Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II, also known as Strikeforce: St. Louis, was a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 event that was held by Strikeforce

Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

 on December 4, 2010 at the Scottrade Center

Scottrade Center

Scottrade Center is a 19,150 seat arena located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, opened in 1994. It is the home of the St...

 in St Louis, Missouri, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Background

The winner of the Sobral-Henderson bout was promised the next shot at Rafael Cavalcante

Rafael Cavalcante

Rafael Cavalcante is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division. He trains with Anderson Silva and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira as part of the Black House camp. He currently competes in Strikeforce, where he is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion...

's light heavyweight championship.

Undercard matches featured four protegees from Strikeforce's Fighter Exchange Program. The Fighter Exchange Program is intended to be a tie-in to the Career Mode of the EA Sports MMA

EA Sports MMA

EA Sports MMA is a fighting video game which was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon from 2008 to 2010. It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 19, 2010 in North America and October 22, 2010 everywhere else....

 game, and features multimedia documentation of four young prospects (Bettega, Cummins, Martytniuok, Phillips) traveling, learning, and training with four established veterans (Jacare Souza, Jason Miller, Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...

, Luke Rockhold

Luke Rockhold

Luke Rockhold is an American mixed martial artist. He is the current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion.Rockhold holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Dave Camarillo.-Early Life:...

). These matches were streamed live at Sherdog.com.

Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker

Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...

 pulled out of his fight with Scott Carson due to a cut under his left eye. The bout was moved to January's Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg, was a mixed martial arts event that was held by Strikeforce on January 29, 2011 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, United States.-Background:...

 card, where Walker defeated Carson by first round TKO.

Scott Smith

Scott Smith (fighter)

Bryan Scott Smith, , is an American mixed martial artist previously fighting at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship making his debut at UFC 59. He also fought for EliteXC before it folded and currently fights for Strikeforce...

 was originally slated to take on Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney is an American professional mixed martial artist who fights out of St. Louis, Missouri. He competes as a Welterweight. Finney has fought in kickboxing and boxing fights, going 23–0 and 8–2 respectively...

 at this event, but would instead face the debuting Paul Daley

Paul Daley

Paul Daley is an English professional mixed martial artist who has fought for EliteXC, Cage Rage, Strikeforce, BAMMA, Maximum Fighting Championship, Cage Warriors, Shark Fights, Impact FC, Pancrase and the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

 on this same card. Before a replacement opponent could be named, Finney withdrew from the card himself due to an eye injury.

Valentijn Overeem

Valentijn Overeem

Valentijn Overeem is a Dutch mixed martial artist who competes as a heavyweight. He has previously competed for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, RINGS and Strikeforce...

 also pulled out of a bout with Antonio Silva

Antonio Silva (fighter)

Antonio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He initially fought in the super heavyweight division, but currently competes in the heavyweight weight class. He is the first and last EliteXC heavyweight champion...

 after suffering an elbow injury. Mike Kyle

Mike Kyle

Mike Kyle is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He fights primarily for Strikeforce and King of the Cage. He is the King of the Cage Light Heavyweight champion...

 stepped in to replace Overeem.

This was the first Strikeforce event where 4 main card fights ended in knockout.

The event drew an estimated 341,000 viewers, with a peak at 465,000 on Showtime.

Main Card

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Dan Henderson
  Dan Henderson
  Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
  
   vs.   Renato Sobral
  Renato Sobral
  Renato da Cunha Sobral , also known as "Babalu", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. He is regarded as one of the best light heavyweights of the night, and noted for his aggressive style, grappling prowess, and high-caliber submissions. Sobral...
  
  

Henderson defeated Sobral via KO (Punches) at 1:53 of round 1

• Welterweight bout:   Paul Daley
  Paul Daley
  Paul Daley is an English professional mixed martial artist who has fought for EliteXC, Cage Rage, Strikeforce, BAMMA, Maximum Fighting Championship, Cage Warriors, Shark Fights, Impact FC, Pancrase and the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
  
   vs.   Scott Smith
  Scott Smith (fighter)
  Bryan Scott Smith, , is an American mixed martial artist previously fighting at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship making his debut at UFC 59. He also fought for EliteXC before it folded and currently fights for Strikeforce...
  
  

Daley defeated Smith via KO (punch) at 2:09 of round 1.

• Middleweight bout:   Robbie Lawler
  Robbie Lawler
  Robert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
  
   vs.   Matt Lindland
  Matt Lindland
  Matthew James Lindland is an American mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008....
  
  

Lawler defeated Lindland via KO (punches) at 0:50 of round 1.

• Heavyweight bout:   Antonio Silva
  Antonio Silva (fighter)
  Antonio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He initially fought in the super heavyweight division, but currently competes in the heavyweight weight class. He is the first and last EliteXC heavyweight champion...
  
   vs   Mike Kyle
  Mike Kyle
  Mike Kyle is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He fights primarily for Strikeforce and King of the Cage. He is the King of the Cage Light Heavyweight champion...
  
  

Silva defeated Kyle via TKO (punches) at 2:49 of round 2.

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Benji Radach
  Benji Radach
  Benji Russell Radach is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a former member of the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
  
   vs.   Ovince St. Preux
  Ovince St. Preux
  Ovince St. Preux is a Haitian-American mixed martial artist, who competes in the light heavyweight division for Strikeforce.- Early life :...
  
  

St. Preux defeated Radach via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–26, 30–25).

Preliminary Card

• Welterweight bout:   Fernando Bettega vs.   Wayne Phillips

Phillips defeated Bettega via split decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–29).

• Lightweight bout:   Justin Lawrence vs.   Max Martyniouk

Lawrence defeated Martyniouk via technical unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27). The fight was stopped in round 3 due to an accidental soccer kick by Lawrence.

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Terrell Brown vs.   Patrick Cummins

Cummins defeated Brown via TKO (strikes) at 2:44 of round 1.

• Middleweight bout:   Lucas Lopes vs.   Cortez Coleman

Coleman defeated Lopes via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:04 of round 1.

• Lightweight bout:   Tom Aaron vs.   Matt Ricehouse
  Matt Ricehouse
  Matt Ricehouse is an American professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Strikeforce promotion.-Early career:Ricehouse began MMA as an amateur in 2007, amassing a record of 7 wins and 1 loss over the next three years....
  
  

Ricehouse defeated Aaron via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28).

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Lee Brousseau vs.   Mike Glenn

Glenn defeated Brousseau via TKO (strikes) at 2:00 of round 1.

• Middleweight bout:   Booker DeRousse vs.   Coltin Cole

DeRousse defeated Cole via TKO (strikes) at 3:04 of round 2.

• Catchweight (130 lbs) bout:   Josh Epps vs.   J.W. Wright

Wright defeated Epps via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:29 of round 1.