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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Saturday's final Strikeforce event was capped off by a significant upset in the welterweight division, as Tarec Saffiedine demolished Nate Marquardt's lead leg with kicks throughout the fight, ultimately earning a unanimous decision.
The upset was a major setback for Marquardt, who seemed primed for a triumphant return to the UFC after his unceremonious release in 2011. Instead, he's left searching for answers after a disappointing performance.
"I feel very disappointed, obviously," Marquardt said after the event to MMAjunkie.com. "I had a great camp, I came in shape, obviously I fought very hard. It's hard to say what is the next step. I've just got to kind of look and figure out what happened and figure out what I need to do to get to the next level."
"I really believe I'll get (to the next level) and I really believe I'm one of the best. I still have a lot to prove. Shoot, I'm not going to quit. I'm not going to give up. This is what I want to do, and I love it. I think it was a great fight, a good fight for the fans. In that respect, we put on a good show. But I've got to go back to the drawing board and see what's next."
Marquardt still believes he's going to be welcomed back into the UFC, but where some felt he might be a title challenger in a year's time, now he'll be climbing the ladder for considerably more than that.
"I'm definitely headed to the UFC," he said. "I know I'm going to do great at 170 in the UFC. This is one step back for me, but at the same time I'm excited about what's next. I'm very disappointed. I'm heartbroken right now. I wasn't ready for the leg kicks, and that's what made the difference in this fight. Shoot, what else can I say?"
Penick's Analysis: Marquardt absolutely didn't expect those leg kicks, at least not the frequency with which Saffiedine was landing them. He got off to a tentative start as it was, got stunned by a jab on an early rush in the first round, and in combination with the kicks he just couldn't get any confidence going to let his hands loose. It was another in a long line of missed opportunities for Marquardt, who has unfortunately seemed to come up short just as he seems about to break through. It happened against Chael Sonnen, it happened against Yushin Okami, and now it's happened against Saffiedine as well. He's got a long hill to climb if and when he's brought back to the UFC, and even his most ardent supporters are going to have a hard time seeing him get to the next level after Saturday night.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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