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| StrikeForce "Evolution" Preview - 12/19 |
| Published on Dec 16, 2009 | Email To Friend Print Version
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Strikeforce: Evolution12/19/09 - San Jose, CACompuStrike Preview
Rematch of 6/28/08 meeting, dominated by the efficient and versatile Thomson, who has not fought in 15 months. ‘The Punk’ landed 131 of 192 total strikes (68%) over five rounds to 66 of 275 (24%) for Melendez. Thomson, a 3-1 underdog, mixed his attack- of his 131 total strikes landed, 51 were arm strikes and 69 were leg strikes (of which 51 were kicks-many with his left leg to the body). He also landed 11 ground strikes. Thomson, who lifted Melendez’s StrikeForce lightweight belt with the upset win, also mixed in six takedowns, one in each of the first three rounds, two in the fourth and another in the fifth.
After a close first round in which Thomson outlanded Melendez 15-8 in total strikes, Thomson averaged 27 strikes landed over the next four rounds, while not wasting strikes, averaging just 40 thrown per round. Melendez was the aggressor, but was bothered by Thomson’s lateral movement. The former Pride standout never landed more than 27% of his strikes in any round. He’ll have to be more effective with his striking and find a way to cut off the ring in the rematch. As was the case in the Melendez fight, Thomson varied his attack in his decision win over Nam Phan on 12/8/06. Thomson landed 119 of 215 total strikes (55%) to 77 of 181 (43%) for the game Phan, who was knocked down by a Thomson right hand in round two. Among Thomson’s 119 landed strikes, 23 were arm strikes, 44 were leg strikes (32 knees) and 52 were from the ground. Thomson also mixed in two takedowns, two submission attempts and a dominant position. In August, Melendez avenged his 12/31/07 decision loss to Mitsuhiro Ishida, scoring a third round knockout in a dominating performance. Melendez landed 104 of 228 total strikes (46%) to just 21 of 61 (34%) for Ishida, who was on his bicycle for most of the fight, throwing 14 total strikes in round one, 24 in round two and 23 in round three. Melendez turned up the heat in rounds two and three landing a combined 89 of 178 total strikes, 41 of which were from the ground. Melendez even beat Ishida at his own game, scoring two takedowns and stuffing six of Ishida’s seven takedown attempts. Fighting on his home turf, Ishida scored eight takedowns and had three submission attempts that led to two dominant positions in their first meeting (12/31/07). Ishida got the decision despite getting outlanded 81-26 in total strikes.
Cung Le vs. Scott SmithView CompuStrike Stats from: Le-Shamrock | Le-Morgan | Le-Fryklund | Smith-Diaz | Smith-Radach
Former StrikeForce middleweight champion Le, 35, inactive for 21 months while pursuing film opportunities, returns vs. ‘Hands of Steel” Smith, coming off a submission loss to striking machine Nick Diaz.
Le, who vacated his StrikeForce middleweight title in September, was last seen breaking the wrist of former UFC champ Frank Shamrock in the third round with one of his patented kicks. After a competitive first round that saw Le, 6-0, 6 ko’s, land 21 of 63 total strikes (including nine of 29 kicks) to 22 of 67 (including nine kicks) for Shamrock, Le’s kicks began to take their toll in round two. Le landed 28 of 59 total strikes in the round to just 12 of 43 for Shamrock, who chose to bang with the banger. 17 of Le’s 28 landed strikes were kicks in a round fought entirely on the feet.
The Le leg barrage continued into the third, as the pride of Vietnam, landed 43 of 90 total strikes (25 arm strikes and 18 kicks) to 24 of 61 for Shamrock, who jolted Le with a hard right hand prior to the fight-ending kick.
Four months earlier, Le showed another side of his game, scoring seven takedowns before ending the fight in the third round with guess what? A kick, that landed near Morgan’s liver and had the former Ultimate Fighter competitor vomiting uncontrollably all night while hospitalized. Le varied his attack, landing 33 arm strikes, 24 leg strikes and 37 ground strikes among his 94 total strikes landed.
In a dominanting performance, again fought entirely on the feet, Le battered Tony Fryklund for two-plus rounds before flattening Fryklund with a right hook. Not before Le landed 96 of 181 total strikes, 48 of which were with the legs (44 kicks).
Smith ran into human buzzsaw Diaz last June and was submitted in round three. Diaz got off an amazing 397 total strikes before landing a body shot that dropped Smith at 1:41 of round three. Diaz finished with a rear naked choke. Diaz threw a CompuStrike record 221 total strikes in round two, landing a record 125. Of those 125 landed strikes, 117 were arm strikes. Smith managed 15 landed strikes in the round and was outlanded 207-31 for the fight.
Two months prior to the Diaz annihilation, in a battle of KO artists (27 ko’s among their 33 combined wins) Smith battled back form the brink of defeat to knockout Benji Radach at 3:24 of round three. They traded knockdowns in round one, but Radach clearly had the edge, outlanding Smith 46-11 in total strikes, including 29-5 on the feet. Things worsened for Smith in round two- he was knocked down, outlanded 29-2 in total strikes, badly cut over his left eye and was nearly submitted via a standing guillotine. Smith looked finished as the round ended, but somehow survived a round that two judges scored 10-8 for Radach. Radach continued having his way in the third, as Smith was cut over the right eye. Following a stalemate along the cage, Smith unloaded a right hand that put Radach down and out. Smith suffered a concussion in the fight.
In November of ’08, Smith scored a spectacular :24 knockout of Terry Martin, who did not land a single strike- not the norm for a Smith opponent.
Smith was ko’d by Robbie Lawler in July of ’08 in a rematch of their no contest three months earlier. Both fighter’s landed 20 strikes in the opening round, with Smith landing 13 arm strikes and the heavier shots. Smith cut Lawler with an elbow early in the second, then it was all downhill after that. Lawler hurt Smith with a body shot, then proceeded to landed 37 total stikes (23 arm strikes, eight leg strikes and six ground strikes) before the end came at 2:35 of the round. Their first fight, an entertaining brawl (aren’t all Smith’s fight entertaining brawls?), came to a halt after Smith was accidentally poked in the eye in round three.
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