1.    Triple Threat Submissions Count Anywhere match for the United States Championship: Daniel Bryan(c) vs. John Morrison vs. The Miz

Miz berates both men before the match, saying they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him and ends the promo with his catchphrase. The match opens with Morrison and Bryan circling Miz both inside and outside the ring, until Morrison snatches Miz’s leg and Bryan hits him with a dropkick. Bryan and Morrison do some mat wrestling with Bryan wrenching at Morrison’s leg. The action spills to the outside with Miz ramming Morrison into the apron and sending Bryan into the barricade. Miz beats on Morrison in the ring until Morrison catches him in a tarantula around the ropes. Bryan breaks it up with a dropkick and locks in the CATTLE MUTILATION on Miz. Miz fights out but Bryan lands some kicks to follow up. Bryan has Miz in a submission but Morrison breaks it up with a corkscrew moonsault. Morrison puts Bryan in a variation of the Haas of Pain but Miz breaks it up. Morrison sends Miz out and hits a corkscrew plancha to the floor, only to be back dropped over the barricade into the crowd. Miz follows and puts Morrison in an armbar on the floor, but Morrison fights out and they brawl through the crowd, where Miz locks in a wicked dragon sleeper through a railing. Bryan breaks it up but Miz throws him into a trash can. Miz hits a powerslam to Morrison and whips Bryan through a barricade. They end up in an area to the side of the stage, with Miz rolling an equipment box into Morrison, and using it to launch Bryan onto the entrance ramp. Morrison uses the box to hit a dropkick and tries for a submission but Bryan breaks it up. Miz fends off Bryan and hits a Skull Crushing Finale to Morrison on the floor. Bryan and Miz go at it on the stage and double clothesline each other. Morrison then climbs the very tall Hell in a Cell wall they set up as part of the stage and dives off the top onto both men. Morrison puts Miz in a Texas Cloverleaf but Alex Riley interferes and throws Morrison down the ramp. Bryan throws Riley into a cameraman and traps Miz in the LeBell Lock on the ramp. Miz taps out and Bryan retains the title. This was a really fun opener with some innovative spots and nice submissions. Bryan got put over very nicely here and the show started off well. Match Time: 13:32     Star Rating: ***1/2

2.    Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship: Randy Orton(c) vs. Sheamus

With two Hell in a Cell matches, they had to space them out so it is understandable why this was going on so early. This match overdelivered far past anyone’s expectations. They start off with long lockup before they come to blows. After trading punches for a bit, Orton clotheslines Sheamus over the top rope to the floor. Orton goes to send Sheamus into the cage but Sheamus blocks and retreats to the ring. Sheamus goes for a kick but Orton puts him down and stomps him before hitting a knee drop. Sheamus hits a slingshot shoulder block, then drags Orton outside the ring where he whips him into the Cell wall and hits a clothesline. Sheamus throws the steel steps at Orton but Orton avoids it, picks up Sheamus, and drives him back first into the Cell twice before hitting him in the face with the steps. Orton tries for a suplex in the ring but Sheamus blocks and drops him gut first onto the ropes. Sheamus hits a shoulder block, sending Orton flying off the apron into the cage. They return to the ring where Sheamus hits some stomps in the corner. Sheamus tears off the turnbuckle pad. They go to the outside once again where Sheamus slams Orton’s face into the Cell. Sheamus sets up the steel steps vertically and front suplexes Orton onto them. Sheamus beats on Orton’s midsection and gets a near fall in the ring. Sheamus puts on a rear chin lock with a body scissors and Orton fights out, only for Sheamus to apply a waist lock. Orton fights out with a back suplex and sends Sheamus into the exposed turnbuckle. Both guys trade punches, with Orton coming out on top and hitting a powerslam.

Orton hits a back suplex and his signature backbreaker, but Sheamus counters the RKO and goes after the ribs again with a big kick. Sheamus brings the lower half of the steps into the ring and continues to work the ribs, but Orton fights out and powerslams Sheamus onto the steps for a near fall. Soon after, Orton hits the spike DDT from the apron to the floor. Orton goes for the RKO on the floor but Sheamus throws him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Sheamus hits the uranage backbreaker on the steps and then the bicycle kick, but Orton kicks out. Sheamus grabs a chair from under the ring and just destroys Orton with chair shots. Orton kicks out of a cover and when Sheamus goes for another chair shot, he misses and Orton hits an RKO. Sheamus rolls to the floor where Orton tries for the punt to the head, but Sheamus gets out of the way and hits a bicycle kick. Sheamus goes for a cover in the ring but Orton kicks out. Sheamus stands on the steps and sets up for the High Cross but Orton takes out his legs and Sheamus lands back first on the steps. Orton then hits the RKO onto the steps for the win and retains the title. This was a very good to great Hell in a Cell match and proved that even in the PG Era this match is not impossible to execute well. They utilized weapons and the cage heavily and compensated for the lack of blood. By far the best match Sheamus has ever had and Orton’s best match since the Iron Man match against Cena from last year. Match Time: 22:50     Star Rating: ***3/4

Alberto Del Rio then comes out for a promo, saying that this is his PPV debut and he says he’s going to issue a challenge. Edge then comes out and they do some stupid banter before Jack Swagger joins the party. Swagger and Del Rio beat down Edge before we get an e-mail from the anonymous GM. Cole says that Edge will apologize on Raw the next night and that right now he’s going to face Jack Swagger.

