Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez, teammates under the infamous Cesar Gracie brand, were both successful in their respective title bouts, with Diaz laying claim as one of the best and most dangerous welterweight fighters in the world with his first-round TKO over UFC castout Paul Daley, and Gilbert with his highly anticipated rematch with Japanese sensation Tatusya Kawajiri, which resulted in a one-sided TKO win for “El Nino”.

While the two men were perhaps among the nights most impressive winners, they were also among the top-earners for the entire event.

Here are the full fighter payouts, which are courtesy of MMAJunkie.com by way of the California State Athletic Commission:

Nick Diaz: $175,000 (no win bonus)
def. Paul Daley: $65,000

Gilbert Melendez: $150,000 (no win bonus)
def. Tatsuya Kawajiri: $97,612.50

Gegard Mousasi: $150,000
drew Keith Jardine: $25,000

Shinya Aoki: $73,637.50 (no win bonus)
def. Lyle Beerbohm: $10,000

Robert Peralta: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Hiroyuki Takaya: $2,740

Virgil Zwicker: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Brett Albee: $1,000

Joe Duarte: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Saad Awad: $1,500

Herman Terrado: $1,500 ($500 win bonus)
def. A.J. Matthews: $1,000

Rolando Perez: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Tom Peterson: $1,000

Casey Ryan: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Song: $750

So, MMA peeps, any surprises here? What stands out first for me is Mousasi’s payday. So, had he won, how much money would he have made? Should his pay scale be more than that of Nick Diaz? Sound off in the comment section below.

The “Baka Survivor” Shinya Aoki has long been reveered as one of the top lightweight fighters in the world, having defeated a bevy of the sports elite fighters, including the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Joachim Hansen (to name a few), he has not been able to make his mark over here in the United States.

Aoki had his chance this past Saturday when he reentered the Strikeforce cage for the second-time, taking on then 16-1 lightweight prospect in Lyle Beerbohm on the main-card of the Showtime televised card. And though many were banking on Beerbohm to record the upset win, Aoki proved his naysayers wrong as managed to make successful second-first impression, earning his first win under the Strikeforce banner.

Beerbohm looked to have a premeditated game plan in line for the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu specialist, which initially he had hoped to emulate the style of Gilbert Melendez, who soundly defeated the DREAM lightweight champion in April of last year with a unanimous decision win. However, Lyle mad a critical error early on that proved detrimental in the later moments of the bout.

Lyle immediately shot into the clinch against the Judo black belt, pressing him against the cage where Aoki waited patiently for the right moment to engage Beerbohm to the mat. After faking a hip toss, Aoki turned into Lyle and out grappled “Fancy Pants” to the mat with an effective takedown which landed him into half-guard. From there, Aoki was able to secure the neck of Lyle who was attempting to get back to his feet, and once both hooks were sunk in, Shinya immediately began attacking the neck, contorting Lyle’s head in a very uncomfortable position. Just a few short moments later, Beerbohm was forced to tap from the neck-crank submission, and with the win, Aoki put himself back on the map in the Strikeforce lightweight class.

While not one of his best submission wins, what was impressive was the fact that, despite the tragedies facing him and his family in his native Japan, Aoki was able to record a submission win (which took just 93-seconds) over a very-talented Beerbohm upon his reentry into the U.S. on the heels of one of the worst natural disasters in recent history.

Hat’s off to you, Mr. Aoki.

Sound off in the comment section below.

1. Lyle Beerbohm – surprising he went down so easily, I thought he would give Aoki fits with his smothering style.  Japan’s finest executed quickly with the Rear Naked Choke.  Two losses in a row for LB.  His tremendous surge up the ranks has been stopped cold with two losses in a row.

2. I thought Jay Hieron lost to Weedman?  Am I alone?  Hieron won round 1 with his reversal on the ground and near choke out but then lost two close rounds to Weedman who controlled the pace and showed more aggression, moving forward in round 2 and 3.

3. Sorry for this Ben Askren. But, wearing my “commentary” hat today, and pure wrestling apparently is very effective for you … yet terribly hard to watch as a fan.  You are so dominating as a wrestler, which is to your credit, but the fun of watching MMA is for the surprise, waiting for the unknown to happen.  Your dominating take down/ground control style wins points and fights, but not fans.  It is what it is!

