Strikeforce has added a pair of bouts to their Columbus card currently scheduled for March 3rd, and one of them is likely to serve as the co-main event. AKA's Mike Kyle is set to face off with former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi, and Conor Heun will meet Ryan Couture. Kyle tweeted about his bout today:
@Mak4afight
Mikekyle @danawhite @Strikeforce it's on march 3 Ohio baby. Mak Kyle and mossasi beast mode gerrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!
Favorite Retweet
Kyle is coming off a decision win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima last September, while Mousasi is 4-0-1 in his last five outings. With King Mo out for a while due to his positive steroid test, it's possible that this bout could decide the new LHW champion. It's more likely that the winner will face someone else for the title down the road though.
Heun picked up a grueling win in his last outing, managing to defeat Magno Almeida by decision despite dislocating his elbow. Couture is 3-1, with all of his prior bouts coming on Strikeforce Challengers cards. The matchup is expected to take place on the preliminary portion of the card.
0 recs | 55 comments
I really really like watching Heun fight
He’s obviously no future champion but so far all of his fights have been more than entertaining.
And even after rewatching it quite a few times I’m convinced he won against Noons
blutspender - January 23, 2012
Heun is gonna crush Couture.
T.C. Engel - January 23, 2012
I agree.
This is strange matchmaking. Couture’s record is 3-1, and the combined record of the three guys he beat is 8-8. He’s very much an entry-level fighter, and I don’t think he belongs in the same cage with Heun.
MichaelDavidSmith - January 23, 2012
Strange Matchmaking = Strikeforce matchmaking
Still, is there anyone else for Couture to fight on the roster? Heun seems to be out of his league at the moment.
discoandherpes - January 23, 2012
I don’t think he belongs in Strikeforce period.. always annoyed me how he got in there with no pro fights, bases solely on his last name. He’s not horrible but he’s not that good either.
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
Yeah no disagreement there
Ryan Couture is more deserving than Kim Couture, but not by much. It’s obvious that Strikeforce signed both of them only because of their last name.
MichaelDavidSmith - January 23, 2012
Yeah, it’s pretty pathetic. I don’t know if it interests your average fan, but for me it doesn’t bring any extra value at all that his dad is Randy. He’s just another guy..
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
It provides the potential for narrative
Not a particularly interesting narrative, mind, and one that immedately vanishes once you realise Ryan just isn’t very good.
wonderfulspam - January 23, 2012
his bjj is decent
but he’s not much of a fighter.
cletusvandam - January 23, 2012
The Coutures will come to the cage like The Machines. We won't know which one is in there with Huen.
memitim - January 23, 2012
I’d be okay with that.
T.C. Engel - January 23, 2012
One of them could be Giant Baba
Damn, I feel old for making that reference.
RobertGBP - January 23, 2012
Agreed
Not that it matters much, but I’ve rolled with Conor a few times over the past week and he is in beast mode. Incredibly technical and tough. Couture is going to get wrecked.
beeran - January 23, 2012
picsoritdidnthappen
T.C. Engel - January 24, 2012
beeran - January 24, 2012
I don’t see any part of MMA where Ryan Couture has an advantage over Heun. Couture’s biggest strength is on the ground, but so is Heun’s, and Heun’s gone up against strong BJJ guys in MMA bouts like Magno Almeida. I think that Heun takes this pretty handily.
chrisbboy82 - January 24, 2012
Couture is going to get hurt.
The Armchair Juggernaut - January 23, 2012 via mobile
Kyle Mousasis has been a fight ive wanted to see in SF for a while
wasn’t it supposed to happen and than Kyle got injured or soemthing or he stepped in for the Big Foot fight
MaZZacare - January 23, 2012
It was set, Kyle got injured, and Jardine took his place.
Chris Groves - January 23, 2012
mousasi vs kyle is a pretty fun fight
should be good.
Tats16 - January 23, 2012
I guess Mousasi vs Feijao made too much sense.
Chris Groves - January 23, 2012
I think with Mo out, they’ll go with something like Feijao/Larkin and the winner gets the winner of this for the title.
Tim Burke - January 23, 2012
So they want to see Larkin viciously knocked out again..
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
yea
Larkin needs more time developing.
Tats16 - January 23, 2012
Definitely, I think it was way too early to throw him in with Mo, it’s going to be the same if they give him Feijao (which I doubt). But that’s what you get in SF when the division is so lacking depth.
How about Larkin – OSP?
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
That's the fight I would have liked initially
Larkin vs OSP and Mo vs Mousasi/Feijao rematch.
And again, Kyle makes more sense as an opponent for Larking than for Mousasi…in my opinion.
