Coker Maps Out Strikeforce's January Card, Return to CBS

After Saturday’s prolific “Evolution” event, which featured Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson’s fight for the ages and a dramatic come-from-behind upset for Scott Smith over Cung Le, Strikeforce promoter Scott Coker is back at the drawing board trying to fill in the blanks for the promotion’s upcoming slate.

Coker, speaking exclusively with Sherdog.com, discussed the lineups he would like to promote and the fights he has already inked for Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 show in south Florida and its April return to CBS.

The promotion will travel to Sunrise, Fla., for the National Football League’s Pro Bowl weekend. The bill will feature 1980s pigskin star Herschel Walker, who will be making his MMA debut. Coker noted Walker’s rawness and added that he will be matched with someone of similar experience.

Cristiane Santos (8-1) will return to defend her 145-pound strap against Dutch fighter Marloes Coenen. “Cyborg” earned the title by pummeling Gina Carano in August, and has proven to be a dominant force among the ladies since signing with the promotion. Coenen (17-3) made a successful first impression with her submission win over Roxanne Modafferi last month.

Rising Lithuanian star Marius Zaromskis will take on the ever-popular Nick Diaz in a welterweight contender’s match. Zaromskis (13-3) has been on a roll, scoring three straight head-kick knockouts in Japan’s Dream promotion to emerge as a legitimate challenger in the 170-pound division.

Diaz (20-7) will be fighting for the first time since finishing Scott Smith in June of this Year.

Also debuting on the card will be former WWE star Bobby Lashley, who will be facing a yet-to-be determined opponent. Lashley (4-0) was at Saturday’s post-fight news conference and claimed his desire to compete for Strikeforce was partially influenced by the presence of the world’s top heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko.

Coker also discussed a number of fights that he would like to book for the company’s CBS date in April. The Strikeforce headman stated the card would most likely occur in San Jose, Calif., but he was not ready to etch the venue in stone due to the HP Pavilion’s primary tenant -- the National Hockey League’s Sharks -- and the possibility of a deep playoff run for the franchise that could leave the promotion’s home arena unavailable.

Regardless of where the card is hosted, Coker expects to book Emelianenko against Fabricio Werdum, Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields, Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki and possibly Thomson vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri or K.J. Noons.