ShoMMA 10 Report!

MMA in Phoenix? Does John McCain know? Has someone woke him up and let him know? Is this why it came on so late so he won’t know about it?

I love how the ShoMMA promo talks about how this is the future of MMA and future Strikeforce champions you know, as long as we don’t find someone who just got cut from the UFC (Paging Ben Saunders . . . )

Pat Miletich actually goes into the tournament thought process, blow your opponent out of he water early, failing that, hang on for time and not get hurt.

Interesting. 2 five minutes rounds? On a 10-point must?

Nice way to pick the matchups- at the weight ins there were 4 envelopes with Queens in them- Black fought Black, Red fought Red. Awesome.

Miesha Tate (9-2) vs Maiju Kujala (4-1)

Kujala, from Finland says she only trains with men, and her strength is grappling.

She’s pretty hot by the way. Bulked up from 125. Gotta love when the commentators say they know little about her.

Tate said she actually wanted Kujala, because she was the weakest fighter for a tournament. Awesome. Tate lost via Decision to Sarah Kaufman for the belt and wants a rematch.

Tate clinches and shoves to the cage, and throws knees, Kujala reverses and gives some, Tate swings it around, drops for a single and drops to side control. Kujala has a guillotine but has no chance there, Pat points out VERY well how its badly done. The ref tells Tate to go for a submission of he is going to stand them up. Then does?

WHAT?

Ok, Kujala has a gullotine (-going nowhere,  but Matt Hughes just choked out a guy with a HEADLOCK) and Tate is trying to get out and is punching both the body and face, not much power because she cannot posture, but it is a punch. Rogan would be losing HIS FRIKKIN MIND. Even Renallo hates on it. Pat mentions it was going to a Von Flue choke, and hammers the ref FOR NOT KNOWING HIS JOB and seeing it. Tremendous.

10-9 Kujala, weak trip takedown vs a 2 minute choke attempt.

R2

Good flurries by both, no big damage, clinch and separate, Tate clinches to the cage, more knees from both, separate. Kajala has NO head movement. Kajala blocks a headkick and Tate eats a punch for it. Tate looks gassed, dropping her hands. Tate dives at Kujala and drops her. Great takedown. Hey! Quadros is here- he was introduced before, but hasn’t said anything. Kajala grabs a guillotine- but too late to do anything.

10-9 Tate

Draw here, but Pat says Tate won due to takedowns. That is just sad. Top position was not that impressive.

Tate wins wia unanimous decision. Crowd is  not happy- turning on the crowd favorite. Tate calls her the black horse of the tournament. You can tell she is winded.

Hitomi Akano (15-7) vs Carina Damm (15-3)

Damm, Love the name- Carina Damm. (pronounced Daaaam) creepy shot of her and her brother. She also trains with just men. Damm is notable for the first female fighter to get busted for steroids (she denies it)

Akano has 11 armbar wins in her 15 victories and want to submit two people tonight. She is singing her theme song (on tape, not live) Akano has only been KO’ed once, by Cyborg. Nickname: Girlfight Monster.

First fight had two women who could talk English, and the second fight- no speak  English.

Both women in the first fight were 5’6 and early 20s, both women in the second fight are 5’4 and in their 30s (Damm 31,Akano 36). You would think SF would but the older fighters out first.

Akano is blocking most of Damm’s striking but not returning much, Damm gets a waist lock takedown. Akano tries to sweep bit ends up in full guard. Damm is a BJJ, but she is Brazilian, so we knew that.  Damm is GLUED to Akano, not posturing or anything. Standup. Spinning backfist by Damm! Akano takes her down! Akano has a footlock but the 10 second whistle goes and AKANO STOPS! She thought the round was over! She is back to it as the round ends.

HARD to score. Both got takedown, Damm was more impressive, but Akano did more when they were down. Damm more on the feet. I’ll go Akano.

R2

Another spinning backfist by Damm, nothing there. Clinch, Judo takedown into halfguard by Akano. Akano goes for the omoplata and gives up to position. Akano sweeps and gets a triangle and the TAP! Damm tapped QUICK  there.

