As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for Strikeforce Challengers 17. 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 third fight between Roger Bowling and Bobby Voelker. Also on the card, top female contenders Sarah Kaufman and Liz Carmouche will enter the cage in a highly important bout. Rising light heavyweight star Ovince St. Preux will also be in action as he fights Joe Cason.
Two other bouts round out the main card as Devin Cole takes on Shawn Jordan and Adlan Amagov battles Ron Stallings.
Make sure that you come back and share your thoughts as the event goes down. And stay tuned after the event as we will have reaction over the coming days to any major news coming out of the fights.
The Showtime broadcast is live. First fight up shortly.
Ron Stallings vs. Adlan Amagov – Round 1 – Stallings with a leg kick early. Side kick to the gut by Amagov. Head kick by Stallings misses. Huge right hand by Amagov and Stallings legs start to betray him. Head kick by Amagov is blocked. It’s fairly slow paced early. Spinning back kick by Amagov lands to the side of Stallings. Amagov starting to work over the lead leg of Stallings and he just misses with a spinning hook kick. They clinch up with Amagov pushing Stallings into the fence. Amagov with a nice takedown into side control. Stallings tries to get up with a takedown but Amagov hip throws him back to the ground. 10-9 Amagov.
Round 2 – Leg kick by Stallings early lands solidly. Amagov answers back. Front kick by Amagov now. If Amagov throws the right hand, it’s open to land. Head kick by Stallings is blocked. Stallings pushes Amagov into the cage and lands a short right hand. Amagov reaches with the right hand and Stallings uses it to charge in looking for the takedown. Two consecutive hip throws by Amagov and he lands a series of left hands. Back to standing with Stallings pushing him against the fence. Stallings trying for some jumping knees. Big knees and punches by Amagov. He is spinning wildly and falls to the ground. What an odd attempt to finish the fight by Amagov. I’ve still got him up 20-18 after 2.
Round 3 – Amagov winging strikes early but he gets caught and Stallings lands a series of knees. Now Stallings with a takedown. Stallings in side control looking to lock up an arm. Amagov tries to sit up. Stallings into the mount. Amagov escapes from an armbar attempt and ends up standing up. Amagov pushes Stallings into the cage now. Both men throwing wild strikes. Stallings looking for a guillotine but Amagov escapes with a spinning backfist. Amagov holds the fence for the fourth time, no point deduction. They end the fight swinging wildly. I give Stallings the third round making it 29-28 Amagov.
Official Scorecards: 29-28 Stallings, 29-28 Amagov, 29-28 Amagov. Adlan Amagov wins by split decision.
Sarah Kaufman vs. Liz Carmouche – Round 1 – Kaufman lands some punches and Carmouche pulls a Thai clinch and pulls her into the cage. Kaufman keeps her pushed into the cage. Uppercut by Kaufman on the inside. Carmouche pushes her into the cage. Carmouche with some hard footstomps. Throw attempt by Carmouche and she slips and Kaufman takes the back. Carmouche manages to stand up before Kaufman gets the hooks in though and she pushes for a takedown of her own. Kaufman gets back to distance. Jab by Kaufman. Both women coming up short on their punches toward the end of the round. Kaufman with the only punch that scores. 10-9 Kaufman.
Round 2 – More punching exchanges to open the round and more of neither woman really landing. Kaufman landing a few decent right hands now. It’s a lot of position battling against the cage this round and Kaufman landing the only meaningful punches when they’re at distance. 10-9 Kaufman again.
Round 3 – Nice right hand by Kaufman lands. A lot more clinch work and Kaufman ends up on top briefly. THey’re back to standing and Kaufman lands some decent punches again. Carmouche tries for a takedown and Kaufman defends with a sprawl and lands a few decent shots. Carmouche is bleeding from the nose and mouth. Kaufman cruises to the final bell with some more punches landing. 10-9 Kaufman.
Official Scorecards: 30-27 across the board for Sarah Kaufman.
Ovince St. Preux vs. Joe Cason – Round 1 – OSP lands a few clean punches and then a knee that badly rocked Cason. Cason tumbles to the ground and holds onto OSP’s leg. OSP opens up with some huge punches and Cason is tapping as the ref jumps in. Ovince St. Preux wins by submission (punches), round 1.
Devin Cole vs. Shawn Jordan – Round 1 – Jordan with a right hand that lands. Cole with a right hand that lands. They continue to trade a bit, now Jordan with a takedown and he takes the back of Cole and gets his hooks in. Cole escapes and now has Jordan’s back. Cole landing an uppercut once they end up back standing. Jordan ends the round with a big shot. 10-9 Jordan.
Round 2 – Cole landed a nice knee early and is looking to use his reach better this round. Nice hook and uppercut by Cole now. Jordan with a superman punch and a series of hard punches that land and Cole now looks for a takedown. Cole with the takedown into side control. Jordan spins and gets guard back. Cole passes to side control and starts landing knees. Jordan spins again and stands up. Cole with a few knees and right hands. Cole wins the round to even it up at 19-19
Round 3 – They awkwardly hug to start the round. Both men flashing punches out and not landing early. Knee to the body by Cole. Uppercut just misses for Jordan. Uppercut by Cole. Jordan with a nice uppercut and Cole clinches him up. Jordan dropped down for a guillotine but slipped out and is on his back. Jordan landing some punches off his back. Cole spends the remainder of the round landing occasional punches from the top and that should get him the 29-28 win.
Official Scorecards: Devin Cole wins by unanimous decision (no scores announced)
Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker – Round 1 – Body shot by Bowling. They’re both feeling out early and Voelker is looking to make it hard for him to get inside to land. Counter by Voelker just misses. Bowling lands a left hook and Voelker stumbles backward. Body kick by Bowling and another. Bowling with another hard kick. Bowling follows a strike in for a takedown but Voelker stands right up and Bowling lands a few punches. OH NO! BOWLING POKED IN THE EYE! Okay, they restart after a short break. Both men opening up with punches and Bowling has Voelker hurt badly but he survives to the end of the round. 10-9 Bowling.
Round 2 – A lot of early aggression from Bowling again and he manages to get a takedown and works some punches to the face of Voelker before Bobby stands up. Bowling looking for the takedown again. Huge knee on the separation by Voelker and Bowling’s legs betray him. He spills to the mat, Voelker throwing a flurry of strikes and the fight is appropriately stopped. Bowling tries to argue the stoppage but it was completely correct. Bobby Voelker wins by TKO (knee and punches), round 2.
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