It appeared as if the fight was destined to go to the scorecards when Majewski closed the show with a brutal right cross that convinced referee Sparkle Lee to end the fight without a count at the 1:20 mark of the eighth round.

“It was a great feeling to fight in front of 1000s of Polish fans,” said Majewski. “I was very happy that my family back in Poland got to see the fight on pay-per-view. That gave me great motivation.

“Sometimes you can make a fight easy or you can make it hard; I made this fight harder than it had to be. I hurt him in the first round and started fighting instead of boxing. Some rounds I boxed and used my jab and I was in total control.

“I had to get stitches, but a fighter is always happy when he wins so it takes away the pain.”

Majewski, who trains with Bill Johnson and is promoted by Global Boxing Promotions, has now won twice on an Adamek undercard.

For more information on Majewski, visit www.globalboxing.com .

Source: Boxing Buzz

Photo: G. Lemiechowicz

Football legend and unbeaten MMA fighter Herschel Walker will return to the cage in a televised co-feature fight at the STRIKEFORCE: Henderson vs. Babalu event.

Also on the card, talented St. Louis native Jesse Finney will face an opponent to be announced in a non-televised undercard fight.  Additional bouts for the main card will be announced in the next several days.

A special ticket pre-sale for “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” begins this Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT and ends Thursday at 10 p.m.  Fans can sign up to become an “Insider” at STRIKEFORCE.com.  Anyone who purchases tickets during the pre-sale period will receive a special $5 off discount.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. CT at the Scottrade Center ticket office, online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

A two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling team member (‘92, ‘96), Henderson is the only fighter in the sport’s history to simultaneously hold two different titles in two different weight classes (welterweight and heavyweight) for a major fight promotion (PRIDE Fighting Championships).  A former UFC star, Henderson is considered one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history.

“It’s going to be a great fight.  We’ve both progressed a lot since our first fight 10 years ago so it will be interesting to see who’s progressed more,” said Henderson, who defeated Babalu with a majority decision in 2000.  “I’m looking forward to putting on a great show for STRIKEFORCE and for the fans.”

Sobral is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over knockout artist Robbie Lawler on June 16 at STRIKEFORCE Los Angeles, his first fight since losing the STRIKEFORCE title to Gegard Mousasi on Dec. 19, 2009.  Prior to the defeat, Sobral had reeled off five consecutive victories.

“Dan and I have a lot of respect for each other and this will be a great rematch,” Babalu said.  “I’m looking forward to fighting another top opponent at Strikeforce and will be going into seclusion for my training camp.  When I’m not fighting, my kids come first.  But, when I am in camp, training comes first because I am fighting for my kids.”

The 48-year-old Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is undefeated at 1-0 in his latest athletic endeavor – MMA.  A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound Walker already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo.

On Jan. 30, Walker made an impressive professional MMA debut, scoring a third round TKO (punches) over 26-year-old Greg Nagy at Sunrise, Fla.’s BankAtlantic Center.  Walker has been training in San Jose, Calif. with Team AKA, one of the most prominent MMA fight camps in the world that is also the home of former STRIKEFORCE world champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the cage again at STRIKEFORCE and to be fighting on the same card that Dan Henderson and Babalu will be fighting on,” Walker said.  “They are two superstars of the sport so it’s a great feeling to be fighting alongside them.”

“This is a great sport.  I want to bring more attention to it so I can show people that. It’s a human chess match.  I’ve always loved martial arts and that’s why I’m doing this.”

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®

Photo by Bob Barton/ STRIKEFORCE

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 Mike “Mak” Kyle (16-7-1) at light heavyweight (205 pounds). A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://STRIKEFORCE.com/insider.html <http://strikeforce.com/insider.html> ), beginning at 10 a.m. PT Tomorrow/Friday, June 11, until 10 p.m. PT on Sunday, June 13.  STRIKEFORCE Insiders will receive a special e-newsletter with the pre-sale code.

Tickets for the event go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT on Monday, June 14 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 <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).

Del Rosario, of Irvine, Calif., hasn’t come close to losing since turning pro in August 2006. He has yet to go the distance; in fact, only one of his fights has gone past the first round.

In his last start, Del Rosario, who’ll be making his fifth appearance on SHOWTIME, submitted (omoplata) Brandon Cash at 2:57 of the first round on a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on Nov. 6, 2009. Seven of his previous eight victories came via knockout.

Besides power, the 6-foot-4, 27-year-old Del Rosario possesses excellent movement and quickness. A graduate of UC Irvine with a degree in Psychology, Del Rosario played basketball in high school. He also is an active professional Muay Thai fighter and is 6-1 (six knockouts).

Mahe will be trying to regain his winning ways after suffering the first defeat of his career in his last start to Lavar Johnson during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event last March 26.