3.    Edge vs. Jack Swagger

The fans gave these guys no chance, but this match was definitely fine for what it was. Swagger kicks away at Edge’s midsection but Edge comes back with an Irish whip and a drop toehold. Swagger sends Edge into the corner and continues to work the midsection, hitting a modified gutbuster. Swagger hits a blow to the back of the head and applies a waist lock with a body scissors. Edge fights out and tries for a dive but Swagger moves and he eats the ropes. Swagger tries for a German suplex from the apron to the floor and Edge hangs on to the ropes, only for Swagger to lock in a rope assisted abdominal lock. Swagger breaks but Edge hits him with a big boot in the ring. Edge counters the ankle lock and hits a neckbreaker, but Swagger is able to lock in the ankle lock. Edge makes it to the ropes and backdrops Swagger over the top rope to the floor. Swagger avoids a suicide dive and drags Edge out of the ring. Swagger goes for the ankle but gets sent into the steps. They fight up top back in the ring, with Edge putting Swagger down and hitting a missile dropkick. Swagger comes back with a super belly to belly suplex for a near fall, and a busted lip. Edge avoids the Vader Bomb with a kick to the ribs, but when he goes for a spear Swagger catches him with the gutwrench powerbomb. Edge kicks out of the cover but when he goes for an enzuigiri, Swagger puts on the ankle lock. Edge is able to finally escape the hold and hit a spear for the win. For a last minute add on, this was a pretty good match and I’d like to see these guys in a longer match together. Match Time: 11:34     Star Rating: ***

4.    Wade Barrett vs. John Cena

The stipulation was that if Barrett won Cena would have to join Nexus, but if Cena won then Nexus would be forced to disband. This ended up being a very good match and the crowd was hot for it. They start off with some grappling until Cena hits a hip toss and a dropkick. They trade punches and Cena gets the upper hand just as the Nexus come down to ringside, allowing Barrett to capitalize with a forearm. Barrett is angry and yells at Nexus, telling them not to interfere. Barrett sends Cena into the barricade and gets a near fall in the ring. Barrett beats on Cena and hits a backbreaker, then a second rope elbow drop. Barrett stomps Cena in the corner but Cena fights back with punches. Barrett avoids a charging Cena, sending him into the corner, and hits a neckbreaker which he follows up with a hold. Barrett continues to work Cena’s arms until Cena makes a comeback with his usually movest, hitting the back suplex and the Five Knuckle Shuffle as Nexus surround ringside, only for Big Show and many other WWE superstars to come down and even the odds. Officials come down and send everyone to the back. Cena tries for the STF but Barrett counters and hits a pumphandle slam. Barrett tries for a superplex but Cena sends him to the mat. Cena hits a top rope Famouser and tries for the Attitude Adjustment, but Barrett counters and hits the Wasteland for a near fall. Cena hits the AA out of nowhere but Barrett kicks out. Cena applies the STF but a planted fan rushes the ring, only to be held back by referees. Another plant appears at ringside while the refs are distracted and hits Cena in the head with something, allowing Barrett to get the win. I’m pretty sure the plants were Michael McGillicuty and Husky Harris, respectively. The announcers and Cena sold the shock of him having to join Nexus extremely well after the match. The storytelling was brilliant here and everything came together nicely even though the match wasn’t a classic. Still very good and a highlight of the show. Match Time: 17:52     Star Rating: ***1/2

5.    WWE Unified Divas Championship match: Michelle McCool(c) vs. Melina

Going in, I thought this could possibly be one of WWE’s better Diva matches even though it was being used as a bathroom break before the main event. Natalya goes for some holds early on but Michelle rolls to the outside. Michelle hits a clothesline and sends Natalya into the barricade, then takes her back into the ring where she applies a body scissors. Natalya slams McCool into the corner but McCool goes back to the body scissors. McCool tries to use the ropes for leverage and is forced to break, and Natalya comes back with a back suplex and some elbows. Layla gets up on the apron but Michelle ends up accidentally kicking her. Natalya gets a near fall with a roll up and then applies a Sharpshooter. Michelle counters into a heel hook, but Natalya counters right back into the sharpshooter, only for the match to end in a DQ when Layla throws her SHOE at Natalya. That has got to be one of the DUMBEST disqualifications I have ever seen. Unbelievably stupid. Match was completely fine before that. Match Time: 4:52     Star Rating: *1/2

6.    Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Kane(c) vs. The Undertaker

At first, I was actually happy that WWE made this match the main event of the PPV given the buildup. Undertaker comes down to ringside with Paul Bearer but instructs him to stay outside the Cell after they enter together. Kane beats on Taker before the bell and slams him into the wall on the outside of the Cell. They come back into the Cell with Kane still ramming Taker into the cage before grabbing a chair. Taker kicks the chair into Kane’s face and sends him into the Cell before sending him into the steps. They go into the ring with Taker hitting some corner splashes, snake eyes, a big boot, and a leg drop. Kane gets the chair and hits Taker with it a couple times before kicking him on the mat. They go outside the ring, with Taker slamming Kane face first on the steps before sending him back first into the cage wall. Kane sends Taker into the steps and hits him in the leg with a chair before they go back into the ring, where Kane lodges Taker’s leg between the steps and the post and kicks the steps. Kane keeps working the leg and hits a bunch of punches. Kane crashes into the steel wall and Taker comes back, pounding away at Kane and putting him back in the ring. Taker kicks at Kane’s head and hits a guillotine leg drop.

