Keith Jardine vs Luke Rockhold booked for Strikeforce event on Jan. 7 in Las Vegas
by Adam Guillen Jr. on Dec 2, 2011 3:00 AM EST
in Strikeforce News
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Are you 3-6-1 in your last 10 fights and have never fought at 185-pounds before? Then you're a perfect candidate for a Strikeforce middleweight title shot!
Former UFC light heavyweight Keith Jardine will get the first crack at dethroning recently crowned Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold at an as yet announced Strikeforce event scheduled for Jan. 7, 2012, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MMAFighting.com brought word of the pending match-up a short while ago.
Tim Kennedy was originally in line for a title shot; however, an undisclosed injury kept the super soldier from taking the fight and "The Dean of Mean" was apparently the next best option.
That's despite the fact that Jardine has won just three times in his last 10 fights. Those three wins? Brandon Vera (split decision), Francisco France and Aron Lofton. Talk about a championship resume, huh?
Luke Rockhold, who trains alongside former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and current UFC welterweights Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch over at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), is on a seven fight win streak dating back to 2007.
Despite a long layoff due to injuries, the Santa Cruz, Calif., native looked like a seasoned veteran in his championship win over submission wizard Ronaldo Souza back on Sept. 10.
A win here wouldn't just give him his first successful title defense; it could very well earn him a one-way ticket to the UFC.
Strikeforce has yet to officially announce an event for Jan. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas but Jardine vs. Rockhold is expected to headline the card. No other bouts are currently rumored at this time.
What do you Maniacs think of this match-up? Does Jardine deserve a title shot in his first fight as a middleweight? And who will come out on top?
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Wow, seriously?
Mousasi would have been better. If Sardine wins this he should retire.
Conan : You are known as a striker. Is that correct? Tell me what that means.
Chuck : Well I like to punch people, or kick them.
He has won 2 in a row against unknown fighters and then had a draw against Mousasi in his last fight. Had to sherdog it to know that, lol. He could possibly do something at MW if he gets his act together, he is pretty huge for that class.
"He's got a great package... and an unusual one!" Joe Rogan (of Lyoto Machida)
Rockhold should paste him across the floor.
Unlike Mousasi, his takedown defense actually exists and his striking is pretty fn good. Sardine will come out at the end looking like a zombie and losing a split decision that’s really 30-26.
I don’t lose many sig bets, but when I lose, I lose to Zino. JDS will defend the HW title and show MMA as a whole, the distance between a real #1 and the rest of the field.
Today the grasshopper becomes the praying Mantis, and I tip my hat to Big Z.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Dec 2, 2011 10:08 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
It's a 5 round title fight
Fav fighters - Machida, Faber, Koch, Hominick, Pettis, Hardy, Cerrone and killer Cain
by Kalejohncox on Dec 2, 2011 10:43 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
damn.
Then i expect Rockhold to land his left at one point in the later rounds.
I don’t lose many sig bets, but when I lose, I lose to Zino. JDS will defend the HW title and show MMA as a whole, the distance between a real #1 and the rest of the field.
Today the grasshopper becomes the praying Mantis, and I tip my hat to Big Z.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Dec 2, 2011 12:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yep
I agree. He gets the ko late
Fav fighters - Machida, Faber, Koch, Hominick, Pettis, Hardy, Cerrone and killer Cain
lmao my god how on earth can they defend giving Keith a titleshot…..how the hell can anyone connected to SF/zuffa answers media questions concerning this with a straight face? lol lawl this is nuts. They could much easier justify a rematch with jacare and would be much better received than this crazy shit.
YOu know I actually said last night that I missed Keith.
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 2, 2011 8:47 AM EST up reply actions
gross
The Season 1 Mania Money Pool CHAMPION!
The only MMAmania Fantasy Football CHAMPION!
The Season 3 Mania Money Pool CHAMPION!
The reigning and defending MMAmania Fantasy Football CHAMPION!
I wasn't in bed
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 2, 2011 9:59 AM EST up reply actions
I missed Keith too
But then I reloaded and shot again.
At least I am better than kevjack at making picks. I am satisfied with that.
+71
IF YOU THINK REEM SHOULD BE RATED ANY HIGHER THAN AROUND THE #5 HEAVYWEIGHT (AND THAT IS STRETCHING IT) THEN YOU ARE A FLIPPIN MORON, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
by Edgecrusher71 on Dec 2, 2011 9:55 AM EST up reply actions
dec3ptikon
That was by the far the funniest part of men in black!!! He’s a ballchinian lol. Good pull.
