
As almost everyone expected,
Gegard Mousasi bloodied and battered
Keith Jardine on Saturday night's Strikeforce card. But as almost no one expected, Jardine showed a tremendous amount of toughness, Mousasi had a point deducted for an illegal kick, and the result was a majority draw.
It was a mess of a fight, with Jardine's face becoming a bloody mess and the referee calling a halt to the action three separate times: Once for an illegal kick, once for a low blow and once because Mousasi's mouthpiece fell out. One judge scored the fight 29-27 for Mousasi, but two judges scored it a 28-28 tie.
Jardine took Mousasi down four times in the first round, and although he didn't do a lot of damage to Mousasi, he did at one point eat an illegal upkick to the face, causing a lengthy delay and causing Mousasi to have a point deducted. Mousasi got the better end of the striking exchanges, but Jardine's takedowns made it a close first round.
In the early going of the second round Mousasi continued to hurt Jardine in the stand-up, bloodying his face badly and noticeably wearing him down. After three full minutes of that Jardine finally took Mousasi down and put him flat on his back, but he did nothing with the takedown, and Mousasi got right back to his feet. Jardine got yet another takedown in the final minute of the second round, but again he did nothing with it, and the second round was one that Mousasi won easily.
At the start of the third round Mousasi landed an accidental knee to Jardine's groin, and that gave Jardine a chance to catch his breath, although Jardine didn't take close to the five minutes he was entitled to. Mousasi then surprised Jardine by getting a takedown of his own, attempting guillotine choke and then getting into full mount, but Jardine was able to buck Mousasi off and get back to his feet. Unfortunately for Jardine, being on his feet wasn't a good place to be against Mousasi, a K-1 striker who out-classed him until the final horn sounded.
But just because Mousasi out-classed Jardine in the stand-up, that doesn't mean he impressed the judges. At least not the two judges who gave the fighters a draw.
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Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley Fight Night Photos
Nick Diaz punches Paul Daley en route to a TKO victory at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Esther Lin, Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
Esther Lin, Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Nick Diaz punches Paul Daley en route to a TKO victory at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Nick Diaz takes a knee from the stomach against Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Paul Daley tries to defend against Nick Diaz at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Nick Diaz pounds out Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Nick Diaz raises his arms in victory against Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Gilbert Melendez punches Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Gilbert Melendez elbows Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Gilbert Melendez retains his Strikeforce lightweight title against Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Gegard Mousasi punches Keith Jardine at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos
Gegard Mousasi lands a kick to the body of Keith Jardine at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif.
Diaz vs. Daley Photos