Strikeforce - Jan 30- Card looks solid

[Mr. IWS]

I think they are doing a pretty solid job with the cards they are putting together.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A pair of title fights will headline "Strikeforce: Miami" next month when Nick Diaz (20-7 MMA, 2-0 SF) takes on DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis (13-3 MMA, 0-0 SF) for the first-ever Strikeforce welterweight title and Cris "Cyborg" Santos (8-1 MMA, 2-0 SF) puts her women's featherweight title on the line against Marloes Coenen (17-3 MMA, 1-0 SF).

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) was informed of both of the rumored matchups in the post-fight press conference for Saturday's "Strikeforce: Evolution" event.

The show takes place Jan. 30 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., and airs on Showtime.

Diaz enters the title fight, which serves as the night's main event, with a five-fight win streak and a 9-1 record since May 2006. (The lone loss came to recent Strikeforce signee K.J. Noons under the EliteXC banner in late 2007.)

Diaz was originally slated to fight Jay Hieron for the title in August but skipped a mandatory pre-fight drug test and wasn't licensed for the bout. Hieron, who instead defeated Jesse Taylor at the show, had hoped he'd get the January fight with Diaz, but it instead goes to Zaromskis, who announced a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce in October.

Zaromskis enters the bout with a five-win streak, which included a successful run to win the DREAM welterweight grand prix earlier this year. After defeating Seichi Ikemoto via decision, the Lithuanian fighter knocked out Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Jason High to win the tournament and DREAM's welterweight title. Most recently he knocked out Ho Bae Myeon in an October non-title fight at DREAM.12.

Santos, meanwhile, picked up her title with a first-round knockout of then-undefeated Gina Carano in August; it was arguably the biggest fight in women's MMA history. It was also the eighth consecutive victory (and sixth via knockout) for the Brazilian fighter, who hasn't been defeated since her pro debut in May 2005, when Santos suffered a loss to Erica Paes.

Santos was expected to fight Coenen in November but had to bow out of the fight with a shoulder injury.

Coenen, a Dutch fighter who signed with Strikeforce in August, instead fought and avenged a previous loss to Roxanne Modafferi (a late replacement for Erin Toughill). It was her fourth win in five fights, and it was her 12th submission victory in 17 career wins.

The latest "Strikeforce: Miami" card now includes:
• Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis (for vacant welterweight title)
• Champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Marloes Coenen (for women's featherweight title)
• Robbie Lawler vs. TBA
• Bobby Lashley vs. TBA
• Herschel Walker vs. TBA

[zY|]

Yeah this card looks badass. I've been impressed with Strikeforce as of late.

What do you guys think about Diaz vs Zaromskis?

I think Nick takes the Whitemare to the woodchipper. Diaz by whatever he wants.

[Mr. IWS]

Whitemare is on a nice run, but then again, so is Diaz. I think it will be a real nice fight.

[SPX]

Strikeforce is rising in the ranks. Everyone talks about how it's full of UFC rejects--and truthfully, it essentially is--but they are also accumulating more and more talent that the UFC would (or at least should) be happy to have, including Fedor, Overeem, Jacare, Diaz, Shields, Hendo, Melendez, Thomson, King Mo, and I'm sure a few others who aren't coming to mind right now. If this keeps up, the talent pools are going to be pretty evenly split.

[zY|]

Whitemare is on a nice run, but then again, so is Diaz. I think it will be a real nice fight.

Zaromskis has explosive offense and looks for the one big shot. The problem is that Nick Diaz has one of MMA's premiere chins. I see Diaz by old fashioned beatdown. Similar to the Scott Smith fight.

[Mr. IWS]

Lawler/Melvin. Noice!

With the next Strikeforce event just a few weeks away it appears the card will add a fight with fireworks written all over it. Former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler and Melvin Manhoef have agreed in principle to a middleweight showdown on Jan. 30 in Sunrise, Fla. for Strikeforce: Miami.

The news was first reported by Five Ounces of Pain, and confirmed to MMAWeekly.com independently by multiple sources close to the fight.

Lawler (16-5) was originally slated to appear on the last Strikeforce card of 2009, but an injury to Trevor Prangley at the last minute didn’t allow the organization time to find a suitable replacement. The bout was scrapped.

It's been widely speculated that Lawler would end up on the card in January because the former champion hasn't competed since a June loss to current Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields.

Manhoef (24-6-1) comes into the fight fresh off of a first round drubbing of former Pride Middleweight Grand Prix champion Kazuo Misaki on New Year's Eve in Japan. The blitzing striker signed with Strikeforce late last year and this will be his promotional debut.

He overcame the loss of his training facility, Mike’s Gym, to a fire recently, and noted that he hasn’t had adequate opportunity to train his ground game because of the fire.

