Strikeforce officials today confirmed with Heavy.com the long-rumored rematch between Scott Smith and Cung Le. The bout will take place as part of “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum” on June 26 in San Jose, Ca.
Smith defeated Le in the first encounter last December in stunning fashion. After being dominated by Le for nearly the entire fight, Smith stunned Le with solid punches midway through the third and final round. After landing two more solid shots on the ground, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight, awarding the win to an exhausted Smith.
“This was one helluva fight,” said Smith afterward. “He had me the first two-and-a-half rounds, but I’ve got a hard head. On the knockdowns, I faked the right and threw the left. Everyone always looks for my right, but the left hook is my best punch.
“It took me until the third round to close the gap on him, but once I did and he began to drop his hands, I could sense things were starting to go my way. That’s when I feinted with the right and landed the left. It never matters who I fight. I just want these types of tough fights.”
It was Le’s first bout for the promotion since relinquishing his Strikeforce middleweight title to focus on his acting career.
“He got the best of me last time with a good punch,” Le said. “We both fought our hearts out that night, but I’ve wanted a chance to turn the tables on him since that fight ended and now my opportunity is here. I am very excited to fight a warrior like Scott again.
Headlining the card will be a heavyweight clash between Fedor Emelianenko and Fabricio Werdum. Strikeforce officials also confirmed a bout between former lightweight champion Josh Thomson and Pat Healy.