While there weren't any implications that a win over one another would clinch a future tourney spot, both Joe Riggs and Bryan Baker both knew the gravity of their middleweight match-up. Riggs, a veteran of both Strikeforce and the UFC, is arguably one of the more notable acquisitions that the Bellator brass has made in recent memory. Despite having been bounced around some of the larger promotions in the last couple of years, Joe has proven that on any given day he has the skills beat just about anybody out there. However, such was not the case when "Diesel" stepped inside the cage against Baker last Saturday, when the the Judoka in Baker was able to deftly put an end to Riggs' promotional debut in a definitive matter. ...

An explosive middleweight bout has recently been added to the next Bellator Fighting Championships event, come this May. UFC and Strikeforce veteran Joe Riggs will be making his organizational debut for Bellator at the promotion's next event dubbed Bellator 43, which will also feature the organization's welterweight final pitting Jay Hieron against Rex Hawn, where the winner of said bout will move on to contend for Ben Askren's 170-pound title. Meeting Riggs at 185-pound will be WEC veteran Bryan Baker, who was a finalist in the promotion's season two middleweight tourney. With a win here, either man can throw himself back in the thick of things in the middleweight division and possibly make their way back into the tournament bracket in the immediate future. ...

UFC veteran Joe Riggs has found a new home. Recently under contract with the San Jose based mixed martial arts promotion, Strikeforce, it looks like Riggs has fufilled his contractual obligations with the organization and will now venture into new territory as he now joins the Bellator Fighting Championships. To date, Bellator has done a great job and acquiring some big names in the sport, including the likes of Roger Huerta, Eddie Alvarez, Megumi Fuji, Jay Hieron, and now Joe will be an ample name to add to their bolstering stock of fighters. ...

The glorified “recruitment drive” that strikeforce has been on ever since acquiring the bulk of the assets of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion and emerging as a major player on the global MMA scene… seems to have finally ran its course. After snatching up plenty of contracts and signing many fighters to deals, Strikeforce recently passed on the likes of Efrain Escudero and Gerald Harris in order to better focus on their current roster. Now it appears that Strikeforce has taken that goal a step farther, and has actually begun trimming the fat. Recently it was revealed that Strikeforce has released both Joe Villasenor and Joe Riggs. ...

Jay Hieron is many things. He’s a talented MMA veteran, having lost only four times in his seven-year career while winning nineteen times. He’s a former champion of the short-lived but nationally-broadcast (on MyNetworkTV) International Fight League. He’s well-versed in all areas of the MMA game, having won seven fights by (T)KO, five by submission, and another seven by decision. But there is one thing Jay Hieron is not- employed. ...

Phil Baroni, if anything else, will be remembered as "that guy" who fought Matt Lindland twice, nearly knocking out the well established Olympic wrestler on both occasions, and who battled against former ufc middleweight champion Evan Tanner on two separate occasions as well. Never "the best eva", however, Baroni has become one of the most polarizing figures in the sport today. Beginning his career in the 185-pound division where he had picked up some of the largest wins of his career, which includes an 18-second drubbing of former middleweight champ Dave Menne, in what has to be remembered as one of the greatest knockouts of all time. Emaciating himself to the 170-pound division for his last several fights, "The New York Bad Ass" returns to where it all began in, when he makes his way back to the middleweight division in hopes to deliver another career highlight reel. ...

For someone who once approached the upcoming video game “EA Sports MMA” with an incredible amount of hesitation, now more and more I’m thinking that October 19 can’t get here soon enough. In order to generate interest and encourage fans to open their wallets and put down a pre-order, EA Sports is revealing the entire roster of the game on a week-by-week, division-by-division basis. The Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight roster has already been revealed, and recently the Middleweights took center stage. EA Sports also recently revealed a teaser image of a famous venue that has yet to see a Mixed Martial Arts event. ...

Joe Riggs is probably feeling pretty proud of himself. He doesn’t have any real reason to, but I bet it felt good to get a dominating win on a televised card in front of his home town. Riggs is apparently so happy with himself that he thinks he’s ready for another showdown with Nick Diaz, who “Diesel” famously beat at UFC 57, and then got into an altercation with at the hospital after the fight. Riggs recently called out Diaz, demanding a rematch despite winning the first encounter, but lost in the midst of this bravado-fueled challenge is something Riggs seems to have a hard time grasping: his career has only gone downward and further downward since getting kicked out by the UFC, while Nick Diaz has now become one of the best Welterweight Mixed Martial Artists on the planet. ...

I don’t expect much from a man that once got into a physical altercation at a hospital after a fight with the opponent that he had just defeated, but in all honesty, the comments recently made by Joe Riggs concerning Strikeforce’s 135-pound Women’s Champion Sarah Kaufman and the Strikeforce women’s division in general took me by surprise. For those unaware, Kaufman recently caused a bit of a stir when she publicly criticized Strikeforce for continually putting her on the “Strikeforce Challengers” series of shows, which are events designed mainly to highlight up-and-coming unknown fighters. Riggs recently commented that Kaufman should be happy to be on TV at all, and that “the men are what people are here to see”. While I disagree with Kaufman regarding her placement on lower-end shows (more on that later), I think Riggs is moronic to criticize the Strikeforce Women’s division as a whole, especially when you consider that Riggs’ popularity is a shadow of its former self, and that one of Strikeforce’s best assets is a female fighter whose popularity is higher than Riggs’ ever was. ...

After Strikeforce welterweight champion “Diablo” Nick Diaz (21-8) TKO'd DREAM welterweight champion “Whitemare” Marius Zaromskis (11-3) at Strikeforce in Miami last Saturday, he called out Fighters.com and UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2). ...

For years I've listened to MMA fans spout hateful, irrational conspiracy theories about UFC President Dana White.  White is certainly not above criticism, and you'll read some of the most biting criticism of White here at Fighters.com.  (Other MMA media outlets wouldn't dare risking their credentials with Zuffa by criticizing White.  That's a little something you might not have known...)  But, a lot of the criticism has been just ridiculous, including accusations of thrown fights and paid-off referees. Scott Coker and his promotion, Strikeforce, have been regarded as a fairer organization for fighters, perhaps justifiably so. ...

Strikeforce put on the first show of this year last night and there were highs and lows plus some shocking revelations post-fight. I will start with the high points of the night first which leads me to the showdown between "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (17-5) and Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1). ...

The welterweight matchup between “Thoroughbred” Jay Hieron (15-4) and “Diesel” Joe Riggs (31-11) at Strikeforce in Miami January 30 will be streamed live at EASportsMMA.com. ...

“Diesel” Joe Riggs (29-11) TKO’d Luke Stewart (5-2) in round two at Strikeforce: Destruction Friday night in San Jose. The fight started with a clinch, but Stewart was the one who managed to trip Riggs.  He was unable to do anything from the mat, however, and Riggs stood. Riggs came at Stewart with a quick flurry of fists.  Stewart attempted another takedown, and after battling a few moments was able to mount.  After a short stint in side mount, the round ended with Stewart on top. Stewart kicked Riggs in the ribs to begin round two.  This time, Riggs tripped Stewart.  From Stewart’s guard, he put fists in Stewarts’s face while protecting his own.  The punches gained power, and the crowd groaned as they felt Stewart’s pain until returning referee, “Big” John McCarthy, called the fight at 2:05 of round two. ...

Fighters.com was live at the Strikeforce: Destruction weigh-ins Thursday night at the Hotel DeAnza in San Jose. All fighters made weigh and, despite a delayed start and “Diesel” Joe Riggs’s (28-11) displeasure at having to strip, everything went smoothly. Riggs was not the only one who had to strip further than his ginch; the California State Athletic Commission requested that each fighter have only one crack at the scale, resulting in several weigh-ins behind towels. Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-4) looked cut.  He told Fighters.com Thursday afternoon that he had hired a new strength and conditioning coach. “Everybody’s been commenting on how my physique looks and how I’ve been performing.  So we’ll see how I perform tomorrow night,” Southworth said. Join Fighters.com Friday night for the live results. ...

Strikeforce has confirmed the full line-up for its Destruction event, which takes place 21 November in San Jose. Two title fights, between Strikeforce Lightweight Champion “The Punk” Josh Thomson (14-2-1) and Yves Edwards (34-14-1) and between Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-4) and “Babalu” Renato Sobral (29-8), will headline the event. Also featured is a welterweight bout between “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-10) and Luke Stewart (4-1). The rest of the card includes: Lemont Davis (1-2) versus Brian Schwartz (0-1) at 175 lbs Brad Royster (1-1) versus Darren Uyenoyama (4-1) at 135 lbs Tony Johnson (0-1) versus Eric Lawson (2-2) at 185 lbs Alvin Cacdac (3-4) versus Jose Palacios (1-1) at  145 lbs Bobby Stack (2-1) versus Cyrillo Padilha (1-1) at 155 lbs Zakary Bucia (0-1) versus Jaime Rodriguez (0-0) at 155 lbs Kurt Osiander (2-0) versus Raul Castillo (2-0) at 185 lbs Nik Theotikos (5-0) versus Luke Rockhold (2-1) at 185 lbs ...