4. Gegard Mousasi is the Roger Federer of MMA.  Forget that he won his fight against Keith Jardine but it was called a draw due to a low kick.  But is there anyone who expends less energy fighting than Mousasi?  He keeps his system so calm, he breathes easier and just seems less stressed, internally, than his opponents.  He seems not to waste any movement. For any tennis fans out there – Roger Federer is known for almost never physically sweating.  Really, the man rarely perspires.

5. Gilbert Melendez. What can you say?  The most impressive take away for me is the pace he fought at.  Once he started to fight he gave his opponent very little time to regroup.   From a viewing standpoint that is fun.  Constant fury.  Not exchange, rest, exchange, rest … ETC.  Melendez should be a Dana White favorite going forward.

6. Nick Diaz.  Wow.  I have always loved this kid.  I love he talks trash in and out of the cage and it is real, not fabricated to sell fights.  I love that he loves body shots.  I love that he did not run from his opponent’s biggest strength and out punched a puncher.  George St. Pierre would have made this a boring ground fight as he did with Dan Hardy.

If Nick Diaz can play the media game and not piss off Dana White, a huge future lies ahead.  But, then again, that inner rage and loose cannon style is why we love him.  Don’t go changing Nick!

7. What in the world is Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez thinking today?  All the worlds’ best 155 pounders are in UFC/Strikeforce.  Until he leaves his safe haven of Bellator, he will not be in the top ten discussion.

8. Strikeforce, I think, took a huge step forward on Saturday as a product that is nearly the equal of the UFC re: the talent level of the belt holders.  Soon, all this will be irrelevant, maybe – unless they find value in keeping the two different labels for marketing purposes in squaring off the champions in a Strikeforce Vs. UFC type series before they formally become one.

Start chirping.  Am I on point here?

The native Hawaiian was originally expected to square off against budding contender Jorge Masvidal, however with the recent tragedies in Japan, it looks like KJ may have the opportunity to put himself right back into title contention as he is now back in camp, preparing for a possible showdown with top prospect, Lyle Beerbohm.

“Fancy Pants” was originally expected to face off with DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, however the Judoka’s participation in the contest has come under question after his native Japan has seen a series of tragedies occur, including tsunami’s and earthquakes galore.

KJ was last seen in action when he vied for the strikeforce welterweight title against current champ Nick Diaz, a man that Noons has defeated earlier in his career with EliteXC. The Stockton native was able to exact revenge, and take home a decision win in a highly entertaining five-round bout. Since then, Noons has been mending from several injuries from said bout, including a broken jaw. Now he is back in full form, and discussed the possibility of his return next month with MMAJunkie.com:

“A couple of days ago the card was full,” began Noons.

“There was no TV room left. But now because of all the bad news that happened in Japan, I don’t know the status of Kawajiri and Aoki. So I’m just training. I might be back on the card. I’m not on it officially yet.”

Should Noons return to form and pick up an impressive win over the likes of Beerbohm, whom has only suffered his one career defeat in a contentious bout with UFC veteran Pat Healy last February, it could put him right back in line for a shot at the title–but this time, in the lightweight division.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the possible new match up? Unfortunately for Aoki, it looks like his dreams of becoming a top fighter here stateside might have to wait. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. “Bad” Apple beaten by a great Triangle.

Despite nearly getting caught in a few submissions towards the end of the first round, Ryan Larson was well on his way to a dominating decision victory after dismantling his opponent, Erik Apple, throughout the majority of the first. Things went from bad to worse for Apple when Larson got Back Mount and locked in a Body Triangle, and the situation went from worse to fight-ending when Apple tried to buck Larson off and instead found himself half-caught in a Triangle Choke. After a super-smooth transition from Back Mount to Guard in order to fully lock in the Triangle, Larson won the fight with an awesome submission that capped off a pretty entertaining performance.

4. “Tarzan” angry! “Tarzan” maul opponent!

I always respect a fighter that comes in looking to finish from the start of the fight. The purist in me knows that this isn’t the way to consistently win, inevitably you’ll meet a counter-puncher that either takes your head off because you rushed in or a wrestler/grappler that lets you punch yourself out before trapping you in an easy submission or vicious Ground and Pound. But none of that mattered to David Douglas, also known as “Tarzan”, who came in with a head of steam and proceeded to throw and land bombs at a shocking pace. His opponent, Nick Gonzalez, basically had no other choice but to turtle up, making him easy prey for a Rear Naked Choke. It was a dominating performance to say the very least, and definitely a highlight of the night.

