Strikeforce TV report 11-6 Fresno

Strikeforce TV report 11-6 Fresno

by Crimson Mask



STRIKEFORCE Challengers Series 4, Savemart Center, Fresno CA 11/06/2009

Yes, they had ANOTHER card Friday night.

ZOILA FRAUSTO (132.5) vs. ELISHA HELSPER (134.5)

Helsper back from 3 years off from a stellar 0-1 record, after cutting her prefight promo about her 'first two fights'. I think Zoila was on the card where Kenny Shamrock tested postive after he beat the fat guy who's dead now. Local chick. Tyke Juan Dough base style. Gives up height, weight and reach but a year younger and obviously much more active.

Both cautious early. Zoila starts getting her kicks going and lands a jab. Both out of range. Action picks up a bit with a 2 to go. Zoila a little more accurate. Both return to throwing from out of range. Both telegraphing. Both try to steal it in last few. Eh. 10-10.

Some trading and clinch. Elisha lands a right hook inside. She's the aggressor but not much landing from either. Zoila gets a knee in from clinch. Lands a HK. Her toenail cuts Elisha under the eye. Drags Elisha down and pounds from standing. Traps a leg. Lets her up. Lands another HK and right lead. Starting to take over. Elisha rushes punching and clinches but gets the worst of it inside. Jabs. Zoila lands from outside. Elisha rushes and lands. Zoila 10-9.

Elisha comes on and lands to the body and clinches. TD. Zoila grabs the fence but goes down anyway. HG. Ref standup? Too fast. Local yokel reffing yet again. Zoila lands couple good jabs. Elisha rushes to clinch but again eats knees. Turns Zoila against the cage. Trying to maul. Lands some low knees. Shoulder uppercut. Ref break. Why doesn't he just hold her while Zoila hits her. Zoila combo. Elisha lands a combo and clinches. Zoila again gets the best of the inside fighting and TD. Pounds from standing. Holds the leg. Throws it aside and pounds. Backs off, kicks the legs, drops a bomb. Think she stole the round and should win 30-28. Prolly will get 30-27s. Yup. UD. So so fight. Plenty of spirit but mediocre skill.

THOMAS DIAGNE (155.5) vs. MERRITT WARREN (154)

Diagne a San Shou guy from France, Warren an American kickboxer who says he may retire if he loses. So 2 kickboxers basically. Warren seems to be one of those guys who gets himself all nerved up before the fight. Diagne 5 years younger and supposedly the SS champion of France with over 100 fights, has height and reach.

Another local yokel ref. Both test low kicks. Diagne kicks the body. Warren switches. Rushes, nada. Trade body kicks and Diagne gets a high slam to SM. Counters a sweep by going for a Kimura, ends up with HG. Tries to posture up. Both thump the body. Warren holds tight and tries another sweep and gets FG, Diogne postures and pounds. Warren goes sweep to leglock, Diagne stands and tries to balance to punch, Warren rolls to reverse heel hook and gets the tap. Very nice.

LUKE ROCKHOLD (185.5) vs. JESSE TAYLOR (186)

AKA vs. Quest. This is a really good matchup. JT seems to have gotten his head together since TUF, but I think he's in trouble here as Rockhold has just been subbing everybody. Luke has the height and a LOT of reach.

Luke lefty. JT shoots, stuffed. JT drives, Luke stuffs. JT gets the TD but Luke right up. JT takes him down again. FG. Luke looking for Triangle, JT gets his back, Luke stands, turns in. JT gets his back again but too high. Luke reverses. JT goes for the arm. Luke gets the back, body triangle, arm triangle. JT fighting it off. Luke pounds. Rolls JT left and right. Sinks the RNC. JT pulls the arm down and Luke goes to Gable Grip. JT goes to sleep. It's over. Luke is a guy to watch in the future.

BRANDON CASH (256) vs. SHANE DEL ROSARIO (240)

Two undefeated heavies. Both have power and some JJ. Seen Shane before and he's very skilled. 8-0 with 7 KOs. Cash 5-0 with 3 KOs. These guys are big. Hometowner Cash taller and heavier but gives up youth, experience and reach.

Shane lefty. Cash shoots, stuffed, lands HUGE right KD. Shane up, Cash takes him back down, Cash pounds away. Ref about to step in but Shane gives him the 'I'm okay'. Cash mounts, then side. Tries arm tri. Mount. HG. Shane sweeps, both up. Another Cash TD. Shane tries omaplata, trans to triangle, nada. HG. FG. Shane tries arm bar, nada. Cash stands and pounds. Falls back into FG. Shane pulls Omaplata out of nowhere, reaches over and locks the other shoulder, and gets the tap. That was GREAT. Victory From The Jaws Of etc. Dipshit crowd boos him.

Cung Le announced to return on the 12/19 card, along with Robbie Lawler, and Jacare vs. Lindland.

BILLY EVANGELISTA (159) vs. JORGE GURGEL (159)

Fighting at 159 catch. Evangelista is the wrong guy for Gurgel to play Arturo Gatti with.

Jorge winging low kicks early. Billy shows some too. Both then go a little cautious. Billy switches lefty. Starts landing the lead low kick. Gurgel hanging back. Billy doing some fancy footwork. Gurgel trying to box smart for once but getting outboxed. Billy switches back and picks his shots and gets a forward legtrip TD just before the bell. Billy 10-9.

Gurgel more aggressive now. Billy opens righty, switches lefty, switches back. Lands a knee from clinch. Billy picking his shots. Jorge lands a left hook. Billy can't decide which stance. Eats a combo and scores a TD. Butterfly guard. Billy rains shots and tries to pass, nada. Drops the elbow. Gurgel punches back and goes for kimura. Billy elbows the body and stacks him on the fence, slips the kimura. Thumps the body. Ref standup. Gurgel bowls him over with a HK and pulls guard with a Guillotine and Billy pulls out of it at the bell. Good round. Think Billy edged most of it but Jorge might have stolen it at the bell. I go 10-10.

Trading hard shots. Jorge the aggressor but my turn your turn. Billy landing a little more but Jorge a little harder. Couple clinches, helps neither. Billy may be gassing. Jorge comes on and lands a HK but Billy counters, then hits a sudden TD. Tries to pound but can't get distance. I gotta go 10-10 on that one too. I have Billy 30-29 but he looks like the stuck his face in front of a train.

Scores... 30-27 x 2... 29-28... Billy gets the UD with some hometown space to spare.

Okay card. Nothing special.