Strikeforce

Photo: Gilbert Melendez celebrates after beating Mitsuhir

Teammates open Strikeforce's Zuffa age with a bang: Sunday, April 10, 2011; Will Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez receive shot to unify UFC and Strikeforce belts?; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — Good luck telling Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez that mixed martial arts isn’t a team sport. Melendez and Diaz are long-time training partners at Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in San Francisco who ushered in a new era of Strikeforce together Saturday night at Valley View Casino Center. In the first major Strikeforce event under UFC ownership, Diaz and Melendez fed off of each others' presence and defended their respective championship belts.

Photo: Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz admini

Strikeforce live results: Nick Diaz scores first-round TKO over Paul Daley: Saturday, April 9, 2011; New era of Strikeforce begins tonight with first major card under UFC leadership; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — People have thrown around adjectives like stunning, historic and game changing to describe Zuffa’s recent purchase of Strikeforce. Time to add one more — well-timed. Strikeforce already had tonight’s Diaz vs. Daley card at Valley View Casino Center planned under its old ownership, but its Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, that gets to reap the benefits of a stacked event.

Photo: In this file photo, Paul Daley talks to UFC Presid

Strikeforce weigh-in blog: Paul Daley starts brief yelling match after making weight: Friday, April 8, 2011; Everyone makes weight as the fans show love for Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — Weigh-ins always take on suspense when Paul Daley is involved. Daley, who challenges Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce welterweight championship in the headlining fight of Saturday’s card at Valley View Casino Center, had missed the 171-pound cutoff in two of his last three bouts. But Daley stepped on the scale at the Crowne Plaza without any issues Friday, coming in at 169.5 pounds. Diaz, the champion, also made weight, along with the other six fighters on the main card, which Showtime will televise via tape delay on the west coast at 10 p.m.

Photo: A bloodied Keith Jardine takes a break during a st

Keith Jardine returns to big stage as late replacement on Strikeforce card: Friday, April 8, 2011; Gegard Mousasi, Jardine's opponent, looks to make another title push; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — The personalities of veteran fighter Keith Jardine and his high-profile coach Greg Jackson can be accurately summed up with one anecdote from last week. Jardine (17-9-1) accepted a late-notice light heavyweight bout against Dutch striker Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1) on Saturday’s Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley card last Thursday and called Jackson to talk about it. Although Jackson was happy for him, he immediately started lamenting that they didn’t have much time to prepare for a fighter of Mousasi’s caliber. Jardine heard enough.

Photo: Gilbert Melendez Jr., left, and Shinya Aoki pose f

Strikeforce lightweight champion excited by possibilities after UFC purchase: Friday, April 8, 2011; Gilbert Melendez Jr. has a history with Tatsuya Kawajiri, Saturday's opponent; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — Gilbert Melendez Sr. used to have a hard time believing just how good of a fighter his son was. Even after Gilbert Melendez Jr. started his professional career 11-0 and captured the Strikeforce lightweight championship in the process five years ago, his father tried to temper his enthusiasm. Then came a unanimous decision victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri in a PRIDE event on New Year’s Eve 2006, which made it tough for Melendez Sr. to deny his son’s prowess any longer.

Photo: Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz celebr

UFC/Strikeforce Notebook: Diaz and Daley keeping abnormally quiet: Thursday, April 7, 2011; UFC announces new event in partnership with Bud Light; By Case Keefer; SAN DIEGO — Nick Diaz and Paul Daley are two of the biggest trash talkers in mixed martial arts — or at least they used to be. To the surprise of many, Diaz (24-7, 1 NC) and Daley (27-9-2) haven’t engaged in one heated exchange during their media availability leading up to Saturday’s welterweight title fight at Valley View Casino Center. When asked to explain the silence at Thursday’s press conference at the Crowne Plaza, Diaz answered appropriately.

Photo: Paul Daley is pulled away from Dustin Hazelett's c

First major Strikeforce card with new ownership features UFC castoffs: Wednesday, April 6, 2011; Nick Diaz and Paul Daley meet in the Strikeforce cage on Showtime Saturday; By Case Keefer; Even though his company now owns Strikeforce, UFC President Dana White has vowed not to attend the fight promotion’s events for a while. White notes that he doesn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Strikeforce had long served as the landing ground for fighters who clashed with White and lost their opportunity to fight in the UFC. Two of the better-known examples meet in the main event of Saturday’s San Diego card, the first major Strikeforce show under UFC ownership, when British standout Paul Daley challenges Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce welterweight title.

Photo: UFC President Dana White watches a video during th

UFC acquires Strikeforce: Saturday, March 12, 2011; Fighting: UFC President Dana White says it will be "business as usual" for time being; By Case Keefer; Like one of its prized championship fighters, UFC keeps conquering all of its closest competitors. Zuffa LLC, the parent company of UFC, has purchased Strikeforce, the second biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world. UFC President Dana White announced the news Saturday morning through a video on MMAFighting.com posted to the front of UFC’s Web site.

Photo: Dan Henderson fights against Rich Franklin at UFC

Third-round knockout leads to Strikeforce belt for Dan Henderson: Sunday, March 6, 2011; Marloes Coenen defends her belt after taking early beating; By Case Keefer; Dan Henderson insisted he wasn’t overly concerned about winning another championship heading into his Strikeforce title fight against Rafel “Feijao” Cavalcante Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. The 40-year old Henderson said he simply wanted to win and while grabbing a title would be great, it wasn’t his focus. That all changed when Strikeforce officials strapped the light heavyweight championship belt on Henderson after his third-round knockout of Feijao.

