After a solid card last Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Strikeforce came to the Cedar Park Center near Austin, Texas tonight for Strikeforce Challengers 14. The event was headlined by an incredible lightweight battle between Pat “Bam Bam” Healy and Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm.
In the night’s co-main event, former WEC title challenger Carlo “Neo” Prater made short work of Bryan Travers by choking the Californian unconscious with an anaconda choke in a mere 38 seconds. Meanwhile, Ryan Couture earned the second win of his pro career when he defeated Lee Higgins.
In an entertaining main event, Pat “Bam Bam” Healy edged the previously unbeaten Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm after three hard-fought rounds in an amazing back-and-forth battle.
Beerbohm opened the bout with Healy by throwing a head kick and scoring a brief takedown. A clinch followed and the fighters battled for position. Beerbohm picked Healy up and slammed him down, but Healy returned to his feet again. Beerbohm looked to take the fight to the mat again and eventually took Healy’s back while standing. Healy shrugged him off and defended a Kimura, then dragged Beerbohm to the mat.
The second round began with a clinch and Beerbohm tripped Healy to the mat against the cage. Healy stood and defended more takedown attempts by landing knees to Beerbohm’s ribs. Healy secured an inverted triangle choke, but Beerbohm scrambled out and tried to take Healy down again. Healy went for another inverted triangle choke, then a third soon after. He secured a hammerlock at the same time, but Beerbohm somehow held on all the way until the bell.
In the final round, Healy pushed forward with punches right away and looked for a takedown of his own. He scooped Beerbohm to the mat and took his back, then secured a modified rear-naked choke. Beerbohm escaped and promptly took Healy’s back. An amazing scramble ensued on the ground as the fighters transitioned from submission to submission and defended their opponent’s attacks. Healy nearly locked on another rear-naked choke, but Beerbohm escaped again and another scramble followed. In the final seconds, Healy snapped Beerbohm’s head back with jabs.
The scorecards were read and all three judges awarded the bout to Healy. However, there were no losers in this matchup, as the two fighters put on a great show in an amazing ground battle.
Winner: Pat Healy by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 26-17-0.
The co-main event of Strikeforce Challengers 14 ended almost as quickly as it began, as Carlo “Neo” Prater choked Bryan Travers unconscious in under a minute.
Prater clinched early on and scored a nice trip takedown. He immediately locked on an Anaconda Choke and flipped Travers over. Within seconds, Travers was rendered unconscious and Prater picked up a very impressive victory.
Winner: Carlo Prater by Technical Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 0:38 of round one. He improves to 26-10-1.
Making his second appearance in a Strikeforce cage, Ryan Couture remained perfect as a professional by submitting Lee “Hoss” Higgins in the third round of their lightweight matchup.
The fighters circled cautiously early on and Couture landed kicks to the body. Higgins connected with a right hook soon after, but Couture remained active with quick kick-punch combinations. Fighting from a southpaw stance, Couture scored with a short right hook, then returned to more kicks. Couture stuffed a takedown and worked for a guillotine choke, but Higgins escaped. Couture switched to a Brabo Choke, but time expired in the round.
Couture clinched in round two and landed a knee, but Higgins fired back with a one-two and circled away. Another clinch followed and Couture floored Higgins with a big right hand. Higgins stood and Couture took him down. He took Higgins’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke, but Higgins defended well despite being trapped in a tight body triangle for a full minute.
The fighters battled for position against the cage in the final round and Couture defended takedown attempts. Couture continued to land lead right hooks, but balked on a kick and Higgins took advantage. He took Couture’s back while standing, but Couture spun and tripped Higgins to the mat. Couture secured a rear-naked choke as Higgins fought it. Higgins escaped, but Couture locked on another one and Higgins tapped out late in the round.
Winner: Ryan Couture by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:41 of round three. He improves to 2-0-0.
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts prospect Ryan Larson upset Erik “Bad” Apple in a featured welterweight bout, as he submitted Apple midway through the second round.
Kicks were exchanged early on and the fighters clinched against the cage. Larson landed knees and a head kick, then took Apple down. He moved straight to a crucifix position and landed short punches, then moved for a Kimura. Larson alternated between the crucifix and Kimura attempts, then took Apple’s back. Apple scrambled and secured a heel hook, but Larson took mount before the bell.
Larson, despite favouring his left ankle, scored a takedown in the second round and punched from the top. He moved to mount, then took Apple’s back. Larson went back to mount and unloaded punches before transitioning into a fight-ending triangle choke that forced Apple to submit.
Winner: Ryan Larson by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 3:14 of round two. He improves to 6-2-0.
In the opening bout of the televised portion of the card, David “Tarzan” Douglas dispatched of Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez in short order in a 150-pound catchweight contest.
Douglas rushed in with punches right away, then dropped Gonzalez with a lead left hook. He followed with a barrage of quick punches on the ground, but Gonzalez survived. Douglas took his back and secured a rear-naked choke, and Gonzalez was rendered unconscious.
Winner: David Douglas by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:05 of round one. He improves to 6-2-0.
Undercard Fights:
Aaron Lanfranco defeated Ousmane Thomas Diagne by KO (Punches) at 4:22 of round one. He improves to 3-0-0 with the win.
Drew Pendleton defeated Dennis Dombrow by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:38 of round two. He improves to 3-0-0 with the win.