Domination is a word that is quickly thrown about in sports, and sometimes not in the best light. At Strikeforce: Rousey versus Kaufman we saw what may become the foremost demonstration of dominance within the sport of mixed martial arts. In less than one minute, Rousey dispatched a former champion with her patented takedown to mount to arm bar series. Going forward, Strikeforce matchmakers are going to have their work cut out for them, for not only Rousey, but the majority of the winners from this event.
Ronda Rousey vs. Invicta’s Top Candidates
Before you turn your head and scoff at the idea, ask yourself, “Who else is available?” Cristiane Santos was the female version of the Incredible Hulk as she smashed the opponents that were put in front of her, but her suspension has her out of the cage until December, which would put a grudge match with Rousey on the shelf until 2013. Beyond that, Strikeforce doesn’t have the roster to present a fresh challenger to their champion. However, it would be interesting to see what type of partnership Zuffa would allow Strikeforce to form with Invicta in order to keep their prized star in front of fans.
Zuffa has taken a liking to Rousey and have said good things about what Invicta is doing for women’s MMA. Strikeforce, albeit before their Zuffa purchase, has worked with outside promotions to bring over top stars. This is an opportunity to continue that practice while not working against the monopoly that the UFC has gained on the men’s side of the sport. Names such as Liz Carmouche, Marloes Coenen, and Sara McMann are putting on good shows under their banner, and the money fight against Rousey would be an easy sell to any of those women. And when you look at what other options are available, there are few others on the table.
Ronaldo Souza vs. Luke Rockhold
This may be one of the only champion versus challenger bouts that Strikeforce can make in any of its divisions. Souza put a powerful stamp on his position in the division when he bounced Derek Brunson’s head off the mat in just 41 seconds, and the Brazilian grappling champion is now at the front of the line of potential challengers in the 185-pound division. This bout would be a rematch of their contest from last September that saw Rockhold take the title away from “Jacare.” Skill wise, neither individual has progressed too much since their first confrontation, but “Jacare” has been calling for the rematch, and now he has earned it with a highlight reel knockout.
Ovince St. Preux vs. Mike Kyle
At 205 pounds there isn’t much to get excited about within Strikeforce. The division currently does not have a champion, and the organization hasn’t made much of an effort to showcase anyone who could potentially be seen as the front runner for that bout. St. Preux pushed himself towards the front of the group when he landed a short hook that dropped T.J. Cook in the third round. The former college football standout has continued to improve since moving over into MMA, and this was a nice return to the win column after being outclassed by Gegard Mousasi. For his next fight, he should be matched against Mike Kyle, to give him a challenge against an established fighter who is not one of the elite fighters within the division.
Kyle isn’t a superstar in the sport, but he has been a consistent fighter when staying at 205, rather than bouncing back and forth to heavyweight. He would be a good test for St. Preux, to see how far he has continued to develop as a fighter, as Kyle is an intelligent fighter that can present a solid game plan, while also possessing a skill set that can help him weather the Knoxville MMA fighter’s strengths.
Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman was an enjoyable card for MMA fans. While the organization continues to struggle with matchmaking that can develop stars in its remaining divisions, these suggestions could help the promotion create stars, and move storylines forward.