Long live the dragon!!!
by Octagon Brilliance on Dec 2, 2011 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
hhahahahahha i thought the BS matchmaking had disappeared since Zuffa took over
It appears not!
Sardine gonna get ruined
Slappin da Bass mon.
Good luck to Keith
We get the author is against the decision, but fighter bashing in this ‘article’ is uncalled for. There are things behind the scenes people have no idea about. Injury to original opponent, too short notice for some fighters, name value etc. I look forward to this, even if it’s not ideal.
'How's taste my pee pee pee?'
Good post! I agree with everything!
Hope Keith can string a bunch together and make it back to the UFC! I know it’s a lot to hope for, but I’ve always been a fan and believe he can do it. I haven’t seen any of his recent fights, so maybe he has, but he needs to not get caught up in brawling bc his chin isn’t there anymore. His standup is pretty decent, but he has a really good ground game!
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! But now Tito is closing in! lol Maybe not, but I'm so fn happy that he beat Bader! The excuses were really getting to me, but when he wins, we don't hear about them.
Desperate matchmaking in action
The MW title in SF is meaningless at this point, Jardine is just being booked to be another W for Rockhold. Other than Kennedy and Jacare there are no good challengers for Luke at SF, the sooner the promotion folds the better for his development.
Lance Storm is the most innovative wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots, what a fool I was to pick against him, I will now have to live with the fact that I am forever raped by the Cloverleaf.
by David W-S on Dec 2, 2011 7:27 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I am actually interested in seeing Keith at 185 pounds. I am shocked by him getting an automatic titleshot but does everyone forget that Tim Kennedy is in the UFC? I am certain he announced this months ago.
Keith Jardine is a wildcard for anyone and people are taking Strikeforce far too serious. This is more like a huge regional main event.
Why does every fight have to be done through rankings system and this, this this. It isn’t the UFC which ius recognized as the true title in MMA. Just enjoy a good fight between a young gun and a vet who likes to trade fists.
"with a good physique and explosiveness anybody can perform a takedown"
-RoBerto
by Lesnar's striking coach on Dec 2, 2011 7:43 AM EST reply actions
To an extent you're totally correct
However Strikeforce should still try and regain some credibility because if it starts turning into a joke promotion in its final stint then to some degree its history will suffer aswell and although its never been as dominant at the ufc its still a federation that has put on some brilliant fights and helped mature some terrific fighters. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a seasoned veteran like Jardine take on a young pup like Rockhold but for the title? Never in time. You’re right in that not every fight has to be built upon rankings but some absolutely have to and the middleweight championship, no matter what the promotion, absolutely should never be given to a guy whos gone 3-6-1 in his last ten…
Sakuraba beats Silva, Aoki would beat Miller and Vitor Belfort didn't deserve his title shot - In my opinion, the craziest points I've read on this site...
It's a good fight to validate Rockhold, and bring him over to the UFC.
Kid is a stud and if he picks up this win, welcome to the big leagues.
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 2, 2011 8:49 AM EST up reply actions
I here ya Honkleton7
Hear me out, SF lost it’s HW,LHW,WW and easily could have lost their LW champion since the purchase from ZUFFA. The credibilty for the other titles is gone. Being a champion in a major promotion is no joke.
I’d love to see the flyweights and women’s division be the driving point behind SF in the future and have big fights with UFC castaways and rising prospects. Guys like Jordan Mein, Luke Rockhold, Shane Del Rosario, Tyrone Woodley and Shawn Jordan should all be featured as the stars. I’d like to see each one progress and in a way ‘earn’ their way into the UFC.
Have them fight guys formerly of the UFC i.e. cuts/castaways and have this crop test their mettle. Don’t have them bump each other ebacuse that could ruin their marketbilty in the UFC.
Rockhold vs. Jardine is a great way to showcase Rockhold. If Rockhold fights the same way he did against Souza he should win this one. Jardine poses problems with his wildness and his new found wrestling skills. I am not saying this is the ‘best’ fight but it’s the best fight with their lack of depth and Kennedy being either injured or in the UFC as had been reported.
