From Promma.info:

Within minutes of being released from his UFC obligations, Jorge Gurgel signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce out of San Jose, California.

When asked about his transition from UFC to Strikeforce, Jorge said “I am very very excited to part of Strikeforce and given a chance to fight new blood and capture a belt. UFC has been my family for a few years now but I am ready for the next chapter. There are some amazing contenders in my weight class including Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez. I will do whatever it takes to climb to the top of this league.”

I hope that Gurgel makes a change in his fighting approach. We all appreciate the stand up wars that Gurgel gets into, but it is a horrible strategy when a fighter is as skilled on the ground as Gurgel is.

I am not sure how Gurgel will fare, because the Strikeforce lightweight division is almost as stacked as the UFC's. The top tier there are better than most of the fighters that Gurgel has lost to. I hope he will be able to adapt his fighting style and succeed in Strikeforce.

MMA Weekly recently contacted the California State Athletic Commision in order to get the specifics of the Strikeforce "Destruction" show and came across this bit of news in regards to the drug tests at the show.

A CSAC representative said no drug testing had been conducted for Strikeforce "Destruction" on Friday, Nov. 21st.

"I've cancelled all drug testing across the board while I revamp the entire process from start to finish," Mr. Douglas wrote in an email. "I expect the new and improved program to roll out next week."

I don't understand why they didn't just follow the normal procedure until they get the "new and improved" program up and running. It just seems odd considering the CSAC has been the hardest commission on testing. Well, at least they realize that they had an issue and are trying to resolve it.

SAN JOSE, Calif. —A special 30 minute episode featuring a collection of the 10 greatest knockouts in Strikeforce mixed martial arts (MMA) history will premiere on NBC Saturday night.

The all-new “Strikeforce on NBC” episode will showcase the handiwork of some of Strikeforce’s most lethal competitors, including reigning world middleweight (185 lb. limit) champion, Cung Le; two-time world MMA champion, Frank Shamrock; and superstars Kazuo “The Grabaka Hitman” Misaki and Duane “Bang” Ludwig.

OFFICIAL RESULTS (from a Strikeforce Press Release):

• Bobby Stack def. Cyrillo Padilha via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Eric Lawsen def. Tony Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 1:28
• Kurt Osiander def. Josh Neal via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 2:16
• Brian Schwartz def. Lamont Davis via TKO (punch) -- Round 3, 2:22
• Scott Smith def. Terry Martin via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 0:24
• Renato "Babalu" Sobral def. Bobby Southworth via TKO (cut) -- Round 1, 5:00
• Duane Ludwig def. Yves Edwards via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Kim Couture def. Lina Kvokov via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 1:44
• Joe Riggs def. Luke Stewart via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 2:05
• Luke Rockhold def. Nik Theotikos via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 3:06
• Darren Uyenoyama def. Brad Royster via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Alvin Cacdac def. Jose Palacios via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 2, 3:10
• Zakary Bucia def. Adam Steele via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 1, 0:35

Terry Martin has to learn not to get knocked out. He is the man to fight if you need a highlight for your resume.

San Jose, CA. —Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-5) weighed in at 185 ½ lbs. and his opponent, Terry Martin (18-5), tipped the scales at 186 lbs. one day before their meeting at Strikeforce “Destruction,” the mixed martial arts mega-event at San Jose’s HP Pavilion.

Strikeforce World Light Heavyweight (205 lb. limit) Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) and his opponent, Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7), both registered in at 204 lbs. Knockout artists and opponents Duane “Bang” Ludwig (17-8) and Yves Edwards (34-14-1) weighed in at 163 lbs. and 164 lbs, respectively.

The following are the official fighter weights from today’s weigh-ins at Hotel DeAnza:

185 lb. limit:
Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith – 185.5 lbs.
Terry Martin – 186 lbs.

205 lb. limit:
Bobby Southworth – 204 lbs.
Renato “Babalu” Sobral – 204 lbs.

164 lb. limit:
Duane “Bang” Ludwig – 163 lbs.
Yves Edwards – 164 lbs.

133 lb. limit:
Kim “Sugar Free” Couture – 132 lbs.
Lina Kvokov – 133 lbs.

170 lb. limit:
Joe “Diesel” Riggs – 170.5 lbs.
Luke Stewart – 170.5 lbs.

135 lb. limit:
Brad Royster – 134 lbs.
Darren “Bone Crusher” Uyenoyama – 136 lbs.

185 lb. limit:
Nik Theotikos – 185.5 lbs.
Luke Rockhold – 185.5 lbs.

170 lb. limit:
Zakary Bucia – 169 lbs.
Adam Steele – 168 lbs.

145 lb. limit:
Alvin Cacdac – 143 lbs.
Jose Palacios – 145 lbs.

