HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – HeavyMMA.com is on the scene and reporting from tonight’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” card in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
The main event features a heavyweight battle between two legendary figures in mixed martial arts history: Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson. The co-main event will feature the most anticipated women’s bout in quite some time, as bantamweight champion Marloes Coenen defends her title against Miesha Tate. In other action, Paul Daley faces Tyron Woodley and Tim Kennedy takes on Robbie Lawler.
We’ll have live results and commentary for each of the Showtime-televised fights beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
TAREC SAFFEIDINE vs. SCOTT SMITH
Round 1: The fighters come out and touch gloves. Smith stalking in the early moments. No one has landed throughout the first 30 seconds of action. Leg kick lands for Saffeidine. Smith is looking to land a big right hand, but can’t seemed to find a home for it. Saffeidine finding a home for kicks, however. They clinch cageside, and Smith is attempting to avoid damage here. Saffeidine lands a nice shot as he exits the clinch, and the two fighters move back to the middle of the cage. Smith is still stalking, as he eats a head kick. He shakes it off and presses forward, looing for a takedown. Saffeidine stuffs it and is looking for a plum in the clinch. The referee separates them before he is able to do so with one minute remaining in the round. Smith lands a nice leg kick, but Saffeidine shakes it off. Saffeidine lands a leg kick of his own. Round comes to a close with Saffeidine throwing a nice kick. Fairly close round, but HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Saffeidine.
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Round 2: Another touch of gloves kicks this round off, and Saffeidine leads with a pair of jabs. He presses Smith forward against the cage after a nice flurry and is looking to land knees. Smith pushes him away. Left hook lands for Saffeidine, followed by a kick. He throws another combination and Smith is in trouble. A flying knee damages Smith, and Saffeidine appears to be toying with him now. Leg kicks from Saffeidine. He clinches and begins landing vicious elbows, separating with a nice hook. He comes back inside after landing a nice head kick, followed by a few punches. Smith is in deep trouble as he wrestles his opponent to the ground. Saffeidine continues to pound away after stuffing the takedown. He has Smith’s back, and this fight could be over very soon. Smith stands back up and throws an elbow of his own with one minute to go. Saffeidine still in control of this fight, throwing the better shots. He lands another nice punch, followed by a head kick before clinching. He is dominating this round. The round comes to a close while they are in the clinch. No doubt who took this one. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Saffeidine.
Round 3: Round three begins with Saffeidine again in the driver’s seat. Smith eats a few shots and is backed up against the cage. Uppercut lands for Saffeidine, followed by a brief flurry. Now a leg kick. Smith is just so tough, but he is getting tagged left and right. Saffeidine backs away briefly before reengaging. Saffeidine lands a jab, and Smith comes back with a leg kick. Spinning back kick lands for Saffeidine. He is throwing a lot, but not much is landing. Blood streaming down the face of Smith, who misses a superman punch. He needs a comeback stoppage, much like he did in his bout against Cung Le last year. He is throwing a lot of shots, but not much is landing for him. 10 seconds to go and Smith is chasing down Saffeidine, but can’t find the punch he needs. Saffeidine takes that round 10-9 and should earn the unanimous decision.
Official Decision: Saffeidine def. Smith via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1: Daley eats the first strike, and Woodley looks to close the distance. He clinches against the cage with his opponent and is plannign to get this fight down to the ground. Action is stopped due to a groin strike, and Woodley is given time to recover. Touch of gloves to restart the fight. Woodley presses forward again with a combination and clinches up against the cage. Knees from Woodley, but he can’t seem to earn the takedown. The ref breaks them up and Daley looks to score. He misses, and Woodley pins him against the cage yet again. Daley escapes and misses with a right hand. He seems very tentative to throw, while Woodley is quite calm. Another clinch, and Woodley is working shots to the body. But Daley is holding his own, pressing Woodley against the cage now. He can’t hold it, as Woodley reverses. Knees thrown from both fighters as the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Woodley, but it wasn’t pretty.