3. He’s got him… he’s got him… he doesn’t have him!

Those are my exact words, more or less, when Ryan Couture constantly went submission hunting against his opponent, Lee Higgins. Several times I felt almost positive that Higgins would either tap or be choked unconscious within the next few seconds, but somehow Higgins always found the strength to fight on and persevere. Although he would end up finally succumbing to a Rear Naked Choke with barely thirty seconds left before the final bell, Higgins more than proved his toughness while Couture more than proved his growing versatility and skyrocketing potential.

2. This should be fun to- wait, it’s already over?

Those are also my exact words, more or less, when it came time to see Carlo Prater take on Bryan Travers. I remember watching Prater compete at the under-appreciated SHINE Fights Lightweight Grand Prix, and I was ready for a good fight. What I got was complete and total domination by Carlo Prater, who almost-immediately locked in a choke before I could blink and proceeded to choke his opponent unconscious. Prater’s lightning-fast win combined with his sincere honesty in his post-fight interview, which included him tearing up, was definitely one of the best moments of the night.

But of course, my favorite moment of “Challengers 14” just had to be…

1. Lyle Beerbohm and Pat Healy are both Gumby.

That’s really the only way I can describe this match. Both men flowed through so many intricate positions that even the announcers had trouble keeping up with the action. Neither one of them was in a dominant position for long, and the second these two locked up you just knew that something crazy was about to happen. From gigantic slams to rolling leg lock attempts, Beerbohm and Healy put on an intense grappling war that was filled with just as much excitement as a non-stop brawl. It was a great fight and clearly the best moment of the night.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? How do you rank the memorable moments of Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”?

Next for David Douglas: After two strong showings on two back-to-back “Challengers” cards, Douglas may be ready to be called up to the big stage again. It’s hard to ignore “Tarzan” when he’s so entertaining and comes out to finish from the second the first bell rings. If not a main Strikeforce show, expect Douglas to play a big role in his next “Challengers” event, possibly competing at or near the main event. If he keeps winning in dramatic fashion, big things are in store for David Douglas.

Next for Ryan Couture: I also think it’s time for Ryan Couture to get his call-up to the big leagues and join the cast of a major Strikeforce show. Couture still has a lot of room to grow, but in the here and now, he’s filled with potential and has pretty much proven that he’s far more than just a legendary last name. Also like David Douglas, I think Couture will play a major part in the next “Challengers” show he takes part in, if it’s decided that he still needs one more fight before getting the bump. Couture still has rough edges, but with a mix of real skill and sincere humility, we could be talking a whole lot more about Ryan Couture within the next few years.

Next for Carlo Prater: Job security, which is something Prater hasn’t been able to say for a while now. Prater leaped back onto the comeback trail in a big way at “Challengers 14”, so expect Strikeforce to lock Prater down for at least two or three fights. Whether or not Prater lives up to the potential he showed both at “Challengers 14” and at the start of his career is anyone’s guess, but I’m certainly pulling for him.

Next for Lyle Beerbohm/Pat Healy: Each other, which is why they’re being grouped together. This was an awesome match, and I sincerely tell all of my fans that even if you’ve got no interest in these two or even in the “Challengers” series as a whole, you owe it to yourself to track this one down and give it a watch. There’s no shame in losing this kind of match, even if it was the first loss of Beerbohm’s career, and I think Beerbohm deserves his shot at revenge. Healy would also benefit from beating Beerbohm twice, and if he won the rematch in dominating fashion, he’d likely emerge as a possible championship contender. It’s always possible that these two men may go their separate ways, but a rematch definitely makes the most sense right now.

And what about you, fans and friends? For those of you who tuned in and watched, what do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”?

Pat Healy defeats Lyle Beerbohm by Unanimous Decision. Carlo Prater defeats Bryan Travers by Submission (Anaconda Choke) 0:38 of Round 1. Ryan Couture defeats Lee Higgins by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:41 of Round 3. David Douglas defeats Nick Gonzalez by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:05 of Round 1. Ryan Larson defeats Erik Apple by Submission (Triangle Choke) 3:14 of Round 1. Aaron Lan Franco defeats Thomas Diagne by TKO (GNP) 4:22 of Round 1. Drew Pendleton defeats Dennis Dombrow by Submission (Guillotine) 2:38 of Round 1.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this card. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised at how many of the “Challengers 14” fights ended in dramatic fashion. The televised broadcast began with a sick Triangle by Ryan Larson, immediately followed by an all-out beatdown on Nick Gonzalez courtesy of the fiery David Douglas. Ryan Couture then showcased just how focused he is on getting out of his father’s shadow through his own merits and not his famous last name; Couture has now won two straight by submission and his fight with Lee Higgins was definitely a growing experience for him.

Seeing Carlo Prater tear up after finishing his opponent within the first forty seconds was honestly one of the highlights of the night. I really respect Prater’s honesty and his willingness to both admit and work through the problems he’s faced in the past. This could be the start of a pretty big resurgence for Carlo Prater, I’ll certainly be paying attention to him now and I’d love to see what happens next for him.

And in the main event, we got a grappling clinic that puts most grappling clinics to shame. Beerbohm and Healy fought a fantastic “blink and you’ll miss it” fight filled with reversals, reversals of reversals, and reversals of reversals of reversals. Both men flowed in and out of intricate ground positions like it was easy, and it was undoubtedly the best fight of the night. Not only that, it was also a very close fight, and I echo the sentiments shared by the “Challengers 14” announce team: I want a rematch! Beerbohm may have lost his first fight, but he’s really got nothing to be ashamed of. This was a great fight, and I don’t mean “a great fight by ‘Challengers’ standards”. I mean that this fight could have been one of the best fights of the night even if it had been put on a major Strikeforce show.

I’m honestly a bit blown away by how much I enjoyed this show. To be honest, this show just about completely restored the faith I had in “Challengers” that was lost after the underwhelming “Challengers 13” event. While that event looked awesome on paper but ultimately didn’t measure up to my expectations, I headed into “Challengers 14” with relatively low expectations and was greeted by a very, very fun night of fights. I’ll need at least one more good event like this in order to offer my official proclamation, but if that does happen, then I’m calling it now: “Challengers” is on the fast track towards replacing the WEC as my “dark horse favorite”.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”?

5. Several experienced veterans and notable prospects highlight the card.

I’ll go into specifics a bit later on down the list, but for the most part, “Challengers 14” has a real “old school vs. new school” feel. You’ve got fighters with lots and lots (and lots) of fights on their pro records, but you’ve also got fighters that have only been competing for a few years. This usually creates a “high stakes” atmosphere where the veterans try their hardest to prove they’re still relevant and the newcomers try their hardest to show that they’re growing as fighters. Combined, that means a night of fun and exciting fights.

4. Pat Healy is an experienced veteran and won’t be going down without a fight.

Pat “Bam Bam” Healy has fought a stunning forty-two times as a professional MMA fighter, with twenty-five wins and seventeen defeats. Healy has won three of his last five, with a submission and a TKO win to his credit. Healy has fought a host of famous names, from Carlos Condit to Paul Daley, from Chris Leben to Chris Lytle, from Denis Kang to Dan Hardy. He’s even beaten a few of them. Healy’s lost seventeen times, but the man is a threat no matter who he’s facing. He’s going to bring out his best and bring out the best in Lyle Beerbohm, even if he gets finished in the process, and that’s definitely going to make for a great fight.

3. Ryan Couture is quickly shaping up to be a can’t-miss fighter.

Ryan Couture could have piggy-backed off of his last name and made himself out to be the second coming. He could have even leveraged that name to make his debut on the main televised card of a major Strikeforce show. Instead, Couture showed an admirable amount of humility both before and after he won his first official pro MMA fight, and when inside the cage, Couture showed flashes of brilliance. It’s going to be very interesting and exciting to see where Ryan Couture goes now that he’s beginning to build some momentum.

2. Lyle Beerbohm looks unstoppable.

“Fancy Pants” is a perfect 15-0 with six wins by (T)KO and seven by submission. Seven of those wins have came inside the first round, and three were inside the second. Beerbohm holds notable victories over Duane Ludwig, Vitor Ribeiro, and Rafaello Oliveira. Beerbohm is on the fast-track to become the next big threat at Lightweight and a major contender to Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez. This is a key fight for Beerbohm, so he should show up at his best, and that’s a big reason to give this card a watch.

