The Golden Glory product believes that now would be the best time for the newly minted welterweight star to make his inception into the United States and make a run at the title. It’s been somewhat of a dream of his for a long time, and the Sengoku veteran has shown that he is capable of performing at the top-level, recording some of the biggest wins of his career recently stopping both Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos–who just challenged for the Strikeforce 170-pound title–and UFC vet Derrick Noble.

The Afghan native has since signed a contract with the San Jose based organization earlier last year, however has since been unable to debut in the promotion, and he recently voiced some his frustrations, and CEO Scott Coker has since replied in kind.

Bahadurzada verbally lashed out about his most recent Strikeforce woes, and his patience has been waning ever since. Scott Coker has since been relayed some of Bahadurzada’s comments, calling them “comical” and suggesting that a fighter with that kind of attitude will never fight for their organization.

“Before saying those things, I knew what the consequences would be”, said Siyar who recently spoke to MMAFighting.com about his misfortunes.

“Knowing the consequences, I felt so bad even being disrespected like that, knowing the consequence that I might never fight for Strikeforce or any other American organization [for] doing so, because they think I’m unprofessional. But I’m not the person being unprofessional here. I have been treated unprofessionally for the last one and a half year[s]. When you feel your prime is here and nobody gives a damn about your prime or your career, then you feel disrespected.”

Siyar has laid out an ultimatum for Mr. Coker:

“I just want a date or a release from my contract. That’s it.”

Surely, Strikeforce could use a fighter like Bahadurzada. While the 26-year-old isn’t the world’s most critically acclaimed, or renowned fighter, he is a name no less that the organization can add to their thinning welterweight pool, which champion Nick Diaz rules with an iron fist. Evidence of that, Evangelista Santos challenged the Stockton native last Saturday for the 170-pound title. While “Cyborg” is as game as they come, he fought just once in the welterweight division, gaining the number one contender’s status by defeating former title challenger Marius Zaromskis, who is 1-2-1 in his last four fights. Santos’ career total after this past weekend stands at 18-14 as a professional.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Bahadurzada’s comments? Strikeforce has everything to benefit from by adding a new fighter like him to their roster, however the Strikeforce official also indicated that Siyar has also yet to obtain a visa to fight here in the States, which could obviously present a problem and a reason why he hasn’t competed as of yet. Sound off in the comment section below.

First, this is some of what Bahadurzada had to say in a new interview with MMA Fighting: “It’s pretty frustrating, because [it's] a year of my career when I’m in top shape… I tell everybody I have a good and a dark side, and my dark side comes out every once in a while when I really feel I’ve been disrespected… I have been treated unprofessionally for the last one and a half year[s]. When you feel your prime is here and nobody gives a damn about your prime or your career, then you feel disrespected.”

I’d like to start out by saying that there are ways of voicing your concern without things getting ugly. Bahadurzada could have handled this in a more professional manner, we can certainly all agree on that. He didn’t have to take to the internet and vocally accuse Strikeforce of mismanaging him, he could have done several different things without putting Strikeforce in the cross-hairs and letting loose with a story that would surely drum up some drama in the court of public opinion.

But here’s the thing so few of us are willing to admit: we loves us some drama, we feed off of it, and we’d probably do the exact same thing if we were in his position.

So, yes, he could have handled it in a more professional manner, but let’s not throw stones in our glass houses, and let’s not be the pot calling the kettle black.

I empathize with Siyar Bahadurzada. I think he has a right to feel misused, and to be bluntly honest, he has a right to voice that concern any way he feels like it, including by taking to the internet and slamming the company he feels is mismanaging him. So what if he stirs up some drama? It’s his life, his contract, it’s his right. As someone who has gone to great lengths to both vocally give my opinion on controversial topics and vocally support that opinion, don’t tell me a fighter should have been more professional. He’s a fighter, he’s earned the right to air out his transgressions in any and every way he wants to.

