Strikeforce/EliteXC PPV 6/22/07

[LWPD]

Strikeforce/EliteXC Judgment Day PPV Final Card

Live Friday June 22nd 10 PM EST

Main Card

1 - Phil "the New York Bad Ass" Baroni (10-7) vs. Frank Shamrock (21-8) {Middleweight Championship}

2 - Joey Villasenor (23-5) vs. Falaniko "Niko" Vitale (22-7)

3 - Paul "the Headhunter" Buentello (22-9) vs. Carter "the Beast" Williams (3-1)

4 - Paul "Semtex" Daley (14-6) vs. Duane "Bang" Ludwig (15-6)

5 - Nick Gonzalez (11-4) vs. Josh "the Punk" Thomson (11-2)

6 - Tony "the Freak" Fryklund (14-8) vs. Cung Le (3-0)

7 - James Edson Berto (10-3) vs. Victor "Joe Boxer" Valenzuela (5-1)

Preliminary Bouts

8 - Luke Stewart (2-0) vs. Jason Von Flue (12-7)

9 - Mike "Quicksand" Pyle (13-4) vs. Aaron Wetherspoon (5-1)

10 - Danny "Death Roll" Higgins (7-4) vs. Eugene "the Wolf" Jackson (15-7)

11 - Steve Jester (0-1) vs. Rex Richards (3-0)

LWPD (I remember when Frank Shamrock was the best pound for pound MMA Fighter in the world...this will be a real test to see if his comeback has legs)

[hofclemens]

I looked at some of the line and Baroni is less of an underdog then I thought. I think the Gracie match took some of the shine off the legend that is Frank Shamrock.. Still one of the all time legends but still very beatable.

Would much prefer to see Berto then Crazy Horse. I've seen enough Charles Bennett but am very intrigued by Berto (both Bertos for that matter)

[dukedave]

hofclemens said:

Would much prefer to see Berto then Crazy Horse. I've seen enough Charles Bennett but am very intrigued by Berto (both Bertos for that matter)

If they can spring Crazy Horse from jail in time.

[LWPD]

Strikeforce Odds Snapshot

Courtesy of Bet On Fighting.com

Frank Shamrock +110
Phil Baroni -140

MURILLO RUA -110
JOEY VILLASENOR +120

CARTER WILLIAMS +145
PAUL BUENTELLO -175

TONY FRYKLUND +205
CUNG LE -255

PAUL DALEY +105
DUANE LUDWIG -135

AARON WETHERSPOON +205
MIKE PYLE -255

NICK GONZALEZ +500
JOSH THOMPSON -700

LWPD (we've huge money line upsets in the past...don't be shocked if the vet Fryklund pulls an upset...and Thompson is far from unbeatable)

[LWPD]

A heads up...the prelim bouts for tonight's PPV will be airing on www.proelite.com. There's a free log in. Runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pacific (7:30-9:30 Eastern)

Sam Spengler (4-0) vs. Seth Kleinbeck (6-3)
Chris Cariaso (3-0) vs. Anthony Figueroa (2-0)
*Rex Richards (3-0) vs. Ray Seraille (6-7)
Jason Von Flue (12-7-1) vs. Luke Stewart (2-0)
Mike Pyle (13-4-1) vs. Aaron Wetherspoon (5-1)

[dukedave]

OK, I'm bored and po'd at the White Sox but not sure if I should pay $35 for this. Does anyone think it is. If so post a good argument as to why I should in the next hour and maybe I will.

[LWPD]

Solid show...low five figure attendance with a crowd that was into it the whole night. Josh Thompson looked really sharp on the ground. Frycklund went in with one of the worst game plans I've ever seen. Cung Le has amazing 'movie fight scene quality' stand up...and was hugely over with the crowd....yet he still hasn't been tested on the ground.

Phil Baroni is a superb showman who showed good heart...but he was completely outclassed. He showed no head movement and got tagged time and time again.

