The 6 Fights Jiu-Jitsu Fans won’t Want to Miss at Strikeforce’s Farewell Show

Roger Gracie taps out Kevin Randleman (Strikeforce publicity photo).

We at GRACIEMAG.com, who besides MMA have Jiu-Jitsu running in our veins, put together a list of the six fights that get our engines running most of the 12 on the program for tomorrow’s event in Oklahoma, USA. Check our favorite match-ups in no particular order, and comment whether you agree:

1. Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith

A ten-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion, the first and only three-time winner of the World Championship absolute division and with four submission wins in MMA to his name, Roger is carrying big expectations into this event. If he wins with authority, the son of Professor Maurição Gomes and Reila Gracie will, as he himself says, have one foot in the UFC’s door. The 31-year-old black belt, who’s been doing MMA since 2006, has his work cut out for him: his opponent, Anthony Smith, has eight submission wins and another eight knockout wins on his 17-fight MMA ledger. How will Roger’s gas tank react to making weight? Will his Jiu-Jitsu work against such an experienced adversary? We’ll find out on Saturday.

2. Ronaldo Jacaré vs. Ed Herman

A no less monstrous gentle-art representative, Ronaldo Jacaré is a two-time champion of the world absolute division and has won 12 of his 19 fights by submission. He’s pretty much guaranteed to ply his trade in the UFC, now that he’s renewed his contract for another five fights with Strikeforce’s parent company, which is owned by Zuffa. And he’ll have a good test ahead of him on Saturday, when he faces former UFC fighter Ed Herman—Herman has 13 submission wins on his 28-fight MMA record. Will Jacaré try showing off how his boxing is coming again?

3. Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring

A heavyweight with crisp and potent striking, Daniel Cormier (10w, 0l) is already  being touted as a future UFC champion. But how’s his Jiu-Jitsu? Cormier has one submission win to his name–a rear-naked choke he used back in 2010. Could we get another glimpse of how he moves on the ground?

4. Jorge Gurgel vs. Adriano Martins

Jorge Gurgel has gotten the tapout in ten of his 14 wins, but he’ll have his work cut out for him this time. Adriano Martins is a Jiu-Jitsu champion from the Brazilian State of Amazonas and has been in his fair share of World Championships up to when he was a brown belt, and now he’s got a penchant for knockouts. Who’ve you got winning it, gentle reader?

5. Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino

A onetime champion of the UFC heavyweight division, Josh Barnett has a whopping 31 wins in MMA—19 of them by submission. And he’s even got a win over Rodrigo Minotauro under his belt, from when they squared off at the now-defunct Pride FC. Barnett hadn’t lost in MMA since 2008 before losing a judges’ decision to Cormier in a title fight in May of last year. Nandor Guelmino, 37, has gotten the tapout in MMA on six occasions, each with a different hold. Could he be on par with the likes of Barnett?

6. Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine

The Strikeforce main event features former UFC star Nate Marquardt, who in his 44-fight MMA career has only tapped out twice: to Genkie Sudo and Ricardo Cachorrão nearly a decade ago. Nate’s victims include a Who’s Who of Jiu-Jitsu aces, like Demian Maia, Rousimar Palhares, Dean Lister and others. He’ll be taking on the 26-year-old Tarec Saffiedine, who is riding a three-fight winning streak in Strikeforce, but against smaller-name opposition.

What do you say, gentle reader? What do you expect to see at Strikeforce. Who’ll come up with the “Submission of the Night” prize?

Strikeforce: Marquardt vs Saffiedine
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
12 de janeiro de 2013

Nate Marquardt vs Tarec Saffiedine

Daniel Cormier vs Dion Staring

Josh Barnett vs Nandor Guelmino

Gegard Mousasi vs Mike Kyle

Ronaldo Jacaré vs Ed Herman

Card Preliminar (apenas no Showtime Extreme)

Pat Healy vs Kurt Holobaugh

Roger Gracie vs Anthony Smith

Tim Kennedy vs Trevor Smith

Ryan Couture vs KJ Noons

Preliminar (sem TV)

Jorge Gurgel vs Adriano Martins

Michael Bravo vs Estevan Payan