Photo: Dan Henderson celebrates his defeat of Michael Bis

Dan Henderson fights for another title at weekend Strikeforce event: Thursday, March 3, 2011; Henderson challenges Rafael Cavalcante, whose Black House teammates have his number; By Case Keefer; An adrenaline overload will course through Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante’s body as he walks to the cage for his first defense of the Strikeforce light heavyweight title Saturday night. His challenger, 40-year old MMA veteran Dan Henderson, plans to keep his emotions more under control. At this point of his career, there’s not much that can overwhelm Henderson.

Photo: Fedor Emelianenko, of Russia, is seen with the eye

Fedor Emelianenko falls in Strikeforce Grand Prix, talks retirement: Sunday, February 13, 2011; Antonio Silva shocks Emelianenko with a TKO victory; Sergei Kharitonov also advances; By Case Keefer; The opening round of the Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament may have served as the final moment in the career of one of mixed martial art’s most storied fighters. Fedor Emelianenko (31-3) suffered a humiliating TKO defeat to Antonio Silva (16-2) Saturday night in East Rutherford, N.J., that had him contemplating retirement moments after the fight. “Maybe it’s the last time,” Emelianenko said through a translator in his post-fight interview on Showtime. “Maybe it’s my time. Thank God for everything. I’ve spent a great, beautiful, long sport life. Maybe it’s God will.”

Photo: Fedor Emelianenko reacts after being submitted by

Strikeforce heavyweight tourney begins with Fedor Emelianenko's return: Friday, February 11, 2011; Antonio Silva says he will shock the world by upsetting Emelianenko this weekend in New Jersey; By Case Keefer; The cloak of invincibility Fedor Emelianenko sported for the last decade disappeared the last time he fought. Emelianenko, the most accomplished heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, lost his first bout since 2000 last June when he faced Fabricio Werdum at a Strikeforce event in San Jose, Calif. Emelianenko (32-2) returns for the first time since suffering that defeat Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J., as part of a quarterfinal fight in the Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament.

Photo: Nick Diaz, top, punches Evangelista

Nick Diaz, Jacare Souza hold onto Strikeforce titles: Sunday, January 30, 2011; Herschel Walker wins by first-round TKO; By Case Keefer; Neither of the two belts on the line at Saturday’s Strikeforce card in San Jose, Calif., switched hands. Nick Diaz defended his welterweight title with a second round submission of Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza defeated Robbie Lawler via submission in the third round of their middleweight championship bout.

Even as Strikeforce welterweight champion, Nick Diaz feels disrespected: Friday, January 28, 2011; Two belts at risk at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg Saturday on Showtime; By Case Keefer; After listening to Nick Diaz's comments on a recent conference call, it would be difficult to gather that he's fighting Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos to defend his Strikeforce welterweight title Saturday. Diaz (23-7) kept his answers about Cyborg (18-13) brief, but spared no words while taking aim at other mixed-martial-arts fighters. UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and his last challenger, Josh Koscheck, elicited the most scorn from Diaz.

Photo: Former NFL football player Herschel Walker looks o

Herschel Walker fights in second MMA bout this weekend at Strikeforce event: Friday, January 28, 2011; Walker is unfazed by those who say he doesn't belong in the sport; By Case Keefer; Herschel Walker used to do 3,500 sit-ups and 1,500 push-ups every day. The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner went through long summer practices in the infamous Southern humidity while at the University of Georgia and NFL two-a-days during his 14-year professional football career. He also endured Olympic training to compete on the 1992 American two-man bobsled team.

Nick Diaz fails to back up years worth of talk

A welterweight title fight that felt incredibly different wound up remarkably the same. Georges St. Pierre manhandled nemesis Nick Diaz with his wrestling. St. Pierre won every round on every judges' scorecard in Montreal for his sixth straight unanimous-decision victory. Diaz had preached his superiority over St. Pierre for years, but when he finally got his chance, he looked as helpless as all the other challengers to the 170-pound division's throne in the last six years. St. Pierre's consistency continued to amaze. Now it's on to Johny Hendricks, who defeated Carlos Condit in the evening's co-main event. Could he be the one to finally threaten St. Pierre?

Main Card Results
Winner	Loser	Method
Georges St. Pierre	Nick Diaz	Unanimous Decision
Johny Hendricks	Carlos Condit	Unanimous Decision
Jake Ellenberger	Nate Marquardt	Knockout
Chris Camozzi	Nick Ring	Split Decision
Mike Ricci	Colin Fletcher	Unanimous Decision

Date	Event	Headlining Match	Location
May 3	NABF Super Featherweight Title	Francisco Vargas vs. Jose Aguiniga	Las Vegas: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan
May 4	WBC Welterweight Title	Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero	Las Vegas: MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 18	UFC on FX 8	Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold	Jaragua, Brazil
May 25	UFC 160	Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva	Las Vegas: MGM Grand Garden Arena
June 8	UFC on FUEL TV 10	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Fabricio Werdum	Fortaleza, Brazil
June 15	UFC 161	Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland	Winnipeg, Manitoba
June 22	WBA Welterweight Title	Paulie Malignaggi vs. Adrien Broner	Brooklyn, N.Y.