Enjoy the fight! lol
"with a good physique and explosiveness anybody can perform a takedown"
-RoBerto
by Lesnar's striking coach on Dec 2, 2011 9:12 AM EST up reply actions
Fuck it, Get ready
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 2, 2011 9:14 AM EST up reply actions
Dont get it twisted, i think you're totally right especially about how Jardines name would look on Rockholds resume
Strikeforce is dead, theres no disguising that, I guess I just feel like its sad to think that somebody with that record is now going to compete for one of its major belts. And at the end of the day, the best these guys can hope for is to be compitative in the UFC when SF finally folds so the most important thing for Rockhold is to prove himself again names like Jardine.
I’ll watch it either way to be honest, enjoy the scrap!
Sakuraba beats Silva, Aoki would beat Miller and Vitor Belfort didn't deserve his title shot - In my opinion, the craziest points I've read on this site...
Strikeforce
To quote The Who…..Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
Were Kimbo and James Toney unavailable?
Sheesh.
That's like making fun of a maniac because his brain isn't completely right, because he isn't in the norm.
Alice Cooper
by Scottidog on Dec 2, 2011 8:18 AM EST via mobile reply actions
they DID say business as usual, no?
This falls right in line with that…and like LSC is stating above, its a showcase for Rockhold as I’m sure they’ll be selling Jardine as a “highly experienced & touted UFC veteran”. The people who dont recognize the name Rockhold might recognize Jardine…and if not the potential for an awesome highlight reel KO is very high…
PS.. good to see you back around, how they hanging Scotti? Just make sure you tuck them old balls into your socks before you head out, Heard its cold up top!
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw
by Fat Daddy Doobs on Dec 2, 2011 9:36 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Exactly
Jardine may not be the best but i know A LOT of people who rarely watch MMA but love watching Keith Jardine. Jardine did okay against Mousasi and even though he ate a shitload of shots he wasn’t knocked out and surprisingly wrestled Mousasi like he was an elite wrestler
It’s a very good test for Rockhold who hasn’t fought in a year, beat Souzaa and needs tto stay fresh. Who knows maybe Jardine does well at 185 but weight doesn’t change your skills and how they transfer to a fight.
I’d rather Jardine-Lawler but hey Robbie Lawler goes missing and shows up randomly.
"with a good physique and explosiveness anybody can perform a takedown"
-RoBerto
by Lesnar's striking coach on Dec 2, 2011 9:41 AM EST up reply actions
I like the fight and Jardine is one of the best worst fighters out there.
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 2, 2011 9:53 AM EST up reply actions
Don't get me wrong Doobs
I know why they did it. I actually like Jardine.
I just hate to see a guy get fed a win at the expense of cheapening the worth of a belt……by giving a guy a crack at it who isn’t close to deserving a titlee shot. It reeks of boxing. I’m ok with Strikeforce remaining operational but stripping it clean and handing out title shots to a meaningless belt disappoints me.
It’s good to see you too, man. I have an extra layer of padding so I’ll manage this winter!
That's like making fun of a maniac because his brain isn't completely right, because he isn't in the norm.
Alice Cooper
by Scottidog on Dec 2, 2011 1:18 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Hahaha
What?! Mousasi beats him to a pulp and he gets a title shot… lol
"My weight is not enough and strength is not enough either, so I have to take the fight by mastery." - Fedor Emelianenko
Hahahaha
What a joke. Still looking forward to watching it but CMONNN MANN….. it’s even funnier that they announce their middle weight champ is fighting On like 2 weeks notice
by ToeLock6 on Dec 2, 2011 10:22 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Nothing against Jardine as a fighter
He’s proven to be a tough guy but WOW on him getting a title shot. Imagine if he somehow wins this fight??
But you hate him as a person?
The Season 1 Mania Money Pool CHAMPION!
The only MMAmania Fantasy Football CHAMPION!
The Season 3 Mania Money Pool CHAMPION!
The reigning and defending MMAmania Fantasy Football CHAMPION!
I like Keith, this just proves that strikeforce is about done.
Long live the dragon!!!
by Octagon Brilliance on Dec 2, 2011 11:02 AM EST reply actions
This is a waste of time
Michael Chandler is pretty damn good.
Sig bet challenge with Chorongota for Tito vs Lil Nog: I got Tito!
smart zuffa move
rockhold wins – move him to the ufc and and he’s got a few “name wins” to market him
jardine wins – move him to the ufc and re-package him as “re-inventing himself as a mw and winning a major title in the process”
my ape technique, put people down.
The 7th is my birthday and just so happen to be in Vegas....
But this is not the fight I wanted to see. Was looking forward to Kennedy vs. Rockhold.
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