Strikeforce lightweight Lyle Beerbohm is coming off his first career loss to a gritty Pat Healy at Strikeforce Challengers 14 so he’s very motivated to get back on the winning track when he faces one of the world’s top lightweights, Shinya Aoki. Beerbohm talked to MMA Fighting and claims he isn’t worried about Aoki’s bone-breaking brand of submissions:
“I don’t think my sprawl-and-brawl is up to par. I’m not that type of fighter. I definitely have to be aware of his tricky submissions, but I have to kind of fight him a little bit different. I don’t want to be on my back with him, so I have to push the pace and either get on top of him or beat him up against the cage.”
“I like to go to the ground, and he’s one of the best grapplers in the world at lightweight. I think it should be an exciting fight, and I’m not afraid to go to the ground with him. I’m really not. He might think that no one wants to go there with him, but we’ll see what happens when we get there.”
“I like to use elbows, and now I can. I’m there to win and finish.”
Apr 9th, live on Showtime from San Diego, California:
Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (15-1) [Num. 64] +190
Loss Pat Healy – Decision (Unanimous) Strikeforce Challengers 14
Win Talon Hoffman – Submission (Guillotine Choke) ROTR 15
Win Josh Calvo – Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) ROTR 14
Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki (26-5) [Num. 4] -225
Loss Yuichiro Nagashima – KO (Flying Knee) Dynamite!! 2010 [K-1/MMA rules]
Win Yokthai Sithoar – Submission (Keylock) Deep 50 Impact
Win Marcus Aurelio – Decision (Unanimous) Dream 16