With UFC 106 looming on Saturday evening, many fans will be itching for some relevant MMA action to get them in the mood for the big event tomorrow. Fortunately for us, Strikeforce has come through to fill your need. The fifth installment of Strikeforce's Challengers series (ShoMMA) will take place this evening from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, and it will air live on Showtime at 11 PM EST (Delayed on the West Coast).
The card will be headlined by a welterweight bout between Missouri wrestling standout and two-time NCAA D-I All-American Tyron Woodley and Kansas City-native and Chinese Kenpo black belt Rudy Bears. Also featured on the card will be a women's bout featuring the same names as the main event from UFC 105. Brandon Vera's wife, Kerry Vera, will battle Randy Couture's former wife, Kim Couture, in a 135 lb. women's division contest. It will only be Vera's second fight and Couture's third fight professionally. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante will also make his return against Aaron Rosa on this card.
Welterweight: Tyron Woodley (5-0) vs. Rudy Bears (10-3)
Woodley's NCAA credentials should be the deciding factor in this fight. He has the ability to be a dominating force on the floor, and his submission game is good enough to get him through some of the lower-echelon fights at this stage in his career. There was some criticism of Woodley in the Zach Light fight as Light gave up some pretty bad positions in the first round, and Woodley was unable to sink in submissions that were there for the taking. Regardless of those faults, Woodley is still a rather green competitor who should hopefully show some improvement in this bout.
Bears has a solid Brazilian jiu-jitsu background coupled with the accolades of being a kickboxer who has won regional ISKA events and titles. He'll be looking to pummel Woodley with strikes early, but he should be adept enough to ward off some attempts by Woodley on the ground. The problem is that Woodley's strength and wrestling should be able overcome Bears' jiu-jitsu tactics on his way to a dominating victory. Tyron Woodley should improve his record to 6-0 in this contest.
Women's Division (135 lbs.): Kim Couture (1-1) vs. Kerry Vera (1-0)
I'm really not sure what to say about this fight. Kim Couture looked absolutely awful against both Kim Rose and Lina Kvokov in her previous professional bouts. She actually broke her jaw in half in one of those match-ups and was commended for her toughness. While she definitely showed she was a tough competitor, a jaw breakage doesn't inspire confidence in anyone thinking she'll win against an adept puncher like Vera.
Kerry's debut against Leslie Smith was quite impressive in comparison to that of Couture's debut. She was very quick with her feet, throwing quick lefts and rights and mixing overhands, some decent kicks, and good technique in her delivery. While she didn't show tremendous power, she did manage to land significantly more than her opponent.
Kerry should take this via decision and batter Kim Couture with punches. I don't see how Couture can handle Vera's speed unless she's improved substantially over the last year.
SBN coverage of Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears
Light Heavyweight: Rafael Cavalcante (7-2) vs. Aaron Rosa (12-2)
In my mind, this isn't a fight in which Rosa has a great chance to win. Rosa's win over an Anthony Ruiz was unimpressive due to Ruiz's sloppy, looping strikes and uncoordinated movement. It really didn't seem like much of a challenge from a technical standpoint for Rosa, but Ruiz made it a fight as he miraculously landed some of those looping shots. Fortunately for Rosa, he was able to submit Ruiz late in the round.
Rosa's real chance at stardom came in a bout against Jared Hamman at ShoXC III, and while Rosa was deemed a potential favorite in the fight -- he was quickly battered by Hamman, who just fought in the UFC. Unfortunately for Rosa, this fight won't see him as the favorite. Cavalcante's striking is much more precise and devastating. He should be able to put leather on Rosa's chin quickly and end his night in spectacular fashion. If not, he'll still be able to control Rosa on the floor with top notch jiu-jitsu. "Feijao" takes this one.
Welterweight: Bobby Voelker (20-7) vs. Erik Apple (10-1)
Apple is the former magazine mogul turned X-Games announcer turned professional MMA fighter who at the young age of 18 had some of the biggest media companies in the world on the fence because of his coverage of the xtreme sports industry that was blowing up at the time. Apple's rough lifestyle of surfing, skateboarding, and xtreme sports took its toll on his body, and he moved to mixed martial arts, surprisingly a safer activity that what he previously had been doing.
Voelker is a product of the American Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Kansas City, a camp that has produced successful MMA fighters L.C. Davis and Rob Kimmons. Oddly enough, jiu-jitsu doesn't seem to be his strength in his offense, but he does present some powerful ground strikes from a takedown-based attack.
Apple will look for the submissions while Voelker will want to gain the better position and pummel Apple. It could make for an interesting chess match on the floor, and both men don't really have an edge in terms of experience against better competition. This should be one of the more even battles on the card, but I'll take Apple via submission in this contest.
Middleweight: Kevin Casey (2-1) vs. Chad Vance (5-3)
If you don't recall, here's a reminder. Kevin Casey is the MMA fighter who holds an entourage with Spencer Pratt. Yeah, ya know... the guy who's married to Heidi Montag and both of them are attention whores. Yeah, those two... I know. You hate them with a passion.
For the love of God, Chad Vance... please win. Vance has a few losses on his record, but he did drop losses to rising star Mario Miranda and veteran Chuck Grigsby. He also has some power in his hands, and the fact that Kevin Casey somehow miraculously lost via TKO to Ikuhisa Minowa makes me pick Chad Vance. That and I hate Spencer Pratt. WAR CHAD VANCE!