On April 9, 2011, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz will defend his belt against arguably his most dangerous challenger yet and perhaps one of the toughest tests Diaz will have yet faced in his career. Standing in Diaz’s way to becoming Strikeforce’s most dominant champion is knockout artist Paul Daley, who has earned the nickname “Semtex” with twenty (T)KO wins. Many are calling for Diaz to win, and as a huge fan of Nick I’m certainly pulling for him. But what happens if he does? Here’s a new entry in my “What If He Wins?” series, focusing on what I think will happen if Nick Diaz beats Paul Daley. ...

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz will fight anyone. He's proven such accolades in the past, as he has taken fights in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and even light heavyweight division. So now with the acquisition of Strikeforce into the Zuffa fold, things have gotten a little bit skewed once again. The loyalty that him and his team (Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu) share is undeniable--arguably the most loyal team in the sport of mixed martial arts. When Jake Shields and Nick Diaz were both under the Strikeforce banner, Shields moved up to the middleweight class exclusively, just so he can avoid having to run into his teammate, and eventually both men became champions. So when people ask whether Diaz will fight any of his teammates, the answer is clear. So in Diaz' opinion, were Rashad Evans and Jon Jones ever "real teammates"? Definitely, not. Because that's not loyalty. ...

Welcome back fans and friends to the latest edition of my “5 Reasons Why” series of columns. Today’s entry into the series focuses on the upcoming Welterweight showdown between Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz and knockout artist Paul Daley. For the five reasons why the champion could beat the challenger, please click here. Now it’s time for the opposite: here are five reasons why Paul Daley could beat Nick Diaz. ...

Although the purchase of Strikeforce by the UFC’s parent company cast this fight into doubt, it’s recently been confirmed that Paul Daley will in fact be meeting Nick Diaz at Strikeforce’s upcoming “Diaz vs. Daley” event, currently scheduled for April 9, 2011. It’s one of the biggest matches of the year for Strikeforce, as arguably their best and most marketable champion meets quite possibly the last, great threat to his championship. But who wins this fight? Here’s my say on just that: a new edition of “5 Reasons Why”, featuring the epic upcoming showdown between Nick Diaz and Paul Daley. Starting us off is five reasons why Diaz could beat Daley, with the reverse soon to follow. Let’s get to it. ...

Everyone has been talking about it: Strikeforce is now a Zuffa-owned company. It’s become apparent that the upstart promotion will continue to operate as its own entity for at least the next two years or so, but after that it’s anyone’s guess. So of course, many are hoping that there comes a day where the UFC’s best meets Strikeforce’s best. I too can’t wait for that day, so here’s a little something we’ve all been discussing lately: my top 5 Strikeforce vs. UFC matches. Let’s get to it. ...

Although strikeforce fans will have to wait longer than originally expected for the second half of the opening round of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix to get under way, Strikeforce has still plenty left in their arsenal besides big names like Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. In fact, Strikeforce recently confirmed four matches for their upcoming April 9 event, with each one sounding absolutely awesome on paper. Here’s the latest on Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

Everything is pure rumor and speculation at this point, but one of the more-popular and most-repeated rumors currently hovering around Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz is that Diaz is entertaining the idea of making his debut as a professional boxer. There’s already been some interesting debate on the subject, but for my money, I think Diaz would make the most out of this brief boxing excursion, if it ever happens, and get a solid win-streak going. Don’t believe me? Here are my top 5 reasons why Nick Diaz would be a successful pro boxer. ...

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. ...

Since his arrival to the Strikeforce cage, a lot of fans have been clamoring for a match-up pitting the hard-hitting Brit with the organization's champion in Nick Diaz. Outside of Diaz himself, Daley is the only other world ranked welterweight fighter that the organization currently has under roster, and Nick has stated on several occasions that those are the sort of fights that he is specifically looking forward to. Last Saturday, the Stockton native defeated PRIDE veteran Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos with a second-round arm bar, with a performance lauded by the mixed martial arts community as another classic Diaz performance, full of action throughout. However, one man was not nearly as impressed by the the title affair: Paul Daley. ...