And my number one reason to watch this card is…

1. The continually-increasing quality of the “Challengers” series of shows.

If you’ll recall, fans and friends, this is an argument I’ve used before, in order to justify the watching of other “Challengers” shows. I find myself repeating it here because it continues to be true: these shows really are improving on a fight-by-fight basis, and they were never all that bad to begin with. They’re not as good as Strikeforce’s main shows, which all seem to be ending quite dramatically nowadays, but the “Challengers” series is really starting to find and exploit its own niche. I’m pleasantly surprised with the quality of these shows more often than not, and that remains the biggest reason to keep giving “Challengers” a chance.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see Strikeforce: “Challengers 14″. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

Lyle Beerbohm vs.  Pat Healy: Pat Healy is a tough, veteran fighter and I respect him for that. Nevertheless, I think he’s definitely being put into the role of “sacrificial lamb” for this bout. This is Beerbohm’s “gatekeeper” fight: if he wins and wins dramatically, he’ll be on the main stage before long and could even be fighting for the championship before the year is through. Knowing this, Beerbohm should put on an excellent performance and extend his win-streak to sixteen straight fights. Lyle Beerbohm wins by submission in Round 1.

Ryan Couture vs.  Lee Higgins: Standing in the way of Ryan Couture’s second pro MMA win is someone who holds just two pro MMA wins himself. At 2-0 with two submissions, Lee Higgins is just as new and inexperienced as Couture, so this fight should either be a turning point for both men or a clear indication that both should remain on the “Challengers” series for the foreseeable future. I think Ryan Couture will continue to showcase his skills and will snatch up a submission win in Round 2.

Bryan Travers vs. Carlo Prater: Even though Travers recently lost to Pat Healy, I’m picking him to win against experienced veteran Carlo Prater. Prater’s career simply seems to be on the decline: he’s won only one of his last four fights. Meanwhile, Travers is 14-2. Due to the fact that both men have a whole lot of wins by decision, I’m going to pick Bryan Travers to win via Unanimous Decision.

Ryan Larson vs.  Erik Apple: Apple has lost two of his last three fights, but those are the only two losses he has on his record. Meanwhile, Larson is also coming off of a loss, but that’s one of only two losses he has on his own record. Both men like to win by submission, but both men have also been submitted. This is one fight that’s going to be too close to call, but in the end, I’ll take Erik Apple to win via Split Decision.

David Douglas vs.  Nick Gonzalez: Nick Gonzalez has had a rough time in Strikeforce: his big moments with the company included losing to Josh Thomson and Yves Edwards, both of whom submitted the 16-8 nine-year veteran. Meanwhile, David “Tarzan” Douglas is 1-1 in Strikeforce, winning his most recent bout with the company by TKO in the second round. This is another fight that’s a bit difficult to call, but in the end I’m siding with the veteran. Nick Gonzalez wins by Unanimous Decision.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think will win, and why, at Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”?

The Event: Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”, currently scheduled for February 18, 2011 at the Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas. A five-fight main card will be televised live on the Showtime network starting at 11 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: With Strikeforce’s Lightweight division still very much in the process of figuring itself out, the main event of “Challengers 14” has serious title implications. The card also features the return of Ryan Couture, the son of legendary MMA fighter Randy Couture, who looked very impressive in his professional MMA debut at Strikeforce’s “Challengers 10” event.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: It’s the classic tale of the young, hot prospect taking on the grizzled veteran to see what the veteran has left and if the hot prospect really has it in him to go all the way. Lyle Beerbohm is an undefeated 16-0 three-year MMA veteran, with seven wins by KO and seven by submission. Pat Healy’s record sits at a gargantuan 23-16, and he’s won three of his last four fights. If Beerbohm finishes Healy in dramatic fashion, he’ll immediately put himself “in the mix” and on the shortlist for possible contenders to Gilbert Melendez’s Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Ryan Couture makes his return to professional MMA after sitting on the sidelines with an injury following a very interesting debut at “Challengers 10”. At 28 years of age, Couture displayed a lot of humility before and after he fought, and inside the cage he displayed some impressive skill. Couture seems to be a dynamic fighter, but there are still a lot of questions hovering around him. With his successful debut behind him, we’ll really be able to gauge what kind of future Ryan Couture has in Strikeforce depending on how he performs in his second MMA fight.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Even though I did feel a bit disappointed that “Challengers 13” didn’t live up to all of its potential, for the most part the “Challengers” series of shows have seen a steady increase in quality, and they were never all that bad to begin with. They’re an acquired taste, yes, but if “Challengers” is your thing, this show shouldn’t disappoint.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: Then again, there’s always the possibility that “Challengers” isn’t your thing. This is the B-show, no one is hiding from it or sugar-coating it. These are the possible stars of tomorrow, not today, and “Challengers” rarely features big-name talent. Plus, given some fighter’s rookie status, some of the fights end up being a bit mundane. Even though the general quality has improved, it’s still a bit of a gamble every time you watch “Challengers”, and with this card not having any particularly big names (even for this series), you could make a case for not tuning in to watch this show, especially considering how late in the evening these shows always are.

