Story Calls Out Thiago Alves

Rick Story (left) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

After outpointing Johny Hendricks on Dec. 4 for his fifth straight win in the UFC, Rick Story knows whom he wants to fight next.

“I want to fight Thiago [Alves],” Story said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network.

Alves, ranked No. 3 in the world, would be a significant step up in competition. That’s one reason why Story wants a piece of “The Pitbull.”

“I know that somebody like Thiago Alves, beating him, it would make people realize, ‘This guy is for real,’” Story said. “I just want everybody to know that I am for real and I’m not going to stop until I get that number one spot.”

The 26-year-old Story had a strong year in 2010. He went 4-0, including a stoppage of Dustin Hazelett. Against Hendricks he outwrestled a former NCAA champion and showed a more advanced MMA game.

Meanwhile Alves appears to have rebounded from weight issues and a loss to Jon Fitch earlier in the year. On Dec. 11 the former title challenger looked impressive en route to a unanimous decision over John Howard. Although Alves might be back on track, Story likes the matchup.

“For one, he’s a standup striker. And two, he’s great at takedown defense, but he’s not that great at staying away from wrestlers when he’s down on the ground,” Story explained. “When he’s in good shape, he’s a little bit better at getting away. Against [Jon] Fitch, Fitch took him down at will and controlled him on the ground. I just think that it would be great. It would be a great fight and it’d be fun to stand and trade with him.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:22:13) with Story, who also discussed how he overcame a 1-2 start in MMA.

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Following Horodecki Win, 'Cowboy' Calls Out 'Magrinho'

Donald Cerrone file photo | Sherdog.com

Donald Cerrone put on a dominant performance Thursday night, submitting International Fight League veteran Chris Horodecki at WEC 53 from the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

According to “Cowboy,” however, his performance left something to be desired.

“I wasn't exactly thrilled with the fight. I’m a striker, and I wanted to beat him at his own game. I got the win, submitted him with a triangle, so I can't complain,” said Cerrone. “But there are a couple of things I need to look at and see why I couldn't finish the triangle quicker.”

The Greg Jackson-trained muay Thai specialist got off to another slow start against Horodecki, a trend that “Cowboy” admits is something with which he still struggles. When asked at Thursday's post-fight news conference whether it was a mental issue or something external that Horodecki presented that caused Cerrone's slow start, the five-time “Fight of the Night” winner responded frankly.

“I don't know. It was probably that I just couldn't get going. He pushed forward and did what he needed to do,” said Cerrone. “In the fight, I just cant seem to put all my combinations together. In the gym, I can. So I'll go back Monday and [start working again].”

In the first round, the pair fought to a virtual stalemate. Though Cerrone probably landed the more meaningful blows, the much shorter Horodecki held his own. In his last performance, Cerrone shocked everyone by out-wrestling Jamie Varner at WEC 51. On Thursday, “Cowboy” joked that he may need to return to his kickboxing roots in the future.

“My wrestling is coming along, so now I guess I’ve really got to go work on my striking again,” he quipped.

WEC 53 marked the promotion's final event before merging with the UFC in 2011. One might think that a veteran of the little blue cage like Cerrone might have been fighting with a little something extra given the circumstances. Not so, says Cerrone, who claims he has given his all in each of his fights.

“I go and fight my ass off every time [I step in the cage].” he said. “This being the last [WEC event] wouldn't make me fight any harder. But the WEC helped brand my name and made 'Cowboy' who he is today.”

When asked what the future holds for “Cowboy,” the lightweight didn't stutter, calling out Cole Miller as his first UFC opponent.

“Absolutely that's the fight I want. I’ve wanted it since I got my foot in the door. Cole beat my good friend Leonard Garcia about three years ago,” he said. “I really wasn't anybody at the time, but I said, 'All right, motherf---er. I got you.”

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Daley Crushes Smith, Calls Out Noons Again

Paul Daley (right) vs. Scott Smith: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

During the lead-up to their welterweight duel, there was one thing both Scott Smith and Paul Daley agreed on: someone was getting knocked out.

Daley proved to be the faster and more accurate of the two on Saturday, turning out Smith’s lights with a crisp counter left hook in the co-main event of Strikeforce “Henderson vs. Babalu II” at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

“I was expecting a tough fight, but I was [also] expecting a quick fight, which it was. I always thought I had it in me to knock Scott Smith out,” said Daley at the post-fight press conference.

When asked after the fight about Smith's vaunted punching power, Daley was dismissive.

“He hit me with a jab, I think, but I brushed it off,” said the English striker. “I just had to keep my chin to my chest and move forward and be confident. I could see it in his eyes that he wasn’t as confident as I was, and the fight played out the way I wanted it to.”

The punch that ended the fight was also the catalyst for the Brit's victory. Daley found a home for his left hook early, keeping Smith off balance for the duration of the two-minute bout.

“I thought [my left hook] would play a part in the fight. My corner was calling for the left hook-right straight, which I threw as the first combination and had him rocked,” said Daley. “But I’ve seen in his previous fights that there was an opportunity to come over his right hand with a left hook when he threw it.”

Unconscious before he hit the ground, Smith fell flat on his face as referee John McCarthy waved off the contest. With the welterweight debut of “Hands of Steel” now officially spoiled, Daley reiterated his desire to take on K.J. Noons.

“I think he’s one of the bigger names here. I think Strikeforce has put a lot of money behind him. He just fought for the title, and it took Nick Diaz five rounds to get rid of him. I think I’ll knock K.J. out within five minutes,” Daley said. “I don't think K.J. is on my level. He calls himself a striker. When he steps into the cage with me, he’ll soon see that he’s not a striker at all.”

After Daley's speech, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker was probed regarding the potential matchup, asked if he would be open to making the fight a reality. Before the promotion's head could even begin his response, however, Daley interrupted, garnering a chorus of laughter from those in attendance.

“No, [Scott] won't make that fight, because he likes K.J. Noons.”

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