Smart move there, Akano’s corner is hydrating her as soon as the congrats from the corner are done.

1:48 R2 Submission

Akano says she is going to tap Tate as well.

Interview with Sarah Kaufman

Kaufman says Akano is going to win, but didn’t expect her to be able to submit Damm.

Ryan Couture (Debut) vs Lucas Stark (debut)

Ok, why is there a PRO DEBUT on TV? HE WENT 2-4 as an AMATUER!

WHAT THE HELL???

No, not Ryan . . .STARK!

BOTH guys are debuting, but what the hell do you have one guy who was 2-4 as an amatuer here?

Ryan has said though that he has not paid his dues and does not deserve to be on TV yet. I gotta give him credit there, but I’m sorry, this is JUST INSULTING. Even the announcers mention that Ryan sounds like his dad.

HEY- SHOMMA if you need someone to give you some fighters who actually are OVER 500 AS AN AMATUER and might, you know, has some experience as a fighter- let me know. Stark is only 20 (2-4?) 4 inches shorter, 3 pounds lighter, and has a FIVE and a HALF inch reach disadvantage.

Hey I’ll put money on Couture. I’ll need to back the tape up and see if Stark is walking with a limp.

Greco-roman glovetouch.

Stark (2-4) just ducks shots but his return shots are not much, Couture finally clinchs and takes him down. Side Control, but Stark (2-4) gets up and fireman carries Ryan down but Ryan slaps a riangle and the tappage!

Call me ShoMMA, please. I’m sure Stark (2-4) loves kittens and babies, but seeing him on TV is just disgusting and ticks me off. I bet I can name 20 lightweights who would WALK from Shreveport to Arizona to get a shot at a Strikeforce contract.

PLEASE.

1:15 R1 Submission.

Renallo mentions that Ryan could show his  dad a bit about triangle chokes, Ryan says he don’t spend that much time on his back.

Awesome.

Colleen Schneider vs Liz Carmouche

Whaa? Strikeforce showing a PRELIM? Its a tourney reserve bout? What? Next you will be telling me they have a plan for the WW division. . . .

No interviews, no records mentioned. Oh well, we can’t get all there on one night Strikeforce.

Wonder if the Live Crowd is getting to watch NASCAR NOW? I mean, that’s what Renallo wants us all to watch.

Repeatedly.

Carmouche instantly clinches to the cage, Schneider reverses and Liz is just hammering, no knees here. Takedown by Schneider, but uses her LONG legs to push Schneider off and gets back up, Carmouche clinches and gets another takedown. Liz is WORKING the ground and pound.

Easy 10-9 round for Carmouche

R2

Liz catches a kick, pushes to cage, but Schneider is able to separate. One good kick to the belly by Schneider, and Liz decides to clinch some more. Schneider keeps grabbing the fence, so the ref separates them. Schneider with a takedown after an extended clinch. Jumps to side control but the bell goes.

10-9 Carmouche, but much closer.

Carmouche UD, she doesn’t even look like she is sweating. Liz is a former Marine.

Women’s Tournament Finals

Meisha Tate vs Hitomi Akano

3×3 rounds this time around, Akano has had 32 minutes of rest. Akano is trying the kicks but not much there. Tate is jabbing southpaw. Nice body kick by Tate.

USA chant by the crowd and Kaufman has a CHAIR! oh, wait she is just sitting there. She should be in the booth here, Quadros isn’t saying much. Takedown by Tate. Tate has Akano’s back. Akano grabs a footlock and that is DEEP! Tate slips out and does some standing punches with Akano stacked. Not much damage as the round ends.

I got Tate 10-9, but Quadros disagrees.

R2

Akano comes out moving, but just gets LIT by Tate with a straight right, Tate with the takedown, back to Akano’s back.

Pat is dropping old-school wresting on us, and Renallo has no clue either, Pat does a good job explaining, he has really improved. The Ref is asking them to “show him something” and the crew is BEGGING him not to stand them up. Way to show the sport Arizona. When you got a submission specialist vs a BJJ – How about letting them play on the mat a bit huh? Tate tries a RNC, but that lets Akoni get on top, Tate throws a triangle but the horn goes.  Tate jumps like she won, but her corner grabs her and let her know there is round 3.

