Scott Smith wants rubber match, Cung Le likely headed to tournament instead

Sam Morris

Scott Smith blocks a kick by Cung Le during their Strikeforce bout Saturday at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, Calif. Le won by TKO in the second round.

By Brett Okamoto

Sunday, June 27, 2010 | 1:54 a.m.

Strikeforce Le v. Smith

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Scott Smith was fairly open about his frustration at having to fight Cung Le twice in two fights.

But after losing to Le in an exciting rematch Saturday at the HP Pavilion, it sounded as if Smith wouldn’t mind making it three for three.

“Fighting a guy like Cung, I’m honored to step in the cage with him,” Smith said, following his second-round TKO loss to Le in the co-main event. “He’s always going to be a great opponent. Win, lose or draw, it’s always going to be a great fight.

“If I were to have come back and beat him again tonight and Strikeforce had asked me to fight him a third time, so be it. Strikeforce knows what they’re doing and I’m here for them.”

Although it was shorter than their first meeting last December, Saturday’s fight between Le (7-1) and Smith (17-7) further proved their styles make for one of the most entertaining matchups in the Strikeforce organization.

With Smith looking to press the pace, Le relied on counter shots to back him off in the first round before turning to his notorious spinning back kicks that eventually ended the fight early in the second round.

It was a special performance by Le, especially considering he had spent the Monday before the fight in the hospital, worried about the condition of his newborn baby after his wife experienced complications with the birth.

“It’s been a rough week for me,” said Le, following the fight. “My wife was in labor for 14 hours and had to do an emergency C-section. Being in the operating room Monday was very draining. I got about four or five hours of sleep (Friday). I just had to dig deep.”

Smith also admitted he had dealt with less-than-ideal training camp conditions, as injuries had kept him from his usual preparations.

Wanting to get back to his wrestling more in this fight, Smith’s injuries limited him to mostly standup training and cut out important sparring sessions prior to the fight.

“Everybody gets a little banged up in camp but I couldn’t do much wrestling or jiu-jitsu due to small injuries,” Smith said. “I also didn’t get enough sparring in. I got maybe three or four sparring sessions in for this fight and I felt it out there.”

The loss stands to sting for Smith, as the win will likely award Le a spot in a proposed eight-man middleweight tournament.

With current 185-pound champ Jake Shields expected to head to the UFC, Strikeforce is planning a single-elimination tournament that will end with its middleweight title on the line.

Despite rumors that Smith’s management had fought for an immediate rematch clause in their contract for Saturday’s fight, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said nothing is concrete for either fighter and seemed to lean more towards placing Le in line for the belt.

“We’ve had that conversation,” said Coker on another rematch. “They were both amazing fights and if they fought every weekend it would be amazing every weekend.

“As their careers go down the line, maybe there should be a rubber match. It could happen soon or after a fight or two, but I think we’re getting into the tournament business and they have another path to take.”

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.