DEL ROSARIO TKOS MAHE TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED;
KAUFMAN DEFENDS TITLE WITH DEVESTATING BODY SLAM KNOCKOUT OF MODAFFERI
FRIDAY ON STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS

Photo Credit: Esther Lin / STRIKEFORCE

Shane Del Rosario (white & black trunks) scored a first round TKO
(strikes) over Lolohea Mahe in the first round of the STRIKEFORCE
Challengers main event, Friday on SHOWTIME from Comcast Arena at Everett
in Everett, Wash.

EVERETT, WASH. (July 23, 2010) - Fast-rising heavyweight prospect Shane
Del Rosario kept his perfect record in tact with a first round knockout
over Lolohea Mahe in the main event of Friday' STRIKEFORCE Challengers
MMA event on SHOWTIME(r) from the Comcast Arena at Everett in Everett,
Wash.

Del Rosario (10-0) came out swinging in the first, using his speed as an
advantage over the larger Mahe (6-2-1).  After a short stoppage of time
after an inadvertent low blow to Mahe, Del Rosario pressed his opponent
against the cage and continued with an onslaught of punches and knees.
He used a left knee to the body to wound Mahe and followed up with a
combo causing Mahe to double over in pain.  The referee stopped the
fight at 3:48 of the first round. 

 "I knew he didn't like shots to the body, so I kept hitting the body
until he dropped," said Del Rosario, who hopes to have catapulted
himself into the thick of things in STRIKEFORCE's deep heavyweight
division.  "I've been training really hard and it's finally paying off.
I'm ready to step up the opposition and move on. 

 A wounded Mahe was clearly disappointed with his performance. 

 "He hurt me with the knee to the stomach," Mahe said.  "It just knocked
the air out of me." 

Undefeated Sarah Kaufman (yellow) defended her STRIKEFORCE Women's
Welterweight World Title with an impressive third round body slam
knockout of Roxanne Modafferi in Friday's co-main event.

In the co-main event, undefeated Sarah Kaufman defended her STRIKEFORCE
Women's Welterweight World Championship with a thrilling third round
knockout of challenger Roxanne Modafferi. 

In a hard-fought, technical match, Kaufman (12-0) stole the show and
emerged victorious with an impressive body slam at 4:45 of the third
round.  Modafferi (15-6) seemed to win the first round, but Kaufman came
out blazing in the second, finishing the round with a flurry of punches.
The highlight-reel body slam brought the crowd to its feet and ended the
title defense in dramatic fashion.

 "I got a knockout," Kaufman said.  "It feels good to get the KO and to
impress.  She was really good at the take downs, but I could feel her
getting tired.  The opportunity was there with the body slam and I took
advantage of it."

Bobby Voelker (white) shocked the crowd and local favorite Cory Devela
with a hard-fought, split decision victory.

Bobby Voelker (22-8) emerged victorious with a split decision victory
over local fan favorite Cory Devela (9-5).  The first round was close
but Devela seemed to be the aggressor in the second even though he was
on the bottom of the action.  The hometown crowd was surprised when the
scores were announced following the third, 29-28 Devela, 29-28 Voelker,
29-28 Voelker. 

 "I should have been better," Voelker said.  "I always want to finish my
opponent.  It just shows I need to go back and work on my game.  I
didn't anticipate him to fight in the clinch like that - that surprised
me." 

 Devela, who had taken a year off from the cage to help his girlfriend
battle cancer, disagreed with the decision.

 "I was surprised, I thought I had it," Devela said.  "Even when I was on
the ground I thought I was working on submissions.  I just shouldn't
have left it up to the judges.

 "He had a lot of control in the second, but I thought I was still
active. I thought I would have come away with the decision. Nothing
against him - but I'd like to do this fight again." 

Mike Kyle (black) submitted previously once-beaten Abongo Humphrey (red)
with a rear naked choke in the second round of their light heavyweight
match.

In the second fight of the evening, Mike "Mak" Kyle (17-7-1) won his
fifth straight fight with a first round submission (rear naked choke) of
Abongo Humphrey (7-2) in a light heavyweight matchup. 

