Sherdog’s Top 10: Undeserved Title Shots

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4. Keith Jardine vs. Luke Rockhold
Strikeforce “Rockhold vs. Jardine” | Jan. 7, 2012 -- Las Vegas

Even today, you could put Rockhold and Jardine side-by-side in a room full of casual mixed martial arts fans, and “The Dean of Mean” would win a “Who’s More Famous?” contest in a landslide. A heavyweight competitor on Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Jardine established a following in the UFC after bouts against the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Forrest Griffin, Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson. The former bounty hunter might not have won every high-profile Octagon encounter, but he almost always left an impression.

However, by the time Jardine was ready to make his 185-pound debut in the Strikeforce hexagon, he was trending downward. A four-fight losing streak led to his UFC release, but a couple of wins on the regional circuit followed by a contentious draw against the talented Gegard Mousasi in Strikeforce had the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts product thinking a resurgence was on the horizon.

Jardine was unapologetic about receiving a title shot in his first Strikeforce middleweight bout against the relatively unknown Rockhold. “I didn’t go through the ranks beating middleweights to get to the title shot, but I think my career as a whole ... I feel like I’ve earned everything I’ve gotten and I’ve earned this place right here,” he said prior to the bout. The reality was that Zuffa’s acquisition of Strikeforce made for a dearth of legitimate 185-pound contenders, and Jardine was the most recognizable commodity available on the roster at the time.

Rockhold proved his upset victory over Ronaldo Souza was no fluke, as he dismantled Jardine to earn a first-round technical knockout in his initial title defense.

“I knew I was too quick, a little too much footwork,” Rockhold said. “I could sit back and hit that counter right hand.”

Number 3 » Tamura vs. Silva