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. ...

Now before I continue, this is all speculative at this point, but bare with me. It was recently announced that a previously planned middleweight affair pitting former title challengers Tim Kennedy and Jason "Mayhem" Miller has since been scrapped. Kennedy remains on the card, "Strikeforce: Columbus" which takes place on March 5, however he will now be taking on budding contender Luke Rockhold in a pivotal 185-pound match-up. However for Miller, now word has been made just yet on his next bout, but all signs are pointing to a third-meeting with Strikeforce champion Ronaldo Souza, much to the dismay of the Brazilian. ...

To say that Jason Miller and Ronaldo Souza are familiar with one another would be a great understatement. In fact, their more than acquaintances. The two middleweight stars have faced one another on two separate occasions, with "Jacare" holding a decision win over the Kings MMA product, with the second bout ending in an anti-climatic No Contest, courtesy of an illegal kick thrown by Miller which resulted in a deep cut, which ultimately halted the bout. Now that both men find themselves under the Strikeforce banner, with Ronaldo sitting atop the division as the reigning and defending middleweight champion, it would seem inevitable that the two dynamic fighters would eventually meet again somewhere down the line. However, if the Brazilian had it his way, Souza would never like to step inside the cage with the "clown" ever again. Ever. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another entry into the “Best Performance” series. This new series will take a look at who I think gave the best performance of the night, and why, whenever a big MMA event happens. And Strikeforce’s “Diaz vs. Cyborg” event was certainly big, with two championships on the line and all four televised fights ending with dramatic finishes. But one fighter’s performance outshone all the rest, including the night’s headliner. Here’s why I think Ronaldo Souza was the best performer of Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg”. ...

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”. ...

It looked like an early upset, as "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler took it to the Strikeforce middleweight champion early, putting "Jacare" Souza on roller skates early in the first-round. However, the multiple-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion was able to retain his title where he used a stifling ground game en route to a third-round submission win over the former three-time middleweight titleholder. ...

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’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”. ...

Welcome back fans and friends to today’s entry into the “5 Reasons Why” series of articles. Up for discussion today is the much-anticipated bout between Ronaldo Souza and Robbie Lawler for Souza’s Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. The first entry, examining five reasons why Souza could beat Lawler, is available here. And now we move on to the second part of this two-parter, with the five reasons why Robbie Lawler could beat Ronaldo Souza. Let’s get to it. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another entry into the newly-established series simply called “5 Reasons Why”. The goal of this series is simple: I’ll take a big upcoming MMA fight and give five reasons why one fighter could beat his opponent, and then shortly follow it up with another post detailing the exact opposite. Today’s double-entry features the much-anticipated bout between Ronaldo Souza and Robbie Lawler at the upcoming Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” show. Souza’s Strikeforce Middleweight Championship will be on the line, so let’s start this entry off with the five reasons why Ronaldo Souza could beat Robbie Lawler. ...

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. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to Part 3 of my special Christmas Day mini-series “All I want for Christmas”. The first half of the second part of my four-part special features some thoughts on what I think the immediate future holds for the surging Strikeforce promotion, which had an up-and-down 2010 but made some considerable gains in the war for the hearts and minds of the average MMA fan. So let’s get started with the Top 5 things I’m looking forward to for Strikeforce in 2011. ...

While nothing has been confirmed as of yet, it’s generally been accepted that the #2 MMA promotion in the world will look to hold their first major MMA event of the new year on January 29, 2011. strikeforce has been quietly putting together their January 29 card for some time now, and recently, several big matches have been rumored to be taking place. The most talked-about match is a possible fight between Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva, but recently, two new matches have hit the rumor mills: one for a major Strikeforce championship, and another featuring a major Strikeforce personality. Here are all the details. ...

Who hasn’t Matt Lindland fought in the cage?  His career fight bio is a list of MMA 1.0 and 2.0 greats from Pat Miletich to Ricardo Almeida, to Fedor Emelianenko and Vitor Belfort.  Now 40, and seeking one more title belt run, he has his hands full with one of the biggest punchers in the game in Robbie Lawler in the Strikeforce cage come Saturday night in St. Louis. ...

What an interesting career it’s been for Matt Lindland. 2011 will be Lindland’s fourteenth year spent competing as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. He’s traveled the world and fought fighters the likes of Vitor Belfort, Quinton Jackson, and even the one and only Fedor Emelianenko. He’s a UFC, WFA, Strikeforce, IFL, and Affliction veteran. And Lindland’s chief goal in 2011 is to capture the one thing that has eluded him throughout his long career: championship gold. He’ll have to get through Robbie Lawler in order to start the build towards contender status, but according to a recent interview, Lindland is more than up for the challenge. ...

After a prolonged period of uncertainty, the verdict is finally in: there will be no strikeforce Middleweight Tournament. Plans were put together for a one-night tournament to crown either a new challenger or the outright champion ever since Jake Shields left Strikeforce for the UFC, leaving the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship vacant. Ronaldo Souza defeated Tim Kennedy for the title back in August, but rumors still persisted that the one-night tournament would return. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker finally laid any and all rumors to rest recently. Here are all the details. ...

While it’s flown under the radar (for the most part) when it comes to mainstream MMA, upstart promotion Bellator FC has embedded itself in all the right places and remains popular on the underground, hardcore MMA scene. With a combination of savvy viral video marketing and a lot of great up-and-coming talent, Bellator continues to not only survive, but thrive. Recently, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney spoke at length about the future of his promotion, including calls for more Strikeforce vs. Bellator “Champion vs. Champion” super-fights. ...

