Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor 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 held by the 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...

. The tenth Challengers episode took place on August 13, 2010, at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

.

Background

The event featured a women's one-night, single-elimination bantamweight tournament, with the winner earning the right to a future title shot. The opening round matchups were decided by way of a random draw on the day of the weigh-ins. First-round fights in the tournament were two rounds of three minutes, and the final fight was three rounds of three minutes.

The event drew an estimated 237,000 viewers, with a peak at 280,000 on Showtime.

Televised card

• Catchweight (182 lb) bout:   Joe Riggs
  Joe Riggs
  Joseph Jonathan Riggs is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He has competed at weights ranging from Heavyweight down to Welterweight. Currently, Riggs fights as a Middleweight.-Background:...
  
   vs.   Louis Taylor
  Louis Taylor
  Louis Taylor is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights for Combat USA.-The Ultimate Fighter:Taylor was at the tryouts for The Ultimate Fighter 13 on November 4, 2010...
  
  

Riggs defeated Taylor via submission (punches) at 2:07 of round 3.

• Lightweight bout:   Ryan Couture
  Ryan Couture
  Ryan Couture is an American professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Strikeforce promotion. He is the son of UFC Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture.-Biography:...
  
   vs.   Lucas Stark

Couture defeated Stark via submission (triangle choke) at 1:15 of round 1.

Reserve Bout

•   Colleen Schneider vs.   Liz Carmouche
  Liz Carmouche
  Liz Carmouche is an American mixed martial arts fighter. Carmouche currently competes for Strikeforce in the women's welterweight division....
  
  

Carmouche defeated Schneider via unanimous decision.

Semifinals

•   Carina Damm
  Carina Damm
  Carina Paganini Damm Golçalvez is a Brazilian female mixed martial artist.Regarded for her looks as much as for her fighting abilities, Damm was dubbed MMA's "Barbie Girl" by the Brazilian media....
  
   vs.   Hitomi Akano
  Hitomi Akano
  , is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...
  
  

Akano defeated Damm via submission (triangle armbar) at 1:48 of round 2.

•   Miesha Tate
  Miesha Tate
  Miesha Tate is a professional mixed martial artist.She is the current Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion and the current Freestyle Cage Fighting Women's Bantamweight Champion...
  
   vs.   Maiju Kujala

Tate defeated Kujala via unanimous decision.

Finals

•   Miesha Tate
  Miesha Tate
  Miesha Tate is a professional mixed martial artist.She is the current Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion and the current Freestyle Cage Fighting Women's Bantamweight Champion...
  
   vs.   Hitomi Akano
  Hitomi Akano
  , is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...
  
  

Tate defeated Akano via unanimous decision.

Non-televised card

• Featherweight bout:   Chris Gruetzemacher vs.   Ryan Diaz

Gruetzemacher defeated Diaz via TKO (doctor stoppage) in round 1.

• Middleweight bout: Jason Richey vs. Edmund Xhelili

Richey defeated Xhelili via majority decision.

• Welterweight bout: Joel Champion vs. Sean Scott

Champion defeated Scott via KO (Punches) at 1:06 of round 1.

• Lightweight bout: Tim Worth vs.   Rob Anderson

Anderson defeated Worth via unanimous decision.

• Welterweight bout:   Andres Acuna vs.   Edwin Louis

Acuna defeated Louis via unanimous decision.

• Lightweight bout:   Frankie Saenz vs. Jace Crawford

Saenz defeated Crawford via unanimous decision.

Women's Welterweight Tournament Bracket