I hate to take a stand against Strikeforce since I’m such a big fan of the promotion and far more often than not I wish them nothing but the best, but I’m firmly siding with Siyar on this occasion. Either use him or lose him, but don’t keep him in limbo and wrap him up in red tape while he’s in the prime of his career. And if he has to shout “mismanagement” from the rooftops in order for somebody, anybody, to finally start listening and paying attention? Then I respect him for having the stones to voice his opinion in that vocal of a manner, far more than I scold him for being somewhat unprofessional and disrespectful.

And that’s how I feel on the matter, fans and friends. What about you? What’s your take on this controversial situation?

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The current Shooto light heavyweight champion, who recently scored a knockout victory over UFC veteran Derrick Noble last October in his welterweight debut, signed with Strikeforce last year however has yet to debut in the promotion.

Now after having gone back and forth with the San Jose based organization, Siyar has taken aim at some of the leading executives and holds no punches back. Caution, there is loads of profanity.

MiddleEasy.com has recently picked up an interview from the Afghan who now calls The Golden Glory gym in Holland, home.

Here is the excerpt in it’s entirety:

“It made no f—ing sense, man!”

“They came to me and my management! They wanted me to fight for them. These a——s… [Strikeforce President]Scott Coker and [Strikeforce Matchmaker]Rich Chou couldn’t even return a call after talking about how they’re so excited to have me in Strikeforce.”

“They’ve been dicking me around for 10 months, man. 10 f—ing months of my career they dicked me around. I turned down some big opportunities because of this s–t. Bellator offered me a contract for good money and we told them no because of the Strikeforce contract. If these motherf—–s didn’t want me, all they had to do was say so and fine. Instead, Scott ‘Pig F—-r” Coker and Rich ‘F–k’ Chou want to play games with me!”

“It’s bulls—, man. It’s their f—ing contract, they sent it to my management. We didn’t make the contract, they did and they sent it to us.”

“Let me tell you, I will never accept a f—ing penny from Strikeforce, but I will do this… they have their welterweight champion Nick Diaz fighting [Evangelista Santos] this Saturday. I will fight the winner for free in Strikeforce and if I lose I will retire from MMA. I want you to understand I love MMA, it is the only thing I have in my life that I love so understand how serious I am when I make this challenge to a bunch of clowns I f—ing hate. If Strikeforce accepts, I guarantee you I will knock out their champion.”

Wow. So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Siyar’s rant? This is the first I’ve heard of a fighter in the Strikeforce organization having been so mishandled, but I do believe it remains to be an isolated incident. You would think that the organization would be with arms wide open when it comes to adding welterweight talent to their thin division, who’s remaining contenders hinge on Paul Daley being successful in a fight in the U.K. in February, as well as Tyron Woodley remaining undefeated in the organization. Sound off in the comment section below.

Fighters.com reported 31 August that Strikeforce heavyweight champ “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (27-10) will headline the MMA portion of the mixed card versus a yet-to-be-named opponent.

Bahadurzada TKO’d Leandro Silva “Batata” Leandro Silva (11-4) at Shooto Brazil 13 in Fortaleza 27 August, his return from a year’s absence after tapping a heel hook in 1:10 Sengoku middleweight champ Jorge Santiago (21-7) at Sengoku in Tokyo in November 2008.

The “Afghan Killa” will fight formidable, if not yet internationally-known Beast of the East middleweight Robert Jocz (11-3). Jocz tapped Bohumil Lungrik (8-8-1) at World Full Contact Associations Gladiator Games in Prague 25 June, and also has a TKO of Bahadurzada’s teammate Staring on his rap sheet.

Staring lasted until 3:59 of the third round versus “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) at Jungle Fight 13 in Fortaleza 9 May until tapping in a triangle choke to the recent UFC signee.

Staring will fight Jocz’s teammate Hans Stringer (6-3-1) who comes off a TKo of Yuji Sakuragi (7-13) DEEP 43 Impact in Tokyo 23 August.

Glory 11 is tagged “A Decade of Fights” and will be held at the Passenger Terminal in Amsterdam 17 October. It features the best Dutch MMA and kickboxing talents.