Kane hits a knee to the head and goes back to the knee, kicking away at it before locking in a submission. Taker forces a break with a ton of strikes and they trade blows, but Taker hits a leaping clothesline. Taker goes for Old School but Kane crotches him on the ropes. Kane tries for a superplex and Taker fights out, but they go back up top where Kane hits the superplex. Kane hits a diving clothesline but Taker locks in Hell’s Gate. Kane is able to break the hold by rolling out to the floor. They go back into the ring and simultaneously hit each other with a big boot. Both guys sit up and trade more punches until Taker hits a DDT. Taker hits a chokeslam for a near fall and goes for the Last Ride, but Kane fights out and hits a chokeslam for a near fall. Kane hits some corner splashes and hits some mounted punches, but Taker hits a Last Ride out of the corner. Taker goes for the Tombstone but Kane reverses into a sloppy Tombstone of his own for a near fall. Kane takes out the ref and they have to open up the Cell to let another ref in, allowing Bearer to enter. Kane does a chase around the ring, which was awkward because Bearer can’t move that well. Taker hits a chokeslam and goes for the Tombstone, which somehow results in the lights going out and lightning striking. Bearer releases a light from the urn that blinds Taker, then hands Kane the urn. Kane clocks Taker with the urn and chokeslams him for the win. Strange, awkward swerve ending that came off poorly. This match just dragged on and on. It was going along slightly better than last month but the ending came off horrible. Both guys are far too old and immobile to be working such a long main event. Also this match was probably the worst PPV Hell in a Cell match of all time aside from the Undertaker/Big Boss Man debacle from Wrestlemania 15. Match Time: 21:40     Star Rating: **3/4

Overall PPV Rating: 7.5/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit. I am from Orange, CT and am a huge fan of pro wrestling. I mostly follow WWE and TNA but I also watch the smaller promotions such as ROH and DGUSA. I have been a lifelong WWE fan and have become a TNA fan over the past few years. Aside from wrestling, I also really love baseball and football and follow many other sports such as hockey and MMA. I have written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for over two years.

Diaz will face an opponent to be named in the coming week while Kaufman will defend her title against Dutch superstar Marloes Coenen.

Also on the explosive card, emerging star from the Strikeforce Challengers series Luke Rockhold will risk his six-fight win streak against MMA superstar and former Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland in a featured middleweight (185 pounds) contest.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. PT online at Ticketmaster.com, at the HP Pavilion ticket office, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

A special presale opportunity for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers begins this Wednesday, August 25 at 10:00 a.m. PT.  A special presale code will be sent out to all “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” on Tuesday, August 24.  Sign up to become a “STRIKEFORCE Insider” at http://www.strikeforce.com/insider.html.

The 27-year-old Diaz (22-7), a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and native of Stockton, Calif., has won seven consecutive fights since his last loss in 2007.  He is coming off a first round submission victory (armbar) over fellow superstar Hayato “Mach” Sakurai on May 29 at DREAM 14 in Japan.  Prior to that, Diaz won the STRIKEFORCE title with a late, third-round TKO (punches) of Marius “The Whitemare” Žaromskis at STRIKEFORCE: Miami on Jan. 30.

The undefeated Kaufman (12-0), a former ballet dancer who hails from British Columbia, Canada, is fresh off the first defense of her title, an explosive body slam KO of Roxanne Modafferi at STRIKEFORCE Challengers in Everett, Wash., on July 23.  The 24-year-old Kaufman, who has won nine of her fights by KO, will face Coenen (17-4), a submission specialist and the No. 1 contender to the STRIKEFORCE Women’s Welterweight belt.

The 29-year-old Coenen (17-4) will fight for the first time since a third-round TKO loss to Cris Cyborg for the STRIKEFORCE Women’s Middleweight (145 pounds) Championship at STRIKEFORCE: Miami.  Coenen, a member of Holland’s Team Golden Glory and mixed martial artist since the age of 14, will be moving down in weight to challenge at 135 pounds.   Kaufman and Coenen have both defeated Modafferi, with Coenen avenging a 2007 loss via first round armbar in her STRIKEFORCE debut on Nov. 7, 2009.

Rockhold (7-1), who could prove to be one of STRIKEFORCE’s next great middleweight superstars, has won six of his seven fights via submission.  The 25-year-old member of Team AKA is coming off a first-round TKO (knees to body) of Paul Bradley on Feb. 26 at a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event in San Jose.  The impressive win was the first KO victory of the Santa Cruz, Calif., native’s professional career.  Prior to his latest conquest, Rockhold had won five straight fights by way of submission.