Frank Shamrock at one time represented the evolution of the sport...and last night he showed he still has it. His skills as a smart business man and self promoter culminated with the creation of an atmosphere for this fight that was surreal. The 'finish' couldn't have been scripted better...with the stubborn beaten Baroni 'blood choked' unconscious and left on the ground broken and embarrassed...as the crowd erupted for their hero. Plus FS dominated coming in with a blown ACL. A must see fight.

Strikeforce could probably set a new live gate running Shamrock vs Cung Le in this market...and that's no joke!

Frank Shamrock vs Phil Baroni

Cung Le vs Tony Fryklund

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

Seth Kleinbeck b Sam Spengler in 2:55 of the second round when ref Herb Dean stopped the match due to punches on the ground.

Chris Cariaso vs. Anthony Figueroa. 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 decision for Cariaso.

Rex Richards vs. Ray Seraille is next. Richards is the former San Jose Sabercats lineman, who is 6-5 and about 305 1/2 pounds. Richards looks in a lot better condition than in his first fight here. The ring announcer didn't make mention of Richards' local football background.

Richards overwhelmed him standing with punches in 34 seconds. The key blow was a right to the jaw. Seraille wanted out after that punch and went down and the ref stopped it.

Jason Von Flue vs. Luke Stewart is next up.

Von Flue is well known for being on the Ultimate Fighter season two show. He's got some nasty scar issue over the right eye from a kick from Cung Le on the last show here.

Stewart throwing high kicks early that didn't land. Von Flue with body punches. Stewart kicked him low unintentionally. Time out called. Stewart took him down but Von Flue was right back up. Von Flue bulled him in to the cage. STewart got a second tkaedown and this time has him pinned against the cage. He's not doing anything with the takdedown. Von Flue got back . Sewart got a third takedown. Got a side mount but did nothing with it agian. Von Flue couldn't get up this time. Von Flue finally escaped with seconds left. Even with the takedowns, a close round by maybe marginal for Stewart.

Stewart took him down and stacked him up against the cage. Stewart got his back at the end of the round going for a choke. I've got Stewart up 20-18.

Stewart took Von Flue down, got his back and bgegan pounding him. Von Flue turned and ended up getting punched repeatedly in the face. The punches weren't that powerful so they let it go, but Von Flue couldn't get out of trouble and eventually it was stopped at 2:17. Von Flue actually blocked a lot of the punches but a few gooe blows got through and Von Flue was busted open under the left eye.

Mike Pyle vs. Aaron Wetherspoon is next up in the Internet show main event.

Wetherspoon with a hard right. Pyle got a double leg takedown and pounced on him at the cage. Pyle hit some punches to the face on the ground. . Action slowed. Wetherspoon got up. Pyle failed at a second takedown attempt. Pyle mostly avoiding punches. Pyle hit a nice spin kick. Wetherspoon hit a few good shots at the end of the round. Still, strongest offense was Pyle's.

Pyle threw some high kicks that were blocked. Wetherspoon has the more powerful punches coming back. Wetherspoon moving forward more. Mostly both guys blocking punches. Pyle doing well with low kicks. Good body shot by Wetherspoon. Good counter shot by Pyle. Very close round for Wetherspoon.

Wetherspoon is bleeding from the nose. Pyle with a nice knee to the body and punch, Pyale went for a takedown but Wetherspoon blocked it. Pyle has him bulled into the cage. Pyle finally got the takedown. Pyle hit a few punches to the face on the ground. He's doing enough to clearly win the round. Hit a couple of solid elbows on the ground and more punches as the round came to a close. I've got it 29-28 for Pyle. Wetherspoon's face was a mess by the end of the fight.

Scores were 30-27, 29-27 and 30-27 for Pyle.

Nikk Covert vs. Nik Theotikos.

Neither of these guys know how to spell Nick. Okay, Theotikos can spell his name any way he wants. Theotikos rocked a clearly overmatched opponent with punches and it was stopped in 1:13. Covert is getitng medical attention right now. A stretcher has been brought into the ring and a neck brace has been put on Covert.

There's a lot of people here right now, but nowhere close to full.

The PPV is on featuring "Classy" Jimmy Lennon Jr. He is the bomb when it comes to introducing anyone with a Hispanic surname, and we've got a Valenzuela coming up first.

