» Fighter: Anthony Ruiz

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) TKO’d “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-11) at 2:29 of round two Saturday night in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles.

“I’m happy with the win,” Misaki said through an interpreter.

There was a frustrating seven-minute build-up to the fireworks finale in which both veterans circled and strategized while  the crowd begged for action.

Riggs struck first in the second round, nailing Misaki with a big left and a kick; but, Misaki countered with a right cross that floored “Diesel”.

Misaki followed Riggs to the mat and landed several shots before referee Josh Rosenthal ended the fight.

“I had my hands covering my head,” argued Riggs after the stoppage.  “But it is what it is.”

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion “Punk” Josh Thomson (16-2) knocked “Archer” Ashe Bowman to the fence with a right and followed up with a flurry before referee Herb Dean ended the fight at 1:14 of round one.

Read More About Misaki Bangs Riggs, Thomson Battters Bowman…

American Kickboxing Academy’s Trevor Prangley (17-5) will fill-in for injured “Babalu” Renato Sobral (30-7) to rematch “El Toro” Anthony Ruiz (21-11) Saturday in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles.

Prangely tapped Ruiz in an armbar in Fresno,southeast of San Francisco, in 2006.

More recently, Prangley won a referee’s decision over Falaniko Vitale (26-8) in San Jose last November in Strikeforce’s middleweight tournament, but was TKO’d the same night in the tournament final by Jorge Santiago (17-7).

Ruiz most recently won a UD over Jeremy Freitag (6-7).

The original main event was to have pitted Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) versus Sobral; but, both fighters have pulled up lame.

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) talked to reporters Friday in San Jose after defending his title from “El Toro” Anthony Ruiz (20-11) in a five-round UD.

Southworth spoke about where he’s come from and where he’s going, the prospect of landing bigger fights, and the crowd’s reaction to his victory.

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked lightweight “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (14-1) will defend his Strikeforce title from “The Punk” Josh Thomson (14-2) 27 June in San Jose, Strikeforce announced today.

Thompson has been Strikeforce’s top contender at 155-pounds for awhile.  Last September “The Punk” TKO’d Adam Lynn (11-8) in front of Hef’ and the bunnies at the Playboy Mansion.

Melendez mopped up an over-matched Gabe Lemley (11-7) in March after losing his first professional fight last December to “Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1).

MMA Junkie reports Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (8-5) will defend his title versus Anthony Ruiz (20-10) on the same card.