Nah-Shon Burrell survived a barrage of nasty submission attacks in the first round to cruise to a unanimous decision win over Joe Ray at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum.  Burrell repeatedly took Ray down and applied generous helpings of ground and pound throughout the fight as Ray faded late.

Nah-Shon Burrell took Joe Ray down quickly in the first round, but Joe Ray quickly turned the position to his advantage with a series of submission attacks. Ray tried for an arm bar, a heel hook and at one point landed a standing kimura roll into a head scissors that Burrell narrowly escaped.

In the second Ray came out kicking and after some early trading went for a standing kimura again but this time ended up on his back. Burrell advanced to north-south, then side mount as Ray kicked off the fence to try and spin out. Burrell dominated most of the round from inside Ray's guard although Ray remained active with upkicks and went for another heel hook but Burrell spun out easily. 

They traded early in the third with both men, especially Ray, looking tired and diminished. Burrell began to double up on the jabs. Ray tried for some spinning back fists but that barely slowed the onslaught from Burrell. Burrell got another take down with about 2:45 left. Ray fought back up quickly, but not before eating some sharp elbows while on his back. Ray landed a trip take down near the fence then went for a guillotine choke that looked scary tight but Burrell got free and recommenced with the ground and pound. When they stood, Burrell quickly got another take down. Burrell spent most of the rest of the fight dropping bombs although Ray did get back up at the very end. Too little, too late. 

SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum