A little over a month from now, Strikeforce will look to hold its next big event. On July 30 Strikeforce is scheduled to present “Fedor vs. Henderson”, featuring the legendary Fedor Emelianenko taking on current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Dan Henderson in a Heavyweight bout. One of the most-anticipated encounters outside that main event was a match-up between Paul Daley and Evangelista Santos, but recently it’s been confirmed that that’s a fight that will no longer be happening. Here are all the details. ...

Former title challenger Evangelista Santos, better known as "Cyborg", will be returning to the cage very soon. After a solid first-round turned in against current welterweight champion Nick Diaz this past January, Evangelista was eventually submitted in the second-round by the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, however surely picked up fans along the way. Now, after his spirited performance, "Cyborg" will be returning to the strikeforce cage this July as the organization prepares for it's first pay-per-view event. He will be looking to climb back up the contender ladder when he will be taking on Team Quest product and top prospect Tarec Saffiedine next. ...

Normally when ratings come in for a high-profile show, a promotion like strikeforce can be content simply breathing a sigh of relief if a show performs within the norm. Well, the ratings were recently released for the Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event, and no sighing is called for. Instead, Strikeforce should be jumping for joy. The ratings are in, they’re positive, and they give concrete proof to what I’ve been saying for weeks now: Strikeforce is in for a landmark 2011. Here are all the details. ...

Last Saturday, Strikeforce put on their first show of the new year, and it went off without a hitch. The Showtime televised event featured a dual-title headliner, featuring middleweight Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza successfully defending his title against veteran Robbie Lawler with a third-round rear-naked choke, as well as Nick Diaz dominating a game Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos en route to a second-round arm bar win. And for their efforts, these men took home some of the evenings largest paydays, with the Stockton native taking a large portion of the $463,500 payroll. ...

Hello and welcome to another “Top 5 Best Moments”, fans and friends. Whenever a major MMA promotion puts on a show, it always leaves fans talking. Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” was no different, since it featured dramatic fights, stunning (T)KO’s, and super-slick submissions. But what were the highlights of the night? Here are my picks for the Top 5 Best Moments of Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg”. ...

It’s that time once again, fans and friends. Another major MMA event has come and gone, leaving fans with a great night of fights and leaving the MMA community at large wondering “what’s next?” As is traditional, I’ll present my own answer to that very question in the form of the latest entry into my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series, featuring the recent Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event. Let’s get right to it. ...

The first major Strikeforce event of 2011 is now a thing of the past, as “Diaz vs. Cyborg” recently wrapped up with a stellar main card on Showtime and a preliminary card that was available in its entirety online. The night was filled with dramatic knockouts, entertaining fights, great submissions, and hard-won contests. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary for Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Cyborg”. ...

Nick Diaz has now recorded his ninth-straight victory, successfully defended his welterweight title once again, and has solidified himself as one of the baddest dudes at 170-pounds. Evangelista Santos, perhaps better known as simply "Cyborg", was as the game as they come. The PRIDE veteran stalked Diaz early with fast-paced strikes, and was doing damage in spots, however the testament of Diaz' fortitude was on display as he eventually found his opening and closed out the show in the end of the second-round. ...

The highly anticipated dual-title Strikeforce show has now been made official. Nick Diaz will be defending his welterweight crown against the resurgent Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos while Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza takes on former 3-time middleweight champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler. All participants for tonight's Saturday event, which takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, all successfully made weight--but it wasn't without it's problems. ...

This Saturday, strikeforce will hold its highly-anticipated “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event, featuring not one but two championships up for grabs. But other than both the Strikeforce Welterweight and Strike Middleweight Championships being on the line, what are some other good reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to look forward to Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg”. ...

We’re now only a few days away from Strikeforce’s “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event. In the main event, controversial top star Nick Diaz defends his Strikeforce Welterweight Championship against the hard-hitting Evangelista Santos. The co-main event will also be a championship affair, as Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and submission ace Ronaldo Souza takes on “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler. As is customary, here are my official picks and predictions for Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring Strikeforce’s upcoming “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event. ...