As a child, Bahadurzada immigrated to the Netherlands from war-torn Afghanistan, but became stuck there without a passport as his fight career took off.  In July 2007, he was finally allowed to travel to Japan to fight (and beat) Shiko Yamashita (10-4-3) for the Shooto title.

Fighters.com: Can you describe the difference between your feelings when you first arrived in Holland after leaving Afghanistan, then when you first arrived in Japan to fight after being stuck in Holland?  Holland must’ve been both a place of refuge from war-torn Afghanistan, but then like a cage keeping you from furthering your fight career?

Siyar Bahadurzada: When I first came to Holland I felt like I was given a second chance.  I just went for it and kept trying to make something out of my life.  I learned to speak Dutch in almost six months.  I was [studying] very hard and, besides, not to forget, I’m pretty gifted in learning languages. I can speak several languages very well.

But, when I went to Japan, I felt different.  Coming to Holland was different because I was saved from the war; but, when I came to Japan, I felt like, “Now it is my time to shine.  My 15 minutes of fame is on!”  I feel invincible when I’m in Japan.  Somehow, the environment in Japan drives me to my limits, motivates me to take one step more and go for my dreams!

Anyways, I believe everything happens for a reason.  And, I believe now I am not 10% of what I’m going to be in the next five years.

Fighters.com: You were criticized for celebrating after Santos dislocated his elbow and explained that you were letting off frustrations from hardships before the fight.  Do you care if people accept your explanation or not?

Siyar Bahadurzada: Yes, I do care.  Because I am not what people think I am after seeing that fight.  It’s true.  I did not give a fuck about Cyborg in the ring while his elbow was hurt; but, would it help to run to him and keep telling him that you’re sorry for what happened and this and that while the only one he needs at that moment is a doctor to check on him?

Besides, after the fight I wanted to visit him in the dressing room; but, he was gone to the hospital.  When we went to the hotel, I wanted to visit him in his room.  He was still in the hospital.  Early the next morning, I wanted to visit him again.  I saw his corner men and expressed my sadness for what happened to him in the fight.

Later, when he came back from the hospital, I was in the lobby and met him.  I told him that I was sorry for what had happened and that he gets his rematch whenever he asks me to.  So, I handled the situation my way. Of course, it was not in front of the millions of fans; but, anyways, I did what I thought was right and stand behind my decisions!

People criticized me for what happened in the ring; but, as I said before, my right hand was broken twice and I had an elbow operation.  I did not even jog the last six months and then I got sick in Afghanistan, while I was visiting family for 3 weeks.  I took 4 kinds of antibiotics to heal. That even worsened my conditioning and to summarize it: I trained for ten days for the fight against Cyborg.  What people do not realize is that I took that fight against Cyborg because I knew I would beat him. W hy would I accept a fight like that if I did not believe in myself.  But anyways, there will be a rematch between us and now.  Even if Cyborg does not consider a rematch, which seems to me out of question,  I will insist on that rematch!  Because, I want to prove a lot of people wrong!  I am very much motivated for that rematch!

Fighters.com: Call out who you want to fight next in the Sengoku Middleweight Grand Prix and why?

Siyar Bahadurzada: Jorge Santiago!  Because, I think we will have a great fight.

Fighters.com: If you win the tournament, how can you beat “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) for the Sengoku middleweight title?  Why would the rematch be different than the original fight?

Siyar Bahadurzada: If I win the tournament?  I’d rather say: When I win the tournament, I will come after Misaki!  He is a good fighter; but, I learned a lot from my last fight against him and this time I will not make the same mistake again, that I can promise!  I will beat Misaki this time.  I know it.  He knows it!

Fighters.com: Another naturalized Dutchman, Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1), considers himself the top  middleweight mixed martial artist in Holland.  Is he the best Dutch middleweight?  Do you want to disagree with him?

Siyar Bahadurzada: Right now, he is the best middleweight in Holland, until proven wrong!  He is the DREAM Middleweight Champion and fought great!  He deserved the belt by beating the toughest guys in the tournament!  My compliments for his achievement!  He proved he is the best middleweight in Holland for now; but, I am on my way to become the Sengoku Middleweight Champion, then it’s up to the fans to decide who is the best middleweight in Holland.