Victor Valenzuela vs. Edson Berto opens the PPV.

Berto's brother is a top boxing prospect (Andre Berto) and his father was a pro wrestler in the 80s and 90s in Florida and Japan. Berto got him on the ground immediately. Berto went for a heel hook immediately and it was over in 47 seconds. Classic UWF finisher. Krazy Horse Bennett at first wanted to hit the ring. Edson and Krazy Horse were already making noise at each other when it was over.

I wonder what percentage of the audience tonight looks like the shorter brother of Travis Tomko?

Nick Covert is alert and was taken to Valley Medical Center for a check-up.

Paul Buentello vs. Carter Williams is next. Buentello got a freaking superstar reaction coming out to Mariachi music. Carter Williams showed up way too heavy at 265 1/2, but he should be the stronger striker and Buentello doesn't do well against better strikers. Rich Boy is rapping Williams' ring entrance.

People booed the hell out of Carter Williams. Williajms was about 225 when he was at his peak. Williams went for a take down, got his back and throwing punches. Buentello back on his feet. Who would have thought Williams was going for takedowns. Williams tried a leg trip. Buentello with a knee. This is not the fight people evisioned. Buentello with another knee. Ref separated them. Williams again trying a takedown. Buentello going for a guillotine. Willaims escaped. Buentello with knees. Buentello with punches and knees. Buentello has him pijnned against the cage. Butenllo with more hard knees. Williams is fading. Buntello agains with a guillotine. They traded some punches. Williams landed a good one late in the round. Great heavyweight round. I'd go with Buentello.

Buentello knocked the hell out of him with a two uppercuts and Williams was done at :10 of round two. Place went nuts.

Joey Villasenor vs. Murilo Ninja Rua is next.

I'd say 5% of the crowd popped for Ninja. Nobody knows the Pride guys or the international stars. The reason they have a good crowd is because they have local fighters. Villasenor came out to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor." I'm probably the only person in the place who conjures up memories of when OVW used to be good. No reaction to him either. Or the music. Toto, we're not in Louisville.

Villasenor rocked him with a punch. Rua took him down. Villasenor went for a guillotine. Villasenor again tried a guillotine, got on top. Villasenor with some good punches from the top. Rua went for a heel hook, but Villasenor escaped. Villasenor rocked him again. Ninja hit a good knee. Ninja on top with takedown. Ninja got side mount. Ninja is throwing elbows. Elbows by Ninja. Villasenor up. Ninja rocked him this time, and got another takedown. Ninja was going for a Kimura. Hard elbow by Ninja. Great first round, 10-9 Ninja.

Ninja rocked him with a punch. Villasenor came back. Ninja rocdked him with another punch. Villasenor doesn't have the stamina . Villasenr just rocked him. Just two guys throwing wild punches. Ninja decked him and it's over. Great fight. People didn't care about it coming in, but they loved it.

Probably 10,000 or more in the crowd at this point.

Josh Thompson vs. Nick Gonzalez is next. LOTS of Josh Thompson T-shirts in the crowd. But he got nowhere near the reaction Buentello got.

Thompson is trying to show off standing, but then took him down, got his back and is working a choke. Thompson still working for a choke, and finally locked it on tight. Gonzalez tapped at 1:42. Gonzalez was clearly overmatched.

Cung Le vs. Tony Frycklund is next. This will be the first time Cung Le has ever been on a national broadcast coming out of San Jose. Hope TV can capture this. There are Vietnamese flags flying all over the building.

His reaction was equal to that of Liddell at last month's UFC. This is Le's toughest test in MMA. Le scoring with kicks. Fryklund with low kicks. Le with a flurry. Another body kick by Le. Le rocked him with a punch. Le is tiring tho. Great kick combination by Le. Le with more punches, one landed strong. Fryklund with the scariest backfist ever but Le ducked it. Le with body kick but Fryklund back with a punch. Le him with a puhch. Heat is unreal . Another side kick by Le. High kick by Le. "Crescent kick bh Lee. More punches. Fruyklund is taking it. Another crescent kick by Le. Side kick by Le. This is a freaking movie fight. Le is tiring , tho. Another kick to the head by Le. Le ducked the spinning backfit. Maybe 10-8 Le.