Evangelista Santos, better known as simply "Cyborg", is arguably at the pinnacle of his career. He has the chance to capture the very prestigious Strikeforce welterweight title from one of the more recognizable and enigmatic figures in the sport, champ Nick Diaz. However, while the honor in of itself in claiming gold would be great, Evangelista has already set up a hit-list of sorts on those he would like to exact some revenge on in his near 14-year career as a mixed martial artist. Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi and former Cage Rage light heavyweight champion Melvin Manhoef are on the top of his list. ...

While Fabricio Werdum is training for arguably his toughest challenge to date as he takes on current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in a non-title match-up in the quarter-finals of the organization's coveted heavyweight Grand Prix, the submission specialist still was able to offer up his opinion for an equally important fight. Werdum, who shocked the mixed martial arts world last year with a 69-second submission win over the seemingly unbeatable Fedor Emelianenko, has invested interest in the upcoming title fight between champ Nick Diaz as he defends his title for the second time against veteran Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos. And while the Brazilian has long lauded Diaz as one of his favorite fighters to watch, he's going with the home team in picking Santos for the upset. ...

Recently, former UFC contender Paul Daley has been announced as the next man in line to face the winner of Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos--who battle for the Strikeforce welterweight title this Saturday. Daley made the claim to fame when he knocked out the proverbial knockout artist in Scott Smith in his promotional debut last December, and he needed no less than the first-round to do so. However, Paul has recently accepted a fight in his native U.K. for this February, and should he come out in the losing end of things, he will lose his current position as the next in line for the Strikeforce title, so needless to say the Rough House product will be treading with caution. ...

Former UFC castout turned Strikeforce commodity, Paul Daley could be next in line for the promotion's welterweight title. Daley was featured on every headline of every major mixed martial arts forum when he was the victim of the infamous UFC pink slips, however all on his own doing. In a number one contenders bout where Paul was pitted against Josh Koscheck last May at "UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun II" he dropped a unanimous decision to the brash American Kickboxing Academy product. After the fight, Daley stalked Josh and sucker-punched the former title contender and was then released by the promotion. Now, his career has taken a complete 180, as he now may be gearing up for a title fight against potentially one of the biggest challenges of his career. ...

It remains one of the most-talked-about, eagerly-anticipated, hotly-debated matches that the Strikeforce promotion has ever seen… and it just won’t happen. Of course I’m talking about Jason Miller vs. Nick Diaz. Both men absolutely hate each other and have vocally called one another out countless times in the past, but actually getting these two to come to terms has seemingly been a trial in futility. And now that Nick Diaz does have an official next opponent, Jason Miller once again took to the internet to launch another seething rant against his most-hated foe. Here are all the latest details on what remains one of Strikeforce’s biggest rivalries. ...

strikeforce’s upcoming January 29 event was already looking like a great start for Strikeforce in 2011, but it just got even better. There will be two championship defenses on January 29, not just one. It was previously announced that Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza would defend his belt against Robbie Lawler. But recently, it’s also been announced that Nick Diaz has finally found himself an opponent and will also be defending his piece of gold, the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship, in January. Here are all the details. ...

Paul Daley’s future is once again bright. The notorious British bad-boy who was most famously kicked out of the UFC after attacking Josh Koscheck after the bell has now found new life in Strikeforce, thanks to one of the biggest KO’s the heavy-handed “Semtex” has ever managed to deliver. At the recent “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” event, Daley shut down and beat up “Comeback King” Scott Smith before finishing him with a knockout so vicious that it’ll likely remain on Daley’s highlight reel for the rest of his career. In a new interview, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently stated that he can’t wait to book Daley again and looks forward to seeing how far “Semtex” can go in Strikeforce. ...

A few days ago I reported that, after a lengthy contract negotiation, strikeforce had pulled the trigger and signed heavy-handed UFC-exile Paul Daley to a multi-fight contract. My overall outlook for Paul Daley in Strikeforce was positive and remains positive. If he’s utilized correctly, Daley could give us some very entertaining fights. And in that regard, here’s what I think would be the best fights Paul Daley could have in Strikeforce. ...

It’s been rumored, it’s been denied, it’s been on our minds for quite some time. And today it’s finally been confirmed: controversial heavy-handed striker and UFC exile Paul Daley is headed to strikeforce, according to both MMAMania and MMAWeekly. It was rumored that Daley had been in serious negotiations with the number 2 MMA promotion in the USA (and the world, for that matter) for months now, and it’s now known that  “Semtex” has signed a six-fight, multi-year contract. ...

