Strikeforce Challengers 3 Live Results
by Robert Sargent
Strikeforce came to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the third edition of their Challengers Series and MMARising.com was on-hand to provide live coverage of the event, which was headlined by a middleweight bout between Tim Kennedy and Zak Cummings.
Elsewhere on the event's televised main card, Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre defeated Travis "The Dark Knight" Calanoc in a great battle.
Tim Kennedy vs Zak Cummings
Kennedy opened the fight with low kicks and followed with a head kick. He scored a takedown and punched from half-guard. Cummings looked to secure a Kimura, but Kennedy pulled his arm free. More punches landed for Kennedy and he quickly took Cummings's back. Cummings rolled over and Kennedy punched from mount. He took Cummings's back again and landed punches and hammerfists, then flattened Cummings out and teed off with big left hands. Cummings regained half-guard, but Kennedy punched his way back to mount. This repeated once more and Kennedy landed two huge punches from mount. Cummings rolled over and gave up his back again. Kennedy spent the final 30 seconds landing punches from mount and back control. 10-8 Kennedy.The second round began with a body kick from Kennedy and two lead left hooks. He landed a combination and two right crosses. In a clinch, Kennedy scored with two knees and Cummings answered with an elbow over the top. Both landed punches and Kennedy locked on a standing front choke. He evaded a takedown attempt and landed strikes against the cage. Cummings shot in for a takedown and Kennedy secured another front choke. Cummings rolled over, but put himself in a very tight North-South Choke in the process. With nowhere to go, Cummings quickly tapped out.
Winner: Tim Kennedy by Submission (North-South Choke) at 2:43 of round two. He improves to 11-2-0.
Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo vs Kevin "The Shaman" Jordan
Sefo opened the fight with a pair of leg kicks and reversed a takedown from Jordan. He tried to pass Jordan's guard, but Jordan swept and moved to side-control. Jordan landed knees to the body and punches with his free hand. He secured a keylock, but Sefo powered free. Jordan continued to land occasional knees and punches, then passed to mount. He punched from the top, but Sefo defended well. Sefo rolled to his side and ate some hard punches, but made it to the bell. 10-9 Jordan.Sefo stuffed an early takedown attempt in round two, then dove in with two punches from Jordan's guard. Jordan jumped back to his feet, but his knee popped and he collapsed to the canvas in great pain. The fight was waved off, giving Sefo a victory in disappointing fashion.
Winner: Ray Sefo by Verbal Submission (Knee Injury) at 0:24 of round two. He improves to 2-0-0.
Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley vs "The Lisbon Outlaw" Zach Light
The fighters traded quick punches in the opening minute and Woodley landed a head kick. Light answered with a jab to the body, but Woodley countered with a knee and violently slammed him to the canvas. Woodley tried to pass to mount, but Light scrambled and regained half-guard. Woodley pressed Light up against the cage and looked to secure an arm-triangle choke, but let it go and moved to mount. He punched from the top and locked on an arm-triangle. Light managed to somehow survive the choke, but Woodley landed more punches. He stayed on top until the bell. 10-9 Woodley.Light connected with a pair of one-twos in round two and Woodley answered with a head kick. A right hook landed for Light, but Woodley floored him with a right hook of his own. Light got back to his feet, but was immediately taken down. As in round one, Woodley secured an arm-triangle choke from mount, but let it go and punched instead. Once again, Woodley went for an arm-triangle choke, but did not fully pass Light's half-guard and Light easily survived. The fighters returned to the feet and Woodley scored another slam takedown. He moved to mount and quickly transitioned into an armbar. Light held on for nearly 15 seconds, but eventually tapped out.
Winner: Tyron Woodley by Submission (Armbar) at 3:38 of round two. He improves to 4-0-0.
Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre vs Travis "The Dark Knight" Calanoc
Calanoc opened the fight with a knee and was met with a one-two in reply. Quick strikes were exchanged and Longacre landed a left hook and a leg kick. Both landed left hooks and Longacre sent Calanoc off-balance with a combination of leg kicks and punches. Both fighters landed punches and Longacre scored with another leg kick. He followed with a head kick and stuffed a takedown. The fighters exchanged punches and Longacre landed kicks to the leg and body. He followed with a head kick, but Calanoc rocked him with knees, a left hook counter and a one-two. More knees landed for Calanoc and he connected with a head kick. Longacre held strong and scored with a lead left hook. Calanoc tripped Longacre to the mat with a leg kick counter and tried for a guillotine choke, but Longacre escaped and stood up. Both landed strikes at the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Longacre.Round two started off with flurries from both fighters and Longacre landed a leg kick. Punches followed and Longacre landed more leg kicks and a combination. Calanoc replied with two knees in a Thai clinch and Longacre fired back with some hard punches. Longacre partially landed a head kick and both fighters threw kicks to the body. Another vicious leg kick landed for Longacre. And another. Longacre stuffed a takedown and continued to punish Calanoc's lead leg, then threw him to the mat. Calanoc stood up and Longacre connected with a beautiful three-punch combination and a leg kick. Calanoc countered a missed kick by locking on a guillotine choke and pulling Longacre to the ground, but Longacre escaped and landed more punches. 10-9 Longacre.