An American Samoan who resides and fights out of Kahului Maui, Hawaii, the heavy-handed 6-foot-4, 28-year-old had his fair share of pavement punchouts before turning to MAA in November 2007,

Outside the cage, the married father of three children is very active in the Church. Every Saturday he and his family clean the local church (Ala Lani United Methodist Church).

Kaufman, of Victoria, British Canada, captured the first-ever STRIKEFORCE Women’s 135-pound Championship in her last start with a unanimous five-round decision over Takayo Hashi in the main event of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers card last Feb. 26.

In her outing before last on June 19, 2009, on SHOWTIME, the 5-feet-5, 24-year-old Kaufman outpointed Shayna Baszler in the historic first five-minute, three-round women’s fight.

Regarded as perhaps the most powerful, pure puncher in women’s MMA, Kaufman is an avid ballet, jazz and hip hop dancer who only discovered the sport after a martial arts gym opened underneath her dance studio when she was 17. She attended the University of Victoria for two years with the goal of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon before focusing her efforts on MMA.

A pro since 2006, Kaufman knocked out her first eight opponents before earning a hard-fought decision over Miesha Tate during the first-ever STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on May 15, 2009.

Modafferi, of Wilmington, Del., is coming off the biggest victory of her career, a three-round decision over highly regarded Tara LaRosa last May 21. The 5-foot-7, 27-year-old Modafferi has won eight of her last nine starts. The loss came in her STRIKEFORCE debut against Marloes Coenen on the undercard of “Fedor vs. Rogers” on Nov. 7, 2009.

One of the most unique and eclectic fighters in MMA, Modafferi cannot only be defined by fighting alone. A long-time admirer of Japanese culture, she graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 2005 with a major in Japanese Language and Literature and a minor in Linguistics. Her pro debut on Nov. 10, 2003, came in Japan during her junior year of college.

Soon after graduating college, Modafferi moved to Japan on a permanent basis after securing a full-time teaching position in which she taught English. Her earliest MMA victories came in Japan. But the lack of comparable competition made it virtually impossible for the terrific grappler to get fights, so she moved back to the United States.

Regarding her style, Modafferi says, “I put a lot of value in perfection, which is why I generally like grappling more than striking.  I think it takes the perfect pressure, the perfect control, to pull off a beautiful submission hold. You take an armbar to the point of breaking, until the opponent gives up, and you let them go, unharmed. I think it’s smooth, beautiful and masterful. I don’t really want to break somebody’s face and make them bleed — just make them give up.”

Humphrey, a military son who was born on a base in Vacaville, Calif., and resides in Atlanta, Ga., scored a submission over George Bush (guillotine choke) at 1:44 of the first-round of a STRIKEFORCE: Challengers event last March 26.

The birth name of the 5-foot-11, 33-year-old is “Ronald,” but he prefers to be addressed as “Abongo,” the name of an African warrior spirit believed to protect a village located in The Republic of Ghana. The moniker was bestowed upon him a few years ago after he endured a series of mentally and physically grueling tasks during a rites of passage trip to Africa.

Humphrey’s experience there inspired him to establish a non-profit organization that allows him to introduce other African-Americans to their heritage by bringing them to Africa.

“There are certain things that are lacking in the black community here and one of them has to do with cultural identity,” said Humphrey, whose only loss came to Brett “The Grim” Rogers.  “Fighting and doing the community work in Africa is something that really drives me and motivates me in life.”

Humphrey was introduced to a national audience as a contestant on BET’s MMA reality series “Iron Ring” where he was a member of a fight team coached by MMA star, “Mr. International” Shonie Carter, and managed by hip-hop artist and producer Lil’ Jon.

“Some people are under the impression that most of the fighters on the show were push overs, but I fought and defeated some pretty well-known contenders,” Humphrey said. Among those he defeated during his stint on “Iron Ring” were former K-1 USA contender, Jeff “Big Diesel” Ford, and Carlos Moreno, who Humphrey knocked out with a head kick.

“I move more like a 205-pounder than I do a 245.  I bring a lot of athleticism and skill into the cage,” Humphrey said.

Kyle has won four in a row and eight out of nine and is the last fighter to defeat highly touted Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. His only setback since April 2008 came against world-class Fabricio Werdum, who is fighting Fedor Emelianenko, the world’s No. 1 fighter, on June 26.

Comcast Arena at Everett doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 5:15 p.m.  The first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.

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, 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.

After falling behind one-to-nil at only the four minute mark, the US could have folded early. But they kept pressing and stayed in the game with some brilliant saves by keeper Tim Howard, who was selected as the Man of the Match. Taking advantage of a huge break when English keeper Robert Green misplayed Dempsey’s shot, the US made it stand throughout a scoreless second half.

