MMA Quick Quote: Renato Sobral is the new Strikeforce light heavyweight champ

by Jesse Holland on Nov 22, 2008 5:02 AM EST

"I'm thankful to be the champion. [Bobby] was a true champion in the light heavyweight division in Strikeforce. I'm here now, though. It's my belt. Come and take it."

-Newly crowned Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral reacts to his TKO win over the Bobby Southworth in the co-main event of Strikeforce: "Destruction" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California courtesy of NBC Sports. Southworth sustained a nasty cut over his right eye courtesy of a Sobral elbow. While he finished the round, the ringside physician would not clear him to continue, effectively declaring Sobral the winner and king of the Strikeforce light heavies.

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Good to see him with a belt :)

by DownUnder on Nov 22, 2008 5:08 AM EST reply actions

True. But where do you think he would rank in the UFC LHW division???

by Holdin_Ropes on Nov 22, 2008 6:18 AM EST up reply actions

right on mate :)

by daftmania on Nov 22, 2008 6:27 AM EST up reply actions

Damn great to see Babalu finally capture a title, better yet he took it away from that class-less prick Bobby!

Good riddens Bobby!

by john on Nov 22, 2008 8:02 AM EST up reply actions

No doubt… But I think Babalu better train harder for his next fight. I think he took Bobby to lightly and it showed.

by BNF on Nov 22, 2008 10:39 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah that was a very lazy round. The one thing I don’t understand is how the doctors could let it continue for 30 seconds or so and then call the fight before his cut man gets to work on it…. I agree with the stoppage but think that if you are gonna let the fight go on for the remainder of the round see what the corner can do…

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

BNF: I havent seen the fight yet….did Babalu look sloppy?

by john on Nov 22, 2008 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

John,You aren’t missing much just 5 minutes of lazy clinch work and pressing against the cage….. Bobby Southworth style. Babalu really didn’t have a lot of offense other than that elbow…which sealed the deal.

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

thanks for the heads up Psyqo…. U just saved me from 5 minutes of a boring fight…. Oh Well, at least I am happy with the outcome

by john on Nov 22, 2008 2:01 PM EST up reply actions

Anytime bro….

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 4:55 PM EST up reply actions

Renato is worth it! what a character he is.. haha

by RoB on Nov 22, 2008 6:53 AM EST reply actions

He’s wrong about Bobby a-hole being a true champ though :)

by Longsilver on Nov 22, 2008 7:20 AM EST reply actions

feed him david heath, maybe this time he’ll eat his ear.

by liukangstoupee on Nov 22, 2008 7:40 AM EST reply actions

I wonder how babalu would match up against Forrest Griffin if that fight were to ever happen…………..

by Homslice on Nov 22, 2008 7:49 AM EST reply actions

obvious troll is obvious

by Condilezza Rice on Nov 22, 2008 10:15 AM EST up reply actions

How is that being a troll? You should learn to keep your mouth shut when the men are talking.

by BNF on Nov 22, 2008 10:36 AM EST up reply actions

LOL. Oh, man, hahahah, BNF, that was harsh! Funny. But harsh.

by chefdaddy on Nov 22, 2008 11:01 AM EST up reply actions

LOL… It was supposed to be harsh. That little snatch has tried to call me a troll before, when we all know who the troll really is.

by BNF on Nov 22, 2008 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah that was a legitimate question! Trolling just to call others trolls….interesting.

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

call me a troll if you will, but i don’t think it’s that legitimate. i think forrest would beat him quite handily.

by JB on Nov 22, 2008 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

How is that not a legitimate question? I think Forrest would handle him too but that doesn’t make it any less legit….

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Babalu would have a decent chance against Forrest.

Forrests strength is probably his Jits, but Forrest isnt going to out Jits Babalu anytime soon, thats for sure.

Standing, Forrest has the better striking but his lack of Finishing ability in the stand up would keep Babs in the fight, giving him plenty of chances to get the fight onto the ground where he is a STUD!!!

If you guys havent noticed, I CANT STAND Forrest!

by john on Nov 22, 2008 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

But at least you can look at him and give him some credit…. you aren’t being an all out Hater

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.megavideo.com/?v=E41ZJMRR

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

Being as classless as he is, Southworth will probably whine and say he wasn’t really beaten and that the doctor cost him his title, he should still be champ, yada yada yada.

by PJJ on Nov 22, 2008 9:03 AM EST reply actions

that cut was so nasty.

by Condilezza Rice on Nov 22, 2008 10:16 AM EST reply actions

it looked like your vagina.

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

ROTFLMFAO!!!

by BNF on Nov 22, 2008 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

I figured you would get a kick out of it….

by Psyqo78®™ on Nov 22, 2008 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

Babalu did what was needed to win…however he was outclassed in that first round…Bobby was obviously stronger…he controlled Babalu’s supposed superior ground game…it would have been interesting to see how the fight progressed if the cut didn’t occur…it’s unfortunate that it had to end that way…and on another note…talk about classless…Babalu was kicked out of the UFC for being a royal a-hole…enough already on the Bobby bashing…

by tusacs on Nov 22, 2008 12:49 PM EST reply actions

I like how people say Southworth is classless when just about every fighter I’ve heard comment on him say what a good guy he is.The only reason people are only saying that is because he had problems with Dana White and Chris Leben of TUF.

by Robert on Nov 22, 2008 1:49 PM EST reply actions

Its good to see Strikeforce get another high quality fighter a belt. They need the caliber of their champions to get better if they want to take the next step.

by EazyEismydad on Nov 22, 2008 2:06 PM EST reply actions