Typically, when a promotional champion steps into the ring to defend the title there is little more than the actual belt being put at stake beyond, of course, the standard risks associated with competing in Mixed Martial Arts. However, undefeated Strikeforce female 135-pound champ Sarah Kaufman understands there is more on the line than simply gold and her health, or divisional standing, come October 9th when she looks for her thirteenth professional victory against Marloes Coenen in San Jose.

In addition to being Kaufman’s second defense of the Strikeforce welterweight strap, the bout also represents her first appearance for the company on a non-Challengers card – an opportunity that doesn’t escape the Canadian (who actually turned 25 today, September 20th).

Kaufman recently took time to speak with media about her upcoming match-up with Coenen, as well as her appreciation for the involvement of a female title-fight on the main card of a major event.

When asked about the increased spotlight the show, headlined by a rematch between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons with Diaz’s welterweight belt on the line, will bring to her pairing with the Dutch submission specialist, Kaufman replied, “It’s definitely where the title fight should be. And I feel that both Marloes and I are at a level that we should be getting this slot and we are going to be putting on a great show and I think people deserve to see it on a bigger stage. I am very happy to be fighting where we are on a bigger card for Strikeforce on Showtime and I think the fans will definitely enjoy the fight and I am not going to let them down.”

“I think it’s important for fighters to stand up for what they deserve, but you also don’t want to make your organization look bad,” she continued in reference to a post-fight, public request for upgraded event status on the heels of a memorable knockout slam of Roxanne Modafferi last July. “But I am happy to have said what I said, and my fight backed that up. Whether it was me talking, my fighting, or the fans, it all worked together in helping push the division in having the title on the main card.”

As far as her “challenger” in three weeks, the female welterweight champ expressed no issue with Coenen’s shot at the belt after losing at 145-pounds against explosive champion Cris “Cyborg” Santos in her previous fight.

“I am here to fight, and I think having a tough opponent in front of you is the most important thing,” explained Kaufman. “It doesn’t matter who they fought before, and where they just came from…and I thought Marloes looked really good in the fight with Cyborg. Who knows how the different weight classes are going to affect how she fights. Maybe she is more aggressive. Maybe she is less aggressive. We will just need to see what happens. My training hasn’t been any different even though she is coming down from a heavier weight where she hasn’t fought before. My training has been just as intense and I am expecting just as tough of a fight as I’ve ever had.”

However, while she was open to discussing Coenen, Kaufman avoided making a prediction or even stating ultimate confidence in her retention of the belt based on her 17-4 adversary’s skill set.

“Everything is going really well for this fight. This is another tough fight – Strikeforce has been putting together these really tough fights. I fought Shayna (Baszler) and I fought Takayo (Hashi)…Roxanne was really tough, and now I fighting Marloes. She is another really tough opponent. So once this fight is over and if I am able to defend this title again, it will be good to have a break after that.”

Kaufman is 12-0 with nine knockouts and three decisions in her career. She is 4-0 in Strikeforce, including a decision win over top contender Miesha Tate in May 2009.

On top of her bout against Coenen, and the previously mentioned main event between Diaz/Noons, the October 9th show is also scheduled to feature a much-anticipated clash between former Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson and newcomer Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante, as well as 185-pound action when 7-1 prospect Luke Rockhold faces seasoned veteran Matt Lindland.

PRESS RELEASE / CHICAGO, Ill. (September 15, 2010) – The Bellator Season 3 Women’s Tournament continues in Lake Charles, Louisiana as the undefeated #1 female fighter in the world Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii (21-0) faces off against the fourth ranked 115-pounder and dangerous veteran submission specialist Lisa Ward (14-5-1) in semi-final action on September 30th to move one step closer to becoming the first ever Bellator Women’s Champion.

The pair of top female fighters are far from strangers. In their only other previous meeting, Fujii ended the fight early with a controversial armbar submission. Nearly three years since the outcome, Ward still doesn’t agree with the result.

“My loss to Megumi should have been a no contest,” said Ward. “The fight was stopped because the referee thought I tapped and admitted he never actually saw it. I’m not sure what he was thinking, but I was defending properly and was in NO danger of submitting. Megumi is a great competitor, but in this fight, I’m going to play my game, and deliver her the first loss in her career.”