Closing Thoughts: In the end, I’m going to go ahead and say that I’ll be watching this show. I think Lyle Beerbohm really could be the next big threat at Lightweight, and I’m actually a bit of a fan of Ryan Couture even though he’s only had one pro MMA fight. I think this show might end up surprising me, as the quality of “Challengers” usually does. It’s a free night of MMA with several fights full of potential, so in the end, I’m definitely tuning in.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”?

The bout is rumored to headline Strikeforce Challengers 14, which takes place on Feb. 18 at the Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas.

Undefeated in his professional career, Beerbohm is looking to add another signature name to his list of victims as he inches closer and closer to top contender status in a thinning lightweight division in Strikeforce, however Healy would be the last man to overlook on your way to the top of the weight-class where only the strong survive.

MMAJunkie.com was able to confirm the 155-pound bout with sources close to the fighters, how it is only speculative now whether or not Healy and Lyle will headline the event, though they are the two best candidates for the position given their track record in the organization.

Beerbohm was last seen in action under the Strikeforce banner when he picked up a highly-controversial split-decision victory over former top-10 lightweight fighter Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, which extended his undefeated streak to 14-0, however he has since picked up two additional victories in outside promotion’s. Now, Lyle will have to redeem himself from his last performance when he takes on Pat Healy.

The former MFC welterweight champion looks to rebound from a disappointing submission loss to former champion Josh Thomson in June of last year. Though it looked like Healy was possibly edging Josh for the majority of the bout with his heavy dose of takedowns and top control, however “The Punk” turned it around in the third-round, locking up a rear-naked choke and took care of business.

Ryan Couture is also set to make his return to the cage on the February card, though no opponent has been named. The son of mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture, Ryan will be making his second-foray into the professional world of MMA in as many appearances in the San Jose based promotion.

Successful in his first outing, Ryan submitted then 1-1 lightweight fighter Lucas Stark with his patented triangle choke, inside of the first round.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Does Lyle have the goods to climb up the ranks and become a contender at 155? Sound off in the comment section below.

I started out asking what many fans of Lyle’s wanted to know; how did he feel about working as hard as he has and not getting any recognition out of it. Lyle was very upset as he had just received his fight contract on Wednesday for his fight on May 15 and he was not getting paid what he was originally told he would be paid.

He went on to tell me that he really wanted to fight for Strikeforce and has always talked very highly of them but it seemed to him that they did not want to properly promote him and he felt he no longer wanted to fight for them.

After doing some more research it was shared with me that at the time of my interview with Lyle, he fully believed he was getting the short end of the stick so to speak. However, what happened was very common when it comes to contracts and the understanding of them. There had been a misinterpretation of the contract. An addendum in the contract was missed and this led to Lyle becoming frustrated.

One needs to realize Lyle is a family man who is fighting to support those he loves such as his fiance, his new baby and many more. With a pro record of 13-0 and only one of those fights going the distance, the man is a huge prospect in the sport and should be promoted and paid as such.

Lyle wants the chance to compete on a televised portion of the card and to fight the best in the world.

Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou spoke with me and told me that they see Lyle as a very big prospect and actually have plans for him to move up in the division. He then told me of the plans they had if Lyle got past Vitor. They would put him on a televised card against an opponent I am unable to name at this time.

Lyle has a contract that was brought over from Elite XC and then re-worked in good faith. He was supposed to have a televised fight on the Strikeforce Challenger Series but had to turn down the fight due to an injured back at the time.