Round 2: Daley clinches to start and lands a vicious knee to the body. Woodley presses Daley up against the cage yet again, but Daley is doing well to avoid the takedown. However, he can’t stop the wrestler much longer and finds himself on his back. He is landing shots here and there, but nothing serious has scored. Daley is doing little work here, but actually appears to be isolating an arm. He scrambles and nearly takes Woodley’s back, but his opponent quickly smothers that attempt. One minute remains, and Woodley puts Daley back on the mat. After little action, the referee stands them back up. Woodley shoots again, but Daley stuffs the takedown. Woodley rolls to his back and eats a few nice shots as the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Woodley.
Round 3: Daley presses forward as the third round begins, but he eats a knee. Daley is looking for a big shot here, but, as he throws a knee, Woodley scores a takedown. Half guard for Woodley. Punches to the body from Woodley, but nothing serious is landing. The crowd begins to boo, and “Semtex” presses his opponent away and is back to his feet. Woodley is attempting to drag him back down, but Daley is stuffing it right now. Two minutes to go, and Woodley is pressing hard for a takedown, but Daley reverses. He is on top and pounding away. John McCarthy tells him to watch the back of the head, and Daley stands up. Woodley shoots for a takedown, but misses. He eats a huge knee and a few punches. He looks for a takedown, but once again can’t get it. Daley rolls for an omoplata, and he nearly earns it, but Woodley reverses. Amazing roll for the submission, even though he didn’t get it. Woodley finishes the round on top. Both fighters showing improvement in this one. HeavyMMA scores the round 10-9 for Daley.
Official Decision: Woodley def. Daley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Round 1: The two middleweights touch gloves to start the third fight of the evening. Kennedy is pressing forward here, but now begins circling around the cage. No one is throwing as of yet, and Kennedy misses with a long right hand. Lawler takes a kick below the belt, but almost immediately says he is ready to start again. Kennedy shoots from an absurd distance, and Lawler stuffs it without a problem. Kennedy shoots again, and Lawler makes him pay for it, landing a few nice shots. Lawler is pressing forward and is staying active on the feet. Another shot, and Kennedy gets it this time. Lawler nearly escapes, but is dragged down again. Insane scramble going on and Kennedy somehow stays on top. He is looking for a choke, but can’t seem to get it. Lawler escapes back to the feet. Kennedy shoots again after a brief stalemate on the feet and earns the takedown. He goes from side control to mount almost effortlessly with 30 seconds to go in the round. Lawler pushes him off after eating some shots. The two are back on the feet and throwing bombs as the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Kennedy.
Round 2: Fighters touch gloves to begin round two, and Kennedy looking for kicks to start. He shoots in for a takedown, but it gets stuffed. Leg kick lands for Kennedy. Lawler is hesitant to engage. Kennedy shoots again, but can’t get the takedown. Lawler scrambles, but somehow gets taken down again. A ton of blood is flowing out of Daley’s forehead, as he looks to maintain dominant position. Kennedy postures up and is throwing big shots from the top. Lawler is brushing them off really well, but is still on bottom with a minute to go. Lawler lands a vicious elbow from the bottom. Not much scores for Kennedy considering how much he threw, and the round comes to a close. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Kennedy.
Round 3: Kennedy looks for another takedown to begin the round, as Lawler throws vicious hooks. A front kick from Kennedy comes up short after the failed takedown. Lawler is pressing forward and certainly looks like the fresher fighter. Kennedy shoots for a takedown, but it gets stuffed. Head kick lands for Kennedy, but Lawler is still pressing forward. Leg kick lands for Kennedy. Not much action going on now as we reach the two minute mark. Kennedy looks to close the gap, but eats an uppercut and just dodges a hook. He gets the takedown as the fight winds down, likely taking the round. HeavyMMA scores it 10-9 for Kennedy.
