Live Carano-Cyborg Strikeforce Coverage!

MMA Opinion’s very own Josh Stein will be live at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California tonight to assist with exclusive post-event commentary, results, and photos. Check back later tonight for more details as we cover the the biggest women’s MMA bout in the history of the sport when Gina Carano and Cristiane Cyborg Santos face off for the 145lb belt.

Undercard

Isaiah Hill vs. Alex Trevino

Both Hill and Trevino make entranced to huge applause in a house that is surprisingly full given that it’s only the first bout of the night.

Round One: The two move until Hill gets the takedown, but Trevino gets on top. Trevino lays down the groundnpound as Hill hangs tight. Trevino locks in a guillotine and attempts to throw Hill, but Hill reverses and takes the back to huge applause. Hill transitions to a body triangle, then rolls Trevino to take the mount. Trevino throws his legs up and looks for a footlock, then transitions to a kneeebar and then a heelhook before taking the top position and locking in a scarfhold and securing the americana to force the tap at 3:56.

James Terry vs. Zak Bucia

Round One: Terry chases Bucia around the cage until he lands a huge right hand that puts Bucia out. The crowd applauds and Terry, who fights out of San Jose, revs them up. The official time is 1:23.

David Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox

Round One: Wilcox shoots for a takedown and gets it, but Douglas escapes and opens up with big punches that leave Wilcox backpedaling before he grabs a leg and forces the fight back to the mat. Wilcox works slowly from the top, in the open guard of Douglas. Douglas works the guard high, and then stands up quickly, throwing punches again. It’s clear Wilcox doesn’t want to stand and trade with Douglas, who’s much taller. Wilcox shoots again and lands in the half guard this time, and passes to side control easily, throwing rabbit punches before taking the mount. Wilcox postures up and looks to drop bombs, but ends up getting pulled down again. Two minutes left in the fight. Wilcox keeps the mount and continues to drop hard strikes against a winded Douglas. Douglas escapes to guard with thirty seconds left. The round ends with Wilcox in side control.

Round Two: Wilcox gets a takedown early and does damage from guard. Then passes to side control, then to mount. Wilcox postures and starts to rain down punches, but gives up the posture again. Wilcox continues to grind on Douglas. Wilcox drops the forearm on the throat between barrages. The crowd boos as the second round ends.

Round Three: Wilcox takes the mount early, again, and then moves to the back, and then back to the mount as the crowd boos. Wilcox finally moves to the back and since in a rear naked choke at 3:15.

Scott Lighty vs. Mike Cook

Round One: The two go back and forth, with Cook pressing forward, to open the round. Lightly lands a hard shot that puts Cook on his back, but Cook recovers while on the bottom of the half guard. They scramble, and get back to their feet with Lightly pressing forward now. Lightly throws a kick, then a hard right to the body. Cook shakes his head to show Big John that he wants no more, but eats a hard left from Lightly before the bout is stopped.

Jay Hieron vs. Jesse Taylor

Both Hieron and Taylor are greeted with indifference by the crowd as they walk out. Taylor moves around the ring a little bit, trying out his new shaved head. Hieron looks incredibly calm as he enters the ring.

Round One: Taylor shoots in but is stuffed by Hieron, who looks to stand and trade. They stand for a while until Hieron ends up on top, dropping elbows from the half-guard. Hieron works to advance his position, but stays stuck in the guard of JT Money. He uses the elbows, working shots, but fails to do any real damage as Taylor slips him back in the full guard. Taylor rolls up to try and stand, but is caught in a guillotine, and returns to playing guard up against the cage. Taylor bellies down and tries to grab a leg, bleeding, but is caught in a guillotine again and Hieron continues to stay on top in his guard. Herb Dean stands the fighters up and is met with applause. The round ends shortly after and the fans boo.

Round Two: Taylor shoots in. Hieron grabs the guillotine and rolls Taylor, taking the mount position. Hieron works in a rear naked choke, then transitions to the arm triangle as a bloody Taylor escapes by bellying down and pulling guard. Taylor shoots as Hieron steps away, taking a leaf out of the bullfighter playbook, landing a knee and scoring a takedown. Dean stands the fight up as the round ends.

Round Three: Taylor finally scores a takedown a little before the 3:00 mark, but can’t pass the half-guard of Hieron. Hieron escapes to the feet. Taylor missed a big punch and lands a knee. Hieron scores the takedown. The two stand, Taylor looks out of breath and Hieron looks lazy as the round ends.

