Esther Lin/Strikeforce
A week after her husband dropped a close decision to her opponent's ex, Kerry Vera left nothing to the judges in scoring a first-round technical knockout of Kim Couture at the latest "Strikeforce Challengers" offering on Showtime.
Vera snapped Couture's head back with several punches throughout the round, and let loose with one-two combinations against the fence on a crumpling Couture until the referee stepped in. The victory at 135 pounds puts Vera in the mix with Sarah Kaufman, Meisha Tate and Shayna Baszler. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has said in the past that the promotion will look to promote a 135-pound female tournament in 2010. Couture earned $10,000 for the fight, while Vera earned $4,000 to show and $4,000 to win, MMAFanhouse.com reported.
The bout highlighted the card from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Nov. 20, capping the busiest month in the history of the Strikeforce promotion.
Closing out the night was hot American Top Team welterweight prospect Tyron Woodley, 27, who extended his undefeated streak to 5-0 by handling local favorite Rudy Bears. All the former All-American wrestler needed was two big takedowns before he slapped on an arm triangle for the tapout. Woodley, who earned $7,000 for the victory, has won all of his pro fights by submission.
Elsewhere, Anderson Silva comrade Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante bounced back from a deflating loss to Mike Kyle by handing Aaron Rosa his third loss in a light heavyweight bout. After a slow first round, Feijao dropped Rosa with a glancing right in the second and poured on the ground-and-pound for the TKO.
There were fireworks as Bobby Voelker, a hometown fighter who sold some 200 tickets to the event, took on fellow welterweight Erik Apple. Voelker survived an early takedown to turn the tides and end up striking from the top at the close of the first round. Voelker came out slinging in the second frame, bringing the crowd to its feet by clipping an exhausted Apple and finishing him.
In the opener, longtime submission grappler and Rickson Gracie pupil Kevin Casey notched his third pro win by taking former University of Iowa wrestler Chad Vance's back off a whizzer and working gradually into a rear-naked choke tap in the first round.