Now the Americans need to keep up their solid play throughout the rest of the openers to advance to the knockout round. Anything less than that and they will be right back where they started as far as getting respect on an international level. The US has been the trendsetter for so many sports but soccer has been one that they just can’t seem to crack.

It is not as if they have not tried, though. Not one but two professional major leagues have been formed (NASL, MLS) and has attracted perhaps the world’s biggest stars of their time (Pele, David Beckham). But while that has created a buzz stateside, the international community still does not see the US as a threat. Every four years, they have the opportunity to change that perception and need to make their move.

They have put together a talented squad that should go further than their 2006 counterparts, who went 0-1-2 to fall out of the tourney after the opening round in Germany. But they need to play at their best and get a break like they did on Saturday. If that happens, then we may finally start putting the US in the same conversation with the elite countries of the world in soccer.

JUNE 18 – USA vs. Slovenia

June 23 – USA vs. Algeria

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT tomorrow/Saturday, May 1, at STAPLES Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).  Tickets will also be sold at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE box office on days when events take place there.

The first-ever STRIKEFORCE event scheduled for mid-week will take place in the midst of the E3 Expo, the premier trade show for computer and video games. During E3 Expo 2010 at the L.A. Convention Center, EA SPORTS(tm) will exhibit its highly anticipated title, EA SPORTS MMA, in which STRIKEFORCE is featured as a premier league.

Sobral’s start will be his first since he relinquished his STRIKEFORCE crown to superstar Gegard Mousasi, who stopped the Brazilian fighter one minute into their meeting at San Jose, Calif.’s HP Pavilion on Dec. 19, 2009.  Prior to the loss, Sobral had reeled off five consecutive victories.

The 34-year-old Sobral, who resides in Orange County, Calif., has faced and defeated some of the sport’s toughest competitors during his 13-year career.  On Sept. 6, 2003, he defeated three consecutive, first-rate opponents – Trevor Prangley, Mauricio Rua, and Jeremy Horn – in one night of single-elimination tournament action.

Also slated for action on the card are former WWE champion turned undefeated heavyweight MMA sensation Bobby Lashley (5-0) and lightweight star K.J. Noons (8-2). Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE will open for the event at 5:15 p.m. PT.  The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card fight will begin at 8 p.m. The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 11 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, 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.

The first-ever STRIKEFORCE event scheduled for mid-week will take place in the midst of the E3 Expo, the premier trade show for computer and video games. During E3 Expo 2010 at the L.A. Convention Center, EA SPORTS(tm) will exhibit its highly anticipated title, EA SPORTS MMA, in which STRIKEFORCE is featured as a premier league.

A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity for the event will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) and Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE e-newsletter subscribers from 10 a.m. PT tomorrow/Thursday, April 29, until 10 p.m. PT on Friday, April 30.  STRIKEFORCE Insiders will receive an e-newsletter with the pre-sale code.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday, May 1, at STAPLES  Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).  Tickets will also be sold at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE box office on days when events take place there. Opponents for the three fighters will be announced soon.

Lawler and Lashley were overwhelmingly victorious in their last starts, both of which took place at the STRIKEFORCE event at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., on Jan. 30, 2010. Lawler weathered an early onslaught from Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef before rallying dramatically to crumble Manhoef with a devastating right hand at 3:33 of the opening round and Lashley stopped Wes Sims with a barrage of punches in the first round (2:06). Recognized as one of the hardest punchers in the sport, the 28-year-old Lawler, of Granite City, Ill., was discovered and schooled by MMA legend Pat Miletich.  Lawler’s fight with Aaron Riley at UFC 37 on May 10, 2002 later became the first MMA bout in history to air on network TV (FOX Sports).

At 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, Lashley, 33, is a monstrous specimen of  a man who has stopped all but one of his five opponents in the first round.  A resident of Denver, Colo., he soared to stardom while competing on WWE’s Raw and Smackdown! series between 2005 and 2007.

Noons is a confident, prolific striker who has won four in a row and is the last  fighter to defeat current STRIKEFORCE welterweight champion Nick Diaz. In a thrilling, bloody fight on Nov. 10, 2007, Noons won by first-round TKO when a cageside doctor stopped matters after the first round due to excessive cuts around Diaz’ eyes.

The 5-foot-11, 27-year-old Noons’ other victories during his winning streak came over Edson Berto (KO 3, knee) on July 27, 2007, Yves Edwards (TKO 1, punches and elbows) on June 14, 2008 and, in his first outing following a near-two-year respite to continue a boxing career, a decision over Andre Armado at DREAM 13 last March 22.

Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE will open for the event at 5:15 p.m. PT.  The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card fight will begin at 8 p.m. The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 11 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, 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

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT tomorrow/Saturday, May 1, at STAPLES Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).  Tickets will also be sold at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE box office on days when events take place there.