Lindland (22-7), who won the silver medal in Olympic Greco Roman Wrestling at the 2000 Olympic Games, scored a third-round TKO victory over “King” Kevin Casey on May 21 at STRIKEFORCE Challengers in his hometown of Portland, Ore.  A former UFC star who has been competing professionally in MMA since 1997, Lindland, 40, is also a former All-American wrestler for University of Nebraska and the 1993 NCAA Big Eight conference champion.  During his stellar career, Lindland has triumphed over a number of all-time greats including former UFC champions Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.  In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™  XTRA.  SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®.  SNI also manages Smithsonian Channel™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution.  All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

The 26-year-old Fodor, an ambitious go-getter, fulfilled a lifelong dream by enlisting in the U.S. Army just six days after his high school graduation while he was still a minor at age 17, eventually making him the youngest Marine in his platoon. At the age of 12, the Shoreline, Wash. Native had joined an auxiliary military group to get a taste of what life like might be as a serviceman.

After invading Iraq and, later Kuwait in 2003 to support the U.S. war on terror, Fodor experienced a change of heart and eventually decided to re-focus his aggressive energy towards combat in the cage. During a visit to AMC Kickboxing and Pankration in Kirkland, Wash., Fodor met former submission wrestling champion and MMA expert Hume as well as Hume’s top coach, Trevor Jackson, an introduction that quickly inspired Fodor to commit his life to the sport.

One of four children adopted by a single mother, Fodor has persevered through a number of hardships during his life, including a hostile rivalry with adopted brother and, now, fellow professional fighter Ben Fodor.

It was their common bond in MMA that eventually helped Caros and Ben settle their differences. Suddenly, the two young men who had not been able to peacefully co-exist in a room together were supporting each other during their respective bouts.

Fodor is looking to return to the win column after suffering a second round defeat via submission (armbar) at the hands of Nate Hannah on Feb. 10, 2010. Prior to the loss, Fodor had been victorious in five consecutive fights, all in the first round by way of submission.

Diagne, a 26 year old native of Paris, France, is a longtime practitioner of San Shou, the Chinese form of kickboxing that embraces throwing techniques in addition to striking. Since 1996, the once obscure martial art has been brought to the forefront of the fight world by Le, its pioneer who amassed a perfect 16-0 career record in the sport before bringing his San Shou

skills to the cage where he eventually was crowned STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight (185

pounds) Champion after defeating MMA legend Frank Shamrock at San Jose, Calif.’s HP Pavilion on March 29, 2008.

In 2008, Diagne parted ways with his homeland in order to train with Le at the superstar’s Universal Strength Headquarters (USH) gym in Milpitas, Calif. Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Diagne added Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training under Paul Schreiner to his game in order to prepare for a career in MMA.

A six-time San Shou titlist, the 6-foot-1 Diagne made history as well as his MMA debut on May 15, 2009 when he competed in the first STRIKEFORCE Challengers event in history, earning a unanimous decision over Kaleo Kwan at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale and can be purchased at the Comcast Arena box office (866-332-8499) as well as online at ComcastArenaEverett.com and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

In the main event, undefeated heavyweight prospect Shane Del Rosario (9-0) will attempt to extend his unblemished streak when he faces fellow heavy hitter Lolohea Mahe (4-1-1).

Unbeaten STRIKEFORCE Women’s World Welterweight (135 pounds) Champion and former ballet dancer Sarah Kaufman (11-0) will put her perfect record as well as her crown on the line against international star Roxanne Modafferi (15-5).

In other featured action, Abongo Humphrey (7-1) will take on MMA bad boy Mike “Mak” Kyle (16-7-1) at light heavyweight (205 pounds).

Twenty-five year old Cory “The One” Devela (9-4) of Bonney Lake, Wash. will attempt to re-ignite his career in his first bout in 12 months when he faces hard-hitting Bobby Voelker (21-8) at welterweight (170 pounds).

The first STRIKEFORCE Challengers preliminary card bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

STRIKEFORCE Challengers, where tomorrow’s champions are born, is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

===Segment===

The show kicked off with a short promo from Vince McMahon on the stage where he replayed the footage of Bret Hart getting attacked on Raw this past Monday and said that Hart would not be at the PPV. Seemed kind of unnecessary but it set the stage for what would happen later on in the night.