The confidence Ward exudes may be from her impressive victory over the previously undefeated Aisling “Ash the Bash” Daly in the Quarterfinals of the Women’s Tournament back at Bellator 26 in dominating fashion.

While slightly worried about Daley’s perfect record heading into the fight, Ward took control of the fight right out of the gate, and didn’t let up until the final bell sounded.

“I was a bit intimidated by her perfect record, but when I saw the caliber of her opponents I knew she was going to have a big test on her hands with me,” said Ward. “No disrespect to any of her wins; I just feel the girls I have fought are on a whole different level. When I stepped in the ring, I became completely confident and knew she would have to kill me before I would lose.”

The intimidation Ward felt may come into play again when she enters the ring against the world’s top female fighter for a shot at the Bellator Women’s Championship.

Fujii knows she has a target on her back, but she plans on using the pressure to her benefit when she steps in the ring.

“To be undefeated is a great challenge,” said a modest Fujii. “It makes me train harder and I try to focus on being a better fight than my last fight. I use the pressure of my record to help take my fighting to the next level.”

High level middleweight fighter Nate Marquardt may be facing submission specialist Rousimar Palhares but he doesn’t think that Palhares will necessarily go for a submission. Marquardt is a jiu-jitsu blackbelt himself, and hasn’t been submitted in a match for several years, and seems to think that perhaps Palhares will use a “Chael Sonnen” like formula, as he stated during a recent interview with MMAFighting:

“I don’t think that’s necessarily going to be his plan against me. He may watch the Chael Sonnen fight and think, ‘I’ve got to take him down and control him the whole fight and win a decision.’ But it doesn’t matter what his game plan is. I’m definitely going to stop it.”

Marquardt may be very good at submission defence and have few if any holes in his ground game but one has to think that Palhares’s lower body attacks can make anyone tap in the right situation. UFC: Marquardt vs. Palhares looks to be a very interesting bout which should help determine the middleweight rankings.

UFC veteran Marcus Aurelio (20-8) has been replaced by another UFC vet, Shannon Gugerty (12-5), in this Friday’s Shine Fights’ lightweight Grand Prix tournament.

Aurelio had been hoping to fight through an elbow injury, even receiving a cortisone shot, but was still unable to train. There is also some controversy surrounding an upcoming lightweight fight against Shinya Aoki on the DREAM.16 card. With the injury, Aurelio may be unlikely for that event.

Aurelio spoke to MMAjunkie.com about the injury and the DREAM bout.

“I can’t do anything with my right arm,” Aurelio said. “I have no strength at all to push. I don’t like to go to fight like that….”

“I’m going to do my best to fight (in) DREAM,” Aurelio said. “Every day, my manager, he talks to them. I have two or three weeks for the (DREAM) fight. I think I’ll be OK. I’m going to have a chance to have another shot in my elbow, and I’m just keeping my conditioning now. There’s not much (else) I can do.”

Here is the full Shine Fights’ press release announcing Shannon Gugerty as Aurelio’s replacement.
_________________

NEWKIRK, OK (September 8, 2010) – As anyone involved in the sport of mixed martial arts can tell you, injuries can happen at anytime. UFC/PRIDE veteran Marcus “Maximus” Aurelio is no exception to that concept. After sustaining an injury while training for this weekend’s Shine Fights Lightweight Grand Prix, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master has been forced to vacate his spot in the tourney. Taking his place will be fellow submission specialist Shannon Gugerty.

A UFC veteran in his own right, Gugerty is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under famed grappler Dean Lister. He began his professional MMA career successfully with a submission victory over current WEC mainstay Cub Swanson. After amassing a 10-2 record, he was invited to compete for the Ultimate Fighting Championships, where he has fought five times. During his time with the UFC, Gugerty was able to rack up wins over Dale Hartt and Matt Grice. The 28 year-old San Diego native trains at Victory MMA with fellow notables Jeremy Stephens, Court McGee, Toby Imada, Peter Sobotta, Joe Brammer, and Tomas Drwal.

Jason Chamber, Shine Fight COO stated, “I am sad to see Marcus pull out of the tournament and wish him a fast recovery. Stepping up to a challenge of this magnitude on 3 days notice is a very daunting task- it is a testament to what a warrior Shannon Gugerty is. We are excited to see him compete!”