Le still picking him apart but Le is very tired. Le going with low kicks. Le is too quick as long as he doesn't gas. Fryklund came back with punches. Hard body kick by Le. Le hurt him with a kick to the body. Le still domiant style wise but doesn't have the big power he had in the first. Fryklund with a good flurry. Le made him wince with a low kick. Le is in a real fight. He's winning but he's going to have to suck it up in the third. I've got it 20-17 for Le at this point.

Le with a series of side kicks followed by a right that put Fryklund down and this time Herb Dean stopped it. Le hurt him with a side kick to the body, a punch to the head, a hard knee to the head and finished him with an overhand right to the side of the head.

Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni is next. Ludwig vs. Daley will be after the main event in case the main event goes five rounds and there's no time left.

Shamrock got almost as big an ovation as Le. Virtually no boos. Crowd is way more tense for this as compared to the last fight.

Everyone is standing on the floor as we're just doing ring introductions. Shamrock got roughly the samje pop as Cung, which surprised me.

Baroni tried overwhelming him. Shamrock danced away. Shamrock with a good low kick. Baroni took him down. So much for wanting to stand. Frank tried an armbar. Baroni let him up. Shamrock with a good high kick and hard punch. Baroni back with a punch. Frank with two hard punches. Frank decked im and was pounding. Frank lost a point for punching to the back of the head. Plus, Phil got a rest. Baroni took Frank down again. Frank more active from the bottom. Frank with a punch. Baroni again going for a takedown. Frank just killing him with punches. Shamrock's striking is looking shockingly strong. Got his back., Pounding him. Shamrock unloaded with punches aginst the cage. Baroni escaped but he's dying as the round ended. 9-8 Shamrock.

Hottest crowd I've seen at a fight. Baroni hurt Frank with a punch. Baroni hurt him with another punch. Both tired. Shmarock with a knee. Baroni with an overhand right. Shmarock connected with punches . Baroni with a hard knee. Baroni with a body shot. Shamrock out jabbing him. Baroni coming back. Shamrock is tired, but so is Baroni. Baroni hurt him with a punch. Trading and Baroni doing bgetter. Shamrock right back with punches and knees. Baroni tried a takedown but couldn't get it. Frank has his back and punching. Choked Baroni out. Baroni wouldn't tap but he went out. Baroni stormed out after the match.

Probably the card of the year and this was an incredible fight. Shamrock fought the fight with a blown out knee from training with Sokoudjou last week.

He's having to be helped out out of the ring because his knee is shot.

Duane Ludwig vs. Paul Daley will end the show. On paper, stylistically, this should have been the best fight on the show, but there's no way.

Daley went ofr a takedown but Ludwig blocked. They are tied up on the cage. Daley finally took him down but Ludwig got right back up. Ludwig with a good high kick.

Good opening flury. Daley with nice middle kick. Daley put him down with a punch and finished him off with punches on the ground.

[LWPD]

Injury Update

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

Some notes coming out of the Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni fight. Both came out of it in a war. Shamrock's injuries were a completely blown ACL (not just torn, but it appears he no longer even had one) and a torn MCL from sparring with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on 6/11. He had no business walking, let alone fighting and he could do no cardio training from that point on. He was shopping last week in one of those motorized carts that handicapped people use. I saw him train a few days earlier and his cardio was more than there, but two weeks on your back will take your cardio way down, and realistically, he had very little time to win and it completely destroyed his game plan of outlasting Baroni over 25:00. Baroni went into the fight with a hernia and probably had no business fighting. Both needed surgery before the fight. Baroni suffered a groin injury, he told me after he thought it was a pull, but it may have been a tear, during the first round, but he has all black and blue down there. Some of the biggest names in the sport would not have fought with either of the injuries both men came in with. Many others would have. Most top fighters who have mileage on them and are past 30 are coming in hurt to a degree but usually not to anywhere near that degree. The atmosphere live was incredible. It beat Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell for tension. I can't compare it with Couture vs. Sylvia live because I wasn't there, but it probably wasn't at that level.