1.    Intercontinental Championship: Kofi Kingston(c) vs. Drew McIntyre

For the second straight PPV, the first match was Kofi vs. Drew for the IC title. This was an alright match that had pacing issues and took a while to get going. Before Kofi comes out, Drew tells Teddy Long to come out and instructs him to sit at ringside, which he obediently does. A ton of brawling in the opening minutes with Kofi throwing a lot of offense at Drew before Drew throws him down and stomps on his head. Kofi hits a monkey flip a dropkick, and clotheslines Drew to the floor, then hits a huge dive to the outside and quickly puts McIntyre back in the ring. McIntyre throws Kofi shoulder first into the post for a near fall before pounding him with a bunch of forearm shots. They go to the outside again and Drew whips Kofi’s arm into the ring post. Drew applied a long armbar back in the ring and Kofi eventually fights out with an arm drag. Drew puts him down with a shoulder block and stomps the arm. They fight in the corner with Drew throwing Kofi off the top by the arm and puts on wrist lock. Drew mocks Kofi and puts on another armbar but Kofi fights out and tries for a sunset flip. Drew hits a big kick to the injured arm for a near fall. Drew hits a couple clotheslines but when he goes for another, Kofi does a big float over DDT. Kofi hits a few kicks, some chops, and a big dropkick. Kofi rolls Drew up for a near fall before springing out of the corner with a cross body. Drew hit a neckbreaker and tried for a slam but Kofi reversed it into a Russian leg sweep. Kofi hits the Boom Drop and sets up for the Trouble in Paradise but Drew backs off and back body drops Kofi onto the apron. Drew tries for a back suplex but Kofi turns it into a near fall for himself. Drew tries for the Future Shock DDT but Kofi fights out and hits a tornado DDT. Kofi hits the mounted punches in the corner but Drew catches him with a huge powerbomb. Drew only gets 2 and complains to the ref, allowing Kofi to capitalize with the SOS for a near fall. Drew then throws Kofi into the ref, who goes down. Drew throws Kofi into the ring post and hits the Future Shock DDT, then goes to ringside to grab Long and throw him into the ring. He rips the ref’s shirt off and tells Long to put it on and make the count. Long counts to two but won’t count to three. Drew yells at Long, and as he picks Kofi up for another DDT, Matt Hardy runs in with a Twist of Fate. Kofi hits the Trouble in Paradise, Long counts the pin, and this one is over. Just alright match that was far too long and hard to get into early on. Match Time: 16:34     Match Rating: 5.5/10

2.    Fatal 4 Way match for the Divas Championship: Eve(c) vs. Maryse vs. Gail Kim vs. Alicia Fox

Next up was the first of the three Fatal 4 Way matches of the evening. This was a pretty bad women’s match, but some nice work from Gail Kim made this a bit better than it should have been. Match starts off as a mess with a bunch of random near falls and craziness. Eve eats a dropkick and the heels gang up on her in the corner. Gail jumps on Alicia and puts on a headscissors armbar and Eve puts Maryse in a cross arm breaker. Alicia goes down and Gail breaks up Eve’s submission. A couple more holds, including an awful Camel Clutch by Eve, followed by Maryse dumping Eve and Gail over the top rope. Alicia shoves Maryse, who responds with a big kick. Eve re-enters, as does Gail who hits a dropkick on Eve and Maryse. Gail spears Maryse and hits her with a missile dropkick. Alicia drops Gail onto the apron, and Eve puts down Maryse with a neckbreaker and a moonsault off the top. Alicia tosses Eve out and steals the pin on Maryse to win the title. Typical Diva fare, Eve and Maryse are awful. Match Time: 5:45     Match Rating: 3/10

3.    Chris Jericho vs. Evan Bourne

This match was added onto the card last minute, and ended up being a pleasant surprise and the match of the night. Jericho batters Bourne in the corner in the early going, but when he misses a clothesline Bourne is able to hit a head scissors. Bourne hits some fast paced offense but Jericho comes back with a clothesline to retake the advantage. Bourne sends Jericho outside the ring and then hits a diving clothesline to the floor. They come back into the ring, with Bourne ending up on the apron and Jericho springing off the corner with a dropkick, sending Bourne to the floor. Jericho beats on Bourne on the outside and brings him back into the ring. Bourne tries to fight back but Jericho hits a big dropkick for a near fall. Jericho applies a headlock and Bourne eventually fights out with a ton of kicks. He knocks Jericho into the corner and hits a dropkick for a near fall. Bourne hits some more kicks but Jericho hits a dragon suplex for a two count. More back and forth action culminates with Bourne going for a roll-up and Jericho countering it right into the Walls of Jericho. Bourne makes it to the ropes and Jericho is furious. Jericho sends Bourne to the outside, slams him face first into the announce table, and charges at him, but Bourne is able to send him right into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Bourne hits the diving double knees for a near fall. Jericho hits a double underhook backbreaker but misses a Lionsault and eats a boot to the face. Bourne goes for the Shooting Star Press but misses, lands on his feet, and Jericho hits a Codebreaker for a 2 count. Jericho goes for the Walls but Bourne counters with an awesome tornado DDT. They fight up top with Bourne knocking down Jericho and hitting the SSP to his back for the win. Very strong match from these two that put Bourne over big time. Match Time: 12:04     Match Rating: 7.5/10

4.    Fatal 4 Way match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Jack Swagger(c) vs. Big Show vs. CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio

This was a really good match hurt by an awkward finish. Show knocks down everyone to start the match, dumping out Swagger while Rey and Punk slug it out. The heels are sent to the floor, leaving Show and Mysterio in the ring. Mysterio’s offense has no effect on Show and he tries to leave the ring, but Show grabs him by his head. Show gets near falls on both Rey and Punk. Swagger re-enters the fray as Rey and Punk form a brief alliance. They double team Swagger, and then hit a baseball slide to Show. Swagger clotheslines both of them and sends Mysterio into the turnbuckle. Swagger hits Rey with a belly to belly slam and puts on a couple submissions. Rey fights out and gets Swagger in position for the 619 but Punk comes in with a cross body to Rey. Punk works over Rey and hits a backbreaker before Swagger comes back in and starts to fight with Punk. Punk hits a high knee to Swagger but when he tries it on Rey, Rey blocks it. Punk, Rey, and Swagger lined up for a double German suplex spot. Swagger unsuccessfully tries for pinfalls, then tries for a gutwrench powerbomb on Punk and gets kicked in the head. Rey tries for a 619 on Punk but Show, outside the ring, snatches Rey and throws him onto the announce table. Show unloads on the heels in the ring, hitting some splashes and a double clothesline, before Rey hits a 619 around the ring post to Show. Show gets sent to the floor by Punk and Rey hits a diving seated senton to Swagger. Punk hits the GTS to Swagger, but Kane’s music hits and comes out with a casket (as if his involvement wasn’t obvious enough). Kane grabs Punk by the throat and throws him in the casket, but Luke Gallows helps Punk escape and they proceed to run away to the back. Rey then hits the 619 and a seated senton to Swagger to win the world title. Cool moment with Rey winning but a really screwy finish that didn’t make much sense to me. Why would Punk run away and essentially forfeit a world title match? It also was far too short for a world championship bout. Still a good match nonetheless. Match Time: 10:29     Match Rating: 6.5/10

5.    United States Championship: The Miz(c) vs. R-Truth

This really represented a low point on this PPV. This was a very poor, boring match that was far too long. Miz did a hilarious rap making fun of R-Truth’s theme before the bell rings. They lock up a few times with a little back and forth following that. Not much going on at all here, with R-Truth getting a few takedowns and Miz just hits a bunch of kicks. Truth fights out of a hold with a hip toss, then slams Miz into a turnbuckle from the apron before Miz throws him to the floor. Both guys fight in the corner, with Miz eventually hitting his corner clothesline for a near fall. Miz puts on a long body scissors before we go to more standard back and forth. Miz hits more kicks and a shoulder block then puts on yet another submission hold. Truth tries to make a comeback but Miz kicks him several times and hits a suplex. Just a ton of really basic stuff here with the kicks and punches.  Truth knocks Miz off the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. Truth hits some clotheslines and a reverse Falcon Arrow for a near fall, and then gets a 2 count after a suplex lift into a stunner. Miz comes back with a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Miz gets hung up in the corner and has to yell at Truth to get him to hit a scissors kick to the dangling Miz. More quick near falls and Truth misses a cross body. Truth goes for a pair of roll-ups but Miz sits down with one of his own to finally win the match. This was not good at all and just dragged on and on and the crowd was completely bored. Match had no heat at all and was painfully amateurish with the incredibly basic offense. Match Time: 13:31     Match Rating: 3.5/10

6.    6 Person Intergender Tag Team match: The Hart Dynasty vs. The Usos

Like Jericho/Bourne, this match was also a late addition in order to fill space on this partly empty card. This was just okay but disappointing considering the way this feud has been being set up on Raw. Natalya and Tamina start things off with some good back and forth, before Jey Uso and David Hart Smith get the tags. Smith hits a slam and a belly to belly suplex for a 2 count. Jey gets put in the Tree of Woe and the Hart Dynasty double team him, with Tyson Kidd now the legal man. After some back and forth, Kidd gets thrown to the floor and one of the Usos dives at him only to be met with a kick from Kidd. Kidd fights off both Usos on the apron and knocks Jimmy to the floor. He dives off the apron but Jimmy catches him and Samoan Drops him into the barricade. Jey gets the tag and gets some offense on Kidd, putting on a headlock and hitting a dropkick for a near fall. Jey hits a suplex and puts on a chinlock before double teaming Kidd with Jimmy. Jimmy hits a top rope knee drop but Kidd avoids a corner splash. Smith gets knocked off the arpon but both Kidd and Uso are able to tag in the ladies. Natalya is all over Tamina, hitting a couple suplexes and a Michinoku Driver. Smith knocks the Usos to the floor, where Kidd hits a suicide dive onto both of them. Tamina hits a Samoan Drop but misses a top rope splash. Natalya hits a big clothesline to pick up the win. The women were smartly involved in the finish to avoid hurting the men but overall this just felt like a TV quality match. Not bad though. Match Time: 9:30     Match Rating: 5/10

7.    Fatal 4 Way match for the WWE Championship: John Cena(c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge vs. Sheamus

