Strikeforce Prelims: Peralta Edges Dream Featherweight Ace Takaya

Hiroyuki Takaya file photo

Takaya was upset by Peralta.

Round one was competitive, as Peralta staggered Takaya with a punch combination late in the first frame, only to see the Japanese fighter score a takedown at the end of the round. In the second stanza, both men were relatively inactive, though Takaya managed a takedown midway through the period.

The final frame was also closely contested, as “Streetfight Bancho” executed another takedown but failed to do anything from top position. At the fight's end, two judges scored the bout 30-27 for Peralta, while the dissenting judge gave Takaya a 29-28.

Evening his Strikeforce record to 1-1, Virgil Zwicker finished Brett Albee with a myriad of strikes early into their heavyweight affair.

Though the fighters engaged in the stand-up from the get-go, neither man could find his range until 'Rezdog' landed a chopping low kick to Albee's lead thigh. The Team Quest representative then erupted, landing a flurry of punches and knees that floored Albee, forcing referee Cecil Peoples to stop the fight at 1:46 of the opening stanza.

Welterweight Joe Duarte returned from a year away from the cage on Saturday to submit fellow Bellator vet Saad Awad with a second-round armbar. After controlling the fight in the first frame and securing the mount, Duarte was rocked early in the second by an Awad flurry.

The Arena representative kept his composure, however, and scored with a double-leg takedown. From there, he again transitioned to mount and then took Awad's back, locking up a belly-down armbar and forcing his opponent to submit at 2:45 of the second frame.

Herman Terrado ended A.J. Matthews' undefeated streak with one right hand, knocking out the Blackline MMA representative at 4:16 of their welterweight bout.

After buckling his foe's knees with a punch early in the round, Terrado stayed on the offensive, fighting through the clinch and landing effective strikes throughout the first round until unleashing his fight-ending right hook.

Rolando Perez took home a clear-cut unanimous decision over Edgar Cardonez in their 160-pound catch-weight contest, earning scores of 30-27 across the board.

Handling his opponent for the majority of the fight, Perez continually peppered his foe with punches and kicks standing and dominated the ground game with superior positioning. Though “Kitty Kat” made a late run in the third period, Perez stayed composed and rode out the decision.

In the first bout of the evening, Casey Ryan earned his second pro victory by tapping Paul Song with a first-round triangle choke. After a brief exchange standing, Song took the fight to the floor, but Ryan soon threatened with an armbar from his back. Though the attempt was unsuccessful, Ryan used the maneuver to set up his fight ending triangle.

With the choke secured, Song had no choice but to tap, waving goodbye to his undefeated pro record at 1:39 of the opening frame.