Middleweights
Lumumba Sayers (6-2, 2-1 Strikeforce) vs. Anthony Smith (16-8, 1-1 Strikeforce)
Thus far, Smith’s 2012 campaign has occurred entirely outside of the Strikeforce cage. In April, “Lionheart” submitted Ian Berg with an arm-triangle choke in the second round, and he followed that performance by stopping Richard White with punches in June. Smith’s last Strikeforce appearance came in November, when he was knocked out by Adlan Amagov at Strikeforce Challengers 20.
Both of these men are accustomed to quick finishes; all eight of Sayers’ professional fights have ended inside of a round, while Smith has never gone the distance in his 24 bouts, with 15 of his 16 triumphs coming by way of knockout or submission. If neither fighter can gain an upper hand early, maintaining composure in the second half of the bout will be paramount.
Sayers has a good submission game and solid takedowns, but he is not afraid to stand and bang, either. A former boxer and Toughman competitor, Sayers is capable of hurting opponents on the feet and providing himself openings for takedowns and submission attempts.
Smith has fairly heavy hands but can be prone to swinging wildly, which will allow Sayers to change levels and get the fight to the mat. Smith has a decent guard and is skilled at negating his opponents’ offense from his back. He will have to be constantly on alert as Sayers looks to improve his position.
The Pick: These two will not hold anything back, but Sayers will rock Smith first, allowing him to tap the Omaha, Neb., native in the opening frame.
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