Debuting Strikeforce Fighters Victorious at UFC 156
Tonight’s UFC 156 started the invasion of Strikeforce fighters making their UFC debut following the promotions final event. Three debuting former Strikeforce fighters fought on the preliminary card against very tough competition and came out with a clean 3-0 sweep.
Opening the UFC 156 preliminary card on FX was Isaac Vallie-Flagg talking on the MMA veteran Yves Edwards. A former Welterweight fighter, Vallie-Flagg dropped down to lightweight in his final fight under the Strikeforce banner where he defeated to highly ranked Gesias Cavalcante by split decision back in May. Using the same formula to pull off that upset, Vallie-Flagg out worked Edwards to win his UFC debut by scoring his third consecutive split decision win.
One upping that was Bobby Green who took on the smothering Jacob Volkmann also in the lightweight division. Green appeared to be in trouble early on when Volkmann took the fight to the canvas right away. Green survived Volkmann on his back to escape the round and he’d never look back. Green took the fight to the ground early in round two and beat on Volkmann and wore him down as well. A gassed Volkmann could not keep the back of Green and ended up losing the position and giving up his back. From there Green quickly grabbed the neck of his opponent and forced the tap with just 35 seconds left in the fight.
Putting an exclamation point on the 3-0 night for Strikeforce was the welterweight Tyron Woodley who knocked out Jay Hieron just 36 seconds into the fight. Woodley landed a right to the temple that dropped Hieron and followed it with nasty ground and pound to bring a finish to the fight. Woodley was coming off a loss back in July to Nate Marquardt for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title but his brutal knockout tonight puts the rest of the UFC 170 pound division on notice.
The once #2 Mixed Martial Arts organization might not be promoting events anymore, but the guys at UFC 156 clearly showed that just like the former Pride and the WEC, Strikeforce will never die!
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Category: Exclusive, MMA, Strikeforce, UFC
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