Strikeforce: Los Angeles takes place this evening at the famed Nokia Theatre with the first preliminary fight starting at 7 pm PT. The first televised fight on Showtime will be at 8 PT. "The Reverend of MMA"  Turk Vangel will be cageside bringing you all the action with live updates posted here. ...

United States Army sniper Timothy Kennedy (11-2) and middleweight Chute Boxe brawler "Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (16-13) will top a Strikeforce Challengers card in Tulsa 25 September.

"I think we’re both pretty explosive fighters and we both show up to fight. We both like to throw some big bombs so it’s a good matchup," said Kennedy.

Kennedy has trained at The Pit with Fighters.com's eighth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) and added, "I’m working with the best boxing coaches and training with Mark DeLaGrotte, one of the best MMA striking coaches in the world, so I think that people are going to see a new Tim that they’ve never seen before."
...

"Afghan Killa" Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com after his controversial victory over "Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (16-12) by TKO due to injury in the first round of Sengoku's Middleweight Grand Prix.

As a child, Bahadurzada immigrated to the Netherlands from war-torn Afghanistan, but became stuck there without a passport as his fight career took off.  In July 2007, he was finally allowed to travel to Japan to fight (and beat) Shiko Yamashita (10-4-3) for the Shooto title. Fighters.com: Can you describe the difference between your feelings when you first arrived in Holland after leaving Afghanistan, then when you first arrived in Japan to fight after being stuck in Holland?  Holland must've been both a place of refuge from war-torn Afghanistan, but then like a cage keeping you from furthering your fight career? Siyar Bahadurzada: When I first came to Holland I felt like I was given a second chance.  I just went for it and kept trying to make something out of my life.  I learned to speak Dutch in almost six months.  I was [studying] very hard and, besides, not to forget, I'm pretty gifted in learning languages. I can speak several languages very well. But, when I went to Japan, I felt different.  Coming to Holland was different because I was saved from the war; but, when I came to Japan, I felt like, "Now it is my time to shine.  My 15 minutes of fame is on!"  I feel invincible when I'm in Japan.  Somehow, the environment in Japan drives me to my limits, motivates me to take one step more and go for my dreams! ...

MMA rookie “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (1-0) upset “Diesel” Travis Wiuff (53-12) by first-round TKO at 2:11 Sunday night in Tokyo. Lawal staggered Wiuff with a right Superman punch, then rushed in with a double-leg takedown at the ropes.  Lawal leapt on Wiuff and finished him off with ground’n’pound. Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion “Xande” Alexandre Ribeiro (1-0) TKO’d Takashi Sugiura (1-3) in the last minute of his anticipated MMA debut. ...

World Victory Road announced Friday a middleweight tournament for Sengoku 5 at the Yoyogi National First Gymnasium in Tokyo 28 September. The first four competitors named for the tournament are Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-8), “Cyborg” Evangelista Santos (16-11), Jorge Santiago (17-7), and Siyar Bahadurzada (13-3-1). Nakamura, a PRIDE veteran, fought most recently in the UFC.  He was 0-2 in the organization, falling to Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked light heavyweight “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) with a leg injury in May. Nakamura will make his debut as a middleweight at the upcoming event. Santos, from the Chute Boxe, Academy, won his last fight by submitting Makoto Takimoto (4-4) with an Achilles lock at Sengoku 1 in March. American Top Team member Santiago won his last five fights, most recently submitting Yuki Sasaki (21-14-1) via armbar at Sengoku 2 in May. Shooto Light Heavyweight Champion Bahadurzada lost his Sengoku debut in March, tapping to Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2)’s guillotine. ...

