The title fight was part of the June 26 “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum” event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.
On the same night Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) upset heavyweight kingpin Fedor Emelianenko (32-2), Santos (10-1) — perhaps the world’s top female fighter — scored a second-round TKO victory over Finney (8-8).
Finney, a Springfield native and Urbana University graduate, never previously had fought for Strikeforce. Yet, she got the title fight because she was willing to do what so many others wouldn’t: fight Santos.
She even made a bold prediction before the bout.
“I’m going to come right at her,” Finney said.
Unfortunately, Santos struck first and often, landing 141 strikes to Finney’s 23. Santos, in fact, dropped her opponent four times in a dominant first round, and she finally ended it in the second with a knee to the body that sent Finney to the mat.
Despite the lopsided stats and mounting criticism over referee Kim Winslow’s decision not to stop the fight sooner, Santos said Finney should be commended.
“She’s a very tough fighter,” Santos said after the fight. “She wouldn’t quit. She kept [pushing] forward. She has my respect.”
With her willingness to take the hard-to-fill slot, Finney is likely to get another fight with Strikeforce later this year.
Also on Saturday’s card, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le (7-1) avenged the only loss of his career with a KO of Scott Smith (17-7), and ex-lightweight champ Josh Thomson (17-3) submitted a very game Pat Healy (23-16).
MMA Big Show heads to DirecTV on July 17
MMA Big Show, one of the region’s most successful MMA promotions, is heading to live TV for its next event.
The July 17 show, dubbed “All or Nothing,” takes place at Belterra Casino Resort & Spa in Indiana and airs live on DirecTV (channel 354).
Cincinnati-based fighter Mojo Horn (7-2), who trains with UFC fighter Rich Franklin, headlines the show against Strikeforce veteran Lucas Lopes (19-8).
Tickets for the event, which includes other area fighters (such as Chris Bennett, T.J. Ball and Scott Cornwell), are now on sale at www.mmabigshow.com.
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of
MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet in the 2008 and 2009 World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to www.MMAjunkie.com.
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