175 lb. limit:
Lemont Davis – 173 lbs.
Brian Schwartz – 175 lbs.

185 lb. limit:
Josh Neal – 184 lbs.
Kurt “Rhino” Osiander – 185 lbs.

155 lb. limit:
Bobby Stack – 155 lbs.
Cyrillo Padilha – 156 lbs.

185 lb. limit:
Tony Johnson – 184 lbs.
Eric Lawson – 185 lbs.

HP Pavilion doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for Strikeforce “Destruction” and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. The main card will commence at 7:30 p.m.

The live HDNet telecast of Strikeforce “Destruction” will begin at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST).

SAN JOSE, Calif. — There isn’t another fighter in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) whose physical appearance coincides with his character more so than that of Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7). At 33 years of age, the Brazilian native and Jiu-Jitsu black belt has firmly ingrained in the minds of his followers a look and demeanor that, coupled together, amount to a pretty startling and somewhat scary individual.

Less than a week out from his long-awaited showdown with Strikeforce World Light Heavyweight (205 lb. limit) Champion, Bobby Southworth (9-5), a notorious rogue in his own right, Sobral is spewing words indicating his firm intention to humble the defending crown holder.

“Bobby called me out and I gladly accepted the challenge,” said Sobral. “On Friday, the world will learn what Bobby already knows – that this was the biggest mistake of his career.”

Over the years he has spent mastering his craft, Sobral has produced more than his share of submissions. Given what seems to be a disproportionate training schedule, leaning heavily towards western boxing, that he has maintained for this bout, though, all signs indicate that the challenger will attempt to keep the fight standing and let his hands fly.

“I’m going to be looking for the knockout,” said Sobral, who has been putting in hours upon hours of work with former world championship boxing contender, Justin Fortune. Sobral hooked up with Fortune shortly after relocating from Brazil to the Los Angeles area. “If I have to break my hand on his face, I will.”

Despite the tough talk directed at his opponent, Sobral is a man with a soft side – especially when it comes to kids. At his brand new, state of the art gym in Cerritos, he is insistent upon instructing nearly all of the children’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes.

“It is important to me that they receive the best instruction possible so that they learn the fundamentals of this art,” he said. “I want to share with them something that has been a guiding force in my life.”

When the subject of conversation turns back to Friday’s showdown with Southworth, though, Sobral becomes all business again.

“I will be a100 percent and I’m going to push the pace. I will be very aggressive in this fight.”

SAN JOSE, Calif. — A showdown between hard hitting middleweights (185 lb. limit) Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-5) and Terry Martin (18-5) has been added to Strikeforce “Destruction,” the star-studded mixed martial arts (MMA) fight card that will unfold at San Jose’s HP Pavilion on Friday, November 21st.

“This is one of the those matchups where there’s no chance it won’t be a great fight,” said the 29-year-old Smith, a Sacramento native who has been eager to return to the cage since his loss to Robbie Lawler in the main event of the live CBS televised MMA fight card on July 26th.

“A fight like Terry Martin – ever since I’ve watched him fight, I always thought he’d be an exciting fight for me. I like taking on guys that bring it and like to fight.”
Despite the short notice he was given for the meeting with Martin, Smith claims he will enter the fight in better condition that he did for the meeting with Lawler as he had already been preparing for a bout on November 8th that was subsequently canceled.

“My teammates said you got to stick in there and be ready to fight at any time and that’s what I did. I think fighting two weeks later is better for me and is perfect timing.”

Smith has become distinguished in the sport of MMA for his undying commitment to becoming a complete fighter with superior skills in all ranges of combat. His devotion is perhaps best exemplified through the five hours he spends on the road, three times each week, in order to train with one of the world’s top Muay Thai kickboxing trainers, Ganyao Fairtex, who is based out of San Francisco.

It is the kickboxing skills he has nurtured under Fairtex for the last three years that Smith believes will be critical to his success against Martin.

“He’s a better boxer and I’m a better kickboxer,” said Smith. “I want to keep the fight standing. I know he likes to stand and bang so it’s looking to be a slugfest.”
While Smith is looking to rebound from a defeat, the heavy handed Martin is seeking his second straight win. The 28-year-old made a splash debut with Strikeforce by scoring a one punch knockout on rising star Cory “The One” Devela during the promotion’s second event at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills on September 20th.

“Cory Devela was a tough guy and he fought a good fight. I just wanted to show people that I’ve got knockout power in both my hands,” said Martin. “I’m looking to come out and bang in this fight, too.”

Martin is a testament to human fortitude and one’s ability to overcome a troublesome past. A former gang member, he survived five gunshot wounds that nearly took his life at age 15 on the streets of his native Chicago, Illinois, and has since earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and pursued a dual career in professional boxing and MMA. He is on his way to receiving a master’s degree in psychology.

