Strikeforce
STRIKEFORCE NEWS: JZ Cavalcante wants a rematch with Josh Thomson in San Jose
Dec 27, 2010 - 10:04:12 AM STRIKEFORCE NEWS: JZ Cavalcante wants a rematch with Josh Thomson in San Jose

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante has unfinished business with Josh Thomson.

The two lightweights squared off in October in Cavalcante's Strikeforce debut, a fight Thomson won by unanimous decision. But Cavalcante had an argument for the scores to be in his favor in the fight, and he still believes he won the fight.

"In my mind, I think I did my job, I did enough to deserve the win," Cavalcante said in an interview with Tatame.com. "I've dominated the first and the last rounds, lost the second one, but that's it."

Cavalcante is awaiting word on his next bout with the organization, and while he expects to return to the cage in February, nothing is yet set. But a rematch with Thomson is a fight he'd like to get.

"The next guy I'd like to confront would be Josh Thomson just to make things clear," JZ said. "I hate this doubt that people now have about that fight. I'd like to fight on his hometown, in San Jose, just like the previous meeting we've had for me to know the event better, its problems, even because a new event always brings you something new."

Those problems, Cavalcante said, included inadequate warm up time, miscommunication and a lack of preparation. However, he feels the second time around will go smoother for him.

"I had a problem with the Commission there and I didn't have time to warm up and do my things, but I was prepared for it, and my mind was also prepared for it," he said. "I'd like to have this same opportunity again, at the same place, the same judges.

"I'd like that, even because I'd like to make it clear I went there to fight, that I'm capable of beating him, which I did last time, but they didn't see it that way."

Link to full interview

Penick's Analysis: I had scored the first fight for Cavalcante, but it came down to a razor thin first round. Cavalcante had success early, but Thomson wound up on top for the end of the round, and that likely swayed the judges' scores in his favor. Still, a rematch wouldn't be a terrible idea for Strikeforce, although Thomson is fighting this Friday in Japan against Tatsuya Kawajiri, so a February return to Strikeforce is probably out of the question. Still, Cavalcante will hopefully come out with an even better performance in his next fight, because he'll need to get himself back on track after a 1-3 record in his last four fights.