The Shine Fights Lightweight Grand Prix is a unique throwback to the original format of mixed martial arts. Fighters will need to be at their best in order to win the tourney and in the process gain the glory that comes along with victory. The Grand Prix will be contested under standard Nevada State Athletic Commission rules for MMA. Each of the eight 155 lb. fighters will be paired off in the tournament’s opening round, with the four winners moving on to round two.

The two winners of round two will move on to the tournament’s final round, and battle for the championship. The single-elimination format means that the tournament winner will need to win three bouts that evening. Rounds one and two of the tournament will be composed of two 5-minute rounds. They will also have a three-minute overtime if needed to decide a winner. Round three (the finals) will increase to three 5-minute rounds. There will be two alternate bouts held in case of an injury.

Some of the best 155 lb. fighters in the world will compete in the tournament, a colorful array of combatants that will lay it all on the line in order to capture the Shine Fights Lightweight Championship. This group of outstanding athletes includes Rich “Cleat” Crunkilton, “Alley Cat” Kyle Baker, James Warfield, Drew Fickett, Carlo Prater, and Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett.

This Grand Prix Tournament will be beamed on PPV on cable and satellite in the United States and Canada. The event will be in High Definition and it will be available in both English and Spanish (where available). The Grand Prix Tournament will be distributed live on Pay Per View beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST by Multi Vision Media, Inc. The suggested retail price is $29.95.

PRESS RELEASE / CHICAGO, Ill. (September 07, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that South African born, UK-based knockout artist Neil “Goliath” Grove will take on Russian submission specialist Alexey Oleinik in a Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament Semi-final fight taking place at Bellator 29 from the historic Rave/Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wiscpnsin on September 16th. Bellator 29 will mark the first nationally televised, sanctioned MMA event to take place in the state of Wisconsin.

“Neil vs. Alexey is a classic striker vs. grappler match-up that should provide fans with an explosive heavyweight fight,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “We’re thrilled to be able to bring our unique brand of Mixed Martial Arts to the great city of Milwaukee for their first taste of world class nationally televised MMA action. It will be a great night of fights.”

Grove literally punched his ticket to the semifinals with a brutal first-round TKO over hard-hitting UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez in quarterfinal action at Bellator 24. With the win, the 6’6”, 265 lbs former professional rugby player improved his record to an impressive 9-2-1 with every one of his wins coming via TKO or KO.

Oleinik had a tougher route to the semifinals, as the feared submission specialist engaged in a three round war with Mike “300” Hayes at Bellator 26. In a back and forth battle, Oleinik managed to remain busier than Hayes, drawing from an underestimated striking arsenal while consistently searching for his trademark Ezekiel Choke on the way to the unanimous decision victory. Oleinik brings an impressive 28-5-1 professional record into his highly anticipated semifinal fight with Grove, with an astounding 23 of those victories coming via submission.

The Fox Sports Net event will take place at the Rave/Eagles Club that was built in 1926 and was named to the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1986. The Rave/Eagles Ballroom is the largest venue at the club featuring 25,000 square feet and 1,500 seats which will provide an intimate venue for MMA fans.

Fans may have noticed Curtis Brigham cornering fighters at previous Canadian Fighting Championship events. Brigham, the Winnipeg Academy of Mixed Martial Arts founder and head coach, has been instrumental in the success of WAMMA fighters like Eric Perez, Dominick Blais, Roland Delorme and many others. Now, after a six year layoff, fans will have a chance to see Brigham at CFC 6.

Brigham started fighting in 1999 and had a 9-5 record spanning a five year fight career that had Curtis fighting all over the globe. However, in 2004, Brigham seemingly hung up the gloves as an undersized fighter in an unpopular sport. That all changed in the past six years. Everyone is aware of the UFC skyrocketing to popularity thanks to success of The Ultimate Fighter. The WEC also came around and made celebrities out of smaller fighters like Urijah Faber.

Now fans will be able to see WAMMA’s ‘Boss’ fight on October 8th. Brigham, who has fought in Japan and all over the USA and Canada, has faced tough opposition over his career. The submission specialist has beaten future Bellator fighter Brian Green in 2003. Brigham also took a much larger, future UFC Lightweight champion Sean Sherk into the third round of a fight.

Tickets to see Curtis Brigham and his WAMMA students Eric Perez, Dominick Blais, and Roland Delorme are now available at Ticketmaster. Need a better sight line to the action? Please call 772-2599 to make your VIP table arrangements.

