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Strikeforce Challengers 6 Predictions: Strikeforce Kaufman vs Hashi Preview for February 26, 2010

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Pro Fighting Fans is the home of Strikeforce MMA fans across the globe and we now bring you the best place to find the latest Strikeforce Challengers series preview & predictions. Strikeforce Challengers 6 is set for February 26, 2010 in San Jose, California, and our Strikeforce Challengers 6 predictions & preview are posted below for MMA fans across the globe to enjoy. Be sure to check out the great MMA t-shirts & apparel and buy Strikeforce tickets online here through Pro Fighting Fans and keep checking back for updates to the Strikeforce Challengers 6 fight card!

Strikforce Challengers VI is set to take place February 26, 2010 at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California. The main card will be televised live on Showtime at 11pm EST, and what a great main card it is. On display in their sixth Challengers show are some of Strikeforce’s top prospects and two of their best women’s fighters. For the ten fighters on the main card, this is their night to shine, to show the MMA world who they are and where the stand. Here is a rundown of the main card:

> Find the Strikeforce February 26 fight results after the fights are complete at Pro Fighting Fans and check out the Strikeforce Challengers 7 March 26 fight card!

Yancy Medeiros vs Raul Castillo

Yancy Medeiros fights out of Hawaii with a 4-0 record, 3 via KO and 1 via rear-naked choke. His most notable win came over a year ago against Poai Suganuma, a fellow Hawaiian who holds wins over UFC and K1-Hero’s veterans.

His opponent, Raul Castillo, a BJJ specialist with a 6-0 record, 4 via KO and 2 via chokes. His most notable win comes in December of 2007 against Strikeforce veteran Eric Lawson.

This opening bout will answer many questions about the fighters’ ability and where they stand among the top prospects in MMA. Medeiros has shown good takedown ability in his four fights, which could pose problems for Castillo. Castillo’s standup is mediocre, so the ground is where he wants this fight. He will need to take down Medeiros and utilize his aggressive jiu-jitsu skills to get the win. The only problem is Medeiros has a background in wrestling, and typically takes his opponents down where a great base keeps his opponents pinned to the mat allowing him to ground and pound his way to victory. Castillo’s jiu-jitsu is aggressive, so even on his back he can be dangerous, Medeiros will need to pick his shots carefully if he gets in Castillo’s guard.

James Terry vs Tarec Saffiedine

James Terry trains with Cung Lee and holds a 7-1 record, 2 wins coming via KO and 5 via decision. If he is to beat Tarec Saffiedine, it would be his first notable win.

23-year old Tarec Saffiedine trains out of Team Quest, and holds a 7-2 record, 5 via submission and 2 via decision. He has competed in Dream and holds a notable win over Seichi Ikemoto in the 2009 DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix. He has a notable split decision loss to PRIDE and Dream veteran Dong Sik Yoon, but he is currently on a two fight win streak.

Saffiedine has solid grappling and submission skills as seen by his five wins via submission. Terry doesn’t have any particular strengths and has not developed weapons which will enable to finish the fights. He trains with Cung Lee, so his kickboxing is improving as demonstrated by his last win coming via strikes, but he meets a tough challenger in Tarec “Sponge” Saffiedine. Saffiedine will look to clinch and take Terry down where he will want to utilize his superior submission skills to end the fight. Terry will want to keep the fight standing and see if he can out strike Saffiedine to victory.

Luke Rockhold vs Paul Bradley

Luke Rockhold trains out of AKA, and holds a 6-1 record with all 6 wins coming via submission. He holds a notable win of TUF 7 Finalist Jesse Taylor at Strikeforce Challengers 4 and is currently on a five fight win streak.

Paul Bradley trains at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, and holds a 12-1 record, 4 via KO, 2 via submission and 6 via decision. His only loss was to UFC fighter Mike Pierce, who after beating Bradley went on to fight consensus number 2 welterweight Jon Fitch to a unanimous decision loss at UFC 107. Bradley is currently on a two fight win streak.

Rockhold is a dangerous grappler who has shown improvement in each subsequent fight. Even though he trains out of AKA, Rockhold is known for his top submission game, earning his brown belt from Dave Camarillo in Guerilla Jiu Jitsu, an aggressive form of the martial art. Even though Rockhold has no background in wrestling, he has developed a formidable takedown defense that stuffed majority of experienced wrestler Jesse Taylor’s takedowns. This doesn’t bode well for Bradley, a two time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, who hasn’t developed an all around game quite yet to compliment his wrestling ability. Bradley has been criticized of late for “laying and praying” his opponents to victory, having yet to develop finishing abilities. If Rockhold’s takedown defense can hold up against the former collegiate All-American, it could be a long night for Bradley.

Sarah Kaufman vs Takayo Hashi

Sarah Kaufman is undefeated with a 10-0 record, 8 via KO and 2 via decision, and is the consensus #1 woman’s bantamweight (135 pounds) fighter. Her most recent fight was against the #3 ranked bantamweight, Shayna Baszler, and Kaufmann also holds a notable win over #10 ranked Miesha Tate.

Takayo Hashi holds a 12-1 record, 4 via submission and 8 via decision, her only loss coming in 2005 to the #5 ranked bantamweight, Hitomi Akano, a loss which she avenged in 2007. Besides her win over Hitomi Akano, Hashi holds a notable win over Amanda Buckner and is currently on a eight fight win streak.

This fight pitting the #1 and 2 best female bantamweight fighters will crown the first Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. A classic striker vs grappler matchup should prove intriguing and may be the most exciting fight of the night. Kaufman, the heavy handed striker, will look to keep the fight standing and try to add a ninth KO to her record. Hashi, the slick submission artist, will want to take the fight to the ground as soon as possible, and from there work her jiu-jitsu to a submission victory. The winner will be determined by the fighter with superior wrestling as whoever can dictate where the fight takes place will have the significant edge.

Strikeforce Challengers 6 Main Event: Trevor Prangley vs Karl Amoussou

Trevor Prangley fights out of the Lion’s Den and holds a 22-5 record, 4 by KO, 9 via submission and 9 via decision. He holds notable wins over Travis Lutter, Yuki Kondo, and Chael Sonnen. His most notable losses are to Jorge Santiago, Chael Sonnen, and Jeremy Horn. He is currently on a five fight win streak.

Karl Amoussou is a French fighter who holds a 11-2-1 record, 3 via KO, 7 via submission and 1 decision. He holds a notable win over TUF 5 fighter Mike Dolce, and his two losses come against top competition, UFC fighter Lucio Linhares and Red Devil fighter Arman Gambaryan. He is currently on a three fight win streak.

The main event of Strikeforce Challengers VI is set to be a good one. Trevor Prangley has fought some of the best fighters a 185, while Karl Amoussou is a rising star in the welterweight division. Prangley is a South African wrestling national champion and Olympic alternate, and is also well versed in jiu-jitsu. Amoussou has been compared to a young Wanderlei Silva, showing proficient striking ability and an aggression comparable only to the “Axe Murderer.” Amoussou is also an accomplished submission artist, who is a threat any where the fight takes place. The submission skills of both fighters will likely cancel one another out, leaving Amoussou’s stiking verse Prangley’s wrestling. One of Amoussou’s weaknesses has been his ability to be taken down and if his wrestling hasn’t improved, this could be a long night for the young fighter. But if Amoussou comes prepared and ready to stuff Prangley’s takedowns, it may be a short night for Prangley as he doesn’t have the striking skills to match Amoussou’s kickboxing.

> Find all of the Strikeforce Challengers 6 results as the fights become official online here at Pro Fighting Fans!

By Jeffrey Concerto
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer