Good evening Maniacs,

Here's my briefing of this Saturday's StrikeForce event.

Looks promising; two fantastic cards in two days? Yes please.

StrikeForce: Tate vs. Rousey Rundown
Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)
Welterweight bout: Roger Bowling vs. Brandon Saling
Roger Bowling: 10-2 - 29 years old - 5'9" - 69" reach
Brandon Saling: 8-5 - 26 years old - 5'10" - N/A reach
Bowling: (-530)
-Strikeforce veteran
-Physical strength
-6 wins by KO/TKO
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-rTA3O2Ols
Saling: (+350)
-All wins by finish(5 KO/TKO, 3 Subs)
-StrikeForce debut
-5-1 last 6 fights
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV_budvT_PM

Bowling has he experience in the large shows against better competition. Bowling by TKO in the second.

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Lightweight bout: Ryan Couture vs. Conor Heun
Ryan Couture: 3-1 - 29 years old - 5'10" - 76.5" reach
Conor Heun: 9-4 - 33 years old - 5'10" - 72" reach
Couture: (+220)
-Good grappling/BJJ & Wrestling
-2 wins by submission
-Long reach
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYV7HheVI5k / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4kFahM_oOo
Heun: (-300)
-BJJ Brown Belt(5 submission wins)
-Never been finished
-Excellent wrestler
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLObH_Admk

Couture has a lot of hype around him and though he is a good grappler, I wouldn't be surprised if he is defeated by the more experienced Heun. Heun went the distance and lost a split decision to far more experienced KJ Noons. Huen by decision.

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Lightweight bout: Caros Fodor vs. Pat Healy
Caros Fodor: 7-1 - 28 years old - 5'9" - 74" reach
Pat Healy: 26-16 - 28 years old - 5'11" - 72" reach
Fodor: (-210)
-Underrated BJJ(3 submission wins)
-High School wrestling
-Suffocating pressure
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4y_-RB9054
Healy: (+160)
-Experience! 42 Pro fights
-Good submissions(14 submission wins)
-Former MFC Welterweight champion
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvYbA3Rmcls

Veteran vs. Prospect match up here. Healy has beaten some big names over the years and it wouldn't surprise me if he wins the "upset" on Saturday. So I'm calling for Healy to win this upset with his sound, rounded out game en route to the decision win.

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Women's Bantamweight bout: Sarah Kaufman vs. Alexis Davis
Sarah Kaufman: 14-1 - 26 years old - 5'5" - 66" reach
Alexis Davis: 11-4 - 27 years old - 5'6" - N/A reach
Kaufman: (-540)
-Former Bantamweight champion
-BJJ brown belt
-Good power(10 KO/TKO wins)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ywn2POMPnY
Davis: (+360)
-BJJ brown belt/Japanese Jiu Jitsu Black belt
-5 submission wins
-5-2 last 7 fights(3 fight win streak)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvddOe9N-3Y

Kaufman is the big favorite here. This is a rematch from Davis's debut and Kaufman's fourth. It's likely Davis will control the grappling, Kaufman the striking. Kaufman by decision.

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Main card (Showtime)
Middleweight bout: Scott Smith vs. Lumumba Sayers
Scott Smith: 17-9 (1NC) - 32 years old - 6'0" - 70" reach
Lumumba Sayers: 4-2 - 33 years old - 6'0" - N/A reach
Smith: (+150)
-Likes to strike(14 KO/TKO wins)
-Inconsistent/Suspect chin
-1-4 last 5 fights (3 fight losing streak)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWTSdjJp0DA
Sayers: (-170)
-4 wins by submission
-3-2 last 5 fights
-Quick finisher(never been out of the 1st round)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAjWdWNWaM0

Despite having only 1 win by KO Sayers has solid power in his striking. Because there's so little footage on him I'm not sure what to think. Neither man likes to leave it in the hands of the judges and I'll be surprised if this gets out of the first round. I think Smith is gonna get rocked and submitted by Sayers in the 1st round.

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Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Bristol Marunde
Renaldo Souza: 14-3 - 32 years old - 6'0" - 74" reach
Bristol Marunde: 12-6 - 29 years old - 6'1" - N/A reach
Souza: (-600)
-Former StrikeForce Middleweight Champion
-BJJ Black belt Champion(11 submission wins)
-Judo black belt-Improving striking
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gxVWDvrz5k
Marunde: (+450)
-IFL Veteran
-9-1 last 10 fights(4 fight win streak)
-Good finishes(3 KO/TKO, 5 subs)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9iIT8LB_Pc

I think Marunde is good, but not that good. He is the sacrificial lamb for Souza to get a win under his belt and make a case to challenge for the title again. Souza by submission.
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Welterweight bout: Paul Daley vs. Kazuo Misaki
Paul Daley: 29-11-2 - 29 years old - 5'9" - 76" reach
Kazuo Misaki: 24-11-1 (2NC) - 35 years old - 5'10" - N/A reach
Daley: (-360)
-Striking (20 KO/TKO wins)
-Good chin
-Weight issues/cardio
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7evtddm9dM
Misaki: (+300)
-Veteran, 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion
-Good all around(6 KO/TKO wins, 9 Subs)
-Tough out/good chin
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02zh-fPDx6U / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2SJwMZQzls

I smell upset of the night here. Misaki is 1-1 outside of Japan and though he hasn't fought consistently top flight competition, he is still very dangerous. I'm calling for Misaki to win by submission in the third round.

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Lightweight bout: KJ Noons vs. Josh Thomson
Karl James Noons: 11-4 - 5'11" - 70" reach
Josh Thompson: 18-4 (1NC) - 5'10" - 71" reach
Noons: (+150)
-Pro Boxing/Kickboxing (11-2) (12-2)
-Former EliteXC Lightweight champion
-8 Wins by KO/TKO
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTBp4dgszBc
Thomson: (-170)
-BJJ Black belt(9 submission wins)
-Former StrikeForce Lightweight Champion
-Sound striking (4 KO/TKO wins)
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CGraYdnx4s

Thomson should take this down to the ground and attempt to use his superior grappling, he has only been finished once with strikes, but I wouldn't risk it with Noons. Thomson by decision.

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Women's Bantamweight Championship bout: Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey
Miesha Tate: 12-2 - 25 years old - 5'6" - 64.5" reach
Ronda Rousey: 4-0 - 25 years old - 5'6" - 66" reach
Tate: (+250)
-High School State Wrestling Champion/ National Trials Champion
-Good submissions (5 Sub wins)
-Improved striking
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVVYzkVB23M
Rousey: (-300)
-4th Dan Judo Black Belt (4 armbar wins)
-2008 Olympic Judo Bronze Medalist
-Physical strength
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-eNVAeC0U

Not only does Rousey have incredible strength, she has great balance and second to none takedowns. Rarely do you see the challenger as an open betting favorite over a champion. We don't know what Rousey will do if the fight gets to the deep waters and we don't know how the extra 10lbs of weight cutting will do to her strength and cardio. Then again we've never seen her cardio, not a single one of her fights has lasted a minute(3 amateur, 4 pro). Tate doesn't have the striking power to KO Rousey right away and her good wrestling won't trump Rousey's fantastic Judo. Rousey by nasty submission(armbar anyone?) in the first round.