Ryan Jensen (11-3) will step in for Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos this Saturday night at the Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” show in San Jose, Cailf., to face middleweight Joey Villasenor (24-6).
Strikeforce Vice President Mike Afromowitz today confirmed the match up and revealed that it will air on the main card of the Showtime broadcast that is set to begin at 10 p.m. ET.
Jensen has lost his last two fights, both of which have been in the UFC. He was submitted in the first round in both fights — first to Thales Leites at UFC 74: “Respect” with an armbar and then to Demian Maia at UFC 77: “Hostile Territory” via rear naked choke.
Even though Jensen had an impressive record outside the Octagon (11-1), it will not be easy for him to beat Villasenor on such short notice.
Villasenor was originally tapped to fight Joe “Diesel” Riggs, but Riggs had to withdraw with a spinal injury. Cyborg was then Riggs’ replacement, but Friday he was forced to back out of the fight because he was having visa problems in Brazil.
Villasenor I’m sure by now just wants to fight regardless of who his opponent is. He’s a Greg Jackson-trained fighter, so I’m sure he’s been staying in great shape and he’ll be prepared and ready to go on Saturday.
He recently defeated Riki Fukuda in September with a split decision. Before that he lost an EliteXC middleweight title fight to Murilo “Ninja” Rua by technical knockout in June of last year.
Jensen will be a good replacement and this fight should be solid. After losing the Jake Shields and Drew Fickett title fight already today, at least they found a replacement for this fight and we didn’t lose it altogether.
Saturday night should still be a great night of fights.
19 Comments »
I believe I dropped the dime on this earlier today, but did not get credit. Lame
[quote comment=”388091″]I believe I dropped the dime on this earlier today, but did not get credit. Lame[/quote]
If that’s the case then I missed it — that happens. Thanks for the assist, JoshMan. Hope it doesn’t ruin your night.
No, all good. Just helps make a good card better imo. Gotta support the Omaha fighters.
who vs who
lol…Anyway, I don’t get Showtime so I’ll be sure to check in to get the results. Events like this make me want to upgrade my cable. There is so much more to the world of mma than the UFC/Pride, and I thank this site for exposing me to it.
Cyborg injurde? I thought Cyborg couldn’t make it because he had trouble with his VISA?
injured*
so did jensen get dropped by the ufc?? even with this fight what is the 5th fight on the main card the one replacing the jake shields match
Ryan Jensen looked pretty good in his UFC fights (besides getting armbared) I wonder if hes out of the UFC or is just getting loaned out?
Villasenor gonna kill a señor!
[quote comment=”388106″]No, all good. Just helps make a good card better imo. Gotta support the Omaha fighters.[/quote]
JoshMan: I caught your postings yesterday, and they have proved to be accurate. Good stuff buddy!
You cant really replace Cyborg! Not the best fighter, but 1 hell of a showman!
[quote comment=”388162″]Cyborg injurde? I thought Cyborg couldn’t make it because he had trouble with his VISA?[/quote]
He’s not injured. The Visa issues were the reason he had to withdraw.
Now I gotta watch Ryan Jensen on the Showtime events as well? Man, that sucks. I still don’t know why so many people on this site were on his nuts after his first UFC fight against Leites. People were saying how crisp and great his standup was. I recall laughing out loud during that quick fight at that dude’s standup. It looked pretty weak and his kicks were actually funny looking somehow. I mean, he made Josh Burkman look like Bruce Lee. I don’t know, maybe I’ve just been hatin on Jensen too much since I first heard of him, but I was just astounished at how many people thought he looked great against Leites.
Joey has better standup than this guy and obviously has a way better ground game. I expect Villasenior to win this fight in the first round.
[quote comment=”388673″]Now I gotta watch Ryan Jensen on the Showtime events as well? Man, that sucks. I still don’t know why so many people on this site were on his nuts after his first UFC fight against Leites. People were saying how crisp and great his standup was. I recall laughing out loud during that quick fight at that dude’s standup. It looked pretty weak and his kicks were actually funny looking somehow. I mean, he made Josh Burkman look like Bruce Lee. I don’t know, maybe I’ve just been hatin on Jensen too much since I first heard of him, but I was just astounished at how many people thought he looked great against Leites.
Joey has better standup than this guy and obviously has a way better ground game. I expect Villasenior to win this fight in the first round.[/quote]
VM: I loved the way Leites fought that fight. As you know, Leites is one of my favorite up and coming middleweights. Yesterday I watched a lot of fottage on Rousimar Palhares…..Watch out! This Brazilian Kat is going to make osme serious noise in the UFC’s middleweight division.
The middleweight division lacks star quality, since Silva made all the former stars look like amateurs, but I am starting to enjoy the parity of the middleweights. they are all closley matched which will make for competitive fights as long as Joe Silva matches them up correctly.
*Cough* Bisping vs. tuppaware *Cough*
Hey ViolentMike: How about my 76′ers!!!!!!!!!