“When I was in the hospital recovering, I was around people who were shot in the same places as me, but who couldn’t walk or who lost their limbs as a result of what happened,” explained Martin of what drove him to make such drastic changes in his life. “Some of them even passed away. That really made me think twice and start hanging out in a different environment.”

Martin’s determination and spirit caught the eye of another Chicago-based MMA champion in “Mr. International” Shonie Carter while Martin was wrestling competitively for his soon-to-be alma mater. Carter introduced Martin to the local MMA scene and, soon after, a new career was born.

Amongst the notches under Martin’s belt are wins over top contenders Chael Sonnen, Ivan Salaverry, and Jorge Rivera.

“Fighting has always been a part of me. I come from a fightin’ family,” said Martin. “You have to be aggressive to make it in MMA. I’m aggressive and agile and I think I have a very entertaining style.”

SI.com's Josh Gross is reporting that Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson has torn ligaments in his foot and will be unable to defend his belt Nov. 21 against Yves Edwards on Strikeforce's "Destruction" card. Gross confirmed the injury with Strikeforce president Scott Coker. Coker also said that Thomson will likely be replaced by Duane "Bang" Ludwig.

From Sherdog.com:

The California State Athletic Commission has assigned “Big” John McCarthy a referee’s position at Strikeforce “Destruction” on Nov. 21 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

“I missed doing it,” said McCarthy. “Sometimes when you walk away from something and you think it’s time, once you’re away you realize what you’re missing –- it’s kind of like why guys come back to fighting. It’s what I like doing. It’s what I was meant to do.”

Great news for the sport of MMA. Big John is a class act and a great referee. My only wish is that he could officiate the upcoming heavyweight title match between Couture and Lesnar.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Kim Couture, wife of mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, will make her Strikeforce MMA cage fighting debut against Lina Kvokov in a 130 lb. limit contest at San Jose’s HP Pavilion on Friday, November 21st.

The 32-year-old Couture recently reaffirmed her commitment to becoming a pioneer of women’s MMA competition by adding none other than K-1 superstar and three-time world kickboxing champion, Ray “Sugarfoot” Sefo, to her stable of elite trainers.

According to Couture, the experience with Sefo, a veteran of 74 professional fights and a winner over several other all-time K-1 greats during his stellar 13-year professional fighting career, has, thus far, opened her eyes to a new world that embodies technical excellence while fighting aggressively on foot.

“I like his style,” said Couture, a martial artist of five years. “He’s very explosive and aggressive. He doesn’t wait around and look for openings. He creates them.”

Her upcoming appearance, the second MMA start of her career, will provide Couture with an opportunity to change the opinions of critics who watched her endure a beating at the hands of Kim Rose at Las Vegas, Nevada’s Thomas and Mack Center on June 20, 2008.

“Losing that fight was the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Couture who, despite sustaining considerable punishment, went the three round distance with Rose before losing a unanimous judges’ decision. “It’s completely changed me as a fighter. I’ve started doing things a lot different. It made me realize that I have to be the aggressor or I’m going to get hurt.”

As Vice President of Xtreme Couture, her husband’s Las Vegas-based fight facility, Couture maintains a hectic work schedule that includes managing several of the camp’s fight team members. However, she is also religious about training twice daily. Randy serves as her wrestling coach while Gil Martinez provides her with boxing instruction and Robert Drysdale oversees her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training.

“I plan to show how well-rounded I am in this fight,” said Couture. “I’m going to be more aggressive and more explosive. There’s not anywhere the fight can go that I won’t be prepared because I feel like I’ve got the toughest camp and the best coaches.”

While she may make an effort to be the aggressor in the fight, fans can expect Couture’s opponent to utilize a similar strategy.

“I’m an A-type personality so of course I’m aggressive,” said Kvokov, a 33-year-old native of Portland, Oregon, whose meeting with Couture will also be her second professional start and an opportunity to even her record to 1-1 after being submitted with an arm bar by Tamara Parks in the opening round of their matchup on April 3, 2008.

“I don’t know Kim Couture, but I’ve heard a lot of great things and have a lot of respect for her so I’m really looking forward to going in there and banging it out with her.”

Kvokov’s history confirms that she has a strong competitive nature as well as a high tolerance for risk. After all, it was only 10 months ago that she initially engaged in formal martial arts training, something that she was introduced to by Strikeforce veteran, Matt Horwich.

Shortly after becoming a student, prize fighting seemed like a natural fit, according to Kvokov, a mother of four children. To accommodate the deep commitment that MMA fight training requires of its competitors, she proceeded to make drastic sacrifices, which included dropping out of law school in her second year of studies.

“I just think that it’s such a great thing, being able to beat someone up and get paid for it,” chuckled Kvokov. “I can’t think of a better way to earn a living.”