The first-ever STRIKEFORCE event scheduled for mid-week will take place in the midst of the E3 Expo, the premier trade show for computer and video games. During E3 Expo 2010 at the L.A. Convention Center, EA SPORTS(tm) will exhibit its highly anticipated title, EA SPORTS MMA, in which STRIKEFORCE is featured as a premier league.

Sobral’s start will be his first since he relinquished his STRIKEFORCE crown to superstar Gegard Mousasi, who stopped the Brazilian fighter one minute into their meeting at San Jose, Calif.’s HP Pavilion on Dec. 19, 2009.  Prior to the loss, Sobral had reeled off five consecutive victories.

The 34-year-old Sobral, who resides in Orange County, Calif., has faced and defeated some of the sport’s toughest competitors during his 13-year career.  On Sept. 6, 2003, he defeated three consecutive, first-rate opponents – Trevor Prangley, Mauricio Rua, and Jeremy Horn – in one night of single-elimination tournament action.

Also slated for action on the card are former WWE champion turned undefeated heavyweight MMA sensation Bobby Lashley (5-0) and lightweight star K.J. Noons (8-2)

Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE will open for the event at 5:15 p.m. PT.  The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card fight will begin at 8 p.m. The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 11 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, 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

1.    TNA World Tag Team Championship: The British Invaison(c) vs. The Motor City Machineguns

This match definitely over delivered and ended up being much better than I was expecting. The crowd was hot for the Guns and firmly believed that there would be a title change. Shelley and Sabin take turns working over Doug Williams’ arm early on before doing simultaneous dives outside the ring onto their opponents. Williams puts Shelley in a modified Gory special position and brings him to the top rope, but Shelley counters a superplex attempt with a big cross body. Shelley fights out of a front face lock and hits a double knee backbreaker before Magnus is tagged in and begins wearing down Shelley. Sabin gets the hot tag and cleans house, but a Cradle Shock attempt on Williams fails and Magnus reenters the match. Soon after this, Sabin dives through the ropes and through Shelley’s legs onto Williams on the outside. Back in the ring, Shelley hits a superkick and Sliced Bread for a near fall. Magnus hits an exploder suplex and a modified Death Valley Driver before accidentally knocking his partner to the floor. Sabin gets the tag and hits an enzuigiri before him and Shelley hit simultaneous superkicks on Magnus for another near fall. Sabin briefly takes out Williams with a cutter while Shelley gets a near fall with a cross body on Magnus. The match comes to an end when the Brits hit a doomsday device uppercut/powerbomb combination on Sabin. Very fun and exciting tag team match. Match Time: 11:50     Match Rating: 7/10

2.    TNA Women’s Knockout Championship: ODB(c) vs. Tara

As a fan of both ODB and Tara, this match was very disappointing for me. It was a very generic and short Knockouts match with nothing big to write home about. Tara gets the action started early with a tarantula-like hold through the ropes followed by a slingshot leg drop. ODB takes control for a while after hitting a shoulderbreaker and several punches and kicks. ODB hits a fall away slam for a near fall before Tara goes for a roll up out of nowhere. After more punches and kicks are traded, Tara hits a snap suplex and a standing moonsault for a near fall, but ODB counters a Widow’s Peak attempt. The match then ends when Tara fights out of a TKO attempt and rolls up ODB to win the championship. A very bland Knockouts match that did not belong on PPV. Match Time: 5:42     Match Rating: 4/10

3.    Feast or Fired: Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Beer Money Inc. vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Eric Young vs. Kevin Nash vs. Rob Terry vs. Cody Deaner vs. Homicide vs. Kiyoshi vs. Samoa Joe

I was very surprised that this ended up being the worst match of the night. Feast or Fired was a fun match last year but here it was just a complete mess with not many notable or memorable moments at all. At the opening bell the ring clears and everyone just starts brawling on the outside. Bashir and Deaner both prevent each other from grabbing cases and go at it in the ring. They struggle over a case again and it falls to the floor. Both men fight over it and Bashir is able to wrestle it away from Deaner to get possession. The strange thing about this match was that for the first case the usual rule applied that you had to take the case out of the ring to the floor to officially possess it, but this rule did not apply when the other 3 cases were taken down. Anyway, during the confusion over Bashir and Deaner, Terry scales a turnbuckle to grab a case as well. World Elite then confronts Terry before Beer Money start to attack the faction and hit the DWI on Kiyoshi. Nash then grabs a case and just one remains. We got some good in ring action toward the end of the match as a lot of big moves were hit, including Joe hitting a uranage on Lethal and Homicide connecting with a gringo cutter on Lethal. Deaner goes for the final case but Joe hits a big roundhouse kick before snatching the final case to end the match. The contents of the cases were revealed shortly after the match ended, with Terry getting an X Division title shot, Nash getting a tag team title shot, Joe getting a world title shot, and Bashir getting fired. Terry should not be competing in the X Division, Nash challenging for the tag titles scares me (almost as much as when I heard Scott Hall may be returning to TNA, I’m sure we can all put two and two together here), and I’m sure that Bashir is not really fired. Joe getting the world title shot was a smart move as he was hugely over in this match. Overall this match was just a messy brawl consisting merely of punches, kicks, and people going for cases. Match Time: 9:20     Match Rating: 3.5/10

