Josh Thomson Might Be The First Strikeforce Guy To Win Gold In The UFC
By Joshua Molina
Back in the old Strikeforce days people wondered how well the Strikeforce guys would do in the UFC.
There were dream match-ups like, George St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz, Alistair Overeem vs. Cain Velasquez and Gilbert Melendez vs. Benson Henderson or Anthony Pettis.
Well, now we know. Robbie Lawler and Daniel Cormier have done well, but they weren’t Strikeforce titleholders. With the exception of Ronda Rousey, the Strikeforce champions have failed big-time in the UFC.
Melendez forgot to fight every round against Henderson. Overeem lost his mojo, muscle and chin in two straight UFC fights. Diaz let frustration overwhelm him in his two big title fights.
But now comes a guy who just might be Strikeforce’s shining light in the UFC.
Can Josh Thomson defeat Anthony Pettis at UFC on FOX 9 on Dec. 14?
He just might do it. UFC fans don’t know a lot about Thomson, but they will soon. What they know is impressive. He KO’d the tough Nate Diaz earlier this year. That’s no easy feat.
Anyone who was paying close attention to Strikeforce during its last days could see that Thomson was emerging as one of the sport’s best. He probably defeated Gilbert Melendez in their third fight, but the judges gave it to the champion. Thomson, of course, already defeated Melendez in their first fight, before dropping the decision in the second fight to “El Nino”.
Thomson is not the most charismatic fighter, but what he does have is worth much more. He’s fearless. There’s no BS about him. He fights to win. And when he fights like crap, he admits it and moves on. He doesn’t complain about the other opponent’s style, or the judges or the referee.
Thomson is a stand-up guy who is there to win. Most of the time he even looks happing doing so. He usually has a big smile on his face and is thrilled to be in a slugfest.
Thomson may surprise everybody and be the first Strikeforce guy to win gold in the UFC. If not, one thing’s for sure. He will fight every round. And he won’t blame the judges if Pettis pulls it out.