Easy 10-9 Tate

They show Cyborg- sitting next to Kaufman, Pat says there is the best in the world- Rinallo namedrops some Japanese fighters as I can hear Coker going NUTS in the back from here.

Well, he SHOULD be.

R3

Tate with another takedown, fighting for a RNC. Akoni is fighting it off and rolling, Tate gives up the body triangle and almost lets Akoni out the back door, but goes for a Keylock! Akoni defends it and Tate just starts punching.

Pat: “Sometimes you get tired of submission and just start punching.”
Tate is hammering! Horn goes and Tate jumps the cage! Tate is already calling out Kaufman!

10-9 Tate- can you get 10-8 in three minutes?

Winner: Tate UD

They are slapping a belt on her? Huh? Oh its the Tournament Championship belt. I would think a trophy would be better than a belt right? Is she going to defend this?

Tate is eager for a rematch!

InfoChick brings us Kaufman – We can’t do this in the cage? Kaufman breaks down the fight pretty well, why wasn’t she in the booth? InfoChick asks her about her training vs Marloes Coenen Sarah says she would like to know when that is, that would be nice.

I<3 Sarah, that was awesome, even cracked up the InfoChick.

Louis Taylor (6-1) vs Joe Riggs (32-11)

Louis Taylor does not exactly look mean-he’s trying, but failing. Taylor wants Mayhem Miller if he wins. Riggs wants in the 185 tournament no one cares about.

Riggs is only 27? Dayum, I thought he was MUCH older.

Crowd chanting Diesel! SLOW Start. Riggs with a slow head kick. Taylor is moving pretty good, but Riggs is seeing everything coming and dodging. Riggs tries a takedown but nothing. Rinallo keeps bring up Taylor from Eastern Illinois and his assistant coach being Matt Hughes, even mentioning the Hall of Fame. Taylor with a takedown, cannot posture as Riggs is working well from the bottom, and Taylor stands up. Yeah, great wrestler. Slow standup, Riggs is doing well with the Jab when he throws it – on occasion.Taylor is swinging, but Riggs is just checking, blocking or evading most shots. Spinning back elbow misses by Taylor. Clinch and Riggs is shoving Taylor around.

10-9 Riggs

R2

TAYLOR FORGOT HIS MOUTHPIECE! I have never seen a fighter come out forgetting his Piece! Even Stark (2-4) knew that!

Slightly faster start, but that’s not saying much. Both are looking to counter, but neither really wanting to throw. Riggs is not throwing combos, and Taylor is doing well if he can land ONE strike-let alone a combo.
Even the Crew is bored. And Quadros called early PRIDE.

Taylor with a takedown, maintains top position but not much damage from either.Horn goes.

10-9 Taylor but not by much.

InfoChick is here with Randy, he says Ryan is better than he is with submissions, InfoChick asks what is next for Ryan- Randy says he signed a contract with Strikeforce so that’s where he will fight next.

R3

Riggs with a little more passion, Taylor telegraphs a hook and Riggs NAILS him with a left hand! Taylor grabs his head, then dives at Riggs, Riggs shoves him over gets a crucifix, and starts dropping bombs on him and Taylor taps!

Winner: Riggs via TKO2:07 R3

Riggs says he will stay at 185, unless Nate Diaz will give him a fight “I already beat his ass once.” Excellence.

Overall, decent night of fights- had they never said Stark was a .333 amateur, I would care more about Couture’s win. Again, Tell you what Coker, I got a guy in Monroe named Josh Lee, a Gracie Berra guy with decent standup, who can give you a fight.  If you want a debut, I can find 4 or 5 guys that are 4-0 or 5-1 who will CRAWL to your next event for a shot. The Tournament was done really well, but Kaufman is gonna KILL Tate. Riggs still is the same guy he was a decade ago. End show 22 minutes early, no need to show anyone else.