Munduruca Out
At the same time as the exciting Brigham announcement, the CFC must also acknowledge that Rodrigo Munduruca has pulled out of his CFC 6 fight due to injury. Although Rodrigo will be missed, Brigham is a fantastic replacement of one submission specialist with another. Brigham has won all nine of his victories by submission. Brigham is not one to leave decisions in the judges’ hands.

Check out more photo’s of Saturday night’s Strikeforce: Houston event at Strikeforce.com.

HOUSTON (Aug. 21, 2010) – Hard-hitting striker Rafael Feijao shocked STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Champion “King Mo” Lawal with a devastating third round knockout in Saturday’s SHOWTIME® televised main event at STRIKEFORCE: Houston at Toyota Center.

In a tactical co-feature, world-class submission specialist Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza captured the vacant STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight (185 pounds) Championship with a unanimous decision over American military hero Tim Kennedy.

In an all-action fight, Mo (7-1) was the aggressor in the first, scoring a body slam in the opening minute of the round. But, Feijao (10-2) was unfazed by the take down and got to his feet without suffering any significant damage.

After trading punches in the second, Feijao came out swinging in the third. He landed a few strong combinations and caught Mo with a powerful knee. Clearly wounded, Mo tried to take his opponent to the ground to minimize the damage but, while locked up standing, Feijao battered Mo with a series of brutal slashing elbows to Mo’s head, knocking him out at 1:14.

“I hit him hard with the right hand and the knee,” Feijao said. “I saw he was hurt, but I was just going to continue to hit him. I felt his grip loosening and knew that he was done.

“I have a new coach in boxing and Muay Thai that made the difference. “I just made my dream. I saw in his last fight he wanted to get inside. My strategy worked perfectly.”

A wounded Mo was disappointed but not dejected in his performance.

“I just got to make a few adjustments,” Mo said. “He fought a hell of a fight, but I’m not worried. I’ll come back stronger.”

Jacare (13-2-1) wasn’t able to get Kennedy to the ground, but his effective and relentless counterpunching was the difference maker in the fight.

A deep gash opened up over Kennedy’s left eye early in the third round. Kennedy (12-3) tried taking the fight to the mat, but it was ineffective against Jacare, who was the superior striker landing the harder, crisper punches.

Kennedy continued to attack Jacare throughout the fight, never giving up, but was unable to land anything that hurt his opponent.

“I felt through the fight that he felt my hand,” Jacare said. “I was landing some big punches and I thought I was winning the fight. I was ready to fight everywhere in the cage, but I was surprised how strong he was. He was strong, but I was the one connecting and landing the damaging punches.”

Kennedy, who landed more punches with a higher percentage, was a bit surprised in the unanimous decision loss.

“I was really frustrated with the end result,” Kennedy said. “Jacare is an amazing contender and now a champion. I was humbled that I was able to go five rounds with him, but I think it goes without saying that I’d like another five rounds with that guy. It’s going to be different.

“We’re talking about the most decorated grappler in the planet. I expected him to want to grapple. He countered with me the whole time and I was surprised. I should have put more pressure on him. The only time anyone got dropped in the fight was when I dropped him, but he’s got the belt.”

In a featured lightweight (155 pounds) bout, KJ Noons scored a second round KO (:19) over fearless brawler and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel in a short, but spectacular match.

The two exchanged powerful punches in the first, but a powerful and controversial blow from Noons a split second after the sound of the closing bell for the first round proved to be the difference. Noons (10-2) came out swinging in the second, landing an overhand right followed by a left hook that sent Gurgel (13-7) flying to the canvas. He followed it up with punches on the ground, but the fight was clearly over as Gurgel could not recover.

“By any means am I a dirty fighter, no,” Noons said. “I was just going in there to try to engage and get the round. I was in the heat of the moment and I couldn’t stop my hands as they were going. It wasn’t cheap and I’m not trying to be dirty – I’m just trying to finish the fight. I didn’t’ intentionally do it, it’s just the rush.

“I thought it was a great fight. He had a really good game plan. He was moving around the ring and was trying to get me to engage more. I just knew I had to not over commit on my punches and my kicks and I’d be able to keep standing. I’m not surprised he didn’t take me down.”

Gurgel didn’t make any excuses or complaints in losing.