4.    Elimination Tag match: Rhino, Team 3D, and Jesse Neal vs. Matt Morgan, Hernandez, D’Angelo Dinero, and Suicide

Things did not really improve for this PPV with this 8 man tag match filled with bizarre rules and strange incidents throughout. Due to a pre-match stipulation, Hernandez had to start the first five minutes of the match alone before the rest of his team arrived. Rhino dominates Hernandez for a couple minutes and hits a Gore for a near fall, but when he goes for a second one, he hits the ring post and Hernandez rolls him up for a quick elimination. Team 3D and Neal then beat down Hernandez until the 5 minutes are up and the rest of the babyfaces arrive on the scene to clean house. Hernandez hits a suicide dive onto the 3 remaining heels before Suicide goes to work on Neal with a dropkick and a rolling fireman’s carry. Neal fights back into it with some strikes, but after Suicide takes the advantage yet again, Neal attacks him with a chair. Hernandez then grabs the chair and attacks Neal for some payback. It is then announced that Hernandez and Neal have both been disqualified. But if Neal’s chair shot came before Hernandez’s, and Neal was DQ’d, doesn’t that mean that Hernandez attacked someone who was not a legal participant in the match? Ugh. Team 3D hits the 3D on a dazed Suicide for another elimination, picking up the scraps from the confusing sequence. Dinero enters and hits Ray with some elbow strikes and a shoulder block for a 2 count. Dinero is then hit with the 3D out of nowhere and is eliminated, leaving Morgan alone. Morgan hits rapid fire elbows and tries to chokeslam Ray, but Devon hits a chop block. Team 3D then wears down Morgan before Morgan hits a Carbon Footprint on Devon to eliminate him. Ray and Morgan fight for a bit, with Ray countering the Hellevator with a big DDT. Ray brings the chair back into the ring, but Morgan big boots the chair into Ray’s face before pinning him to win the match. A very poor tag team match due to the confusion with the rules and the part with the chair that resulted in 2 strange disqualifications. Match Time: 16:34     Match Rating: 4/10

5.    Last Man Standing: Bobby Lashley vs. Scott Steiner

To the shock of pretty much everyone, the streak of poor matches ended with this bout between Bobby Lashley and Scott Steiner. They actually kept it short and made this match alright and somewhat enjoyable. Steiner follows a retreating Kristal up the entrance ramp before Lashley attacks him and the match begins. Steiner chokes Lashley with a cable before the match returns to the ring where Lashley hits a T-Bone suplex and tries to choke Steiner out with a dragon sleeper. Steiner gets up at 6 and the action once again returns to the ringside area where Lashley slams Steiner in to the guardrail and attacks him with a chair. Steiner regains control with some pipe shots that are good for 6 and 7 counts. They come back to the ring where Steiner hits a jawbreaker and a top rope belly to belly suplex. Lashley hits a belly to belly of his own as well as a running powerslam. Steiner gets up at 9 and low blows Lashley before hitting a nice Frankensteiner for a 9 count. Steiner goes for the pipe again, but Kristal grabs it from him and Lashley hits a big spear. Kristal tosses Bobby the pipe and Lashley hits Steiner over the head with it before getting the 10 count to win the match. This match was fairly short for a last man standing match but it was decent. Match Time: 9:16     Match Rating: 5/10

6.    Foley’s Funhouse Rules: Raven and Dr. Stevie vs. Abyss and Mick Foley

Foley changes the match to a Foley’s Funhouse Rules match, which basically means it’s hardcore and weapons are legal. This was definitely for the better and the gimmick made the match fun instead of just being a boring tag match. All four guys go at it early on, with Raven and Foley brawling to the back and leaving Abyss and Stevie alone. Abyss slams Stevie into the platform underneath the announce table before pulling out a table. Abyss teases a powerbomb off the stage, but Raven returns and breaks a kendo stick over Abyss’s back. The heels then beat down Abyss and bring the match back to the ring, but Foley reenters the match with a shopping cart full of weapons that he rams into Raven. Foley hits Raven and Stevie with a barbed wire bat before hitting Raven with a piledriver and Stevie with a double arm DDT. Abyss hits a Shock Treatment backbreaker on Stevie, and simultaneously lands a leg drop on Raven. Abyss and Foley both go for Mandible Claws, but Raven throws powder in Foley’s eyes. Foley and Stevie fight up the ramp, which culminates in Foley wrapping barbed wire around Stevie and putting him on the previously set up table before doing a diving elbow drop off the stage through the table. Back in the ring, Raven hits Abyss with an even flow DDT for a near fall before Daffney gets involved and hits Abyss with a chair. Abyss then counters a DDT attempt from Raven with a Black Hole Slam and this one is over. Entertaining hardcore match. Match Time: 9:35     Match Rating: 6/10