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) will defend his belt from "Babalu" Renato Sobral (30-7) in San Jose 21 November. Strikeforce Lightweight Champion "Punk" Josh Thomson (16-2) will also defend his title versus an opponent yet to be named. Before his last "W" over "Archer" Ashe Bowman (9-5) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, 20 September, Thomson expressed interest in fighting "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (17-4-1).  After the fight, Thomson also hoped to defend his title from Fighters.com's fourth-ranked lightweight and DREAM champ "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (19-7-1). After knocking off former Strikeforce champ "El Nino" Gilbert Melendez (14-2) in San Jose 27 June, Thomson has been desperate for an opponent who'd help him crack the top ten. Southworth versus "Babalu" was originally scheduled for the 20 September card at the Playboy Mansion, but both fighters pulled up lame and spent the night chasing bunnies into the grotto (I assume). ...

Fighters.com's ninth-ranked Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) TKO'd "Diesel" Joe Riggs (28-11) at 2:29 of round two Saturday night in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles. "I'm happy with the win," Misaki said through an interpreter. There was a frustrating seven-minute build-up to the fireworks finale in which both veterans circled and strategized while  the crowd begged for action. Riggs struck first in the second round, nailing Misaki with a big left and a kick; but, Misaki countered with a right cross that floored "Diesel". Misaki followed Riggs to the mat and landed several shots before referee Josh Rosenthal ended the fight. "I had my hands covering my head," argued Riggs after the stoppage.  "But it is what it is." Strikeforce Lightweight Champion "Punk" Josh Thomson (16-2) knocked "Archer" Ashe Bowman to the fence with a right and followed up with a flurry before referee Herb Dean ended the fight at 1:14 of round one. ...

Fighters.com talked to Strikeforce middleweight "Diesel" Joe Riggs (28-10) before his fight Saturday in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, versus ninth-ranked Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2). ...

Fighters.com's seventh-ranked middleweight "Twinkle Toes" Frank Trigg (17-6) made a successful comebackwith an anti-climactic unanimous decision over Makoto Takimoto (4-5) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 25 August and plans to fight Falaniko Vitale (26-8) 3 October in Denver. Trigg also welcomed a son, Stone, to his family in September.  Congratulations from Fighters.com. The remainder of the Middleweight Top Ten was on holiday last month...well, at least at middleweight. Top contender "Ace" Rich Franklin (23-3) made a successful return to light heavyweight in Atlanta 6 September.  He remains wishy-washy about his future in either division. But, before Franklin could move-up to 205, Fighters.com's Middleweight Champion "Spider" Anderson Silva (22-4) beat him there.  Franklin must wonder whether Silva is going to move to Cincinnati and start teaching high school math too. Silva is preparing to defend his Fighters.com and UFC titles versus "Predator" Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October. Third-ranked "Ely" Paulo Filho's (16-0) WEC title defense versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) was postponed from tonight to 5 November due to Hurrican Ike. Fourth-ranked EliteXC champ "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-4) is rumored to be considering a rematch versus Joey Villasenor (26-6), whom Lawler KO'd in 22 seconds in 2006. ...

Fighters.com's eighth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) will match-up versus "Diesel" Joe Riggs (28-10) at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, 20 September. "I  am looking forward to making my debut for Strikeforce at The Playboy Mansion, an incredible venue that is well-known throughout the world,” said Misaki, a former PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion. Misaki won a unanimous decisionover "Pink Pounder" Logan Clark(11-2) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 8 June. Of Riggs, Misaki said, "[He] is a tremendous competitor.  His style is aggressive like mine so I have no doubt that our fight will be an exciting and memorable one." Riggs tapped Matt Dempsey (1-1) in a rear naked choke in Prescott, north of Phoenix, 26 July. The win was Riggs's comeback from a back injury suffered in a loss to Cory Devela (9-2) in Tacoma 23 February. "The back’s great.  It’s 100 percent,"  Riggs said.  "I'm really excited to be healthy again and looking forward to getting back on top." Riggs was pegged to fill-in for "Mr. International" Shonie Carter (44-17-7) versus Luke Stewart (5-1) in San Jose 27 June, but was denied a license by Armando Garcia's California State Athletic Commission. ...

