Strikeforce: Voelker vs. Bowling 3 Prelim Results

The Strikeforce Challengers series launched its Las Vegas residency Friday with three entertaining finishes in the first four fights of the night at the Pearl at The Palms.

Lionel Lanham vs. TJ Cook
Two wrestling light heavyweights scrapped like bantamweights in a one-round war that ended with a TKO for Floridian TJ Cook.
Both men attempted high-velocity takedowns, with Greg Jackson student Lionel Lanham scoring the first and landing in half-guard. The two tumbled back to their feet, with one of Cook’s uppercuts stunning Lanham, giving Cook the chance to land several more blows. Cook had answers for all of Lanham’s techniques, scoring with an inside hook when Lanham kneed him from the clinch, but Lanham’s six-inch reach advantage came into play as he began using jabs to bully Cook around the cage.
The pace accelerated in the closing seconds as the two men exchanged furious strikes. One of Cook’s shots landed, sending Lanham to the canvas. As Cook rained down fists, referee Kim Winslow halted the bout at 4:59 of the first. As Lanham recovered, the exhausted Cook was attended to by doctors and helped out of the cage.
This TKO marked Cook’s 15^th win (against 3 losses) as Lanham moves to 3-1.
Ben Lagman vs. Anthony Smith
A slow-paced, but skillful, striking match was put on by Ben Lagman and Anthony Smith until a massive KO gave Smith the win early in the second.
Round one was characterized by the loud thuds of body kicks and whizzing fists as the rangy 185ers tested their range and power against one another. Smith caught one of Lagman’s kicks and put him on his back, but the two quickly bounced up to their feet and continued the kickboxing exhibition.
Lagman’s combinations picked up the pace late in the first, and his dynamism continued in the second… until Smith leapt with a flying knee to force Lagman backward, then followed up with an instant sleeping pill of a right hand. The ref jumped in to stop things at 33 seconds of the 2nd round in what was described by one press row denizen as “a bad ass knockout.”
Just 22 years old, Smith’s record is now 14-6 as a pro on top of 30-plus amateur fights. Lagman drops to 6-2.
Bill Cooper vs. Maka Watson
Twenty-four year old Bill Cooper’s 11 years of BJJ were apparent throughout his round and a half-long bout against (and win over) Vegas-based Hawaiian Maka Watson. Cooper came out with wildly aggressive takedown attempts, and Watson sprawled his way out of them in the first minute but wound up on the ground with Cooper on his back. Hooks firmly in, Cooper spent the next several minutes working for a rear-naked choke and prying Watson’s arm back for an armbar. The lightweights briefly spun and Cooper ended the round transitioning from mount into a locked armbar that could have ended the fight had the clock not run out.
Cooper was more efficient in round two, and after exchanging a few blows with Watson, he squashed his foe against the cage and took his back. After softening Watson up with blows, Cooper sank in the choke. The two fell to the ground and Watson tapped out at 2:39 of the second.
Cooper, who has won more than 30 Grappler’s Quest titles and a UFC Fan Expo bout over Joe Stevenson, kept his perfect pro MMA record intact at 2-0, while Watson’s was lost as he falls to 4-1.
Brian McLaughlin vs. Sterling Ford
Cowboy karate practitioner Sterling Ford made his Strikeforce debut a successful one against AMA Fight Club product Brian McLaughlin.
Each round started off similarly, with the lightweights circling one another, McLaughin landing a few thudding kicks before going for a takedown, scrambling back to the feet and taking his opponent’s back but losing the choke.
Submission specialist McLaughlin spent most of the first round on his back in his corner, scoring with the occasional upkick and trying for sweeps and armbars, while Ford drew blood with calculated and damaging blows from up top.
Round two played out similarly but on the other side of the cage and save one standup from the referee. The seemingly exhausted McLaughlin moved as if underwater, throwing looping punches and pawing at his bloodied face. Ford struggled to find his range, but his strikes remained crisp and damaging throughout, and he ended the second by tagging McLaughlin several times in the face. After three rounds, Sterling Ford was awarded the unanimous decision 30-27, 29-28, and 30-27.
Ford’s win brought him to 13-4, McLaughlin is now 6-2.