StrikeForce News - Page 50

Diaz Not Impressed with Likely Challengers Hieron, Sakurai

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SUNRISE, Fla. – With another dominating victory and her first title defense under her belt, Strikeforce women's lightweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos can now look to her next challenge. As Scott Coker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following Saturday's "Strikeforce: Miami" event, Erin Toughill could be next to challenge for the title. Santos set up the likely bout after defeating a game but overpowered Marloes Coenen in the co-main event of the Jan. 30 event, which took place at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

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Victorious this weekend at Strikeforce: "Miami" was heavyweight Bobby Lashley, who made the most of his promotion debut by stopping last-minute fill-in Wes Sims in the first round. Though the former WWE superstar dominated the match from beginning to end (all of two-plus minutes), many questions still remained about the prospects of Lashley's future in the sport. We may however, have those questions answered sooner rather than later. SI.com is now reporting that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker would like to see Lashley take a gigantic step up in competition and face former number one contender and consensus number seven heavyweight, Brett "The Grim" Rogers.

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You’re going to be shocked by this, but [the pressure did not bother me at all]. There was no pressure and the reason why was I really thought the people at AKA prepared me for it. The fighters at the gym, everyone there, they prepared me for this. What I had to do was just go in the ring and do it. I’ve loved (MMA) for about four years. This isn’t something I just decided I wanted to do.

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"Well, it's one of two things. Either they're going to allow me do it the way I wanna do it and build, or they're going to give me a title shot. Either or. I would like a title shot. I guess it's Overeem, he's the one who has the title right now. Him or Fedor, whoever. I wanted to take my time to build up but everyone's pushing me to get bigger and better fights so if I'm going to get bigger and better fights let's go for the best."

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I'm proud to be doing what I do. I wasn't hurt at all [in this fight]. My lip got cut a little, but I wasn't hurt, I was fine.... My gameplan was that I am a better all-around fighter than him, so I was going take what I was going to get. Try and set up my punches. Set up my body punches -- not let him breathe. Set up the knee to the body. Set up the knee to the leg. I'm going to control him on the fence.

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Cris “Cyborg” Santos (7-0) defended her 145-pound women’s Strikeforce title against Marloes Coenen (17-5) on Jan. 30 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., and is prepared to fight whoever Strikeforce puts in front of her.

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It's all fun and games until a referee apparently stops a fight too early.Wes Sims was hamming it up for just about everyone who would watch following his first round technical knockout loss to Bobby Lashley during the post fight press conference that never happened at Strikeforce: "Miami" tonight from the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

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“The game plan was to try and go out and put pressure on him. Try to stay sharp because he’s a lefty. You can’t go after a lefty because everything is opposite, so I was a little more strategic,” Hieron told MMAWeekly.com after the fight. “I felt great in my performance.”

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"I feel beat up. It was a tough fight. She was really good, but I think [the referee] stopped it too soon. I was still moving -- she hit me hard but I could take it. I have to see the fight back of course, but [I kept] moving and my defense was high if I'm correct. She won it. She's the champion. Again, I have to see the fight back because I don't remember anything when I'm fighting -- it's all flashes."

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Most people thought Jay Hieron earned a shot at the welterweight title by defeating Joe Riggs, but Coker said it's more likely that Sakurai will be the challenger in Diaz's first title defense. Sakurai fights for Dream, and Coker said Strikeforce's co-promotional arrangement with Dream ensures that "I could get it done." Hieron's win over Riggs was the last fight on his Strikeforce contract, and it's not clear whether Hieron will return to the promotion.

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It ended fast and it ended with a bang. Robbie Lawler was feeling the power and dangerous strikes of Melvin Manhoef, but too much aggression and a perfectly timed counter punch sent the Dutchman crashing to the canvas, a victim of a vicious knockout. To his credit, Melvin Manhoef approached the fight with Lawler with a much better gameplan that his usual bull rush style. The powerful Dutch striker planted some powerful leg kicks that left Lawler limping, backing up across the cage. It looked like a completely one sided fight as Manhoef blasted away at Lawler's head and body with his signature punching power. Just as Manhoef went for the kill, Lawler finally threw a big punch, and that's all he needed.

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Strikeforce took a big risk signing and showcasing 47-year old former NFL player, Herschel Walker, in his professional debut on Saturday, but it paid off as the one time Heisman Trophy winner dominated Greg Nagy on the way to a TKO win. In the early going, Walker did a good job of stuffing the takedown attempts from opponent, Greg Nagy, who struggled under the power of the former running back. Eventually, Walker reversed the position, landed on top, and started to throw down punches at Nagy. Keeping out of too much danger, Nagy did position his body well enough to almost lock on a heel hook in the first round, but Walker rolled and stayed out of the submission.

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Living up to the hype of her championship victory, Cris Cyborg didn't show any signs of weakness in her first title defense as she dominated and powered through top contender, Marloes Coenen, picking up a 3rd round TKO win. Cris Cyborg came out with her signature aggressive style, striking at Coenen with looping left and right hands. Regardless of her opponent's grappling background, Cyborg actually initiated the first takedown, putting Coenen on her back looking for a punching attack from her guard.

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It took several years and three different weight classes, but the hard work that Nick Diaz put in finally paid off as the brash Cesar Gracie student knocked out Dream champion, Marius Zaromskis, to claim the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title. It looked like the slugfest that most expected out of Robbie Lawler and Melvin Manhoef, but it was Diaz and Zaromskis who came out throwing heavy duty shots as soon as the bell rang.

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However, like almost every well-laid plan in MMA, unforeseen circumstances and the choices that come out of them take promotions and fighters down other paths. When Hieron’s management turned down a fight with Lithuanian newcomer Marius Zaromskis for January, Diaz was given the bout instead. And with Diaz seen as a top 170-pound contender in the promotion, the bout was allotted for the promotion’s first-ever welterweight title.

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That's the question we asked in a recent "Inside MMA"/MMAjunkie.com poll, and two bouts ran away with the majority of the vote.And luckily for fans, the most-requested matchup is one likely to take place at a future Strikeforce on CBS event: Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi vs. recent Strikerorce signee and former UFC fighter Dan Henderson.

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When Gilbert Melendez defeated Josh Thomson to win the Strikeforce lightweight title, the announcement was made that same night that the idea for his next opponent was for top ranked Japanese fighter Shinya Aoki to come stateside and fight for the belt.

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You know how people used to think Albert Einstein was a crazy dude, but then long after he died we realized he was a genius? Well, maybe that's what we have in Nick Diaz. A man respected for his craft, yet someone who doesn't seem to fully understand his surroundings. A man, who despite possessing the ability to be great at what he does, consistently makes decisions that for all intents and purposes harm his very well being. Sure, some of what he says and does makes very little to sense to us. But is that because Mr. Diaz is well ahead of his time? I'd like to see it.

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Robbie Lawler interview.

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