The California State Athletic Commission denied “Diesel” Joe Riggs (27-10) a license to fight Luke Stewart (5-1) in San Jose 27 June at Strikeforce. According to the CSAC, Riggs didn't meet medical requirements. According to Ken Pavia, Riggs's agent, Riggs was denied his license after he disclosed his use of a prescription pain killer. ...

Former UFC welterweight title contender "Diesel" Joe Riggs (27-10) will replace "Mr. International" Shonie Carter (41-17-7) versus Luke Stewart (5-1) in San Jose 27 June at Strikeforce. The fight will occur at the catchweight of 178-pounds. Carter withdrew from the fight with Stewart this week with a hand injury. Riggs will return from back surgery for an injury suffered during a slam that forced Riggs to tap to Cory Devela (9-2) in February. Stewart will look to bounce back from a loss to Tiki Ghosn (10-7) in March, the first of Stewart's pro career. ...

Keith Crawford, former CEO of Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting, confirmed to Fighters.com Friday morning that the promotion has ceased operations. HCF's demise was foreshadowed by Fighters.com last month when Crawford released a statement postponing a scheduled 10 May card in Calgary. “Due to the fact that the due diligence process has been extended on our impending re-structuring we are officially postponing our May 10 fight card," Crawford said then. In response to a Fighters.com request for details Friday morning, Crawford replied, "I cannot comment on these things." The promotion's last event was held 29 March in Gatineau and featured Quebecois middleweight "The Crow" David Loiseau (16-8) in the main event. HCF debuted in July 2007 and held four events in Canada featuring fighters such as Fighters.com's tenth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3), Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1), "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3), and "Diesel" Joe Riggs (27-10). Last November, HCF signed former UFC light heavyweight title contender "Babalu" Renato Sobral (29-7) to a contract, though the grappler never fought in an event. HCF joins a list of MMA start-ups that couldn't turn recognizable names into sustaining revenue. ...

"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. ...

Reliably adequate Nor Cal MMA promotion Strike Force put on a snoozer Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. The event headlined by "The Beast" Bob Sapp's North American MMA debut was beamed live in HD on HDNet. BUM-BUM BUM-BUM BUM-BUM BUM Sapp was TKO'd in 55 seconds by 2-5 South African Jan Nortje. That's about as anti-climactic as the fight, which began with Sapp entering the cage to the theme music of "2001: A Space Odyssey". But, don't shed a tear for "The Beast", who drops to 9-3-1, nor raise your hopes that the cartoon will end. Sapp has lost before and reportedly has a fight waiting for him 15 March in Dream's inaugural promotion in Japan.  He's still a draw in the East. "The Beast" will live on. Fast-rising middleweight Cory Devela notched a big name on his belt when "Diesel" Joe Riggs was forced to submit at 1:22 of the first round after a judo throw caused an injury in Riggs's back. Devela raises his record to 8-1, while Riggs falls to 27-10. There's been no word on the nature or severity of Riggs's back injury, but Riggs was forced off a WEC card last year due to a back injury. "GameBred" lightweight Jorge Masvidal continued his seven-fight streak with a unanimous decision over 9-3-1 Ryan Healy. Masvidal has posted wins versus Yves Edwards, Nuri Shakir, and Joe Lauzon and seems ready to step-up in competition. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion "Mo" Maurice Smith welcomed veteran kickboxing star "The Jet" Rick Roufus to MMA, submitting the K-1 fighter in an armlock at 1:53 of the first round. On the undercard, Washington welterweight "Fast" Eddy Ellis pulled even at 14-14-1 with a unanimous decision versus "Red Nose" Steve Berger. Hometown heavyweight Mychal Clark punched Josh Bennett's eye swollen shut to register a TKO at the end of two rounds. "Fancy Pants" Lyle Beerbohm remained undefeated after submitting fellow welterweight "Relentless" Ray Perales in a guillotine choke 1:19 into round three. Heavyweight Mike Hayes won his pro MMA debut over Matt Kovacs in a unanimous decision. Zach Skinner ruined Scott Shaffer's MMA debut with a unanimous decision victory. Finally, Nathan Coy improved to 3-0 after knocking out debuting Dave Courchaine in the first round. ...

Former UFC welterweight title challenger "Diesel" Joe Riggs will replace Cedric Marks versus Cory Devela in a middleweight fight on February 23's Strikeforce card at the Tacoma Dome. Riggs returns to Strikeforce after knocking out Eugene Jackson at the Playboy Mansion in September. Devela makes his Strikeforce debut after a three round unanimous decision victory over Lodune Sincaid at SportFight in December. Marks pulled out of the fight with a shoulder injury. ...