Strikeforce returned to CBS last night with a great card of MMA action. The event was held at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The televised card included four fights:
- Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdun
- Gegard Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou
- Jake Shields vs. Jason Miller
- Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdun started the action with a three round fight that went to the judge's cards. Silva demonstrated more aggression early in the fight by landing some heavy punches. Werdun was knocked down several times as a result. However, Werdun was able to use his superior ground skills and had a few submission attempts. The judges scored the fight unanimously for Werdun 29-28.
The second fight of the broadcast featured an exciting knockout. Light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi was able to finish off the athletic Sokoudjou in the second round by way of strikes to the head.
Jake Shields fought Jason Miller in a battle for the vacant middleweight title. Miller was almost able to win near the end of the third round when he had Shields in a rear naked choke. The choke was in very tight, but Shields was saved by the bell at the end of the round. Miller seemed to be the more aggressive puncher during the fourth and fifth rounds, but Shields was able to get numerous takedowns in the second half of the fight. The fight went all five scheduled rounds with the judges giving Shields the victory.
The main event of the night featured Fedor Emelianenko, the former heavyweight champion of the now defunct Pride organization. UFC President Dana White made numerous attempts to sign Emelianenko before he signed with Strikeforce. Emelianenko has also fought in another now defunct organization named Affliction.
Fedor's opponent was Brett Rogers, a rising star in the heavyweight division. Rogers had been undefeated before his fight with Fedor. In the first round, Rogers was able to bloody Emelianenko's nose with his punches. However, Emelianenko landed a viscious punch to the chin of Rogers in the second round which caused referee "Big Jon" McCarthy to end the fight.
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