Strikeforce: 'Evolution' could feature the return of Cung Le against Scott 'Hands of Steel' Smith
by Jesse Holland on Nov 7, 2009 3:49 AM EST
32 comments
On the heels of his decision to vacate the Strikeforce middleweight title due to his budding Hollywood acting career, former 185-pound champion Cung Le could return to the San Jose-based promotion as early as next month for a war of attrition against the always-game Scott Smith.
MMAmania.com learned of the potential match-up from sources close to the event earlier today.
Strikeforce: 'Evolution' has been announced by the promotion as its next televised Showtime event, set for the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on Dec. 19.
Le already has two movies set to be released in the near future, including the big screen version of the popular video game "Tekken" in which Le will play the role of Marshall Law. With three more movies in progress, the San Shou disciple was not expected to be back in action earlier than Spring 2010.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker had considered creating an interim title in his absence; however, Le agreed to vacate the title altogether so that his part-time fight schedule no longer held the belt hostage.
Now Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Jake Shields will fight for that title tonight (Nov. 7) live on CBS. It’s already been well over a year since Le captured the gold from Frank Shamrock in his hometown and one has to wonder if the 37-year-old Le still has the chops to compete in the new-look Strikeforce.
Scott Smith could help answer that question if they do indeed throw down in December.
"Hands of Steel" was battered and beaten before submitting to a rear naked choke at the hands of Nick Diaz at last June's Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" event in St. Louis, Missouri.
The loss snapped a two fight win streak for the former UFC slugger. Prior to the Diaz fight, Smith lived up to his nickname by knocking out the hard-hitting Benji Radach with a little over a minute remaining in their three round slugfest. Smith was bruised and bloodied, but refused to back down and stunned "Razor" — and the rest of the crowd -- with his thrilling come-from-behind win.
A win over Le would certainly recapture some of that momentum.
Strikeforce: "Evolution" is expected to feature an interesting match up of styles between Matt "The Law" Lindland (21-6) and Ronald "Jacare" Souza (10-2). Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (5-0) and Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2) are expected to be in action as well.
For the current Strikeforce: "Evolution" fight card click here.
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Don’t get me wrong i like tha match up a lot, but Seriously Cung? You vacate tha belt just to end up fighting a month after tha Belt is up for grabs, i’m dissapointed.
by MikeCezzy on Nov 7, 2009 4:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Don’t worry MikeCezzy, even Kung Le knows that he himself isn’t very good. Kick his *ss Scott!
by RedDog on Nov 7, 2009 5:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
wow! as a ufc fanatic i never thought i would be excited to see strikeforce.. they got alot of good fighters, and great cmp!
hendo chung miller sheilds shammy
by Mikeybear on Nov 7, 2009 10:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I hate what Cung Le represents and his overratedness but he’s gonna rip up scotty’s soft body with kicks. The hype train will resume. We’ll all be forced to listen to “how would he match up with anderson?”
by NameNotRequired on Nov 7, 2009 5:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
lol…u really think he’s going to beat Smith? Le is all hype IMO. He beat what, an old as h*ll Frank Shamrock? That was what, 2 years ago? I’ll be very surprised if Smith doesn’t take this.
by RedDog on Nov 7, 2009 5:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
my girlfriend is chinese and told me that they dont refer to it as san shou its actually called san da, micheal schiavello was also reffering to it as san da in his commentry of k1 max recently, anyone shed aany light on this? when i mentioned san shou t a few other chinese friends they didnt even know what i was talking about.
by Paniczoo on Nov 7, 2009 6:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Sanda is a basically kung fu with takedowns. i know china trains their military in that style and is so far the most functional form to translate into combat sports even though it still has some flashy crap. Can’t say i know too much about Sanshou though.
by NameNotRequired on Nov 7, 2009 6:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
NNR is right..Le is going to abuse scotts body with side kicks, round house kicks, spinning back kick…Smiths SOFT BODY wont hold up…Cung will win this ight and the hype train will begin!
If Cung Le were a MAN, he would ask for Jacre, they are on the same card…winner would fight winner of Sheids/Miller for undisputed SF title…TOo bad Cung is a bitch, taking a tailor made fight, instead of getting twisted into a pretzel by Jacre,sheilds,Miller.
I want Nick Diaz to get a hod of Cung!
I aways knew how over rated Le is, but this is just a bitch move! SF actually got some real MW’s and Cung retires….then he comes back to avoid all the top MW and fight a tailor made opponent.
It will be a very entertaining fight, but I cant respect such a Bitch move!
by john G on Nov 7, 2009 8:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
NNR: what fights are you betting tonight?
by john G on Nov 7, 2009 9:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
“Can” Le, the actor, is gonna crush Scott “Can of Soup” Smith.
by rockwell on Nov 7, 2009 10:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, Le comes back and gets a fight that is hand picked for him to win. Why not Jacre? I know, he will get schooled by anyone with an above average ground that will actually use it.
by BNF on Nov 7, 2009 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I do Sanshou/Sanda. The difference is the rules. In Sanshou competition we wear headgear, chest protector, shin pads. Sanshou is usually done on a leitai at wushu tournaments and competitions (like the World Wushu Championship). Both amateurs and professionals can compete.
