier staying relaxed and out of trouble while Cole grunts trying to lock it in. 10-9 Cormier again.
Round 3 – Cole is trying to be aggressive but he gets locked up in the clinch by Cormier again. Both men grinding in the clinch with knees, body punches and short punches but the ref separates the men. Uppercut by Cormier. Lazy shot by Cormier is avoided by Cole and he almost lands with an illegal knee. Cormier tries for the takedown and Cole manages to stand up. Both men working against the cage. A few nice punches by Cormier and a knee to the body by Cole. Again they’re restarted by the ref. Cole pushes in to the clinch with a few arm punches. Takedown by Cormier should secure the round for him. Cormier trying to open up with twenty seconds left but Cole makes it to the final bell. 10-9 round for Cormier gives him a clean sweep on my card.
Official Scorecards – 30-27 across the board. Daniel Cormier wins by unanimous decision.
Ovince St. Preux vs. Ron “Abongo” Humphrey – Round 1 – OSP says no to touching gloves. Nice left hook lands for OSP and Humphrey looks for a takedown but ends up getting taken down. Abongo tries to get to his feet but OSP is smothering him. St. Preux looks for a mount but can’t get it and Humphrey manages to get on top but St. Preux looks to lock up a triangle. Abongo looks to go for a leg from the top. Abongo straightens out the kneebar and it looks deep but St. Preux manages to get out and now he’s in full mount. St. Preux landing some big left hands and Abongo gives up his back. More big punches and St. Preux ends up in mount as the round ends. 10-9 OSP.
Round 2 – OSP letting his hands go and he lands a few shots before ending up on top in half guard against the cage. Humphrey is bleeding. OSP is throwing punches with regularity and the ref tells them to get busy which is strange and now he stands them up. Humphrey landing some big shots and looks to be hurting OSP. Now OSP fires back and hurts Abongo. OSP drops down and gets the takedown. OSP working but the ref stands them up again. Big knees from OSP and now Abongo is unloading with huge shots and St. Preux is hurt badly and he goes for a takedown and ends up on top after Humphrey goes for a choke. Very good round. 10-9 for OSP but Humphrey may get it for the big punches.
Round 3 – OSP manages to end up on top early in the round after Humphrey took him down for a second. OSP walks Abongo to the cage while landing shots to the body and the ref stands them up again. This is terrible reffing. Punches don’t have to be to the head to be “doing work” and OSP was moving the fight to the cage while landing the body punches. OSP shoots in again and Abongo grabs the arm in guillotine but OSP works his way to half guard. OSP just survives the choke attempt and manages to pop his head out. Again they’re stood up by the ref. Leg kick by Humprey and now they both throw leg kicks and OSP’s knocks Abongo to the ground. The fight ends with OSP on top. 10-9 OSP again I guess as Humphrey’s only real work was with the arm in guillotine attempt which never appeared to be close.
Official Scorecards – 30-27 across the board for Ovince St. Preux.
Tyron Woodley vs. Tarec Saffiedine – Round 1 – Both men missing with their strikes early. They’re clinched up and both guys are trying to do some damage but neither guy is really landing anything hard. Now Woodley has him pushed against the cage and is looking for the takedown. Woodley with a nice takedown now into Saffiedine’s full guard. Saffiedine scoots back to the cage and he’s trying to use it to stand up and he does manage to get to his feet. Woodley just pushing forward still looking to get back to the ground. Woodley can’t get the single leg but isn’t allowing Saffiedine any space. Knees to the legs by Woodley and the ref decides to separate them. Woodley says he got poked in the eye and the ref tells them to keep fighting because he didn’t see it. Knee to the body by Saffiedine and now a hard punch by Woodley. Saffiedine just misses with a headkick. Knee to the body by Woodley and he closes distance into the clinch. The round ends and it’s 10-9 Woodley.
Round 2– Head kick by Saffiedine is blocked. Leg kick by Saffiedine now and a right hand that lands hard. Saffiedine has Woodley pushed into the cage and he’s landing knees to the legs and body. Woodley tries to push into the cage now and Saffiedine turns him to keep Tyron’s back in the cage. Saffiedine still working the knees but now Woodley shoots and gets the takedown. Saffiedine working the open guard with his feet on the hips. Saffiedine throws his legs up for a triangle, almost transitions to an omoplata and Woodley manages to get out and now he’s passed to half guard. Again Saffiedine trying to get his legs up. Now Saffiedine scoots back to the cage. He is trying to get up but Woodley keeping him down and landing some knees to the arms. The round ends and all Woodley really managed was the takedown but he didn’t do much with it. I say 10-9 Saffiedine but the judges will certainly give it to Woodley.
Round 3 – They’re trading punches in the clinch and Saffiedine pushes him into the cage. As they get distance Woodley lands an uppercut. Woodley shoots and Saffiedine sprawls nicely. Saffiedine ends up on top in side control now after Woodley couldn’t complete the takedown. Woodley manages to get back to his feet. Saffiedine pushes him into the cage again. They’re trading knees to the legs and body. Head kick attempt by Saffiedine is caught and he’s taken down. Saffiedine is looking to catch an armbar now but they’re in a very odd position here. They end up getting back to their feet and Woodley pushes him into the cage now. Restart of the fighters with just over a minute left. Nice right hand lands and again they clinch up and Saffiedine pushes him into the cage. Again Woodley shoots and again can’t get the takedown. And the same thing again. Saffiedine with a knee and a headkick as the fight comes to a close. 10-9 Saffiedine on my card and I actually have him winning 29-28.
Official Scorecards: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 all for Tyron Woodley. Woodley has now looked fairly unimpressive in two of his last three fights (this and the Coy fight). Saffiedine is far from a bad fighter so it’s not bad to see him give Woodley trouble, but still.
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