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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
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
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