Strikeforce: Lawler Vs. Sobral Play By Play
This is an odd Wednesday mid-week show to coincide with the big E3 gamer convention that’s going on in LA. I imagine we’ll hear a lot about the EA MMA game tonight.
Pat Miletich and Stephen Quadros join Mauro Ranello. And for whatever reason, they’re having trouble with the sound. I hope that ends. It’s going to be annoying of it doesn’t.
1. Conor Heun vs. KJ Noons
Ranello asked Miletich if Noons can be a good boxer and good MMA fighter at the same time. Miletich said yes and used Jens Pulver as an example. I don’t remember Pulver being a world champion boxer.
Heun tooled Noons in the round and Ranello said that Noons looked rusty. I’ll say. Heun was working for a choke late in the round, but Noons got out of it and dropped him with a body shot at the end of the first.
If Heun won the first round, Noons definitely won the second. He landed some bombs. But it’s kind of unbelievable that he’s someone who beat Nick Diaz because he looks out of condition and very one dimensional. But he hits hard. Heun is hanging in there though after taking some really good shots and even got a takedown at the end of the round.
It turned into a sloppy slugfest in the third. And Noons tore up Heun’s face. Heun’s going to lose this fight because he’s being hit with the bigger punches, but the guy has tremendous heart. It was probably a bad idea to get into a boxing match with Noons though. He needed to get more takedowns and get it back on the ground.
Winner: KJ Noons by way of split decision
Wow. The scores were 30-27 Heun, 29-28 Noons, and 29-28 Noons.
2. Trevor Prangley vs. Tim Kennedy
It was a takedown-fest until Kennedy started to use his strength. He was able to get the mount after the takedown and work the choke. Prangley was standing up and it looked like Kennedy was going to fall off his back, but he dug in deep and secured the rear naked and Prangley tapped out while he was standing up and hunched over.
Winner: Tim Kennedy by way of 1st round submission
3. Evangelista Cyborg vs. Marius Zaromskis
If husband Cyborg is fighting at 170 tonight, then there’s a good chance that he and his wife were similar ages this week.
Zaromskis is now training out of San Jose at AKA. Can you train at the American Kickboxing Academy if you’re not American? I guess you can.
This was a crazy slugfest for as long as it lasted. Zaromskis was throwing his famed high kick all day, but was falling in bad defensive position. He went for the glory with the flying knee and was caught with a right hand that put him out. I’m not sure what kind of game plan that was. But it sure wasn’t a good one.
Winner: Evangelista Cyborg by way of 1st round TKO
4. Babalu Sobral vs. Robbie Lawler
Not a whole ton of action in the first round. Lawler landed the best shot which was a straight left. But Babalu got a takedown, and had him in a guillotine, but Lawler got out of it quickly. It looks like that low leg kick that Lawler was killed with in his last fight is there for the taking again.
Babalu mixed up his punches, kicks, and knees in the round and Lawler was having issues keeping him off. There was one point in the fight where Lawler feigned being hurt and even fooled the announcers, but it was pretty clear that he was goldbricking (as Bobby Heenan would say) and he smiled afterward. Lawler’s left rib cage is severely bruised. This was definitely Sobral’s round.
The third round was really good. Again, Lawler landed the best shots, but Babalu’s boxing was really strong. If the judges score it the way I score it, Lawler would win 2-1. However, Babalu was way more dominant in his winning round than the two rounds that I have Lawler winning. Lawler was so lackadaisical at the beginning of the round, but did pick it up. Babalu’s nose looked busted at the end of the fight.
Winner: Babalu Sobral by way of unanimous decision
The scores were 29-28. I can live with that decision. I thought Babalu was the better man, but thought Lawler squeaked out two rounds closely.
Babalu says it was his toughest fight. Chuck Liddell’s foot disagrees.
King Mo will tackle Babalu for 5 rounds.
But in being tackled, will Babalu sub him?
Not sure we will find out now. Read earlier that Babalu turned down the fight due to friendship.
Well, I’m not sure that’s the best fight anyway. I’d love to see Mousasi get a rematch.
With Strikeforce’s limited matchup options, having Babalu and King Mo on a Will-Not-Fight policy is a serious issue.
In the whole scheme of things, it’s not a money fight anyway, so it doesn’t matter. As far as Strikeforce stepping on their dicks? Yes, it’s an issue.