“I apparently got hit a couple of times when the round was up, but it’s not KJ’s fault,” Gurgel said. The referee is responsible for separating the fighters. I’m not taking anything away from (KJ) He landed a good right hand and a left hook.

“I have no excuses whatsoever. I came up short in my performance and I’m really upset. I thought I had his number. I’ve never been rocked before. I’ve had 20 professional fights and I’ve never felt that. KJ is a world class fighter.”

In the opening fight of the SHOWTIME telecast, Chad Griggs won an upset, TKO victory over previously unbeaten Bobby Lashley at the end of the second round.

An experienced and talented wrestler, Lashley immediately took the fight to the ground in the first round. He expended a lot of energy trying to hit Griggs (9-1) while on the ground, but Griggs was able to counter and opened up a gushing cut over Lashley’s left eye.

Once again, Lashley (5-1) took the fight to the ground in the second, but his punches didn’t do enough damage to the more experienced Griggs. The cut worsened with Lashley apparently gassed in the closing moments of the second round and the referee called the bout immediately following the conclusion of the round.

“This is a dream come true fighting for STRIKEFORCE. I got offered a big fight right off the bat and I’m super pumped I got the win,” Griggs said. “I know he was bleeding all over me. I think he was tired and he was hurt already. I think it was a good call to end it.

“I felt him starting to fade a little bit at the end of the first round. I could hear him breathing really hard and could feel him using a lot of muscle to land punches. I was comfortable because he wasn’t really catching me and he was using a lot of energy. I don’t think that he’s really been hit before or been tested. I could see it in his eyes that the fight was changing. He was still hustling, but I think he was losing some heart in there.”

The event will replay on Monday, Aug. 23 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHO 2 and will be available On Demand from Tuesday, Aug. 24 until Monday, Sept. 6.

Complete STRIKEFORCE: Houston Results:

STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight Championship

Rafael Feijao def. “King Mo” Lawal – KO (elbows) – Round 3 (1:14)

STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Championship

Jacare Souza def. Tim Kennedy – Unanimous Decision – 49-46, 48-47 twice.

KJ Noons def. Jorge Gurgel – KO (strikes)– Round 2 (:19)

Chad Griggs def. Bobby Lashley – TKO – End of Round 2

NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD

Daniel Cormier def. Jason Riley – Submission (strikes) – Round 1 (1:02)

Andre Galvao – def. Jorge “Macaco” Patino – TKO (strikes) – Round 3 (2:45)

Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes – def. Rocky Long – Unanimous Decision – 29-28, 30-27, 30-27.

Adam Schindler def. Kier Gooch – Submission (Rear Naked Choke)

Reynaldo “The Truth” Trujillo def. Jose Santibanez – TKO (Strikes)

Chad “Robo” Robichaux def. Humberto DeLeon – Split Decision – 29-28 (Robichaux), 29-28 (DeLeon), 29-28 (Robichaux)

Artenas Young def. Chad Cook, – Unanimous decision – 30-27, 298-28, 30-27

PRESS RELEASE / CHICAGO, Ill. (August 18, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships announced today the official main card fights for Bellator 26 which is taking place at the Kansas City Power and Light District in Kansas City, MO. on Aug. 26th , marking the third appearance at the venue this year. In an opening round Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament fight, Mike “300” Hayes (12-3-1) takes on Russian submission specialist Alexey Oleinik.

Oleinik, a Judo black belt, is not only one of the most respected fighters in Russia, but also one of the most dangerous heavyweight submission fighters in the sport. Oleinik brings a phenomenal 27-5-1 record to the tournament with 23 of those 27 victories coming via submission.

This will be Hayes’ second appearance under the Bellator banner; he was victorious at Bellator 21 where he garnered a unanimous decision victory over Steve Banks.

Also on the card, longtime rivals Jose Vega and Danny Tims will square off in an overdue rubber match with an opening round Bellator Season 3 Bantamweight World Championship Tournament fight.

In Women’s Tournament action, undefeated Aisling Daly (9-0), the best female mixed martial artist in Ireland and the world’s No. 3-ranked 125 lbs. female fighter will take on dangerous veteran submission artist Lisa Ward (12-5).

The Fox Sports Net event will also feature an exciting Special Feature Fight between Season 2 Welterweight Tournament semi-finalist Steve Carl and hard-hitting UFC vet Rory Markham.

