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Click to enjoy this video of the full fight between Gina Carano Vs. Cris Cyborg
Cris (Cyborg) Santos beat Gina (Conviction) Carano with less than a second left in the first round to capture the vacant 145-pound women’s championship at the Strikeforce MMA card Saturday night.
With Santos (8-1) in dominant position, hammering a prone Carano (7-1) with right hands, referee Josh Rosenthal decided to stop the fight an instant before the first-round bell rang, angering the HP Pavilion crowd. Santos galloped around the ring after the decision, while Carano lay on the mat protecting her head.
The two exchanged a hug after the match.
Quick knockouts were the story of the night at Strikeforce’s first card since adding heavyweight superstar Fedor Emelianenko, who signed a multi-fight contract rather than joining the rival UFC. Six of the nine fights on the card were decided in the first round — including the much-publicized meeting between two of the best women fighters on the planet.
With UFC legend Randy Couture in her corner — along with most of the crowd at the HP Pavilion — Carano was on the defensive from the outset, as the heavy-handed Santos came out swinging. Carano, who needed a quick escape to avoid an early heel lock, gained full mount later in the round, but led Santos off the mat — a decision that quickly turned on her.
Santos pushed Carano to the mat in the final minute, and narrowly missed cinching in an armbar. Santos stayed in control and punished Carano with a series of punches until the former American Gladiator could no longer defend herself.
Click to watch the full title fight between Gegard Mousasi vs. Renato Sobral
Round one: They touch gloves and size each other up. Both fighters’ first strike is a kick at the same time. Sobral lands a right punch to the body and then misses a kick. Mousasi kicks and Sobral catches. But it’s Mousasi who takes Sobral to the mat, right into side control. Sobral hips out to open guard but he puts himself against the cage. Mousasi is relentless, dropping lefts and rights until Sobral’s eyes roll to the back of his head. Referee “Big” John McCarthy stops the fight.
Mousasi becomes the new Strikeforce 205-pound champion with 60 seconds of work.
Mousasi wins via TKO (punches) – first round, 1:00
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