The middleweight cycle isn’t over quite yet. Just because the UFC isn’t at the top of the banner this weekend, that doesn’t mean you can’t sit back and watch some interesting mixed martial arts. Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy is set for Saturday, and the main event pits two of the best middleweights outside of the UFC against one another in a battle for the Strikeforce middleweight title belt.
Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Kennedy is a fight that has needed to happen for an extended period of time. These two were due to face off back in March of 2011, but for reasons that were never disclosed, the fight was canceled. Instead, Rockhold would go on to win the title from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in September, after having been away from the sport for more than a year because of injuries. It was expected that Rockhold’s first defense would come against Kennedy, but then rumors started to swirl that the former military sniper had been plucked from Strikeforce and moved over to the UFC. While those rumors turned out to be false, Rockhold was matched instead against Keith Jardine, whom he defeated soundly.
Kennedy spent 2011 waiting in the wings, defeating Robbie Lawler and Melvin Manhoef. The rumors that he was moved to the UFC had no merit, but he was still forced to sit on the sidelines and wait for this bout to come together. Now that it is here, this bout for the Strikeforce middleweight title is much more important than it would have been if these two fighters faced each other in 2011.
Kennedy and Rockhold are on the outside looking in, when it comes to the conversation over who should face Anderson Silva next. They’ve both made it very clear that they want to face the best in their weight class. However, it’s obvious that the best fighters at middleweight are not in Strikeforce. So do either one of these individuals truly believe that he can call for a shot against Silva, when he has spent the most prominent part of his career toiling away in the lesser organization?
Rockhold is specimen, who shares many similarites with the newest “next big thing” in mixed martial arts, Chris Weidman. He’s a two-time World Jiu-Jitsu champion who has transitioned over to MMA very well. Eight of his nine victories have come by finishing his opponent – six by submission. What’s even more impressive is that all eight of those wins have come in the first round. While many will say that it’s not the same level of competition as fighters in the UFC, the fact is that Rockhold walks through whoever is placed in front of him. He needs to begin making as much noise as possible to convince Zuffa to take him out of Strikeforce’s hexagon, and place in into the Octagon, where he can prove that he’s exactly what he claims to be.
Kennedy is the other side of the coin. At 32 years of age, he’s enjoyed an eleven-year career that ran concurrently with service in the armed services. We’ve seen how much the “American Hero” persona has helped Brian Stann and his rise to stardom; the same could be said for Kennedy. He failed in his first shot at the title in 2010, when he lost a close decision to Souza, but since then he’s been considered the number one or two contender to the Strikeforce belt.
This is a very captivating fight because Kennedy and Rockhold are very similar. Grapplers at heart with substantial striking ability, these two fighters will be able to mix it up wherever the fight goes on in the cage. Rockhold has the resume to claim the advantage on the ground, but Kennedy is no slouch either. On the feet, they both have the ability to attack and defend effectively, as Rockhold does a sound job mixing in kicks to control the range, while Kennedy uses footwork and boxing. This fight could become something special. Whenever you put two fighters together with the skill sets and the drive to prove their worth to the sport, the potential for a great fight grows exponentially.
Rockhold vs. Kennedy is a bout that mixed martial arts fans should not miss. The winner of this bout will have to stand on the mountaintop and make as much noise as possible to get his shot in the UFC, but they both have the ability to make some noise in the UFC’s middleweight division. Whether or not these men get their wish, and one of them earns the opportunity to challenge the greatest fighter of all time, this battle of world class fighters will still decide which of the two can hold his head high, and keep his star shining bright, even if it is on the smaller stage that is the Strikeforce cage.