7.    Three Degrees of Pain: Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe

Things really kicked into high gear with this Turning Point rematch. The rules for this match were that it was a 2 out of 3 falls match where the first fall was by pinfall, the second by submission, and the third being escape from a steel cage. The cage was down for the whole match, but it could not be legally used as a weapon until the third fall. Wolfe and Angle start the match by going at each other with a lot of submission holds. Wolfe hits a snapmare and an uppercut, but misses a knee drop which allows Angle to begin working over the knee, which he attacked throughout the match. Wolfe hits a couple headlock takedowns before Angle fights back with a hip toss and a suplex. Wolfe regains the advantage with a front facelock but Angle fights out of it and hits a belly to belly suplex and a lariat. Wolfe counters the Angle Slam with a hammer lock before hitting the Tower of London for a near fall. Angle later hits the Angle Slam but misses a moonsault. Wolfe then hits a huge lariat before hitting a second Tower of London which is good enough to put Angle down for 3 and Wolfe wins the first fall. The second fall then begins which featured possibly the most intense mat wrestling I have seen in mainstream wrestling this year. Angle continues to work over the ankle of Wolfe by utilizing a figure four, but Wolfe makes it to the ropes for a break. Wolfe then puts on a modified gogoplata and a wrist lock to work over Angle’s arm. Angle fights out of a second modified gogoplata and counters into an Ankle Lock, but Wolfe counters that into a figure four hold around Angle’s arm. Angle puts on a second Ankle Lock, but Wolfe counters it with one of his own. Angle then counters with a modified triangle choke, but Wolfe counters with the modified gogoplata yet again. Angle counters that into another Ankle Lock, and after struggling for quite some time Wolfe finally taps out. The third fall begins with the score tied at 1-1 and the cage can now legally be used as a weapon. Angle tries to scale the cage, but Wolfe follows him up there and slams Angle’s injured left arm into the cage numerous times before hitting a superplex. Wolfe tries to climb the cage but can’t due to the injured ankle, which allows Angle time to recover and slam Wolfe’s ankle into the cage several times before hitting a German suplex. Angle slams Wolfe face first into the cage before hitting a big lariat and Wolfe is busted open badly, bleeding all over the place. Angle tries for a frog splash and Wolfe gets his knees up, but Angle’s injured arm and Wolfe’s injured leg collided and both men are down. Angle tries to get out of the cage through the door but Wolfe slams the door into Angle’s head repeatedly. Wolfe tries to crawl out, but Angle pulls him back and puts on an Ankle Lock for a very long time. Angle then tries to climb out of the cage over the top, but Wolfe recovers and tries to get out through the door. Angle drops to the floor just before Wolfe is able to crawl out and Angle wins the third fall and the match overall. This is a bonafide match of the year candidate. Match Time: 26:17     Match Rating: 9/10

8.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles(c) vs. Daniels

I was very happy when I looked at the clock and saw that there was plenty of time left for Styles and Daniels to have a good, long match together. The match most certainly did not disappoint and ended up being great. The match begins with both men going for quick takedowns repeatedly until Daniels takes control by working the arm with an armbar. Styles fights back into with a headscissors and a rear chin lock before Daniels goes back to work on the arm. Styles hits a series of kicks and another headscissors, which is followed by a snap suplex. Daniels bails to the floor and AJ responds with a crazy somersault senton over the top rope onto Daniels. The two then brawl in the ringside area where Daniels takes out a couple chairs from the crowd. While the ref is removing one chair, Daniels hits a uranage to Styles through the other chair which was previously standing up. Daniels takes Styles back to the ring where an attempted pinfall fails. Daniels hits a back suplex onto the top turnbuckle for another near fall before continuing to work over AJ’s back with a body slam, kicks, and a split-legged moonsault. He then puts on a rear chin lock but AJ makes it to the ropes. Daniels tries for a Lionsault but lands on his feet before Styles hits a hammerlock back suplex out of nowhere. Styles then counters a hurricanrana with a powerbomb before pounding on Daniels for a bit. Styles hits a springboard backflip into an inverted DDT but only gets a 2 count. Daniels hits a hurricanrana and a shining wizard but can’t keep AJ down. Styles hits a springboard clothesline and then hits a Pele before hitting the Styles Clash, but Daniels kicks out. Daniels puts AJ down and hits a BME for another two count. Both men are then fighting at the top turnbuckle, and Daniels tries for a Frankensteiner, but Styles counters and hits a Styles Clash from the second rope to win the match and retain his title. A fitting end to an excellent main event. Match Time: 21:06     Match Rating: 8.5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 8/10

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 forwww.sportsgrumblings.com roughly a year now as well.

