Strikeforce Challengers 17 Live Play-By-Play & ResultsStrikeforce made its first appearance in the state of Nevada tonight with Strikeforce Challengers 17 from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event was headlined by a welterweight trilogy bout between rivals “Vicious” Bobby Voelker and “Relentless” Roger Bowling.

Also on the card, Ovince St. Preux looked to keep his unbeaten Strikeforce record intact when he took on Joe Cason, while Sarah Kaufman battled Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche in a pivotal women’s bout in the 135-pound division. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s Strikeforce main card.

 

“Vicious” Bobby Voelker vs “Relentless” Roger Bowling

Round 1:
Bowling targeted the body early in with punches and a kick. He followed with a vicious right hook, but Voelker was unfazed. Bowling ducked under a right hook and landed a left to the body. He remained one step ahead of Voelker and backed him up with a lead left hook. Voelker regained his footing and Bowling drilled him with a pair of body kicks.

Bowling began to put together combinations to the body and landed more left hooks. He mixed in kicks as Voelker fired back with a flurry. Bowling landed a big left hook and a body kick. More punches and another kick landed for Bowling, but Voelker stunned him briefly with a counter uppercut. Bowling took Voelker down momentarily, but Voelker stood and ate a body kick.

Time was called after Bowling was accidentally poked in the eye, in a scene eerily reminiscent of the pair’s first fight. This time, Bowling was able to continue and he rocked Voelker with a trio of big punches. Voelker recovered and Bowling landed a body kick. Voelker landed a powerful right hand and a knee before the bell. 10-9 Bowling.

Round 2:
Voelker was aggressive in round two and clinched early on, but Bowling shrugged him off and landed a knee. He took Voelker down and secured back control as Voelker stood. Voelker spun and Bowling pressed him up against the cage. Bowling landed two short knees and tripped Voelker to the mat. Voelker stood up and avoided a takedown attempt.

Voelker badly rocked Bowling with a knee and swarmed with punches as Bowling fell to his knees. After a series of unanswered strikes, referee Josh Rosenthal stopped the fight.

Winner: Bobby Voelker by TKO (Knee & Punches) at 2:16 of round two. He improves to 24-8-0.

 

Devin Cole vs Shawn “The Savage” Jordan

Round 1:
Right hooks landed for both fighters early on and Cole connected with two flurries in close. He threw a one-two and tried for a knee, but Jordan backed him up to the cage and threw Cole to the mat. He took Cole’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke. Cole scrambled out and stood, then landed punches in a clinch. He tried to take Jordan down, but could not.

Cole backed away, then took Jordan down on his second try. He secured a front headlock briefly and landed short punches as Jordan stood. Punches were exchanged and Jordan staggered Cole with an uppercut. Cole recovered and clinched against the cage. Jordan defended with knees and more power punches were exchanged. He caught a kick from Cole and dropped him with two punches at the bell. 10-9 Jordan.

Round 2:
Cole landed a right hook and an uppercut in round two and followed with more punches from the outside. Jordan missed with a wild uppercut and Cole connected with a one-two. He backed Jordan up briefly with a knee, but Jordan walked forward with a lead right hook. Cole remained active with punches and a body kick, but Jordan rocked him with a Superman Punch and a big one-two. Cole regained his footing and clinched for a takedown.

Cole took Jordan down and landed on top in side control, but Jordan kicked Cole off. Cole returned to side control and landed knees to the body. Jordan scrambled to his feet and looked to take Cole down. The fighters stood and Cole took Jordan’s back. He landed an illegal knee that went undetected. Cole continued to throw more knees, including some that appeared to be illegal as Jordan’s hand was down, and punched through Jordan’s legs as the bell sounded. 10-9 Cole.

Round 3:
After an exchange of punches in round three, Jordan landed a knee to the body and just missed with a lead right hook. Cole connected with two right hands and an uppercut. A knee and a right cross also landed for Cole and Jordan finally responded with an uppercut in close. Cole kept the pressure on with knees, but ate a right hook. The fighters exchanged punches and Jordan landed an uppercut that prompted Cole to clinch.

Cole tried for a takedown and fought out of a guillotine choke on the way down. Cole moved to half-guard and threw short punches and elbows to Jordan’s ribs. He mixed in punches to the face and Jordan elbowed from the bottom. Jordan regained full guard, but Cole peppered him with short but damaging hammerfists and postured up to land punches before the final bell. 10-9 Cole.

Winner: Devin Cole by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-9-1.

 

Ovince St. Preux vs Joe Cason

Round 1:
St. Preux landed a nice counter combination early on as Cason looked to close the distance. He rocked Cason with a big knee and followed him to the mat. From the top, St. Preux landed big punches and Cason rolled to his side. St. Preux unloaded with more punches and referee Kim Winslow stopped the fight as Cason tapped out.

Winner: Ovince St. Preux by Submission (Punches) at 1:12 of round one. He improves to 11-4-0.

 

Sarah Kaufman vs Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche

Round 1:
Punches landed for both fighters immediately and the fight quickly went to a clinch against the cage. Kaufman landed knees and kept Carmouche pressed up against the fence. Carmouche answered with knees of her own and reversed the clinch. The fighters continued to trade short knees as they battled for position. Carmouche attempted a throw, but Kaufman countered and took her back.

Carmouche stood up with Kaufman still on her back, then spun into a clinch against the cage. She tried to take Kaufman down, but Kaufman stayed up and landed knees. Kaufman backed away and landed jabs and a right hook. Carmouche threw a leg kick and followed with more as Kaufman pressed forward with punches. Kaufman landed a nice combination late in the round. 10-9 Kaufman.

Round 2:
Kaufman countered a body kick with a nice one-two in the second round, but Carmouche took her down. Kaufman stood and circled out. She landed a stiff jab and a quick combination. Carmouche scored with a leg kick and a one-two, which set off a punching exchange. Kaufman bloodied Carmouche’s nose with more jabs, but Carmouche landed a looping right. Another one-two and three jabs backed Carmouche up and Kaufman began to take control of the striking exchanges.

Kaufman landed two punches and a body kick, then punched her way free of a clinch. She backed Carmouche up to the cage and landed knees. Carmouche reversed the clinch and tried for a takedown while throwing short punches, but Kaufman circled out and jabbed. She sprawled out of a takedown attempt and pushed Carmouche down to the mat. A bloodied Carmouche flopped to her back before the bell. 10-9 Kaufman.

Round 3:
A trio of hard right hands landed for Kaufman in an exchange to begin the final round and she returned to her jab. The fighters clinched against the cage and Carmouche attempted a takedown, but wound up on the bottom. Kaufman briefly struck from the top, then stood up and Carmouche followed. Carmouche landed a body kick and ate a one-two. Kaufman jabbed and sprawled out of a takedown. She landed more jabs and avoided another takedown.

Kaufman landed hammerfists as she got back to her feet and the fighters traded leg kicks. Kaufman landed a counter right cross and a one-two as Carmouche’s nose began to bleed again. Quick punches landed for both fighters in close and Kaufman backed Carmouche up with a flurry. Another nice combination landed for Kaufman and she scored with more punches as the round came to a close. 10-9 Kaufman.

Winner: Sarah Kaufman by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 14-1-0.

 

Adlan Amagov vs Ron “The Choir Boy” Stallings

Round 1:
The fighters circled for the opening minute and traded single leg kicks. Amagov landed a hard one-two and pushed Stallings backwards with a front kick. A counter left hook also scored for Amagov and he flashed out a head kick that was blocked. Amagov landed a spinning back kick to the liver and Stallings answered with a lunging left hook.

Amagov landed a leg kick and missed with a quick spinning hook kick. He threw a side kick to the body and more leg kicks. He clinched and backed Stallings up to the cage, then took him down. Amagov landed in side control, then threw Stallings back down in the final seconds after he briefly got to his feet. 10-9 Amagov.

Round 2:
Stallings opened round two with leg kicks and Amagov answered with two of his own and a front hook kick. Amagov landed a right to the body and Stallings immediately fired back with a variety of kicks and a knee in close. He clinched and the fighters battled for position against the cage as both landed short knees. Stallings mixed in punches with his free hand. Stallings tripped Amagov, but Amagov got right back to his feet and landed a side kick on the way.

Amagov followed up with a counter right hand as Stallings moved in. Amagov threw a pair of right hands and attempted a throw, but Stallings countered by clinching. Amagov scored with a pair of hip toss takedowns and landed on top. He battered Stallings with punches as he stood up. Both fighters landed knees in close and Amagov unloaded late in the round with wild punches and a spinning kick, to varied success. Close round. 10-9 Amagov, barely.

Round 3:
Amagov looked for a takedown in the final round, but it was Stallings who took the fight to the mat and landed on top. From side control, he worked for a far-side straight armbar and Amagov defended. Stallings moved to mount and landed an elbow and shoulder strikes. Amagov scrambled out and escaped an armbar attempted. The fighters clinched against the cage and Amagov landed short knees.

The fighters were separated and traded big punches. Amagov grabbed the cage to keep Stallings in place, then spun out of a guillotine choke with a spinning backfist attempt. Stallings looked for a takedown and Amagov grabbed the cage yet again. Stallings defended a takedown and the fighters teed off with punches to close out the final round. 10-9 Stallings.

Winner: Adlan Amagov by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-1.

 

 

  1. Sarah looked flawless.
    Total domination.
    Awesome use of the jab.