Live results and commentary for tonight’s big Strikeforce card
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – HeavyMMA.com is on the scene and reporting from tonight’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” card in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Round 1: The fighters come out and touch gloves. Smith stalking in the early moments. No one has landed throughout the first 30 seconds of action. Leg kick lands for Saffeidine. Smith is looking to land a big right hand, but can’t seemed to find a home for it. Saffeidine finding a home for kicks, however. They clinch cageside, and Smith is attempting to avoid damage here. Saffeidine lands a nice shot as he exits the clinch, and the two fighters move back to the middle of the cage. Smith is still stalking, as he eats a head kick. He shakes it off and presses forward, looing for a takedown. Saffeidine stuffs it and is looking for a plum in the clinch. The referee separates them before he is able to do so with one minute remaining in the round. Smith lands a nice leg kick, but Saffeidine shakes it off. Saffeidine lands a leg kick of his own. Round comes to a close with Saffeidine throwing a nice kick. Fairly close round, but HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Saffeidine.
Round 2: Another touch of gloves kicks this round off, and Saffeidine leads with a pair of jabs. He presses Smith forward against the cage after a nice flurry and is looking to land knees. Smith pushes him away. Left hook lands for Saffeidine, followed by a kick. He throws another combination and Smith is in trouble. A flying knee damages Smith, and Saffeidine appears to be toying with him now. Leg kicks from Saffeidine. He clinches and begins landing vicious elbows, separating with a nice hook. He comes back inside after landing a nice head kick, followed by a few punches. Smith is in deep trouble as he wrestles his opponent to the ground. Saffeidine continues to pound away after stuffing the takedown. He has Smith’s back, and this fight could be over very soon. Smith stands back up and throws an elbow of his own with one minute to go. Saffeidine still in control of this fight, throwing the better shots. He lands another nice punch, followed by a head kick before clinching. He is dominating this round. The round comes to a close while they are in the clinch. No doubt who took this one. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Saffeidine.
Round 3: Round three begins with Saffeidine again in the driver’s seat. Smith eats a few shots and is backed up against the cage. Uppercut lands for Saffeidine, followed by a brief flurry. Now a leg kick. Smith is just so tough, but he is getting tagged left and right. Saffeidine backs away briefly before reengaging. Saffeidine lands a jab, and Smith comes back with a leg kick. Spinning back kick lands for Saffeidine. He is throwing a lot, but not much is landing. Blood streaming down the face of Smith, who misses a superman punch. He needs a comeback stoppage, much like he did in his bout against Cung Le last year. He is throwing a lot of shots, but not much is landing for him. 10 seconds to go and Smith is chasing down Saffeidine, but can’t find the punch he needs. Saffeidine takes that round 10-9 and should earn the unanimous decision.
Official Decision: Saffeidine def. Smith via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1: Daley eats the first strike, and Woodley looks to close the distance. He clinches against the cage with his opponent and is plannign to get this fight down to the ground. Action is stopped due to a groin strike, and Woodley is given time to recover. Touch of gloves to restart the fight. Woodley presses forward again with a combination and clinches up against the cage. Knees from Woodley, but he can’t seem to earn the takedown. The ref breaks them up and Daley looks to score. He misses, and Woodley pins him against the cage yet again. Daley escapes and misses with a right hand. He seems very tentative to throw, while Woodley is quite calm. Another clinch, and Woodley is working shots to the body. But Daley is holding his own, pressing Woodley against the cage now. He can’t hold it, as Woodley reverses. Knees thrown from both fighters as the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Woodley, but it wasn’t pretty.
Round 2: Daley clinches to start and lands a vicious knee to the body. Woodley presses Daley up against the cage yet again, but Daley is doing well to avoid the takedown. However, he can’t stop the wrestler much longer and finds himself on his back. He is landing shots here and there, but nothing serious has scored. Daley is doing little work here, but actually appears to be isolating an arm. He scrambles and nearly takes Woodley’s back, but his opponent quickly smothers that attempt. One minute remains, and Woodley puts Daley back on the mat. After little action, the referee stands them back up. Woodley shoots again, but Daley stuffs the takedown. Woodley rolls to his back and eats a few nice shots as the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Woodley.
Round 3: Daley presses forward as the third round begins, but he eats a knee. Daley is looking for a big shot here, but, as he throws a knee, Woodley scores a takedown. Half guard for Woodley. Punches to the body from Woodley, but nothing serious is landing. The crowd begins to boo, and “Semtex” presses his opponent away and is back to his feet. Woodley is attempting to drag him back down, but Daley is stuffing it right now. Two minutes to go, and Woodley is pressing hard for a takedown, but Daley reverses. He is on top and pounding away. John McCarthy tells him to watch the back of the head, and Daley stands up. Woodley shoots for a takedown, but misses. He eats a huge knee and a few punches. He looks for a takedown, but once again can’t get it. Daley rolls for an omoplata, and he nearly earns it, but Woodley reverses. Amazing roll for the submission, even though he didn’t get it. Woodley finishes the round on top. Both fighters showing improvement in this one. HeavyMMA scores the round 10-9 for Daley.
Official Decision: Woodley def. Daley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
