Crash Course: Strikeforce “Challengers 13″ Edition

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another edition of “Crash Course”, the series of articles designed to give MMA fans a quick rundown on the latest and greatest MMA cards. Today’s  “Crash Course” features the thirteenth edition of the “Strikeforce Challengers” series of shows, which are designed to highlight new and promising talent. The general quality of these shows has been improving a lot lately, so this is definitely an event not to be missed. Let’s dive right into another edition of “Crash Course”.

The Event: Strikeforce “Challengers 13”, scheduled for January 7, 2011 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The main card will be broadcast live on Showtime starting at 10 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: It’s five free fights, and better yet, it’s five fights featuring some of Strikeforce’s most promising talent. There’s a reason these shows keep improving: the roster of can’t-miss Strikeforce prospects continues to grow, and these shows are where they shine brightest.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine are well-rounded fighters that can make a fight entertaining no matter where it ends up. Woodley’s undefeated streak will be on the line, as he’s 7-0 and has yet to be beaten in his professional MMA career. Saffiedine is also on a win-streak, winning his last three bouts, so both men will approach this bout knowing that it’s going to be a very important stepping stone for their Strikeforce careers. And that’s going to guarantee some impressive fireworks.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: For all intents and purposes, Daniel Cormier looks to be unstoppable. He’s an Olympic-level wrestler that trains at the American Kickboxing Academy, the home of some of the UFC’s best wrestling-based fighters. And yet five out of his six victories have been due to strikes. Devin Cole is a wily veteran, so while it’s unlikely that he’ll stop Cormier’s incredible hotstreak, it’s very likely that he’d rather die trying than admit that he’s beat, and that’s going to give us a great bout.

Why You Should Watch This Card: There are several great reasons, but to summarize it all plainly and simply: if all the “Challengers 13” fights live up to their potential, we’ve got an early-year “sleeper hit” on our hands that should generate a lot of positive word-of-mouth coverage. You may not be all too familiar with who’s competing, but I doubt that you’re in for a boring night of fights. I very, very much doubt that.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: In a bit of a paradox, the best thing about the “Challengers” series is also one of the main reasons it continuously gets overlooked: it’s mostly a “B-show” designed to highlight new talent that fans are unfamiliar with. It’s very rare that a “Challengers” show features a big-name star, and this card isn’t the exception to the rule.

Closing Thoughts: I’m definitely a big advocate of this card, so I encourage any and all reading this to give “Challengers 13” a chance. The show has a pretty large amount of potential for a supposedly second-tier event, and the absence of big stars is counter-balanced by the promise of good fights by a cast of young, fresh talent. I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch “Challengers 13”, and I hope that the show lives up to its potential. If it does, I may just have found myself a new underdog to root for.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on Strikeforce “Challengers 13”?