Longacre opened the final round with quick punches and two more leg kicks. Calanoc could not find his range with punches and Longacre scored a body-lock takedown. He moved to side-control, but stood up and allowed Calanoc to stand as well. A one-two landed for Longacre and Calanoc missed with two spinning back fists. Calanoc landed two leg kicks, but he was immediately countered by a combination and a head kick. Longacre scored with one-twos and followed with leg kicks, then broke free of a guillotine choke on the ground. He worked from Calanoc's guard, then stood up to avoid a triangle choke. Longacre backed Calanoc around the cage with punches and Calanoc offered little in return. Both fighters went for the knockout with punches for the final 15 seconds. 10-9 Longacre.
Winner: Thomas Longacre by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 5-0-0.
Daniel Cormier vs Gary Frazier
The fighters circled each other for the opening minute and looked to find their range with jabs. Cormier landed a right cross and stuffed a takedown, then scored with a hard knee in a clinch. Frazier tried to back away and shot in for a very sloppy takedown, which Cormier easily evaded. He partially took Frazier's back and landed hammerfists. Frazier turtled and Cormier pushed him back down to the mat. He moved straight to side-control and isolated Frazier's arms, then landed punches with his free hand. Cormier postured up and landed a big right and more short punches. Frazier got to his feet and both fighters swung for the fences. Both landed jabs as the pace slowed. 10-9 Cormier.Round two started with quick punches from Frazier and he found a home for his left jab. Cormier worked his way in and landed an overhand right, then tried for a takedown, but Frazier grabbed the cage. More jabs landed for both fighters and Frazier connected with a body kick. Cormier muscled him back to the cage and tried for a takedown. Frazier stayed on his feet, but Cormier landed punches and Frazier slipped while throwing a knee. Cormier moved into a half-mount position and landed punches, then passed to full mount. He threw punches from the top, but Frazier defended well. However, Frazier then rolled over and gave up his back and Cormier teed off with punches until the referee stopped the fight.
Winner: Daniel Cormier by TKO (Punches) at 3:39 of round two. He improves to 1-0-0.
Jeri "Fists of Fury" Sitzes vs Lacey "The Ladie" Schuckman
Both fighters landed quick jabs early on and Schuckman scored with a stiff leg kick. Sitzes replied with an overhand right and stuffed a takedown. Schuckman got up and slammed Sitzes to the mat. She passed to side-control and then directly to mount, but Sitzes scrambled back to her feet. Schuckman dragged her down with a tight guillotine choke. Sitzes survived and eventually pulled her neck free. The fight returned to the feet and Sitzes connected with three punches and a head kick. She staggered Schuckman with more punches and reversed a takedown attempt. From mount, Sitzes rained down punches, but Schuckman rolled over and escaped to her feet. More big punches landed for Sitzes against the cage and Schuckman clinched. She attempted a takedown, but gave up her back in the process. Sitzes landed punches on the ground, then rocked Schuckman again on the feet. Excellent round. 10-9 Sitzes.Round two began with leg kicks from both fighters and Sitzes landed a pair of head kicks and a spinning back fist that sent Schuckman off-balance. Schuckman, cut below the right eye, replied with kicks and attempted to jump into a scissor heel hook, but settled for a takedown and top position instead. She moved straight to mount and landed punches, but Sitzes again scrambled out and wound up in Schuckman's half-guard. The fighters stood up and Schuckman failed miserably with a takedown attempt. A second effort was more successful, but Sitzes trapped her in a triangle choke. Schuckman managed to knee the legs and body of Sitzes and escaped the choke. Schuckman landed weak rights from the top, then postured up and landed some solid punches. She picked Sitzes up and slammed her with a mini powerbomb. Very close round that could go either way. 10-9 Sitzes, just barely.
The final round began with leg kicks from Schuckman, but Sitzes drilled her with four huge punches that forced Schuckman to try for a takedown. Sitzes reversed and landed punches from the top, but was quickly swept. Schuckman moved to side-control, but Sitzes scrambled to her feet. She used a judo throw to take Schuckman down and landed in mount, but quickly stood up and punished Schuckman with punches against the cage. More punches followed, but Schuckman seemed to be okay. The referee saw otherwise and stopped the fight. Schuckman offered minor protest, and the fight probably could have gone on a bit longer, but she was taking a beating on the feet.
Winner: Jeri Sitzes by TKO (Punches) at 2:18 of round three. She improves to 4-1-0.
Paul Bradley vs Levi "The Marine" Avera
Bradley rocked Avera right away with a one-two and took him down. From half-guard, he landed nearly a dozen short left hands, but Avera regained guard. Bradley continued to land short strikes from the top and passed to half-guard again. Avera once again regained guard and the two exchanged short punches on the ground. The fight was stood up and Avera pushed forward with kicks. He clinched and tried for a takedown, but had no success. Bradley backed away and scored a double-leg takedown. He stayed on top and landed punches until the bell. 10-9 Bradley.The second round began with a big overhand right from Bradley and both fighters threw heavy punches. Bradley scored a takedown and landed a handful of short punches, but Avera prevented him from doing anything. Bradley eventually postured up and rained down a flurry of punches, then briefly secured a guillotine choke as Avera tried to get up. He pushed Avera to his back again and passed to half-guard. Some hard left hands scored for Bradley, but the action slowed and the referee stood the fighters up. Avera landed a hard one-two and a body kick, but Bradley took him down again and landed weak strikes from the top. 10-9 Bradley.
Round three started off with a combination from Bradley and he quickly took Avera down. Bradley passed to half-guard against the cage and landed punches with his free hand. Avera briefly looked for an armbar and a triangle choke, but Bradley stood up and dove back into his guard. The fight returned to the feet and Bradley shot in for a takedown. Avera initially tried to counter with a guillotine choke, but let it go and the crowd became restless. Bradley landed punches from the top until the fight was stood up. Bradley scored with a three-punch combination and Avera countered with a one-two. Bradley followed a double-leg takedown and worked from the top until the lacklustre fight came to an end. 10-9 Bradley.
Winner: Paul Bradley by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 12-1-0.
Trey Houston vs Brandon Gaines
Houston opened the fight with a takedown and quickly took Gaines's back. He punched the sides of Gaines's head and tried to set up a rear naked choke. Gaines did a complete forward somersault on the ground and Houston wound up on his back, but maintained back control. He rolled Gaines over and landed more hard punches, but could not secure the choke. Houston landed dozens of punches, but Gaines survived and reversed position. He passed Houston's guard and moved briefly to side-control, but Houston regained guard. Gaines went for a very sloppy transition and was easily reversed. Houston went straight to mount and landed punches before the bell. 10-9 Houston.Round two began with leg kicks from Houston and he reversed a takedown. Houston moved to mount and took Gaines's back, then landed punches. Gaines, who had been badly favouring his back between rounds, turtled and eventually tried to reverse, but Houston secured a modified arm-triangle choke and Gaines tapped out. He stayed down for quite some time in the ring and appeared to have a considerable injury to his back from round one.
Winner: Trey Houston by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 1:28 of round two. He improves to 2-0-0.
Kenny Giddens vs Jon Carson
The fighters traded jabs early on and Carson landed a head kick. He stuffed a takedown and rocked Giddens with a left hook. Giddens recovered and landed a right cross, then chased Carson around the cage. A hard body kick landed for Giddens and Carson answered with quick flurries. Giddens tagged him with a one-two and rushed in with more punches, but missed. The fighters clinched briefly and exchanged knees. A stiff leg kick scored for Giddens and he followed with a flurry against the cage. Giddens landed a vicious body kick and continued to land effective counterpunches. Another body kick landed for Giddens and he finished the round with a lengthy combination. 10-9 Giddens.Round two began with punches and time was called after an inadvertent low blow from Giddens. Carson was okay and action resumed with a kick-punch combination from Giddens. He mixed in leg kicks and lead left hooks. Carson could not find his range and continued to absorb kicks to the legs and body. The leg kicks began to take their toll and Carson switched stances briefly, but Giddens drilled him with two right hooks. Giddens landed more leg kicks and a stinging right cross, then followed with a flurry as Carson backed away. Big punches landed for Giddens against the cage and Carson went down. Giddens punched on the ground, then stood up and Carson followed. Carson shot in for a takedown, but Giddens stuffed it and immediately secured a D'Arce Choke. He flipped Carson over and rolled into an Anaconda Choke - the second (in a row) of the night - for the victory.
Winner: Kenny Giddens by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 4:15 of round two. He improves to 9-5-0.
Josh "The Python" Pulsifer vs Nick Gibbons
Gibbons landed an overhand right and a standing elbow, but Pulsifer clinched and scored a takedown. From half-guard, he secured a D'Arce Choke and rolled it into an Anaconda Choke. Gibbons, stuck against the cage, had nowhere to go and quickly tapped out before briefly losing consciousness.Winner: Josh Pulsifer by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 1:05 of round one. He improves to 14-4-0.
Dylan Smith vs Lemont Davis
Smith clinched and scored a takedown to begin the fight, then moved to side-control. He passed straight to mount and landed punches. Davis gave up his back and Smith secured a rear naked choke. Davis quickly tapped out, giving Smith a quick victory.Winner: Dylan Smith by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:15 of round one. He improves to 2-0-0.
Strikeforce Challengers 3 was a solid event and created new stars in some exciting fights.