1.    TNA X Division Championship: Amazing Red(c) vs. Homicide

The night kicked off with Homicide challenging Amazing Red for the X Division Championship. This was a great way to kick off the PPV as the match was very back and forth and had a ton of high spots.  Red connected with a hurricanrana and a crossbody early on in the match but Homicide soon took control with a belly to back spulex and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Homicide then worked over Red for a bit before Red gets back into it with a dropkick and a DDT for a near fall. Red counters the Gringo Killer and an ace crusher and hits a standing shooting star press for another near fall. Homicide hits a cutter for a near fall afterward. Eventually this match comes to an end when Homicide goes for a top rope hurricanrana, but Red held on and hit the Code Red for the win. Good X Division match to open up the show and pop the crowd. Match Rating: 6/10

2.    6 Woman Tag Team match for all the Knockouts Championships: TNA Women’s Knockout Champion ODB and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Sarita and Taylor Wilde vs. The Beautiful People

I generally don’t like tag team matches where champions can lose their titles without eating a pin, and this match did little to change my opinion. The fans voiced their dislike for Lacey Von Erich with “You can’t wrestle” chants and a Lacey Von Botch sign. The faces all work over Madison Rayne for a bit before she gets the hot tag to Velvet Sky, who hits a snapmare and a running knee before tagging in Von Erich. After Wilde gets beaten down by The Beautiful People for a while, ODB gets the hot tag and cleans house. Just when it seems that the heels have gotten her under control, ODB connects with a few elbow smashes to fight them off. She then hits a reverse-FU to win the match and the faces retain their titles. This match was fairly sloppy and was not enjoyable. Can we please end the Sarita/Wilde vs. The Beautiful People feud now? Match Rating: 3/10

3.    TNA World Tag Team Championship: The British Invasion(c) vs. Beer Money Inc. vs. The Motor City Machineguns

After a weak Knockouts match, this 3 way for the Tag Titles got the PPV back on track. However, the one gripe I had about this match was that much of the later portion of it was built around Beer Money vs. The British Invasion, and the match had been promoted for weeks as the Guns vs. British Invasion (Beer Money was merely added to the match on the Impact before the PPV). Anyway, this match was good, even though it was a bit shorter than I would have liked it to be.  Roode gets worked over by Sabin and Shelley in the early going, and takes a slingshot senton from Sabin. The Guns then worked over the British Invasion for a bit with double team moves but Sabin falls victim to a double team neckbreaker from the Invasion and the heels are in control. Sabin eventually fights back with an enzuigiri and is tagged by Storm. Storm hits Magnus with a uranage and hits a double suplex with Roode onto Williams. Beer Money and the Guns hit a bunch of double team moves on the Brits but Sabin misses a slingshot move over the top rope and crashes to the floor. Storm hits an enzuigiri to Williams, but Eric Young appears outside the ring with the Global title and attacks Storm. Storm then goes after Young up the entrance ramp, where Kevin Nash appears and takes the Global belt before surprisingly hitting Storm with it. The Brits then capitalize on this and hit a double team move on Roode to retain their titles. Good tag title match but it could have been a bit better. Match Rating: 6/10

4.    Six Sides of Steel: Tara vs. Awesome Kong

Who would have thought that a women’s match clocking in at less than 8 minutes would have been the match of the night thus far when it ended? Kong hits a couple big moves early on including an electric chair drop and a stunning missile dropkick. Kong then splashes Tara against the cage and chokes her against the steel. She also hit a very nice looking front suplex against the side of the cage. Tara fights back into the match with a DDT and slams Kong into several sides of the cage before hitting a standing moonsault for a near fall. The two women fight on the top rope which ends with Tara hitting a nice powerbomb onto Kong for a near fall. Tara then scales the cage and hits an incredible crossbody off the top for the win. This was the best women’s match of the year, no doubt. Match Rating: 6.5/10

5.    Rhino and Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan, Hernandez, and D’Angelo Dinero

This match had been advertised as a street fight, but was fought under standard 6 man tag rules. There is tension early on between Dinero and Matt Morgan, allowing the heels to take control. Dinero soon goes after Ray with a double leg take down and some punches but Ray fights back into it with some elbow strikes and a Bubba Bomb before tagging in Rhino. Rhino fights with Morgan, who hits a big clothesline before everyone enters the ring, leading to Dinero suffering a reverse 3D. Devon later puts on a chin lock and hits a lariat on Dinero before making the tag to Rhino. The heels work over Dinero for a bit before Morgan is tagged back into the match. Morgan hits a ton of punches, a side slam, and a splash for a near fall. Hernandez later does an impressive dive outside the ring to the entire opposing team. The match eventually comes to an end when Hernandez gets hit with a chair by Devon while the ref’s back was turned and Rhino hits a Gore for the win. Why didn’t the young guys go over here? Match Rating: 5.5/10

