Final Strikeforce Notes/Thoughts

People say you should end things with a bang and that is what Strikeforce did last night. They had a really exciting undercard to get the crowd going. The main card started with Ovince St.Preux vs Benji Radach in a light heavyweight showdown in which St.Preux dominated Radach and knocked him down in the first round but couldn't finish him and the crowd was booing because of that. That is something that St.Preux and his camp need to steadly work if he is going evolve into a true mixed martial artist. Next for St.Preux? According to Strikeforce President Scott Coker, a fight on the card at the end of January. Radach? According to sources close to us, he is going to take a couple months off and decide what is next. Our sources also said that he weighed 225 heading into fight and didn't have the proper time to prepare and will be fighting at 185 next where a possible matchup with Tim Kennedy or a returning Luke Rockhold could be in his plans.

Mike Kyle vs Antonio Silva was an amazing bout and showed the fighting spirit of both fighters. Kyle came out as expected rushing at Silva and drops with an immediate right hand to floor silva but remarkably Silva surivived the round. In the 2nd round, Silva went to work as took Kyle to ground and locked in an anaconda choke, but Kyle showed the heart of champion and was able to get of it, but then Silva got in full mount and finished Kyle by grounding and pounding to a TKO victory. it was disclosed during the post-fight press conference that Kyle broke two bones in his right hand and pre-empts a potential bout with Gegard Mousasi in February. Kyle can fight at either heavyweight or light heavyweight but his best option is at LHW as he has won his last ten bouts at 205. Next for silva? Could be the much anticipated bout with Fedor Emeliananko.

Robbie Lawler vs Matt Lindland was your classic wrestler vs puncher matchup and this time the puncher won as Lindland tried to stand with Lawler and he knocked out Lindland 59 seconds into the very first round. This fight showed Robbie Lawler is a player at 185 and according to Scott Coker the fight with Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jacare will be on his agenda to make. Lindland? Hopefully, for the sake of him and closest to him, he retires and keeps training. Two devasting KO's in the last year and you start to really about the safety of the fighter. Lindland looked every bit of 40 last night and for the sake of him and his legacy he does retire.

Paul Daley vs Scott Smith was everything you were expecting. It was the most highly anticipated bout of the evening and it delivered. They traded some shots to begin the fight, but Daley's shots were having more of a effect as you can tell that the weight cut had an effect on Smith. Daley hit Smith with an amazing triple left hook combination and then a few moments knocked Smith out with a left and Smith fell flat on his face. What's next for Daley? Daley said at the press conference that he would prefer KJ Noons as that is a money fight, but Noons hasn't made an announcemnet as to what weight class will be next for him.. If the Noons fight doesn't happen the fight, the fight that makes the most sense would be with Evangelista Cyborg then the winner would get a title shot at Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz. What's next for Smith? That's the million dollar question. He looked drained at 170 and just didn't look right and he seems like he's too small for 185 as he told at the pre-fight press conference that he only weighed 189 a couple weeks after the Cung Le fight in June. So, the future is on hold for Scott Smith as his future is in limbo.

Dan Henderson vs Babalu was the main event of the evening and both fighters had a lot on the line. For Babalu, this was his chance to make a big statement with a victory over a legend and finally get a chance to reclaim his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title and for Henderson this was a chance to regain some momentum after his loss to Jake Shields in his Strikeforce debut. With a loss it would hard for Strikeforce to retain him as Strikeforce gave him all that big money after his win over Michael Bisping at UFC 100. And Henderson didn't disappoint as at the beginning of the round he was trying close the distance with Babalu occasionally throwing a jab with Babalu really not do anything and being defensive. Then when Babalu tried throw a looping right hand, Henderson charged at Babalu and staggered him with a couple right hands and Babalu tried a single leg takedown as Henderson was able to get Babalu into full mount and ground and pounded his way to victory. What is next for Henderson? Scott Coker said that he will looking make Henderson vs Feijao for the title and have that fight take place in the beginning of 2011. That fight makes the most sense right now for Stirikeforce as they are thin at 205 with only Mousasi coming off a loss to King Mo in his last Strikeforce bout, King Mo is injured and Mike Kyle is injured and his return is unknown. What is next for Babalu? That is a question many people are wondering as he did not attend the press conference. A possible move to 185 isn't out of the question.

Strikeforce had a lot riding on this card last night and they delivered. They were going head to head with the UFC and they delivered. There last 3 fights ended in first round knockouts and the Silva vs Kyle ended in the 2nd. The guys that needed to win did win and only leads to better things for Strikeforce. When we will see Fedor? Sources close us tell us that they are close to deal and that will include a deal to where Showtime will air four M-1 Challenge series fights. That would be a coo for M-1, but it shows once again that Showtime/Strikeforce need fedor more than Fedor really needs them. Strikeforce also announced last night that highly touted prospect Tyron Woodley will be returning to action to face rising prospect Taric Saffiedine and Daniel Cormier faces Dennis Cole in the first Challengers series event of 2011 in Nashville. What a great way to start the year for Strikeforce. Start the year like the way they ended 2010 and that's with a definitve bang.