[quote comment=”388737″][quote comment=”388673″]Now I gotta watch Ryan Jensen on the Showtime events as well? Man, that sucks. I still don’t know why so many people on this site were on his nuts after his first UFC fight against Leites. People were saying how crisp and great his standup was. I recall laughing out loud during that quick fight at that dude’s standup. It looked pretty weak and his kicks were actually funny looking somehow. I mean, he made Josh Burkman look like Bruce Lee. I don’t know, maybe I’ve just been hatin on Jensen too much since I first heard of him, but I was just astounished at how many people thought he looked great against Leites.
Joey has better standup than this guy and obviously has a way better ground game. I expect Villasenior to win this fight in the first round.[/quote]
VM: I loved the way Leites fought that fight. As you know, Leites is one of my favorite up and coming middleweights. Yesterday I watched a lot of fottage on Rousimar Palhares…..Watch out! This Brazilian Kat is going to make osme serious noise in the UFC’s middleweight division.
The middleweight division lacks star quality, since Silva made all the former stars look like amateurs, but I am starting to enjoy the parity of the middleweights. they are all closley matched which will make for competitive fights as long as Joe Silva matches them up correctly.
*Cough* Bisping vs. tuppaware *Cough*
Hey ViolentMike: How about my 76′ers!!!!!!!!![/quote]
They have been winning and winnning… I wish I bet on them to beat the Celtics!
The odds to tonite’s WEC event is now posted up on BetUs
[quote comment=”388793″][quote comment=”388737″][quote comment=”388673″]Now I gotta watch Ryan Jensen on the Showtime events as well? Man, that sucks. I still don’t know why so many people on this site were on his nuts after his first UFC fight against Leites. People were saying how crisp and great his standup was. I recall laughing out loud during that quick fight at that dude’s standup. It looked pretty weak and his kicks were actually funny looking somehow. I mean, he made Josh Burkman look like Bruce Lee. I don’t know, maybe I’ve just been hatin on Jensen too much since I first heard of him, but I was just astounished at how many people thought he looked great against Leites.
Joey has better standup than this guy and obviously has a way better ground game. I expect Villasenior to win this fight in the first round.[/quote]
VM: I loved the way Leites fought that fight. As you know, Leites is one of my favorite up and coming middleweights. Yesterday I watched a lot of fottage on Rousimar Palhares…..Watch out! This Brazilian Kat is going to make osme serious noise in the UFC’s middleweight division.
The middleweight division lacks star quality, since Silva made all the former stars look like amateurs, but I am starting to enjoy the parity of the middleweights. they are all closley matched which will make for competitive fights as long as Joe Silva matches them up correctly.
*Cough* Bisping vs. tuppaware *Cough*
Hey ViolentMike: How about my 76′ers!!!!!!!!![/quote]
They have been winning and winnning… I wish I bet on them to beat the Celtics!
The odds to tonite’s WEC event is now posted up on BetUs[/quote]
and by the night of next Wednesday’s UFN event, I am sure that BETUs will have the odds for most of the fights on the event that arent up yet, like the edgar fight.
As for the sixers, right now we would be matched up with Orlando in the play off, which is a tougher match up for the sixers that the Cavs would be. so hopefully we can steal the 5 th seed from the Wizards and face Cleveland, who we match up better against. Having 2 very athletic defenders in Iguadala and Thadeus to throw at Lebron gives us a better chance than Delembert trying to contain Dwight Howard.
VM: Who do you consider your home team in the NBA?
I am a Celtics fan. They are the only Boston team that I root for. I watched them ALOT growing up because my father was a huge Larry Bird fan. I stuck with them through all of their crap years and now they are good again. With the NBA and its free agency, As of the past 15 years of so, I have more or less been rooting for certain players more so than one team.
Baseball: Yankees
Football: Giants
Basketball: Celtics
Hockey: Who’s fighting?
MMA: I think you got an idea by now
And for you John, I’d assume to say that you are Philly across the board? Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, and dare I say Bruins?
[quote comment=”389101″]I am a Celtics fan. They are the only Boston team that I root for. I watched them ALOT growing up because my father was a huge Larry Bird fan. I stuck with them through all of their crap years and now they are good again. With the NBA and its free agency, As of the past 15 years of so, I have more or less been rooting for certain players more so than one team.
Baseball: Yankees
Football: Giants
Basketball: Celtics
Hockey: Who’s fighting?
MMA: I think you got an idea by now
And for you John, I’d assume to say that you are Philly across the board? Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, and dare I say Bruins?[/quote]
Yeah, the Bruins! Good one. Celtics fan huh? Good year to be you! Philly acroos the board!
Jensen having to take the fight on short notice is could be rough for him. Joey is a well rounded fighter and trains with some of the best in mma. Lets not forget Jensen also trains with some of the best out at Team Quest . Jensen in his UFC fights did not look the best, but you could see in those fights he was not intimidated and came out swinging. I have seen him fight live a few fights and his UFC fights do not do him justice. I think this fight could go either way and should be very fast paced and exciting.