Official Decision: Kennedy def. Lawler via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
STRIKEFORCE WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
MARLOES COENEN vs. MIESHA TATE
Round 1: Tate immediately looks for a takedown after Coenen misses with an overhand right. She presses Coenen against the cage, but can’t seem to get the takedown. Coenen thinks about pulling guard, but decides against it. Tate is warned for holding the fence, but continues to press the champion against the cage. Coenen breaks away and they are back in the center. Coenen lands a nice left hook, and Tate puts together a combo of her own. Coenen clinches and lands a knee, while Tate looks for a takedown. Coenen is thinking about a guillotine, as the two roll to the mat. It looks deep, and Tate is thinking about tapping here. Tate somehow survives a very deep choke there and is in side control. Tate rolls to a crucifix position, and Coenen attempts to roll out. North-south position now for Tate. Coenen looks to roll away yet again, but fails to. Under 30 seconds remaining. Not much action in the closing seconds, as Tate remains on top. HeavyMMA scores the round 10-9 for the challenger.
Round 2: The two fighters come forward to start out the second round, neither appearing the least bit frightened. Tate pressing Coenen against the cage, looking for a takedown. Coenen is attempting to get a kimura, but as Tate rolls, Coenen takes her back on the ground. Body triangle locked on by the champion, and Tate could be in trouble here. Elbows from the champion, who lets the body lock go. She continues to land shots with under two minutes to go. The champion is looking to flatten her opponent out, landing nice shots with under one minute to go. She is running out of time, but still looking for the choke. Tate nearly rolls completely over at the end of the round, but can’t completely escape. HeavyMMA scores the lopsided round 10-9 for Coenen.
Round 3: Coenen with leg kicks at the start of round three, but Tate is the one who gets the big takedown. Tate attempts to land from the top, but Coenen has her wrapped up, while looking for a submission opening. Tate postures up, but then moves back to the guard of Coenen. Finally, the two are stood back up with just under two minutes remaining in the frame. Leg kick lands for the champion, and Tate looks for another takedown. She earns it, but is eating elbows from her opponent. Coenen looking for a kimura here, back against the cage. She lets it go. Not much action going on, until Coenen reverses and takes top control at the end of the round. Too little, too late. HeavyMMA scores the round 10-9 for Tate.
Round 4: Right hands traded to start the first round. One-two combo lands for Coenen, and, after several ineffective exchanges, Tate looks for a takedown. She gets it, but Coenen is looking for a choke her. She lets it go. Tate is in side control, and Coenen is looking to burst out of this position. Tate nearly earns mount, but elects to go for the anaconda choke on the other side. She has it and submits the champion.
Official Decision: Tate def. Coenen via submission at 3:03 of Round 4
DAN HENDERSON vs. FEDOR EMELIANENKO
Round 1: Fedor comes out strong with several hooks, but misses with most. Henderson counters, but also is missing. Frantic start to the fight. Fedor lands a left hand, and Henderson presses him against the cage in the clinch. Someone is already bleeding. It is Fedor’s. Henderson is digging knees into the legend’s leg. Two minutes down and the pace has slowed drastically. Finally, Henderson separates and barely misses with a left hook that certainly could have ended the night. Fedor misses with a right hand, but presses forward and lands a big shot. Neither of these guys seem to want to go to the judges’ scorecards. Fedor pressing forward and lands a vicious right hand. Henderson falls to the floor. Fedor follows in, but is reversed. Henderson on top, blasting Fedor. It is over. Insane finish to the fight.
Official Decision: Henderson def. Emelianenko via technical knockout at 4:12 of Round 1
PRELIMINARY CARD QUICK RESULTS
Gabriel Salinas-Jones d. Bryan Humes via submission, round 3
Derek Brunson d. Lumumba Sayers via submission, round 1
Alexis Davis d. Julie Kedzie via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Tyler Stinson d. Eduardo Pamplona via TKO, round 1
Gesias Cavalcante d. Bobby Green via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)