Strikeforce came to The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for Strikeforce: “Rockhold vs Jardine.” The card was headlined by a Strikeforce Middleweight Championship bout between champion Luke Rockhold and “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine.
Also on the card, former EliteXC champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler faced rising star Adlan Amagov in a middleweight bout, while former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal battled Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the event.
Strikeforce Middleweight Championship
Luke Rockhold vs “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine
Round 1:
Jardine landed leg kicks in the opening seconds and Rockhold countered with body kicks. He attempted a flying knee and Jardine clinched. Both fighters landed knees and Rockhold got the better of the exchange. Rockhold broke away from the clinch with a standing elbow and followed with a spinning back kick to the body. Rockhold tagged Jardine with a three-punch flurry and two follow-up punches.
Jardine answered with a looping left hand, but Rockhold continued to target the body with more kicks. Jardine landed two leg kicks, but was briefly dropped by a right hook to the temple. He quickly stood up as Rockhold flurried. Rockhold landed a body kick and rocked Jardine with a right hook. He dropped him with more punches against the cage and the fight was nearly stopped. Jardine stood and Rockhold sent him crashing to the mat again. The fight was finally stopped.
Winner: Luke Rockhold by TKO (Punches) at 4:26 of round one. He improves to 9-1-0 and remains the Strikeforce Middleweight Champion.
“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler vs Adlan Amagov
Round 1:
Lawler rushed in with punches early on, but Amagov took him down and briefly held back control. Lawler got back to guard and then to his knees. Amagov secured a front headlock and landed a blatantly illegal knee. Time was called and Amagov was deducted one point for the infraction. Action resumed and the fighters circled. Lawler stunned Amagov with a flying knee that appeared to only partially land. Amagov fell face-first to the mat and Lawler unloaded with punches for the stoppage.
Winner: Robbie Lawler by TKO (Flying Knee & Punches) at 1:48 of round one. He improves to 19-8-0, 1 NC.
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin
Round 1:
Lawal took Larkin down right away and punched from the top while pinning Larkin up against the cage. Lawal moved to half-guard and scored with elbows. He prevented Larkin from standing and postured up with punches. Lawal was active with his strikes, but referee Kim Winslow stood the fighters up anyway and Larkin jabbed. He landed a brief flurry just before the bell sounded. 10-9 Lawal.
Round 2:
Larkin looked to strike in the second round, but Lawal took him to the mat after a brief scramble. Lawal postured up and pinned Larkin’s head against the cage. He blasted him with over a dozen right hands and Larkin appeared to be out. Finally, referee Kim Winslow stopped the fight.
Winner: Muhammed Lawal by KO (Punches) at 1:32 of round two. He improves to 9-1-0.
Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley vs Jordan “Young Gun” Mein
Round 1:
Mein opened the fight with jabs and Woodley responded with a body kick. Woodley clinched and backed Mein up to the cage. Mein stayed on his feet and the fighters were eventually separated. Woodley ducked under a right hook and took Mein down. He looked briefly for an arm-triangle choke, but Mein defended. Mein nearly scrambled to his feet, but Woodley kept him down and landed a nice elbow. Mein eventually stood and Woodley landed a one-two and a leg kick. 10-9 Woodley.
Round 2:
Woodley scored with a big right hook that backed Mein up in round two. He clinched and took Mein down near the fence. Woodley landed weak punches to the body and kept Mein pinned down. Mein elbowed from the bottom and actually outstruck Woodley on the ground. More elbows to the crown of the head and shoulder blades scored for Mein while Woodley did almost nothing from the top. Mein tried to posture for an armbar before the bell. 10-9 Mein, despite Woodley having top position.
Round 3:
Mein landed a grazing head kick to begin the final round, but Woodley caught his leg and took him down. Woodley worked for an arm-triangle choke, but Mein escaped and threw punches and elbows from the bottom. Woodley threw weak punches to the ribs and the crowd began to boo his lack of offence. Mein tried for an armbar and then a Kimura. Referee Chris Tognoni stood the fighters up as Mein worked for the hold and both landed knees in the final seconds. 10-10.
Winner: Tyron Woodley by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 10-0-0.
Tarec “Sponge” Saffiedine vs Tyler “The Evolution” Stinson
Round 1:
Stinson flurried with punches early on and Saffiedine countered with a leg kick and a stiff jab. Saffiedine switched stances and flashed out a head kick that was blocked. Stinson threw a three-punch combo that came up short. Saffiedine landed a flurry to the body and head and followed it up with a quick one-two. Saffiedine landed a head kick and a front kick to the face.
Stinson rocked Saffiedine with a standing elbow, but Saffiedine regained his footing and took Stinson down. Stinson countered with an armbar from the bottom and the fighters stood up. Stinson landed an overhand left to the bloodied right eye of Saffiedine. He scored with more punches that backed Saffiedine up. Stinson controlled the striking exchanges late and landed another elbow. 10-9 Stinson.
Round 2:
Stinson landed a nice left hand and a leg kick in the second round. Saffiedine responded with a one-two, but Stinson forced him to retreat with a one-two of his own and a grazing head kick. Stinson fired off more punches and Saffiedine jabbed. He took Stinson down and struck from half-guard.
Stinson got back to full guard, but Saffiedine peppered him with punches and elbows. Saffiedine kept busy with short strikes from the top as he pressed Stinson’s head up against the cage. More elbows from Saffiedine opened a cut on Stinson’s face. Saffiedine remained on top and struck until the bell. 10-9 Saffiedine.
Round 3:
Time was called early in the final round after Stinson was kicked in the groin. Action resumed with an exchange of punches and Saffiedine took Stinson down. Stinson tried for an armbar and Saffiedine fought out with punches. Saffiedine picked up where he left off in round two by peppering Stinson with short punches and elbows.
Stinson could not battle back to his feet and Saffiedine bloodied him up again with elbows. Saffiedine postured up and rained down punches, but he began to bleed heavily himself from a cut near the left eye. The fighters were stood up and Saffiedine landed a right hook and a knee. Stinson answered back with punches and a head kick. The round ended with an exchange of punches. 10-9 Saffiedine.
Winner: Tarec Saffiedine by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)