All this came to a head just hours before my conversation with Lyle. He was very angry and did not have anything kind to say about Strikeforce as is the case many times when something is as fresh as this was for him. He decided to go to the UnderGround and post that he wanted a lawyer to get out of his contract with Strikeforce and that set off the alarms on both sides. He went so far as to tell them he was not going to fight Vitor without getting paid a certain amount.

Once Lyle and his manager, Phil Lanides, sat down and talked and Phil spoke with both Scott Coker and Rich, an agreement was made and now we can look forward to one of the hottest prospects in the sport taking on one of the best pure grapplers in MMA in Shaolin.

Rich told me he was sad and disappointed that it had gone this far as he was the one that signed Lyle to the Elite contract and has watched him grow as a person and as a fighter. When asked why this fight was not televised when many fans consider it to be a “Fight of the Night” candidate he told me it was just a stacked card and many of the fights had major implications in their respective divisions. As of right now Strikeforce is still working on trying to secure a live stream for this fight so that the hardcore fans can watch it on the computer as it happens. One needs to remember that all fights are taped and if one of the main event fights does not go as planned then there is always a chance we could see this fight on TV.

This has been a gigantic mess from the start and has had me running in circles as I am sure were Phil, Rich and Scott. I feel that after the post on the UG, things were handled well by both Strikeforce, Lyle and his management.

Sadly disputes like this happen and in today’s world of Twitter, the UnderGround and other social media a small situation can become blown out of proportion in a hurry. Below you will find the official press release from Lyle given to me exclusively:

Rumors have circulated that StrikeForce lightweight Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm has pulled out of his scheduled bout with Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, which is to take place at “StrikeForce: Heavy Artillery” on May 15th in St. Louis. This statement is in response to those rumors, as well as Lyle’s recent post on the Underground.

Lyle’s fight with Shaolin is still on, and will occur as scheduled. Lyle is excited about the opportunity to prove his talent against a world class athlete like Ribeiro, and is focused on delivering the type of dominant performance that he is known for.

In regards to his post on the Underground, Lyle has this to say: “I was upset when I wrote what I wrote, and I apologize if my post caused any problems or confusion. I am committed to being the best fighter I can be, and I want to become the StrikeForce Lightweight Champion. Being the best is all that matters to me. I realize that I must focus 100% on training and fighting, and allow my management to handle the business side of things. And I plan to live by that going forward.”

“I also plan to be the victor in my fight with Shaolin, and prove to the MMA world that I am a legit force to be reckoned with.”

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and to MMA Gospel Radio as we will be bringing you the latest in news from around the world of mixed martial arts.

The “W” was Herman’s third under the ProElite umbrella, a promotion whose heavyweight division has been stung recently with champion “Big Foot” Antonio Silva‘s (11-1) positive test for banned substances and poster boy “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson‘s (3-1) 14-second KO loss.

The victory came by a combination of knees with Schall in Herman’s Thai clinch and punches once Schall dropped.

After his brief TUF 8 appearance, light heavyweight Jason Guida (17-18) was overwhelmed by “Cannibal” Mamed Khalidov (15-3-1) by second-round TKO at 4:53.

King of the Cage Welterweight Champion Anthony Lapsley (14-3) won a majority decision over Mike Stumpf (10-2) by judges’ scores of 30-27 twice and 29-29.

Middleweight Alexander Shlemenko (22-3) TKO’d “Bubba” Robert McDaniel (11-5) with a knee to McDaniel’s chest the rendered McDaniel unable to answer the second-round bell.

Lightweight Lyle Beerbohm (8-0) opened up a blood-gushing split in Rafaello Oliveira’s (5-1) head with an elbow from the top position, causing the doctor to stop the fight between the first and second round.

Matt Jaggers (8-4) won a UD over Orville Smith (8-1) by judges’ scores of 30-27 twice and 30-26.

“Spider” Jared McMahon (9-0-1) tapped Jacob Hey (4-2) in a rear naked choke at 3:11 of round one.

Jeff Cox (1-2) tapped Jay Ellis (9-25) in a guillotine choke at 0:28 of round one.

Tiawon Howard (6-2) tapped Johnny Hughes (2-5) in a rear naked choke at 3:42 of round one.

Josh Barnes (2-0) TKO’d Jeremy Norton (7-3) at 2:22 of round one.

Deray Davis (3-0-1) tapped John Kuner (0-1) in an armbar at 3:53 of round two.

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.