Josh Barnett, judo champion? "The Babyfaced Assassin" from Seattle tread the path of his catch wrestling forefather Ad Santel Wednesday by submitting Japanese Olympic gold medalist judoka Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6-1) by heel hook at 3:23 of round three at World Victory Road's inaugural Sengoku fight card in Tokyo. A century ago, Santel waged war with judoka and proclaimed himself the world judo champion after defeating fifth-degree black belt Tokugoro Ito. "I revived this rivalry when I fought Kazuhiro Nakamura," Barnett (21-5) told Sherdog.com. "And, so I'm keeping it going for this century now." The fight was the American's first in MMA since losing a unanimous decision rematch with current interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) on New Year's Eve 2006. His layoff had erased his name from most rankings which require activity in the previous 365-days; but, vanquishing the samurai establishes Barnett's status as a top five heavyweight. Also returning to active duty, former PRIDE Lightweight Champion "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (28-3) sliced open "Bang" Duane Ludwig (16-8) of Denver to earn a first round stoppage at 2:28. Gomi had been out of commission  since tapping to Nick Diaz (15-7) in a gogoplata at PRIDE's last American card in February 2007.  After Diaz tested positive for smoking a doob', the outcome was deemed a No Contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. "Grabaka Hitman" Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2) got back to winning Wednesday with a guillotine submission of middleweight Afghan Siyar Bahadurzada (13-2-1) at 2:02 of round two. Thick-skulled Japanese wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) posted a north-south choke tapout of MMA-debuting Aussie kickboxer Peter Graham (0-1). "Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (16-11) won the second of his two-month trilogy by wrapping Japanese judoka Makoto Takimoto in a heel hook at 4:51 of round one. Santos will fight Joey Villasenor on a San Jose Strikeforce card at the end of March. Middleweight Pancrase vet Ryo Kawamura (8-2-2) of Japan won a unanimous decision over formerly undefeated Brazilian Antonio Braga Neto (5-1). Bodog Fight welterweight king "The Goat" Nick Thompson (35-9-1) also won a unanimous decision over Gracie Barra "Pitbull" Fabricio Monteiro (16-7). ...

"Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (15-11) will replace "Diesel" Joe Riggs on Strikeforce's 29 March card in San Jose. Santos will fight Joey Villasenor (24-6). Riggs was replaced due to a back injury requiring surgery he suffered at last month's Strikeforce event in Tacoma. Santos fights Makoto Takimoto (4-3) on World Victory Road's debut event in Japan today. He returns from a 1 February TKO loss to Gegard Mousasi at an HCF event in Calgary. Villasenor comes off a split decision victory over Riki Fukuda (9-3) at a September 2007 EliteXC show. ...

Light Heavyweight Li'l Nog, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, scored a TKO over Canadian Todd Gouwenberg at 4:34 of the second session at the Hardcore Fighting Championships in Calgary, Canada Friday. The dominant victory marks Nogueira's first fight since being knocked senseless in 23-seconds by Sokoudjou at PRIDE 33 in February 2007. Nogueira raises his record to 13-3, 2-2 in his last four, while over-matched challenger Gowenberg falls to 7-3 after a four-fight win streak. On a fight card filled with familiar faces, Armenian Gegard Mousasi extends his winning streak to six with a controversial TKO of tough journeyman Evangelista Santos at 3:42 of the first. Mousasi pinned the Brazilian's arm from side control and pummeled, but "Cyborg" Santos seemed to be defending himself intelligently when the referee waved the affair closed. Santos disputed the stoppage. Mousasi improves to 19-2-1 while Santos falls to 15-11. Former UFC middleweight challenger David Louiseau dropped the fourth fight of his last five in a split decision loss to fellow Canadian Jason Day. Day adds a 15th win to a record including five losses, while "The Crow" Loiseau flutters to 15-8. Fresh from fleeing his ProElite contract, Mike Pyle bounced back with a Kimura submission over Croatian Damir Mirenic at 1:24 of the second round. Pyle posts his 15th "W" against five losses and a single draw, while Mirenic looses his second consecutive to fall to 8-4. In an HCF lightweight title fight, American Thomas Schulte choked out Canadian Garett Davis in a rear naked after just 1:15. Also on the card, welterweight Derrick Noble knocked out King of the Cage vet Brendan Seguin. Undefeated middleweight Andrew Buckland made it five in a row with a Kimura submission of Dan Chambers. Costa Rican lightweight Ariel Sexton submitted "The Cowboy" Myles Merola in a rear naked choke at 1:08 of round 2. Heavyweight Miodrag Petkovic split the judges decision with formerly undefeated Tim Hague. Middleweight Nabil Khatib bounced back from a loss to take a unanimous decision over win-less Lucas Rota. And the night began with an armbar submission of lightweight Fabian Cortez by Costa Rican Juan Barrantes. ...