6.    No Disqualification, Falls Count Anywhere: Scott Steiner vs. Bobby Lashley

Just before the start of the match, it was announced that it would be No DQ and Falls Count Anywhere. I thought that the gimmick would help the match out greatly and make it more entertaining, but instead it just opened the door for horrible camera work and a ton of botches. I seriously think every major spot was botched somewhat. The match starts off with the two brawling in the stands and Lashley goes after Steiner with steel chairs. The two then went back to the ring where they hit various suplexes on each other but overall the match pace slowed down. Steiner hits a Frankensteiner that Lashley almost completely botched and barely made contact with the mat. The two then brawl to the backstage area and the cameras struggle to keep up. We have to wait a bit before getting a camera going backstage. The two start hitting (I use that term lightly) each other with various weapons and Lashley hits a very weak-looking suplex to Steiner through a table. Lashley connects with a super-light shot with a 2×4 before crashing through some plywood while going after Steiner. Steiner chokes out Lashley with a cord before the two go back into the Impact Zone. They fight near a metal scaffolding, which Steiner takes apart. Steiner takes a lead pipe and hits Lashley in the head with it (so lightly that there is barely any impact at all) and Lashley falls down. Steiner pins him for the win. Just a complete mess of a match. Match Rating: 2.5/10

7.    Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe

Thankfully this next match rejuvenated my interest in the PPV. This was definitely the technical match of the year as far as mainstream wrestling goes. This match really had it all and was great from start to finish. It was a bit slow in the beginning with the two simply doing a bunch of submission holds such as hammerlocks, but it quickly got better. Wolfe repeatedly works over the arm of Angle with stomps and a great submission hold.  Angle fights back into it with a flying forearm before hitting six German suplexes in a row. He then goes for the Angle Slam but Wolfe counters with a great arm drag. Wolfe connects with a big lariat but Angle kicks out. He then hits Angle with the Tower of London for another near fall before Angle hits a big lariat of his own. Angle misses a moonsault and Wolfe puts on the London Dungeon. Wolfe goes for a second Tower of London, but Angle counters and Wofle tries for a superplex instead. Angle fights him off and hits a frog splash for a near fall. Both men try for the Tombstone but Angle eventually counters into the Ankle Lock. Wolfe fights out of that hold, but Angle locks in a side triangle choke to force the submission and win the match. Even though Wolfe (aka ROH’s Nigel Mcguinness) didn’t win, Angle put him over big time and the crowd really got into him. This was TNA’s match of the year at its conclusion, but unfortunately it did not hold that title for long. Match Rating: 8.5/10

8.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles(c) vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe

This was a rematch of what many consider to be TNA’s best match of all time back at Unbreakable 2005. While this match wasn’t quite as good as that bout, it came pretty darn close to topping it. This topped Angle/Wolfe as the match of the night and TNA’s match of the year for 2009. Styles opens the match with an assault on both men, but Joe fights back with an enzuigiri and a splash on Styles. Styles and Daniels do some great chain wrestling before Joe reenters the match to go after Styles. Joe hits a high knee to Daniels and puts on a leg hold that is broken up by Styles. Styles hits a suplex to Joe and locks in an inverted Indian death lock which is broken up by Daniels. Daniels hit a ton of moves to Styles before slamming him onto Joe. Daniels puts on a combination Boston Crab/Camel Clutch on both men before Joe fights out of the clutch and hits a urange. More action in the ring ends when Daniels dives outside the ring onto Styles and Joe. Back in the ring, Joe has Daniels in a rear naked choke when Styles does a twisting body press onto both men. Joe powerbombs Styles before working him over with a couple submission holds. Joe gets taken down with an enzuigiri from Daniels and a Pele from Styles. A great spot occurred in the middle when Daniels had Joe in a reverse DDT clutch and Styles came in with a senton on Joe. Styles hits a moonsault into an inverted DDT onto Daniels, but Daniels hits the Last Rites for a near fall that is broken up by Joe. Joe then hits Daniels with a Muscle Buster but Styles breaks up the pin and fights with Joe. Styles and Daniels go for each other’s finishers but are ambushed by Joe. Joe dropkicks Styles to the floor but is caught with an STO and a BME from Daniels. As Daniels goes for the pin, Styles comes out of nowhere with a springboard 450 splash onto both men. Style spins Joe to retain his title in this classic, almost perfect three-way match. Match Rating: 9.5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 8.75/10

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 roughly a year now as well.