Fighters.com: Because of your childhood with little opportunity in Afghanistan, you’ve said you intend to take advantage of every opportunity you have; but, has their been an opportunity you regret not taking full advantage of?

Siyar Bahadurzada: No. I pretty much fought for everything that I have got today.  I am very satisfied with my achievements in the sport, university, and business.  But, I am a perfectionist.  I want to be the best in everything that I’m involved in. So, watch me come up with surprises in the future!

Fighters.com: You told Sherdog in February that the UFC is “treating their fighters like shit.”  Can you give an example of how the UFC mistreats their fighters?

Siyar Bahadurzada: I do not want to go in details on that; but, look at the poster boys of UFC back in the days: Tito Ortiz and Randy “The Natural” [Couture]?  They deserved better than being treated like that!  But, that is my humble opinion.

Fighters.com: How often do you return to Afghanistan and how are you contributing to improving the situation in your nation of birth?

Siyar Bahadurzada: The last nine years I visited Afghanistan once.  I support Bayat Foundation.  It is an organization which helps needy people in Afghanistan.  Once I sent my entire fight purse to Afghanistan for the kids who were cold and did not have clothes and anything to eat.

Fighters.com: Do Afghans recognize you or recognize the sport of MMA?

Siyar Bahadurzada: Yes they do.  I’m their first champion in MMA ever.  They really respect me and treat me like a hero.

Fighters.com: During the time when you were only able to fight in the Netherlands, did you build a strong Dutch following?

Siyar Bahadurzada: Yes.  Lots of people come to my fights because I fight exciting fights! I can fight for 15 minutes and can also KO my opponent in an blink of an eye. I have KO’s and submissions skills.

The winner of the tournament will face Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) for the first-ever middleweight belt 4 January in Saitama at Sengoku 7.

Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8) will face Yuki Sasaki (22-14-1), and Jorge Santiago (18-7) will face “Afghan Killa” Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1).

The event already features a lightweight tournament to determine an opponent for Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) at Sengoku 7 for the title.

The bouts remaining in the lightweight tournament are Satoru Kitaoka (21-8-9) versus sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (14-5-2), and Kazunori Yokota (7-1-3) versus Mizuto Hirota (10-2).

WVR also announced that Fighters.com’s Fighter of the Month “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (1-0) will fight, although an opponent has not yet been determined.

“GameBred” Jorge Masvidal (14-3) versus Seung Hwan Bang (5-2) is also official.

Joe Doerksen (40-12) revealed through MySpace Tuesday that he has agreed to fight Izuru Takeuchi (25-9-6).

Lawal won his MMA debut in September, TKO’ing the more experienced “Diesel” Travis Wiuff (53-12) in the first round.

Masvidal defeated “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-11-1) with a first-round TKO at the same event.

Bang lost his last fight via unanimous decision to Gomi in August.

UFC veteran Doerksen won a split decision over John Meyer (5-3) in August.

Shooto and Pancrase veteran Takeuchi won his last fight with a heel hook submission over Junior Santos (0-1) in June.

Lawal staggered Wiuff with a right Superman punch, then rushed in with a double-leg takedown at the ropes.  Lawal leapt on Wiuff and finished him off with ground’n’pound.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion “Xande” Alexandre Ribeiro (1-0) TKO’d Takashi Sugiura (1-3) in the last minute of his anticipated MMA debut.

Showing his fatigue in round three, Ribeiro nevertheless made a final attempt to finish the fight, landing several heavy punches and knees that forced the stoppage at 4:18.

Sengoku’s Middleweight Grand Prix got underway with four quarterfinal fights.

Chute Boxe member “Cyborg” Evangelista Santos’s (16-12) bout against “Afghan Killa” Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1) ended in injury after just 22 seconds.

Bahadurzada had double underhooks on Santos as the middleweights battled for position.  Bahadurzada tripped Santos, whose left elbow snapped when he landed, prompting an immediate stoppage.

