Strikeforce: Nashville, on CBS – Preview/Picks

This is a great card on CBS. Three title fights. For free. Free. It doesn’t get any better than this. All three of these fights you would certainly have to pay for if the UFC was holding this event. I’m pretty sure I’m going 10-0 this Saturday night, though I wouldn’t be surprised if I missed some on the undercard. They sure have a lot of hometown fighters from Gameness Fighting Championship in the opening fights for the Nashville fans. I think I still nailed them though. And I’m sure this will probably be one of, if not the only FULL rundown of this fight card. Enjoy.

MAIN CARD

Middleweight Championship bout: Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson

This is probably the most intriguing fight on the card. This is Dan’s first fight since leaving the UFC and he’s fighting one of Strikeforce’s best fighters in Jake Shields. Dan is the stronger and larger of the two, but Jake is great on the ground. Dan usually doesn’t get submitted and I’m sure he’ll have the striking advantage in this fight so Jake will have to out smart him or somehow hope Dan makes a mistake on the ground and he capitalizes. I’m thinking Strikeforce put Dan in there with Shields because this is Shields’ last fight under contract so if/when he loses he walks away without the belt. I really can’t see Shields winning, but it matters little. Dana White already said he wants Shields under the UFC banner win, lose, or draw.

Winner: Henderson, Round 3, TKO

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed Lawal

I’m most hyped up about this fight. King Mo has defeated everyone by some form of KO except one, and Gegard is just a phenom. At 24 years of age, Mousasi has only once gone to decision, a win, against Hector Lombard. Lombard himself is a beast so it’s not surprising. Lawal is easily the bigger and stronger of the two, but not even close to the more experienced fighter in this match-up. Gegard has seen it all. He’s been at a size disadvantage, strength disadvantage, ground disadvantage, and striking disadvantage, but yet somehow still comes out on top. There is no other way to describe the man except “phenom”. He’s a smart fighter with great tools to get the job done. I wouldn’t be surprised if King Mo KO’ed Mousasi, but it’ll be the first time Mousasi has seen stars in a fight. Power vs skill. Hard choice, but I’m going to go with skill on this one. Mousasi will wait for Lawal to make a mistake and then he will make him pay for it.

Winner:Mousasi, Round 3, Submission

Lightweight Championship bout: Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki

Gilbert says he wants to prove that Strikeforce has a legitimate Lightweight division. Well, here’s your shot. Shinya Aoki is widely considered the #2 lightweight in the world, but he won’t be able to use his highlighter pants in this fight. I don’t care what anyone says, those things help his grappling. Not that he needs it always, but they do help. Gilbert will be the stronger of the two, but Aoki skill level on the ground is only matched by BJ Penn in this division, so if Gilbert takes the fight to the ground he better be prepared. If I’m in Gilbert’s corner I tell him to keep it standing, and if you have to, Nick Diaz him until he can’t take anymore. Aoki doesn’t exactly have power to stand and trade with Melendez, so I feel it’s in Gilbert’s best interest to not let it hit the floor. I think Gilbert will be able to implement such a game-plan and shock the world.

Winner: Melendez, Round 4, TKO

PRELIMINARY CARD

Middleweight bout: Jason Miller vs. Tim Stout

I really hope this fight makes air time. Who doesn’t like to watch “Mayhem” Miller fight? No one, that’s who. He’s very entertaining and well rounded. I fully expect him to win this easily, but you never know. Stout gets in there and bangs. He wins by TKO and loses just the same. He’s 12-8, but he’s never in a boring fight. I’m pretty sure this ends quickly, with Miller either on Stout’s aggression and putting him to the floor and submitting him. Crazier things have happened, but no way Stout lands that punch.

Winner: Miller, Round 1, Submission

Light Heavyweight bout: Chris Hawk vs. Ovince St. Preux

This fight should be on a Strikeforce Challengers Series card. I guess Strikeforce has to fill their card somehow, but man these guys really aren’t that good yet. This fight is probably a toss up, but since St. Preux has the reach advantage and Hawk never met a submission he didn’t want to tap to I’m giving Ovince the nod here. He should keep Hawk away with the reach and when Hawk shoots for a takedown Ovince should be able to turn that into a Rear Naked Choke after some wrestling.

Winner:St. Preux, Round 2, Submission

Welterweight bout: Dustin West vs. Andrew Uhrich

Uhrich is actually a good signing, if you will. His striking is getting better with every fight and his only loss was a submission loss, something West really hasn’t shown a knack for. This fight will probably be over quickly and in devastating fashion. Uhrich will just be too fast for West to contend with.

Winner:Uhrich, Round 1, TKO

Light Heavyweight bout: Josh Schockman vs. Cale Yarbrough

Schockman is on a four fight win streak and finally gets a shot at the big time coming off an eight second destruction of Reed Cook. It’ll be no easy task as he draws former T.U.F. alum, Cale Yarbrough. Cale is on a six fight winning streak, dominating all his opponents since losing to Tim Credeur in his UFC debut, ending most of them by TKO. This is going to be a stand and bang and let’s see who’s still standing kind of match. My money is on Yarbrough.

Winner:Yarbrough, Round 2, TKO

Middleweight bout: Zach Underwood vs. Hunter Worsham

Zach’s nickname is “Thunderwood”? Nice, but it doesn’t seem to fit. He has one TKO win and three decision wins. Hmmm…one wonders. Anyways…Hunter’s BJJ is improving and his striking easily matches up with Underwood’s. I think this will be heavily contested, but I think takedowns will net Worsham the victory in a decision, if he doesn’t submit Underwood.

Winner:Worsham, Round 3, Decision

Flyweight bout: Dustin Ortiz vs. Justin Pennington

This is a fight most would watch in their backyard. Okay, maybe not that bad, but Ortiz has one fight under his belt and Pennington has never fought professionally. It’s almost impossible to call. I’ll take the experience edge.

Winner: Ortiz, Round 2, Submission

Featherweight bout: Cody Floyd vs. Thomas Campbell

This will be both fighter’s professional debut, but Campbell has 20 amateur fights to Floyd’s five. Oh, and Campbell won 17 of those. True, Floyd is 5-0 in amateurs, the experience of fighting is overwhelmingly in Campbell’s favor. 60-40 Campbell wins this in the first round by TKO.

Winner: Campbell, Round 1, TKO