The score is 30-27 for Hieron. While Jay will get the W and Taylor will get the L, the real loser here is the crowd.

Main Card

Mike Kyle vs. Fabricio Werdum

Round One: The round opens as the two strike a little. Kyle lands a hard right as Werdum shoot and grabs a single. He looks to pass as Kyle shoots a sloppy triangle and then transitions to an armbar as the Brazilian passes the guard. Kyle bellies down but Werdum catches a guillotine. The two time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion wins with a beautiful guillotine at 1:24.

Interim Lightweight Title Fight: Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida

Round One: Melendez takes the center of the cage as Ishida takes a lazy shot. The two circle. Ishida shoots as the fans start booing, but Melendez counters with a hard knee. Melendez opens up with punches, but Ishida backs out and continues to circle. The pace slows as the fans start to boo just after we get under two minutes. Ishida shoots again, and catches a single, but Melendez counters and delivers brutal knees, then scores a takedown of his own. Melendez pins Ishida up the cage as the bout goes under one minute. Ishida starts to stand as the round ends. Round one goes to Melendez.

Round Two: Melendez and Ishida meet in the middle of the cage and the two move around each other for a while. Melendez pins Ishida against the fence and drops a great elbow. Ishida and Melendez come off the cage and back to the center. Ishida winds up. Swing and a miss with a right hand for Ishida and Melendez opens up. Ishida shoots and Melendez delivers punishment from the sprawls as Ishida seems to have a cut from the ear or the side of the head. Ishida pops up and Melendez gets the takedown and moves to the back. Ishida re-shoots, but is trapped against the cage by Melendez who continues to deliver punishment. The two exchange and the crowd goes crazy. Melendez knocks down Ishida to end the round. Another one in the books, clearly going to Melendez.

Round Three: Ishida still looks game as he and Melendez take the center of the cage. Melendez lands a right hook to the top of the head and then the two trade jabs that fall short. Melendez rushes in, but doesn’t land anything. The two stand and take a breather. Melendez lands a brutal leg kick and then chases Ishida landing a hard combo that puts the Japanese fighter down. Melendez lands in the guard, still throwing shots. Ishida turtles then rolls back to put Melendez in his guard. The pace slows as Melendez drops his shoulder and elbows on Ishida. Ishida rolls again and Melendez takes the back, looking for a rear naked choke. Melendez pounds with the hooks in as Ishida covers up. The fight is stopped soon after. The closing time is 3:56.

Lightheavyweight Title Fight: Renato “Babalu” Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi

Round One: Gegard Mousasi catches Babalu early with a judo trip and lands in side control. Babalu gets him back to guard up against the cage, but Mousasi rains down punches as he stands over the Brazilian. The Gracie Barra fighter stiffens out and the fight is stopped. The fight is stopped at 1:00 for the new Strikeforce lightheavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi.

Women’s “Middleweight” Title Fight: Gina Carano vs. Christiane “Cyborg” Santos

The crowd is electric as Cyborg comes out, and gets even louder as Gina is announced and makes her way to the cage. The cheers are deafening. Seriously, I have earplugs in.

Round One: The two step out and Cyborg takes the middle of the cage, teeing off on Carano. Cyborg jumps to her back and Carano throws some punches before Cyborg rolls for a heelhook. Carano turtles and Cyborg throws punches. The two stand with Gina against the cage as Cyborg throws bombs. Cyborg looks for a throw but Gina gets the mount. Gina lets Cyborg up instead of going into the guard and the two stand at range. Hard shot lands for Carano. Hard left lands for Cyborg. Cyborg catches a body kick and the two clinch. Cyborg gets Gina’s back and Cyborg rolls. The crowd is chanting Gina as Cyborg moves forward. What a war. The two fall to the ground and Gina turtle, but they stand back up quickly. Cyborg looks tired by keeps moving forward and throwing hard punches. Gina doesn’t land much of anything in response. The two clinch and Carano lands a glancing elbow. Cyborg scores a takedown and lands in the half guard. Cyborg looks for an americana, but Carano escapes. With ten seconds left Cyborg starts dropping bombs from the top. Rosenthal steps in but it’s not clear whether he’s declaring the winner or ending the round.

It looks like the fight is over for Gina Carano and Cyborg will be the first women’s champ. The final time is 4:59.