UFC and WEC veteran “Pink Pounder” Logan Clark had a good first round on his feet, but American Top Team’s Jorge Santiago (18-7) caught him with an arm triangle at 3:35 of round two.

PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8), in his debut as a middleweight, won an easy unanimous decision over Manchester’s Paul Cahoon (10-12).

Grabaka fighter Yuki Sasaki (22-14-1) submitted PRIDE and Pancrase veteran Yuki Kondo (49-23-6) via rear naked choke at 1:08 of round two, after an uneventful first round.

In a non-tournament bout, American Top Team member “GameBred” Jorge Masvidal (14-3) TKO’d former IFL Lightweight Champion “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-11-1) with ground’n’pound at 1:57 of round one, first dropping him with a flying knee.

Kiuma Kunioku (34-22-9) earned a unanimous decision victory over A Sol Kwon (5-4) in their lightweight match.

The first four competitors named for the tournament are Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-8), “Cyborg” Evangelista Santos (16-11), Jorge Santiago (17-7), and Siyar Bahadurzada (13-3-1).

Nakamura, a PRIDE veteran, fought most recently in the UFC.  He was 0-2 in the organization, falling to Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked light heavyweight “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) with a leg injury in May.

Nakamura will make his debut as a middleweight at the upcoming event.

Santos, from the Chute Boxe, Academy, won his last fight by submitting Makoto Takimoto (4-4) with an Achilles lock at Sengoku 1 in March.

American Top Team member Santiago won his last five fights, most recently submitting Yuki Sasaki (21-14-1) via armbar at Sengoku 2 in May.

Shooto Light Heavyweight Champion Bahadurzada lost his Sengoku debut in March, tapping to Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2)’s guillotine.

In April, second-ranked “Ace” Rick Franklin (23-3) finessed out of an armbar executed by TUF champ “Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) to pick apart the Texan in two rounds, but Franklin has no where to go after two stoppages to Silva.

As mentioned in 3 May’s Bushido Sheet, Franklin was offered a main event versus tenth-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7) at UFC 85, but turned down the fight.

Franklin continues to consider interesting match-ups at 205-pounds.

Hendo’ dropped a rank in May after his 2006 UD over eighth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2) fell from his two-year record leaving “Hollywood” without a win at 185-pounds in two years.

His March stoppage to Silva leaves him with few good match-ups but for Franklin.  At this point, Hendo’ just needs a win in the Octagon.

The trail on the “Hitman” Misaki has gone cold since his March submission of Siyar Bahadurzada (13-2-1) at Sengoku.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0) is recovering from a substance abuse problem in Brazil.

He’s scheduled for a rematch with Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) to defend his WEC title, but don’t hold your breath for a Silva versus Filho title unification bout.

Filho and Silva are friends and refuse to fight each other; and, Filho plans to move to 205-pounds win, lose, or draw to Sonnen.

Fourth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama‘s (10-1) run at the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix championship ended before it began when he re-injured a nasal bone fracture in training, causing him to withdraw.

Fifth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4) remains the most likely candidate to take a swat at “Spider”, but no official word yet.

Sixth-ranked “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) may be the face of the division when his EliteXC title defense versus “Hands of Stone” Scott Smith (13-4) is broadcast on national television across North America at the end of May.

Ninth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5) debuted before the Nipponese in May with a first-round TKO of Katsuyori Shibata (2-4), but the “W” does little to propel him forward in the division.

May Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4)

“Spider” fights like he’s hacked the matrix, making top-tier opponents look like they’re clumsily swatting at a web. In March he choked out former PRIDE champ Hendo’. His two-year record has both volume and quality with a “W” next to each challenger.

2. “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3)

Despite two stoppages to Silva, Franklin is still the best of the rest, even according to Silva himself. “Ace” finessed from a Travis Lutter armbar to pick the TUF champ apart in April and outwrestled notoriously powerful Okami for a decision last July.

