Southworth-Sobral, Ludwig-Edwards Set for Strikeforce
Weigh-in Pictures
Nov 21, 2008
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Strikeforce’s weigh-ins featured a lot of nudity Thursday at the Hotel DeAnza in San Jose.
Not unusual, however, as the California State Athletic Commission requested that each fighter take only one shot at the scale. Everyone estimating that they might be over with clothes on was asked to strip and weigh-in behind a towel.
The night’s lone title clash between Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth and challenger Renato "Babalu" Sobral is set with each fighter weighing in at 204 pounds.
Southworth defended his title successfully in June with a unanimous decision over Anthony Ruiz at Strikeforce’s “Melendez vs. Thomson” card. Sobral last saw action against Mike Whitehead at Affliction’s inaugural show in June, also earning the judges’ favor. The initial meeting between Southworth and Sobral had been set for “Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion II,” but it was pushed back due to injuries.
Duane "Bang" Ludwig stepped on the scales at 163 pounds in place of lightweight champion Josh Thomson. Ludwig took the fight on short notice after a broken toe forced Thomson to step out of his revenge match with Yves Edwards.
A muay Thai stylist, Ludwig avenged his loss over Sam Morgan in October for the San Jose-based organization and aims to keep his momentum going against Edwards, who has seen mixed results in his post-UFC career. Once considered the UFC’s top lightweight largely in part to knocking out Thomson, Edwards has posted a 3-3 record since leaving the Octagon and most recently dropped a title opportunity against EliteXC 160-pound champion Karl James Noons. American Top Team’s foremost thug-jitsu artist tipped the scales at 164 pounds.
A middleweight affair between Scott Smith and Terry Martin is also set with Northern California’s Smith weighing in at 185.5, while Chicago’s Martin made the 186-pound maximum.
Smith suffered through a barrage of strikes from Robbie Lawler when he lost his chance to take the EliteXC 185-pound crown in July. Martin rebounded from a knockout loss against Vitor Belfort to knock out Cory Devela in September.
San Francisco’s Luke Stewart came on the scale covered by a towel at 170.5 pounds for his bout with UFC veteran Joe Riggs. The Arizonan stepped down from the middleweight mark he hit in September and made 170.5 pounds this time around in the nude, visibly upset at the commission’s request to strip.
The heavily tattooed Ralph Gracie black belt will get the opportunity he missed in June when he meets Riggs. The California State Athletic Commission halted the initial bout when it denied Riggs licensure on weigh-in day. Each fighter has competed since and ended up on opposite ends of the ledger at “Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion II,” where Riggs suffered a controversial stoppage at the hands of Kazuo Misaki, and Stewart submitted Jesse Juarez via armbar.
The night’s lone female fight pits Kim Couture against Lina Kvokov. Couture came in at 132 pounds, and her Oregonian opponent weighed 133, also in the nude as two females shielded her with a towel.
“Sugar Free” looks to chalk up a win after her husband’s title loss last weekend. Kvokov, who holds the same 0-1 record as Couture, will also attempt to taste her first victory.
The event airs live on HDNet at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Lineup:
Bobby Southworth (204) vs. Renato Sobral (204)
Scott Smith (185.5) vs. Terry Martin (186)
Yves Edwards (164) vs. Duane Ludwig (163)
Joe Riggs (170.5 vs. Luke Stewart (170.5)
Kim Couture (132) vs. Lina Kvokov (133)
Lemont Davis (173) vs. Brian Schwartz (175)
Brad Royster (134) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (136)
Tony Johnson (184) vs. Eric Lawson (185)
Alvin Cacdac (143) vs. Jose Palacios (145)
Bobby Stack (155) vs. Cyrillo Padilha (156)
Zakary Bucia (168) vs. Adam Steel (168)
Kurt Osiander (185) vs. Josh Neal (184)
Nik Theotikos (185) vs. Luke Rockhold (185.5)