“The Kansas City Power & Light District has proven to be a consistently entertaining venue for us. I am glad that we’re able to bring yet another spectacular event to this great venue,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

When Mixed Martial Artists say they are “prepared for war” against an upcoming opponent it typically falls under category of “hyperbole”. However, when it comes to Strikeforce middleweight contender Tim Kennedy, he actually has prepared for, and been in, war – the kind with real bullets and actual explosions. Kennedy’s high-level of service as a Green Beret sniper is well-documented and, like intelligence, humility, and a sense of humor, one of the many fundamental characteristics comprising the man who faces submission-specialist Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza this Saturday night at “Strikeforce – Houston”.

Kennedy recently took some time to speak with media during a conference call and offered his thoughts on a number of subjects related to the championship clash with Souza, including the difference training full-time has had his skill-level, his preparation for the Brazilian’s elite jiujitsu ability, and how he’s approaching the overall fight against “Jacare”.

“The only thing you can do when you are preparing for an event like this is prepare for every possibility. I’ve brought in the best guys in the world. Every night I have had five or ten black belts…trying to get prepared. I am prepared and excited. I just want to get in there,” said Kennedy when asked about his mindset only a week out from the fight. “This isn’t the other types of fighting. This is MMA. Every position that we are going to be in, I have the intent on trying to damage him. He is a very talented fighter. It’s going to be one of those brutal violent fights. I am fully prepared to go on the ground with him and every time he gets on the ground with me it’s going to hurt cause I have been training.”

Kennedy, who had previously split his time between developing technique at the gym and serving the country, continued on the subject of how increased training has affected him since focusing 100% on Mixed Martial Arts.

“I can’t really narrow it down to one thing. I had an opportunity to train with the best guys, real sparring partners, grappling partners. It’s not like I go to the nearest Green Beret and say can you come over here. I need someone to work out with. I am in a world class training center with some of the best strength coaches in the world. I have a personal strength coach, and all of the things that have never been in place through my whole entire fight career are finally there. I have people who know how to coach people and I have never had coaches before. I have been a self-coached fighter. Now it is a treat to have a guy who says you look like crap because it makes me want to do it better. Every single aspect of my fight game can change for the better since I have started training full time ten months ago.”

When the topic of how he sees the title-fight unfolding against Souza came up, or whether or not the involvement of Strikeforce’s middleweight championship played a role in his preparation, the 185-pounder responded, “This is just a fight. I have a lot of respect for Jacare. I think he is a very talented athlete. We are going out there trying to knock each other out or submit each other. There is no added pressure. This fight is no different than any other. It is a lot less stressful than anything I do overseas because I’m not getting shot at. This is fun; this is the good part of my life.”

“We are talking about the most accomplished grappler ever to be in MMA so it would be silly of me to make the assumption that I can go out there and have my way with him on the ground. So I have to be very careful in any position we are in, not even on the ground. He can finish fights with some pretty amazing standing submissions. It is going to be a very dangerous fight the whole entire time, I can’t make any mistakes. Controlling the takedowns and controlling the pace are the keys to victory,” continued Kennedy on the match-up. “I think both of us have the tools to win on both our feet or on the ground. I think it is going to be a mental war, going in there and knowing that this could be and probably will be a five-round exciting fight. I’m not going to quit. You are going to have to put me out. This is a good fight, a big fight. I’m excited for it. I don’t think there is any one key for winning.”

In closing, Kennedy kept simple. “It’s an honor to be on a card like this and fight such a talented fighter like Jacare. I promise I am going to go out there and put on a good show I am in the best shape of my life. I am excited about this fight. Go buy your tickets and come to the show. It is going to be awesome!’’

In addition to Kennedy vs. Souza for the middleweight title, “Strikeforce – Houston” also features “King Mo” Lawal defending his light heavyweight championship against Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante, undefeated Bobby Lashley facing Chad Griggs, and KJ Noons putting his boxing skills up against UFC veteran Jorge Gurgel’s BJJ and energetic pace. The event will be available for viewing on Showtime.

Stay tuned to Five Ounces of Pain for live coverage from Houston this weekend!