Asked about his training quandary after he defeated Misaki, Manhoef said, “If the fight (with Lawler) is gonna happen, I’m gonna prepare myself good. Robbie’s a banger, not a grappler, so maybe I don’t have to go on the ground, so we can do what we do the best.”

Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming Strikeforce: Miami card as it becomes available.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/tem ... &zoneid=13

[Mr. IWS]

He overcame the loss of his training facility, Mike’s Gym, to a fire recently, and noted that he hasn’t had adequate opportunity to train his ground game because of the fire.

Really? He would have trained his ground game?

[zY|]

I hope Lawler isn't planning on standing with Melvin.

[Mr. IWS]

I hope Lawler isn't planning on standing with Melvin.

He better be shooting double legs on his way to the cage.

[zY|]

[quote=IWS Zak]

I hope Lawler isn't planning on standing with Melvin.

He better be shooting double legs on his way to the cage.[/quote:c3eldvih]



Melvin is by no means infallible on the feet, he's been KOd before. But goddamn is he ferocious. And as for his power, nothing say it better than this.





He's got to be p4p one of the hardest punchers in the world.

[Luke]

Dude has to have alot of power because Mark Hunt has one of the best chins I have ever seen

[Mr. IWS]

Dude has to have alot of power because Mark Hunt has one of the best chins I have ever seen

He shut Hunt off with that last shot.

Should be a good fight.

I think Melvins problem is that when he gets to the ground, he gets subbed, but Lawler doenst really have a good sub game IMO. I think Melvin should be able to survive on the ground until he can get into position to scramble back to his feet.

Lawler is good on his feet, but IMO, Melvin will cleanse his soul if they stay standing.

[zY|]

LOL at "cleanse his soul".

This discussion got me watching some of Melvin's other fights. He should've been imprisoned for the savage beating he put on Sakuraba.

[Mr. IWS]

Pretty sure, the first time I seen him was on the K1 card where Brock made his debut. Been a fan of his ever since.(and Bernard Ackah)

[SPX]

The only fight of Manhoef's that I've seen is where he got triangled by Mousasi. . .

[zY|]

The only fight of Manhoef's that I've seen is where he got triangled by Mousasi. . .

You are missing out. He's an incredibly exciting fighter. Usually he either wins by KO in the first round or he gets armbarred.

He KOd Hunt and his uncrackable chin in 18 seconds. He beat down Sakuraba in 1:30. KOd Lee Murray and many others. His fight with Cyborg Santos in Cage Rage is like a greatest of all time brawl.

Plus he comes to the ring with a collar around his neck and he's on a leash.

[Mr. IWS]

His fight with Cyborg Santos in Cage Rage is like a greatest of all time brawl.

One of the best Ive ever seen. When they both were gassed and just stood in the cage and looked at each other for a couple seconds was great.

[Mr. IWS]

Riggs / Hieron added. Should be a good fight.

A middleweight bout featuring Robbie Lawler against Melvin Manhoef and a welterweight contest pitting Jay Hieron against Joe Riggs has been added to Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 card at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., the promotion confirmed on Wednesday.

Lawler was scheduled to face South African Olympic wrestling alternate Trevor Prangley At Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19, until Prangley withdrew with an injury. A former EliteXC middleweight champion and H.I.T. Squad member alongside Matt Hughes, the 27-year-old Iowan was submitted by Jake Shields in the first round of their headlining bout at Strikeforce “Lawler vs. Shields” on June 6 in St. Louis.

Dutch heavy-hitter Manhoef stopped Japanese standout Kazuo Mizaki on first-round punches at K-1 and FEG’s co-promoted “Dynamite” on Dec. 31 in Saitama, Japan. Manhoef has won seven of his last nine bouts, all by strikes.

Meanwhile, former IFL welterweight champion Hieron cinched up his promotional debut with a unanimous decision against Jesse Taylor at Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg” on Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif. Riggs battered Phil Baroni to a unanimous nod at Strikeforce’s June 6 event, and has notched two more victories on the regional circuit since then.

Also, on the card, Nick Diaz and Marius Zaromskis will vie for the vacant welterweight championship.

Strikeforce “Miami”
Jan. 30
BankAtlantic Center
Sunrise, Fla.

Welterweight Championship
Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis

Strikeforce Women’s Championship
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen*

Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef
Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
Bobby Lashley vs. Shane del Rosario*
Herschel Walker vs. TBA

[Mr. IWS]

Hershel Walker vs Greg Nagy.

Alsolme!

With just three weeks remaining until his professional MMA debut 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker has an opponent. Rage in the Cage competitor Greg Nagy is expected to meet Walker as part of the televised portion of Strikeforce's next event on Showtime on January 30th.

Multiple sources close to the event have informed ULTMMA.com (ULTMMA) of the likely match-up.

[Mr. IWS]

My boy told me that the Lashley fight is off too. Ill look for a sauce........