MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Cat--Smasher]

'Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final' results: Cormier downs Barnett for tourney win

'Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final' results: Cormier downs Barnett for tourney win | MMAjunkie.com

An alternate to begin Strikeforce's ambitious heavyweight grand prix, Cormier on Saturday completed his unforeseen run to a tournament win with a one-sided shellacking of Josh Barnett.

And unlike the infamous winner of UFC 3, Cormier's wins over Barnett, Antonio Silva, Jeff Monson and Devin Cole left little doubt as to his validity as a tourney champion.

The Cormier vs. Barnett bout, which took place at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., aired on Showtime and served as the main event of the "Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final."

Complete results from "Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Final" include:
Daniel Cormier def. Josh Barnett via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
Champ Gilbert Melendez def. Josh Thomson via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante def. Mike Kyle via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 0:33
Chris Spang def. Nah-Shon Burrell via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 1:55
Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Guto Inocente def. Virgil Zwicker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Gian Villante def. Derrick Mehmen via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Quinn Mulhern def. Yuri Villefort via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Bobby Green def. James Terry via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

[kingrobert]

Im sure he wont get a shot at the UFC title cause most UFC fans dont know who he is. That being said besides Mir he is the only fighter who has a nice win streak going. He ran right through Barnett who IMO is a top 5 HW.

[Xtremo]

Despite the saying that there will be a final fight, i believe nothing will materialize. I think he will get the jake shields treatment. Appear at a show with Dana and announce he signed yada yada yada. Unless a fighter goes on a tear at sf ala nick diaz or gil melendez...

Even alistair had to still fight one fight before earning a title shot and even he was on a tear, so i doubt cormier gets a shot.

[singinkangaroooo]

seriously??? a UFC title shot?? it makes it seem as if that thing is worth what it was 4 years ago... FFS we have a complete HW main card... can any fan even fathom 4 years ago the UFC having an all HW card?? for you new people thats Randy coming out of retirement and beating Timmah silly.... awesome division at the time >_> <_<

now Cormier looked good tonight but to say he deserves the JDS/Mir winner is silly imo... give him Carwin, Nelson.. i think Werdum would merc him based on his last fight... just someone to prove that although he has some speed that he can contend with good strikers... Barnett just abandoned his jab half way through the first and gave nothing standing besides an occasional knee... lord knows what would happen with the better strikers with good TDD

[The Joker]

I voted no because he needs a few fights to adapt to the UFC cage (I believe the cages are different in size). After he gets a few warm-up fights, I can see him working his way up to a title shot in no time. Hopefully not too long because he's getting up there in age.

[earle]

I think he should still do the final strike force fight.

[joeodd2]

I think this kid is ready for a shot, Barnett is no joke at heavyweight and not to many fighters can do what Daniel Cormier did to Barnett. He was the first man to KO Big Foot Silva, a man with a concrete chin (scientifically it's thicker than most chins due to his disease), and then went on to dominate one of the best catch wrestler's in the world....This kid can hang with the big boys in the UFC. His striking, head movement, footwork, wrestling, and sub defense were all on display that night. It was a breakthrough performance against a legit top ten guy. If it wasn't for Barnett's heart and huge balls, he would have finished the fight earlier. He should get the next shot without question, or at least give him overreem when he returns from suspension.....

[Lesnar_FTW]

I wouldn't complain if he got one, but I think it would be smart for him to get a fight against one of the top UFC HWs first, since he isn't at say a Fedor level where he would have deserved it right away, but the fans don't necessarily know a lot about him. Overeem and Shields needed to come in and get a win first before they got a title shot, so I think it should be the same for Cormier.

[mmawolverine]

i would rather they kajol fedor back to strikeforce for one last fight so that before the farce folds it can have an actual champion DC vs fedor would be great and it would be a fitting end to fedor's career to fight for one last title although he seems content with ending it in russia against rizzo but it makes sense to me.
since they claim the winner of the grandprix needed t ohonor one last fight on showtime it might as well be fedor vs daniel cormier

[The_Icon]

I say give Cormier a fight with Overeem when he returns, it makes sense, they can call it the Strikeforce Heavyweight title fight. If he beats Reem then give him a shot at the UFC title.