Strikeforce’s widely-welcomed focus on promoting talented female fighters takes an intriguing step at tonight’s “Strikeforce Challengers 10” event with the evening’s welterweight tournament. In opening-round action, well-rounded Brazilian Carina Damm faces submission-specialist Hitomi Akano while fan-favorite Miesha Tate looks to advance to the final fight against newcomer Maiju Kujala. The last woman standing is not only bound to gain a good deal of notoriety from her success but also an eventual shot at current 135-pound champion Sarah Kaufman’s title.

Also set to unfold from Phoenix’s Dodge Theatre on Showtime at 11:00 ET / 8:00 PT, Ryan Couture makes his professional MMA debut after notching a number of wins in his amateur career with opponent Lucas Stark looking to prevent the 27-year old from following in his famous father’s footsteps. Also, Joe “Diesel” Riggs will face 6-1 striker Louis Taylor in hopes of rebounding off a decision loss to Jay Hieron in his last bout.

Before I get into the actual “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

Miesha Tate vs. Maiju Kujala (Tournament Semi-Final)

Kujala is a relative unknown, as are the four opponents she’s beaten in her career, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing where her success is concerned. If it’s difficult to find tape on her, then it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect then the cage door closes. However, I think Tate is experienced enough to handle anything her Finnish adversary offers and will at minimum use her wrestling ability to take Kujala down, then look for submissions while smothering her for the duration of the bout if necessary. I’m positive she’ll try to finish things as quickly as possible to both avoid damage and reserve energy rather than letting either affect her in the tournament final.

Winner – Miesha Tate via Submission Round 1

Carina Damm vs. Hitomi Akano (Tournament Semi-Final)

The result of this bout will depend on where the bulk of its action takes place. Damm has a definite advantage where striking is concerned while Akano is a solid grappler. That being said, the Brazilian is more apt on the ground than Akano is on her feet, and I believe her jiujitsu ability and takedown defense should be enough to make the overall difference in eventual outcome. I don’t expect her to finish Akano, as six of the Tokyo native’s seven losses have come by way of decision with the lone exception being a third-round TKO to Cris “Cyborg” Santos, but I do think Damm will do enough in all facets of the game to win a very close decision.

Winner – Carina Damm via Decision

Ryan Couture vs. Lucas Stark

Couture will clearly be the fan-favorite based on his last name and success as an amateur. However, Stark shouldn’t be dismissed simply because his father isn’t a Mixed Martial Arts legend. He may only be 2-4 in his career but six fights’ worth of experience still counts for something when considering Couture is only making his professional debut. I expect Couture to play it fairly safe in hopes of grinding out a decision win, though it’s possible he could attack with basic jiujitsu since Stark has shown a past vulnerability to ground-based submissions. Look for him to stay active with jabs while looking for takedowns to play off his wrestling pedigree without ever pressing the action to the point he’s at risk of catching a clean shot on the chin.

Winner – Ryan Couture via Decision

Miesha Tate vs. Carina Damm (Tournament Final)

Like most one-night tournaments, this bout will likely be influenced by which of the two fighters escapes the semi-final match less-scathed than the other. An earlier knockdown, cut, broken bone, or even cardio-testing battle could spell disaster for either talented lady. Based on how I predict their previous fights unfolding, I definitely think Tate will have an advantage where her general physical state is concerned. I expect “Takedown” Tate to focus on taking Damm down (surprise, eh?), working from the top, and trying to press the pace in order to soak up the last of Damm’s conditioning. It might even be enough to open up an opportunity for a well-timed, TKO-inducing combo in the third round or submission on the ground.

Winner – Miesha Tate via Decision

Joe Riggs vs. Louis Taylor

Taylor will be looking for his third consecutive win but has yet to face an opponent with Riggs’ familiarity of the ring or overall skill-set. Riggs is 4-1 in his last five bouts and beat a number of respectable opponents earlier in his career like Chris Lytle, Kendall Grove, Joe Doerksen, and Nick Diaz. Don’t surprised if Taylor tries to keep things upright as often as possible based on Riggs’ wrestling ability in addition to his previous success on the TKO-front. Taylor’s last three wins have come by way of knockout and if his head-kick of the ironically-named Ryan Sturdy at Bellator 14 last April was any indication of his overall ability it’s clear his best chance for beating Riggs is in the stand-up department. However, I think “Diesel” will be able to score enough takedowns to do damage from the top and either pound Taylor out or cover him for the bulk of the bout’s fifteen minute time limit.

Winner – Joe Riggs via TKO Round 2