This was a pretty good main event that was actually PPV quality, a rare finding on this show (aside from Jericho/Bourne). Orton and Cena quickly dispose of the heels and face off in the ring, with both guys unsuccessfully going for their respective finishers. Edge pulls Orton out of the ring and beats him up on the floor, while Sheamus beats down Cena in the ring. Sheamus and Edge double team Cena with a vicious beat down. Sheamus hits a big clothesline before Edge attempts a roll-up on him and the heels go at it. Evan Bourne, The Hart Dynasty, and R-Truth are shown to be watching the match on a TV backstage. Edge kicks Sheamus and hits a diving clothesline for a near fall. Orton knocks Edge off the top rope, stomps on Sheamus, then beats on Edge. Sheamus tries to powerbomb Orton out of the corner but Orton blocks, and Edge hits a cross body to Sheamus. Edge kicks Sheamus to the outside before being dumped out by Orton, who then suplexes Cena from the apron into the ring. Orton starts to work Cena over but Sheamus comes back in to take out Orton and trade blows with Cena. Cena gets the advtange with a fisherman suplex and tries for the Attitude Adjustment, but Sheamus counters and hits the uranage backbreaker for a near fall. Sheamus avoids a spear from Edge and Cena attempts a roll-up. Orton is back in and hits a double spike DDT to Cena and Sheamus. Edge kicks Orton and goes at it with Cena. Cena hits a bulldog, shoulder block, the spin out powerbomb, and finally the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Orton again returns and lays out Cena before hitting a clothesline and powerslam on Edge. Sheamus tries for the bicycle kick but Orton ducks. Sheamus starts to beat on Cena and Edge but Cena sends him to the outside. Edge knocks Orton off the apron but Cena puts him in the STF. Edge makes it to the ropes and Cena tries to re apply it in the center of the ring but Sheamus breaks it up. Sheamus is in control as Cena unsuccessfully tries for the AA on Edge. Orton runs in with an RKO to Cena but the pin attempt is broken up. Sheamus is sent out of the ring and Edge spears Orton. Sheamus hits the bicycle kick on Edge and gets a 2 count on Orton. Edge, Orton, and Sheamus fight on the outside, with Orton throwing Sheamus across the announce table into Michael Cole. Edge spears Orton into the barricade and we cut to backstage, where the NXT Season 1 rookies suddenly charge in and beat up the 4 Raw superstars watching the match while destroying the backstage area. The rookies then run out along the side of the stage, hitting a couple cameramen and starting to tear the place up, even setting off a little smoke/pyro. Cena is the only man in the ring as the rookies attack. Cena hits the AA to Darren Young but is completely torn apart by the rest of the rookies. Sheamus takes advantage and gets a quick pin on Cena to win the title before quickly taking the belt and running off through the crowd. There has been no commentating since the rookies came out. The rookies destroy the place and Cena, culminating with Justin Gabriel hitting the 450 splash. They cut to shots of bodies lying around ringside and the PPV goes off the air at 10:35 EST (!) with the crowd chanting for Daniel Bryan. This was a very well booked finish as they played up the frenzy of the NXT attack very well. Sheamus escaped through the crowd to sell the franticness of the situation. Overall a very good way to close a decent PPV. Match Time: 17:28     Match Rating: 7.5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 6.5/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit. I am from Orange, CT and am a huge fan of pro wrestling. I mostly follow WWE and TNA but I also watch the smaller promotions such as ROH and DGUSA. I have been a lifelong WWE fan and have become a TNA fan over the past few years. Aside from wrestling, I also really love baseball and football and follow many other sports such as hockey and MMA. I have written for www.sportsgrumblings for two years.

Middleweight (185 pound) superstar and 2008 DREAM Grand Prix tournament runner up “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will collide with hard-hitting sensation Joey Villasenor (27-6) in another featured bout.

The winner of the coveted ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2005, the 28-year-old Gracie, a second degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie, Jr, made history by submitting all eight of his opponents during the tournament, a feat that had never previously been achieved.

The 6-foot-4 Gracie’s submission skills have, thus far, proven their worth in MMA competition. In his pro debut on Dec. 2, 2006, he forced Ron “H20″ Waterman to tap from an armbar and, on May 18, 2008, he submitted Japan’s Yuki Kondo with a rear naked choke. A native of Brazil, Gracie resides in West London, England where he owns and operates The Roger Gracie Academy.

At age 38, Randleman of Columbus, Ohio will attempt to re-enter the win column after two consecutive defeats and reclaim the glory he achieved more than a decade ago when he was crowned UFC heavyweight champion after scoring a knockout on Pete Williams at UFC 23 on November 19, 1999.

A tremendous athlete with explosive power, Randleman captured back-to-back NCAA Division I national wrestling titles in 1992 and 1993 while competing for Ohio State University. His stellar collegiate career gained him entry into the school’s Hall Of Fame in 2004.

On Oct. 22, 1996, Randleman made his professional MMA debut in Brazil where he stopped Luiz Carlos Macial in the first round of action. After amassing a 6-2 record, he entered the octagon for the first time at UFC 19 on March 5, 1999 and pulled off a stunning upset of MMA and kickboxing legend Maurice Smith.

Randleman enjoyed a lengthy career with Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships, winning his first three fights with the now-defunct promotion and stopping superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in one round on April 25, 2004.

The 6 foot Souza, a 30-year-old submission wizard from Brazil, made a splash debut with STRIKEFORCE on Dec.19, 2009 when he forced former Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland to tap out from an arm triangle choke in the first round (4:18).

Two years ago, Souza made a brilliant run to the championship round of DREAM’s single-elimination middleweight tournament in Japan. After submitting Ian Murphy on April 29, 2008 with a rear naked choke in the first round (3:38) of their opening tournament round matchup, Souza went on to earn a unanimous decision over American star Jason “Mayhem” Miller on June 15, 2008 and, then, submitted Zelg Galesic with an armbar on Sept. 23, 2008.

