Strikeforce Title Shot Likely for Robbie Lawler-Renato “Babalu” Sobral Winner
The winner of Wednesday’s “Strikeforce: Los Angeles” 195-pound catchweight main event between middleweight contender Robbie Lawler and former light heavyweight champ Renato “Babalu” Sobral will likely earn a title shot, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Wednesday during a conference call to promote the Showtime-televised card.
“[Lawler-Sobral] is going to have a lot of implications,” Coker said. “If ‘Babalu’ wins and looks good, he will be first in line for a matchup against ‘King Mo’ (Muhammed Lawal). Robbie, if he wins the fight, will be first in line to have a title shot at 185 against ‘Jacare’ (Ronaldo Souza). Normally, we don’t put those fights out there, but I just wanted to let everyone know that this fight will have consequences.”
According to Coker, the promotion’s plans depend on whether free agent middleweight champ Jake Shields opts to sign with the UFC as expected or re-signs with Strikeforce, but should be set in the coming weeks.
“[A middleweight tournament] is still to be determined. It hasn’t been mapped out 100 percent, but we’ll probably have an announcement in the next 10 days or so,” Coker continued. “It depends on how things shake out with Jake (Shields). If we end up in a situation where we’re looking for a 185-pound champion, I think Jacare would be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the slot.”
With a drop to middleweight likely in the near future, Sobral said he has little desire to fight Lawal and would prefer a fight with Dan Henderson or Gegard Mousasi.
“If the question is ‘are we looking for a fight with Mo,’ with all do respect, the answer is no because of our relationship with Mo,” Sobral’s manager, Richard Wilner, said. “If that’s the fight on the table because the fans are clamoring for it, then we’ll do what we have to do. If the question is ‘who do we want to fight,’ I could easily answer that question – and the answer is Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi.”
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Pictured: Robbie Lawler
Tags: Muhammed Lawal, Renato Sobral, Robbie Lawler, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza
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Can an organization create a new weight class (here 195) and have a belt for it, or is it the athletic commissions that have to do it?
I believe the athletic commission has to create it, however I think Elite XC created their own when they had the 160 weight class. If fights are allowed at catch weights I suppose having a belt for it isn’t a big deal.
Not really sure on that one.
Hey, Babalu…how’d that fight with Mousasi work out for you last time?
Certainly sounds like Coker expects Shields to leave…
Sounds like he’s wishing it will happen Justin . Jake Shields is a good MMA fighter and his streak has been impressive , but he is boring to watch for the casual fan . When we got together at my place for the Shields-Henderson fight there were a few people who made the comment “is that all this guy does is wrestle ? ” . I personally like his fights and appreciate the technical aspect of what he’s doing but is a hard sell to the general public .
He was also pounding the hell out of Henderson’s face for a while. Stop watching MMA with the unwashed masses. You just come out dirty on the other side.
People say the same thing about GSP. Most people don’t appreciate the technicality of whats going on. I’d love to see Jake fight GSP, just for the simple fact that Jake might be the only guy GSP won’t dominate on the ground.
I think he will dominate him of course, but I think of all the would-be opponents who have an answer for his attack, I think it would be Shields. Either way, GSP would beat him on the ground or standing up.
Jake Shields had 9 straight TKO’s and Subs under the Unified Rules, Strikeforce does not allow ELBOWS.
Add to that Shields went up 15lbs to get credible opponents, and has dominated 2 consensus Top 5 Middleweights and a Top 20 MW.
Strangling Robbie Lawler in the first and beating on a very tough Dan Henderson.
Yes 2 of Jake’s last 12 fights have gone the distance, but he was fighting above his natural weight against highly ranked opponents.
Check out your favorite fighters and see how often they went to decision with all the tools of the Unified Rules.
I’m pretty sure Coker has expected Shields to leave since he agreed to be a TUF coach and has received so much public praise from Dana White…
;-)
This is just another thing STrikeforce is doing to make them look like a joke! IMO. How do you award the winner of a catch weight fight a title shot?
you are either very new to the sport or you dont think about what you are saying!!!
1. if another thing refers to the shot that rogers got after losing to fedor!!
you might want to remember that he looked good against fedor, had been crushig everyone like carwin! just knocked the former ufc champion who wa still no.8 on the rankings.
then think about when the ufc gave randy couture 4 title shots after losses. and hadnt even ben fighting in that class 1 of the times.
2. ever heard of a guy named vitor belfort he was given the title shotat 185 after fighting ace[who has failed miserably every time he goses aganist a top tier fighter= spider ko twice, hendo-fail,vitor-fail,machida head knocked off- ko]
so belforts last 3 fights in the ufc tito loss at 205, randy couture loss at 205. ace win at195. 1-2 and no fights at 185. SO WHAT QUAILIFIES HIM FOR A SHOT AT 185 MW BELT?????????
relax buddy dana will still let you buy his 55 dollar cards even if you like sf!!! last time i checked sf was showing us alot young stars, pretty much free cards[$8 showime 6 channels great shows and movies] and normally 2 cards a month. i love mma more the better. just signed 2 beast in jz and the rusian guy i wont even try to spell.
POINT IS WELET THE UFC GROW- DONT BE A HATER. LOVE=ALL MMA.
Settle down there glassboy! You make some good points but saying that Strikeforce is showing us good young talent is proof that maybe you need to think before you speak! Cause in my opinion guys that got cut from the UFC and other organizations aren’t good young talent. I enjoy watching Strikeforce and other orgs but come on comparing the guys Brett Rogers fought to the guys that Carwin has fought is ridiculous. I know Avco well and believe me he is not new to the sport as a matter of fact he has been in the cage many times!
Again I say you have some good points and I agree we need to support all MMA but don’t come on and give a guy crap for his opinion.
well the truth is they are bring up the most talent of any of the orgs.ever heard of the challenger series.
ever heard of kennedy,cormier,woodley, shane,rockhold. and what are you talking about carwin knocked out mir. thats it!! gonzaga wow werdum wrecked him twice just as quick. gonzaga loses every big fight! rest are no namers to the avg fan!! and i never said rogers was as good or even good but when somebody is coming up inthe ranks and beating everyone quick you spot light them.
and alot them were cut from other tings then taLENT!!!!
werdum asked for mor money.
diaz wasnt because of his fighting performance
aa money and wanting to fight fedor
hendo wasnt cut asked forr o much and w mad about titleshot
miller was wanted back was neve cut and he didnt want to work 4 dana!!!
who are you even talking about scott smith- i like seeing him fight.
Belfort also beat several fighters at 185 before coming to the UFC.
your totally right i mean if vitor can lose to hendo and then beat terry “im always on the wrong side of the highlight reel” martin and old man linland then he should get a titleshot at 185 and then 205 right after!!!! lol hahaha
just jokin but seriously all orgs do stuff that doent seem right. this was not to discredit vitor in any way!!! great 185er-ok 205er
Smart for Strikeforce to feature the one weightclass where they have some serious depth.
Not a big believer in MMA tourneys, but if Bellator can make it work, then there is no reason that SF shouldn’t be able to as well…