Bodog Beat

Jan "The Giant" Nortje beats Bob "The Beast" Sapp at Bodog Fight Presents Strikeforce at the Dome.

Since Bob Sapp and Maurice Smith are two of the most popular fighters to come out of Washington, it's no wonder that they were chosen to headline Bodog Fight presents Strikeforce at the Dome on Feb. 23 in Tacoma.

It's also no surprise that both were huge favorites heading into their fights. Sapp's opponent, Jan "The Giant" Nortje, was 1-5 in MMA, while world kickboxing champion Rick "The Jet" Roufus, who faced Smith, had never fought in MMA before. With Sapp holding a 9-3-1 record and Smith being a former UFC champion, Tacoma fans anticipated wins for both of their home-state boys.

In town with the HDNet crew, MMA veteran Guy Metzger said he was looking forward to an exciting night of action.

"It's going to be interesting to see Bob Sapp fighting in mixed martial arts in America for the first time," he said. "I'm also interested to see Maurice Smith fight Rick Roufus, two world class kickboxers that have made the transition to MMA. It'll be a brutal match if it’s a kickboxing match with 4-ounce gloves. I expect to see a good night of fights."

Bob Sapp vs. Jan "The Giant" Nortje

As former training partners, both Sapp and Nortje knew exactly what to expect heading into the main event. As the taller fighter at 6 feet 11 inches, Nortje's strategy was to keep the fight standing, while Sapp, the heavier fighter at 356 pounds, made no secret about his intentions to drive his South African opponent into the fence and drag him to the mat.

Read the rest of Wombat's World of Combat in Bodog Nation today!