 Kyle threw solid combos throughout the fight, tiring Humphrey and
getting him into positions where he was susceptible to submissions and a
barrage of punches.  The win may enter Kyle into consideration to
challenge the winner of "King" Mo Lawal's STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight
Title defense against Rafael Feijao, who Kyle defeated in 2009.

 "I stayed calm and relaxed and I knew I was in great shape," Kyle said.
"He gave me that choke - he gassed out. 

 "I never gave up when a lot of people thought I should.  This is just a
stepping stone for me. I'm waiting for a lot of things to open up.  When
I'm blessed with the opportunity, I'll be ready for it."

 Humphrey, who suffered only his second career loss, knew he made some
mistakes. 

 "I didn't execute my game plan at all," Humphrey said.  "I dropped my
hands a couple of times. It was just bad all the way around.  He's a
good fighter - I give him a lot of respect.  I'll just live to fight
another day. 

Fan favorite Caros Fodor (white trunks) defeated Thomas Diagne via
unanimous decision in the opening fight of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers
telecast.

In the opening fight of the telecast, hometown favorite Caros Fodor
(3-0, 1 NC) dominated Thomas Diagne (1-2) en route to an impressive
unanimous decision victory.  Fodor, who lives and trains in nearby
Kirkland under MMA legend Matt Hume, consistently went for the clinch
then attempted the takedowns and submissions. 

 The undefeated prospect couldn't complete the submission attempts and
was disappointed in earning his first decision victory. 

 "I should have gone for the submission more when I had them," Fodor
said.  "Tonight, against his style, I was a little patient.  I wasn't
100 percent, but it was still great to earn the victory in front of my
hometown fans. No excuses, but I should have submitted him."
 

Friday's fights will re-air on Tuesday, July 27 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on
SHO 2 and will be available On Demand from July 26 until August 8.
______________________________________________________________________

Complete STRIKEFORCE Challengers Results:

 Main Card

Shane Del Rosario def. Lolohea Mahe - TKO (strikes) - Round 1 (3:48)

Sarah Kaufman def. Roxanne Modafferi - KO (body slam) - Round 3 (4:45)

Bobby Voelker def. Cory Devela - Split Decision - 29-28 Devela, 29-28
Voelker, 29-28 Voelker

Mike Kyle def. Abongo Humphrey - Sub (rear naked choke) - Round 2(3:28)

Caros Fodor def. Thomas Diagne - Unanimous Decision (30-27, three times)

 

Preliminary Card:

Brent "Mankill" Knopp def. Ryan Hayes - TKO (punches) - Round 2 (:55)

CJ March def. Taurean "Black" Washington - Unanimous Decision

Drew "The Eternal Fire" Brokenshire def. Jordan Macklin - Submission
(Guillotine choke) - Round 1 (2:26)

"Psycho" Scott McDonald  def. Doug Kay - Submission - Round 1 (2:09)

Brewster The Rooster" Inman def. Quincy Spruill - Submission - Round 1
(3:57)

Jamen "Chainsaw" Olney def. Jordan Currie - Unanimous Decision

John Elam def. Frankie Orr - Split Decision   

Wendel Horton def. Keith Mortuiccio - TKO (1:43)

 

 About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a
world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday,
March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the
first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state
history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion
Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at
San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of
18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the
exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12
years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion,
the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with "Shamrock
vs. Gracie."  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of
STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment
(SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation
aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.  In March
2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME(r) to
stage live events on the premium cable television network.  The
promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS
Television Network.
 

CONTACT:

STRIKEFORCE                       

Mike Afromowitz (917) 566-8754, mafromowitz@strikeforce.com

Showtime Networks Inc.         

Chris DeBlasio (212) 708-1633, chris.deblasio@showtime.net   
                                                                                                                                           Annie Van Tornhout (212) 708-1663, annie.vantornhout@showtime.net

Brener Zwikel & Associates   

Matt Donovan (818) 462-5613, MattD@bzapr.com

John Beyrooty (562)233-7477, Johnnybey@aol.com                         


 

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