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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Tonight's Strikeforce card brings one of the stronger top to bottom events the organization has run. With the semifinals in the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix, a Strikeforce Middleweight Championship fight and two more fights on Showtime with a high probability of excitement. Main card picks below:
Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov: Kharitonov's got a very good striking game, and if he catches Barnett early he certainly has the power to hurt him, and the potential to finish him. But this is Barnett's fight to lose. He's the better grappler, he's bigger, stronger, and he's a pretty good striker in his own right. Barnett's not going to spend much time leaving this fight standing, and he'll be looking to get Kharitonov down quickly. - I'll take Barnett via submission in the second round
Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva vs. Daniel Cormier: Cormier is such a good wrestler that, despite the size difference in this fight, it's more than likely he'll be able to keep the fight standing and not have to deal with the brutal top game from Silva. That means this fight will come down to which fighter can out-box the other. Cormier showed off a greatly improved striking game against Jeff Monson, and if he can pop in and out with his strikes without getting clipped by Silva he's got a good chance. - This is a tough fight to pick, but I'm leaning Cormier via unanimous decision
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Luke Rockhold: This Middleweight Championship bout is taking a backseat to the heavyweight grand prix, but it's a Jacare fight and that means it's still going to be fun to watch. Rockhold is a very talented fighter who has won seven of eight fights, and all of them in the first round. However, he hasn't fought in over 18 months, and he's fighting one of the top grapplers in the division in Jacare. If Rockhold had fought more recently I'd see him faring better, but with him being out so long this is absolutely Jacare's fight. - Jacare via submission in the first round
Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal vs. Roger Gracie: Lawal is fighting for the first time since losing his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title last August, while Gracie comes into his third fight in the organization in 16 months. Gracie's success in MMA has been really contingent on being able to get his opponents down and dominating with his elite jiu jitsu game, but he's not going to be able to do that against Lawal. It's another fight that will be contested on the feet, and in that situation Lawal's heavy hands are going to be favored over Gracie. - Lawal via TKO in the second round
Pat Healy vs. Maximo Blanco: Healy stepped up on short notice in place of an injured Josh Thomson, and though he's got the grappling to stifle a fighter like Blanco, this could be a big U.S. intro for the Venezuelan striker. Blanco is vicious with his striking game, and he'll come out needing to overwhelm Healy before it turns into a grappling affair. If Blanco fails to put Healy away early he could be in trouble, but I don't think it'll get there. - Blanco via TKO in the first round
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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