Kyle and Feijao looking to build path to title

Editor’s note: With three of four bouts on Saturday’s Strikeforce main card involving Northern California fighters, we’ll be breaking down those fights.

It has been a little over a year since Strikeforce has held an event in San Jose, but that drought comes to an end as Strikeforce 40 is ready to rock HP Pavilion this Saturday night.

Headlined by the finale of the Heavyweight Grand Prix and a lightweight title fight it’s easy to lose focus on the rest of the card, but there is a light heavyweight battle that promises to bring fireworks. With the division title currently vacant, this fight could lead to crowning a future champion.

Fighting out of American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Mike “MAK” Kyle (19-8-1) is coming off of a unanimous decision victory over Marcos Rogerio de Lima in September of 2011. His opponent, Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3-0), is considered one of the top-15 light heavyweights in the world. The Team Nogueira LHW, Feijao is coming back from a similar eight-month hiatus after defeating Yoel Romero Palacio last September.

These two have history. Feijao’s first fight in Strikeforce was a TKO loss to Mike Kyle in June 2009. Since then, both have had their shares of ups and downs. Feijao has bounced back and won four of his last five fights, which includes a TKO win over Kyle’s AKA teammate Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. Kyle has been on an even more ferocious streak, albeit it lesser known promotions. He’s won six of his past nine, but only two of those wins were in Strikeforce.

This match has the makings of a true stand-up battle. Twelve of Kyle’s 19 wins have come via KO/TKO, which makes up 63% of his wins. Feijao’s KO/TKO percentage is even higher. 10 of his 11 wins were via the knockout variety. That’s an outstanding 91%. With a combined 22 wins coming via KO/TKO, there will be little if any grappling or wrestling in this match.

Two fighters with similar strengths could lead to one of two things. This could be a classic stand-up, boxing style fight with both men exchanging blows. Or, it can be three rounds of each fighter trying to take the fight to the ground and grind out a win.

Either way, with a vacant light heavyweight title and no viable contenders, a win could mean consideration for a shot at becoming champion. Mak is looking to duplicate his TKO win from 2009, but Feijao is hoping to show that was a fluke. Part two of this light heavyweight story will be told this weekend and it promises to be a good one.

Nitesh Dutt is the MMA Blogger for @FightSportsCSN. Follow him on Twitter @NiteshDutt.