Chris Groves - January 23, 2012
I think Kyle is an OK opponent for either guy, although I would still favor him over Larkin at this point. He’s well-rounded with good power, and he’s much bigger than Larkin too.
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
I actually suggest Larkin vs. OSP in a fanpost
Love the idea of that fight.
Feijao vs. Moose Saucy makes the most sense for a title fight.
discoandherpes - January 23, 2012
I think Kyle and Feijao have about the same claim to a title fight at this point.. they both only have one win since KO losses, and Kyle did beat Feijao when they fought like two years ago.
But yes, I would love to see Feijao – Mousasi as well.
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
They are in some sort of weird triangle
If Strikeforce only had another light heavy that was winning to make it a mini tournament
discoandherpes - January 23, 2012
Yes.. that would be pretty neat. I think they used to have someone, black guy, wrestler.. hmm.. got busted for roids though.
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
Oh yeah, what was his name?
Prince Bo?
discoandherpes - January 24, 2012
Hopefully they can get Feijao another win before giving him the Mousasi/Kyle winner for the title.
Feijao vs. Kyle with the winner getting Mousasi would have made more sense to me. Or Feijao fighting the winner of OSP vs. Larkin for a shot (but there’s not enough time for that now).
Bolshevik - January 24, 2012
Maybe he’s still injured?
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
Feijao has been out for a while. I wonder if he’s injured.
chrisbboy82 - January 24, 2012
If mousasi didnt lose to King Roid he’d have like a 20 fight win streak
terzergoss - January 23, 2012
This is actually a great fight! Kyle might be a bastard but he’s a pretty solid fighter, although I think Mousasi should win this one. Should be a good time.
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
Yes, that should be pretty good!
Sweet Scientist - January 23, 2012
It's the perfect
“See if Mousasi is really ready for the big time” kind of fight. If he dominates Kyle, then it’s time to treat him as an elite LHW.
Patrick Wyman - January 23, 2012
Good point. I don’t think Kyle is respected enough though by most people. Hell, he’s not even ranked in the top 25 of the consensus rankings, haha. Meanwhile, Roger Gracie is at #23..
Horselover Fat - January 23, 2012
Definitely
He’s a durable, powerful, big, and relatively well-rounded LHW with some solid wins against good competition. He’s never going to win a title, but he’s about as good as a gatekeeper can possibly be without cracking the actual elite.
Patrick Wyman - January 24, 2012
Yeah, agreed. He came close to knocking out Bigfoot last year, and he does have that win over Feijao too. Definitely a dangerous opponent for basically everyone.
Horselover Fat - January 24, 2012
His well-roundedness
Is what makes him the perfect gatekeeper – you can’t beat Mike Kyle with a massive, glaring hole in your game. Have I talked myself into liking MAK here? I should stop.
Patrick Wyman - January 24, 2012
Haha. Yeah, I don’t like the guy either. But I do have a lot of respect for his skills, you’d have to be either foolish or ignorant not to.
Horselover Fat - January 24, 2012
Also
Lol’ing hard at Roger Gracie.
Patrick Wyman - January 24, 2012
If Mousasi just trained under Greg Jackson or some other equivalent fight camp, wed have the next big breakout star in MMA.
terzergoss - January 23, 2012
sounds like Fedor redux. I agree though, he has all the potential to destroy in the UFC.
Ak.Death - January 23, 2012
He has been spending time at Hayastan. I hope he does a full training camp somewhere here in the US with a top team.
memitim - January 23, 2012
He has been spending time at Hayastan. I hope he does a full training camp somewhere here in the US with a top team.
memitim - January 23, 2012
I thought he had ventured up to Tristar.
Steve W - January 24, 2012 via mobile
After his last fight he said he’d be training at a few places in California because he doesn’t have any real trainers at the moment.
Tim Burke - January 24, 2012
I got Kyle
Mr.Italiano - January 23, 2012
Where is he and how much are you holding him ransom for?
Ak.Death - January 23, 2012
Mousasi better spritz himself down with bitter apple spray
Safety first!
menckenstein - January 24, 2012
He could train at Reign in So Cal..
There are about 5 world reknown camps all within 50 miles of each other that would majorly benefit Mousasi. CSW, Kings MMA (Rafael Cordeiro), Reign (Munoz) and Team Quest.. Most of them focusing mainly on his wrestling weakness.. I believe he becomes a legit threat to Bones if he got the right camp. He beat King Mo from the bottom IMO.. Mo did nothing but hold him down but Mos face told a different story.
gdflsh - January 25, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bloody Elbow to post a comment.