Jorge Santiago, a few years ago, would not have been considered to be one of the best fighters in the world. In fact, when Santiago was up and coming on the mixed martial arts circuit, and was revered for both his Muay-Thai and exceptional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills and was knocked out by Manny Gamburyan in a welterweight bout (Manny, who now fights in the featherweight division was most recently defeated by Jose Aldo at WEC 51). So, to say that Santiago was on the cusp of greatness, is far from relevant. However, the ultra-talented American Top Team product can now call himself a top-10 middleweight in the world, who holds victories over notables Kazuo Misaki (twice), and former UFC competitors Jeremy Horn and Trevor Prangley. What do you do when you've beat all the best competition that is available to you in Japan, where Jorge is crowned as the Sengoku middleweight champion... go to America and challenge your friend, of course! ...

strikeforce and DREAM lightweight fighter, "JZ" Cavalcante was unsuccessful in his return to the United States, after four years away, competing mostly overseas in the land of the rising sun. Though a strong showing, nonetheless, the American Top Team product was bested by former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson, though the bout wasn't without controversy. After a strong first round, where both fighters had their moments, it looked like "JZ" had picked up the momentum as he was able to knockdown the San Jose fighter with a thunderous right hook, following up with a tight guillotine choke, though there wasn't anything behind the submission hold. After a second round taken by Thomson, the Brazilian came back in the third, mounting Josh, working in ground-and-pound before closing out the round, which had "The Punk" on his back for the entire round. In the end though, Josh was declared the winner. While "JZ" might by irked by the loss nonetheless, he will still be able to find some solace in knowing there will not be any financial issues in part with Strikeforce, though he can't say the same for the Japanese based organization, DREAM. ...

The world may never revolve around Jason Miller, but don’t tell him that. The cocky Middleweight has consistently found a home in major-league MMA promotions with his trademark wit, charisma, and fighting prowess. Yet under the hilarious antics and notorious in-ring and out-of-ring moments is a fighter that always seems on the cusp of greatness. In a recent tongue-in-cheek interview (as if Miller had any other kind of interview), “Mayhem” made some interesting comments concerning his future in Strikeforce. ...

DREAM, in a lot of peoples opinion, is the worlds greatest Japanese organization. With a depth of talent in several weight classes, and some of the best production in the business, there should be no reason explaining why the promotion has struggled--but struggled, they have. After rating dips, fall out from sponsors, and constant financial woes, it appears that paying fighters in an effective and timely matter is their next area of least-expertise. The most notable case, current DREAM featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes has only just been paid for his last outing, a successful title defense against former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen. The bout took place in March of this year--almost 7 months ago. The norm, as far as compensation goes which is detailed in their contracts, is for said fighter to be paid within 30 days post-fight. ...

That's the word on the streets. Strikeforce is again abandoning from the game plan of viable contender's for it's titles, and instead will go with their popular stars, over those who most likely deserve a legitimate shot at the organization's titles. ...

No matter what your favorite promotion is, it’s fun to play “armchair booker” once in a while and try to envision a fantasy card that brings all of your favorite fighters from competing promotions under one roof to truly determine who the best in the world is. The UFC did just that, for the most part, when they bought out the legendary PRIDE FC promotion in 2007. But with the arrival and rise of the Strikeforce promotion, fans are once again creating fantasy match-ups. To differentiate myself, today’s list will feature five matches between Strikeforce and the UFC that specifically does not include any of the obvious choices, like Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar or Cung Le vs. Anderson Silva. While they're fun debates to have, they've been discussed for quite a while now. With this list, I’m going for a little something different. Some picks may surprise you, but here are my top five (obvious examples excluded) Strikeforce vs. UFC fights. ...

There are two things that Jason Miller is no stranger to: controversy and Japan. The man who lives every day of his life perpetually trying to justify his nickname “Mayhem”, Miller most recently snatched up headlines with some verbal (and video game) beatdowns of Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, who along with what seemed like the entire Cesar Gracie Fight Camp led a gang initiation-style group beatdown on Mayhem during the live, CBS-aired Strikeforce: “Nashville” telecast back in April. Miller vs. Diaz does sound like it has a lot of potential, but with the recent announcement of a Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2 match, it’s likely not going to happen for some time. But fear not, “Mayhem monkeys”. Miller will step inside the ropes in the land of the rising sun once again, and this time, he’ll be taking on one of the sport’s biggest legends. ...

While DREAM is moving forward with it's 16th event, one man intended to be on the card is holding out for something better. DREAM, one of the more popular Japan based organizations following the demise of Pride, is holding an event for September 25th in Nagoya, Japan--a card that was intended to be headlined by current featherweight (139 pounds) champion, Bibiano Fernandes. ...

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. ...

I really enjoyed Strikeforce: “Houston”. We had some upsets, some shocking surprises, some highs, some lows, some quick finishes, some all-out wars, and even a couple of controversial moments. From Chad Griggs beating Bobby Lashley to Rafael Cavalcante KO’ing Muhammed Lawal, “Houston” was a solid event and gave MMA fans a great night of action. It’s true that the future is never certain, but here’s what I think the months ahead will hold for the winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Houston”. ...

While some are already labeling it a relatively boring fight, I think that the match-up between Ronaldo Souza and Tim Kennedy to crown a new Strikeforce Middleweight Champion was one of the best fights of the Strikeforce: “Houston” live card. Strikeforce needed a good champion in a big way following their mishandling of former Middleweight Champion Jake Shields, which involved Strikeforce putting all their money on new signee Dan Henderson beating Shields, only for Shields to instead dominate Henderson like few have ever dominated him before, right before he left the promotion and signed with the UFC. What we got was a stand-up war between two men not particularly known for their stand-up games. Still, it was very entertaining, and very close, which raises the question: how deserving is Tim Kennedy of an immediate rematch? ...