The 35-year-old Villasenor, a seasoned striker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player who hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico and is a member of the fearsome fight team led by Greg Jackson, is riding a four fight win streak. He produced his last victory, a split decision over Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, during his STRIKEFORCE debut at ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. on June 19, 2009.

During the first live, primetime telecast of an MMA event on network television (CBS) on May 31, 2008, Villasenor came out of the gates with guns blazing and overwhelmed notorious brawler, Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni, crushing Baroni with a barrage of punches in the first round (1:11) of their meeting.

Tickets for STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery are on sale at the Scottrade Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com ).

In the main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will put his title on the line against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1).

In another heavyweight confrontation, former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) will face off with each other.

Doors at Scottrade Center will open for STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at 6:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 15. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m.

The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Shamrock Promotions is assisting STRIKEFORCE with local marketing for the event.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

Kerry Vera’s (2-0) Muay Thai skills led her to a brutal first round (3:35) TKO on Kim “Sugar Free” Couture (1-2) in the featured women’s 135 pound match-up. Early in the first round, Bears, of Kansas City, Missouri was able to fight off the 27-year-old Woodley, a two-time All American wrestler for University of Missouri.  But while the two were in the clinch Woodley scooped up and slammed Bears to the canvas.

Woodley quickly passed guard, and as Bears attempted to turn over, Woodley attempted an armbar.  Bears escaped and brought the fight back to stand up position. Shortly thereafter, Woodley secured a double leg takedown and passed Bears’ guard to gain side control before slapping on an arm triangle choke that forced Bears to tap out at the 2:52 mark of the opening round.

In the first round of the female bout, Couture ate several punches.  While in the clinch against the fence her opponent unloaded two straight knee strikes to her Couture’s mid-section. After Couture backed up, Vera swung away with her hands and connected with a flurry of lefts and rights, battering Couture until the referee jumped in and stopped the fight.  Vera was declared the winner by way of TKO at the 3:35 mark of the first round.

Local star Bobby Voelker (21-7) turned the tides on Huntington Beach, California’s Erik “Bad” Apple (10-2), who came out of the gates swinging in the first round of their welterweight (170 pounds) match-up. The remarkably resilient Voelker weathered an early storm, scrambling to his feet after Apple dropped him with an overhand right.  After absorbing a one-two punch combination, Voelker fired back with his own hands that backed up Apple.

Voelker tripped Apple to the ground and attempted to finish Apple with a flurry of punches from inside Apple’s half guard before the closing bell sounded. In the second stanza, a left hook from Voelker stunned his opponent.  Apple attempted to counter, but was caught with another left to the chin. Voelker took Apple down again.  After Apple stood up, Voelker dropped him with a hard right hand.  Voelker pounced on his downed opponent, unloading a series of right and left hands. As Voelker continued to punish him and Apple turtled up, the referee stepped in and stopped the action at the 1:23 mark of the second round.

In his first appearance since suffering an upset defeat at the hands of Mike “Mak” Kyle, Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (8-2) spent much of the first round of his matchup with Aaron Rosa (12-3) trying to control Rosa against the fence. Cavalcante changed his tempo in the second round, taking Rosa down.  The referee stood the fighters up, however, and issued Cavalcante a warning for striking his opponent with elbows to the head from inside Rosa’s guard. (Striking a down opponent to the head with elbows is illegal).

After the action resumed, Cavalcante lunged at Rosa and tagged him with a knee strike to the head that put Rosa on his back.  Cavalcante quickly pounced on Rosa and hammered him with punches until the referee stopped the contest at the 3:25 mark of the second round.

“King” Kevin Casey (3-1) of Los Angeles, California made quick work of Iowa’s Chad Vance (7-4), taking Vance down in the early going of the first round.  Vance gave up his back and Casey used the opportunity to unleash several punches before sinking in a rear naked choke from which Vance tapped out at the 1:41 mark of the first round.

Spencer Pratt, star of MTV’s smash hit reality series “The Hills,” was on hand to support Casey, his friend and business partner, from cageside.

Complete STRIKEFORCE Challengers Results:

Main Card:

Kevin Casey def.  Chad Vance – Submission (rear naked choke) – 1st Round (1:41)

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Aaron Rosa – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (3:25)

Bobby Voelker def. Erik Apple – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (1:23)

Kerry Vera def. Kim Couture – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (3:35)

Tyron Woodley def. Rudy Bears – Submission (arm triangle choke) – 1st Round (2:52)

Preliminary Card:

Lucas Lopes def. Dominic Brown – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (:45)

Mike Chandler def. Rich Bouphanouvong – TKO – 3rd Round (2:07)

Darryl Cobb def. Gary Tapasua – Split Decision (3 Rounds) (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Nick Nolte def. Andrew Waters – Submission (Triangle Choke) – 1st Round (3:45)

Brian Davidson def. Russel Patrick – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (:29)

Lee Gibson def. Joe Wilk – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (4:39)

The Super Six World Boxing Classic returns for the third fight in Group Stage 1 as Mikkel Kessler looks to defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight title November 21,  live at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(tm), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Photo: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE

Source: Mike Afromowitz, STRIKEFORCE