3. “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0)

Filho’s perfect rap sheet lists solid foes, but only an ’06 KO of Misaki among top-tenners. Chael Sonnen gave him hell in a controversial stoppage, but Filho missed the March rematch. A strong comeback and top-ten challenge will solidify Filho’s ranking.

4. Yoshihiro Akiyama (10-1)

The Zainichi judoka ran the K-1 gauntlet of weight-mismatched spectacles before bursting into 185-pound contention with a KO of Denis Kang. Akiyama drew Misaki on NYE, but the end was deemed illegal and the result a NC. He also needs a strong comeback.

5. “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4)

Okami has been most active among the top ten in the last two years and comes off a knockout of former UFC champ Evan Tanner.  His only UFC loss was to Franklin, but could’ve conceivably been a “W” had he went after “Ace” before the final two minutes.

6. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4)

“Ruthless” rides a four-fight “W” streak since being choked out by Miller in ’06, including a KO of Trigg and stoppages of solid fighters Murilo Rua and Joey Villasenor. Upcoming versus Scott Smith won’t prove much unless he loses.

7. “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (16-6)

With all Trigg does, you may have missed his comeback at middleweight the last two years, starting with a TKO of Miller and a UD over Misaki. Lawler iced him at Icon, but he’s returned with a quick stoppage of Edwin Dewees. He’s my division wildcard to watch.

8. “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2)

Misaki has made successful hits on Denis Kang and Hendo’, but also dropped decisions to Trigg and Hendo’ and a stoppage to Filho. Regardless, he’s won and lost among the division’s best, and may have added a “W” versus Akiyama if PRIDE rules ruled K-1.

9. “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5)

Always entertaining “Mayhem” has thrown in a stoppage over Lawler and a stoppage by Trigg into a mixed bag of competition the last two years.

10. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

“Hollywood” served Silva his first losing round in two years, but couldn’t follow-up in round two.  Yo-yoing between weight classes has resulted in a mixed record for the last PRIDE champion in two weight classes.  If he wants 185, he’ll have to commit.

“The Babyfaced Assassin” from Seattle tread the path of his catch wrestling forefather Ad Santel Wednesday by submitting Japanese Olympic gold medalist judoka Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6-1) by heel hook at 3:23 of round three at World Victory Road’s inaugural Sengoku fight card in Tokyo.

A century ago, Santel waged war with judoka and proclaimed himself the world judo champion after defeating fifth-degree black belt Tokugoro Ito.

“I revived this rivalry when I fought Kazuhiro Nakamura,” Barnett (21-5) told Sherdog.com. “And, so I’m keeping it going for this century now.”

The fight was the American’s first in MMA since losing a unanimous decision rematch with current interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) on New Year’s Eve 2006.

His layoff had erased his name from most rankings which require activity in the previous 365-days; but, vanquishing the samurai establishes Barnett’s status as a top five heavyweight.

Also returning to active duty, former PRIDE Lightweight Champion “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-3) sliced open “Bang” Duane Ludwig (16-8) of Denver to earn a first round stoppage at 2:28.

Gomi had been out of commission  since tapping to Nick Diaz (15-7) in a gogoplata at PRIDE’s last American card in February 2007.  After Diaz tested positive for smoking a doob’, the outcome was deemed a No Contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2) got back to winning Wednesday with a guillotine submission of middleweight Afghan Siyar Bahadurzada (13-2-1) at 2:02 of round two.

Thick-skulled Japanese wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) posted a north-south choke tapout of MMA-debuting Aussie kickboxer Peter Graham (0-1).

“Cyborg” Evangelista Santos (16-11) won the second of his two-month trilogy by wrapping Japanese judoka Makoto Takimoto in a heel hook at 4:51 of round one.

Santos will fight Joey Villasenor on a San Jose Strikeforce card at the end of March.

Middleweight Pancrase vet Ryo Kawamura (8-2-2) of Japan won a unanimous decision over formerly undefeated Brazilian Antonio Braga Neto (5-1).

Bodog Fight welterweight king “The Goat” Nick Thompson (35-9-1) also won a unanimous decision over Gracie Barra “Pitbull” Fabricio Monteiro (16-7).