Nick Diaz has looked great over a nine fight winning streak that has seen him take out the likes of Frank Shamrock (TKO), Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (armbar), K.J. Noons (decision), Hayato Sakurai (armbar), Marius Zaromskis (TKO), and Scott Smith (rear naked choke).   However, next up on his list- assuming that Paul Daley defeats Yuya Shirai- is a likely match up with Daley.  Daley is a different kind of fighter.  In other words, he's a dynamo on his feet, displaying awesome power plus outstanding technical striking.  ...

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. ...

We all know the story by now. The CBS brawl--where Jason "Mayhem" Miller challenged then champion Jake Shields for a rematch amongst his posse of Cesar Gracie teammates in Nashville, Tennessee last April. Well what ensued was a near riot, when the entire camp attacked Miller on national television. Those infamous Gus Johnson words keep rattling in my head "gentleman we're on national television! Gentleman!". But the fruit of such a riot contributed to now one of the most publicized feuds in the mixed martial arts world, and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker hopes to capitalize on it. ...

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. ...

It’s recently been announced that Paul Daley would be the next man to challenge for the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship, and fans are already buzzing about a potentially epic showdown between “Semtex” and Strikeforce’s currently-reigning champion, Nick Diaz. Diaz will have to get past Evangelista Santos before that dream-fight comes to fruition, but many fans, including myself, are predicting that he will. So who wins between Daley and Diaz? I’m predicting that Diaz wins by a landside… and here are five reasons why. ...

Nick Diaz has never been the type of guy to hold anything back. He's an avid marijuana user, and makes no effort to mask any of that from the public. Along with his THC use, he's also very skilled with nun-chucks, which is found evident through many Youtube videos that can be discovered online. And while he is brash, and is prolific with his use of the "F" word in almost everyday casual conversation, one thing is also certain: Nick Diaz believes he is one of the best fighters on the planet, and guys like Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck are not on his level. ...

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. ...

Nick Diaz isn’t the type of fighter that takes an insult lying down. In fact, he’s not the type of person that takes anything lying down. The brash, foul-mouthed, always-controversial Strikeforce Welterweight Champion has become both famous (for the level of skill he’s demonstrated inside the Strikeforce cage) and infamous (for his pre-fight and post-fight antics). And Diaz, brother to UFC star Nate Diaz and one of the highest-profile members of Team Cesar Gracie, recently let loose in a new interview where he took on all comers and spared no one. Here are all the details. ...

Team Cesar Gracie is no stranger to controversy. Whether it’s the antics of Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz or people accusing Jake Shields of being a boring fighter, this is one MMA camp that always lands itself in the news. The man behind it all, however, knows that the results speak for themselves. Two of his most prominent fighters are Strikeforce champions, one left the promotion with a championship and is now going to be fighting for a UFC championship. In a new interview, the famed Gracie clan member talked at length about his team and the future of its more-famous fighters. ...

The surging strikeforce promotion heads into 2011 with two things: a lot of promise, and several important goals that must be met. One of their clearest and yet most-difficult goals is to continue to legitimize their various championships. And two men have recently emerged as key players in that regard: one is already a champion, and another will soon get his shot at Strikeforce gold. And both men aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, as it was recently revealed that both Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler have signed new contracts with Strikeforce. Here are all the details. ...

Welcome back to “All I Want for Christmas”, fans and friends, my special Christmas Day mini-series where I share some thoughts and hopes on what I’m looking forward to as we head towards the second decade of the new millennium. Next up is everyone’s favorite topic: dream fights. Even fans who don’t like to play “armchair promoter” love to trot out their personal picks for the fights they’d like to see. So here are my “Top 5 Dream Fights for 2011”, focusing on high-profile fights that could conceivably happen next year. Let’s get to it. ...