Sanda is held in a ring, for professionals and fighters just wear gloves (and a mouthpiece and cup of course) like in other combat sports.
So most Chinese people don’t see Sanshou on TV, but they will see Sanda!
by Space on Nov 7, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
P.S. here’s a clip of a Sanshou fight to see the difference:
by Space on Nov 7, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I got Miller and Bigfoot in a parlay. I was hoping they would have lines for the Connen-Modafferi fight. I would almost guarantee that the lines would be out of wack – could have made a killing. Also, your boy Mamed killed it in Sengoku – did you have anything on him? I made a nice chunk of change but got burned on a Yokota, kitaoka and Nedkov parlay.
by NameNotRequired on Nov 7, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Appreciate the info, why dont we see more Sanda pros crossing over into MMA?
by Paniczoo on Nov 8, 2009 2:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The Sanda fighter at K1 max was called Xu Yan, he came out like a Chute Boxe guy for a quick stoppage http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=XU+YAN&search_type=&aq=f
by Paniczoo on Nov 8, 2009 2:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Any chance Le could cut to 170??? GSP is in dire need of some fresh meat and I think Le would be more dangerous for him than anyone the UFC has got, plus him being SF Champ would be good fight hype. I think the UFC should do more to get guys like Le, Shields, and Nick Diaz to come fight at WW since they have no meaningful contenders left. (At least until Rumble has a few top-tier fights under his belt.)
by shonuff on Nov 7, 2009 8:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Rumble is getting a rude awakening from Kos, Shonuff. And Cung Le would get put on his back and pounded into oblivion by GSP. I also think Shields and Diaz (albeit he has improved quite a bit) would get beaten pretty soundly.
GSP is just that good. Doesn’t mean he can’t be defeated, just not likely.
by Adam T. on Nov 7, 2009 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
first off, how does Scott Smith deserver to fight Cung Le… oh, so it’s an easy win for Le and they can hype Le/Hendo, there you guys now know the truth! Le is a pathetic “champion!”
on a side note, I saw yesterday Danial was wondering about the lame ass fixed DMX fight…here Danial!
http://www.tmz.com/2009/11/07/dmx-demands-boxing-promotors-fix-his-fight/
by kevin on Nov 7, 2009 11:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
GSP is kind of like Fedor in the sense that I think the only way to beat him is for a power puncher to land a big shot right on the button or the back of the head like matt serra. You aren’t going to submit him or pound him out on the ground. Know way in hell. A good (lucky punch) is about the only way in my opinion.
I don’t even think that Lesnar could pound out Fedor on the ground. Fedor is to dangerous with his submission skills and to smart to get caught in a position like Mir did. That is of course if they ever fight, which is highly unlikely because I believe that Fedor has a genuine dislike for Dana White and doesn’t give a sh*t what Dana offers to pay him.
by Adam T. on Nov 7, 2009 11:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
UGH. Scott Smith is just so… so.. bad.. He’s awful.
Cung Le will drop him with 1 body kick. Seriously, I’ve never seen a guy get hurt so often from body attacks then Scott Smith.
by Goob on Nov 7, 2009 5:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
huh? which scott smith have you been watching?
by RedDog on Nov 7, 2009 5:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Goob, I will give you that he needs to learn to move his head and put his hands up when people punch him in the face but he can take a lickin’ and he keeps on tickin’.
by RedDog on Nov 7, 2009 5:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
except for when Robbie methodically ate his body alive until he forced him to drop his hands. I seriously think if you can pin him to the cage any MW can do that to him. He needs to toughen up that flabby body.
by NameNotRequired on Nov 7, 2009 6:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
scott smith is the man! stop hating guys! hes never been in a boring fight so stop complaining, i swear people will always have something to complain about no matter what the case is
by brendan on Nov 7, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
lil eagle jens pulver recently looks like the fights basically over once someone hits him in the body
by Jared on Nov 7, 2009 6:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I really think its crappy what Le did, but I hope he beats Smith. That guy has the personality of a rock.
by Bill Maher on Nov 7, 2009 10:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Holland,
Would it be possible for you to post this link to clear up when this event starts live on CBS?
Many people here are confused about the start time.
It would suck if they missed the fights.
by OJR Is King (formerly Introvert) on Nov 7, 2009 10:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Last nights challenger announced Robby Lawler to be Le’s next
fight. Is this truth mania or is this just a rumor????
by Gotta Luv haters on Nov 7, 2009 11:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
it’s good to see Cung fight again, but i think this is just a warm up fight for Le, I like to see him kick jake Shields’s ass, i hope. Ring rust may be a factor for Le.
by it's not me. on Nov 7, 2009 3:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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