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Primer: Strikeforce ‘Diaz vs. Noons II’
By: Jake Rossen
K.J. Noons (right) vs. Nick Diaz: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com
Nick Diaz may dismiss his first fight with K.J. Noons as the result of a trigger-happy doctor -- a physician stopped the fight when Diaz was spurting blood from his brow -- but the scene had a far more dramatic impact on his fight career than he might let on. Or even realize.
It was after Noons carved up his face that Diaz consulted with Frank Stile, MD, a Las Vegas-based plastic surgeon prepared to take Diaz on as a kind of guinea pig for an experimental surgery that might reduce a fighter’s chances of being cut open from too much excess scar tissue. (That’s the usual result of getting bad stitch work on site instead of heading for the hospital.) Stile dug out the hamburger tissue, sewed in collagen, and figured the new skin would protect Diaz from another anticlimactic ending.
Coincidence or not, Diaz is 7-0 since the Noons fight and the surgery and his boxing has improved by leaps since the bout. After a win over Yves Edwards, Noons took nearly two years off MMA to pursue a pro boxing career and looked sharp against Jorge Gurgel. Far from being an overcooked rematch against two fading athletes, Diaz and Noons are likely going to see the best of one another Saturday.
What: Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II, a 13-bout card from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Read more -
Kaufman to Defend Strikeforce Belt, Diaz to Fight Oct. 9
By: Brian Knapp
Strikeforce women’s welterweight champion Sarah Kaufman will defend her crown against Dutch submission specialist Marloes Coenen on Oct. 9 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., the promotion announced on Saturday.
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Perfect in 12 professional appearances, Kaufman last appeared in July, when she knocked out Roxanne Modafferi with a third-round slam at Strikeforce Challengers 9. The 24-year-old Canadian has delivered nine of her 12 career victories by knockout or technical knockout and owns notable victories against current Raging Wolf women’s champion Alexis Davis, EliteXC veteran Shayna Baszler and 2010 Strikeforce women’s welterweight tournament winner Miesha Tate. Kaufman trains out of the Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts camp in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. -
Report: Diaz to face ‘Mach’
By: Mike Fridley
GracieFighter.com, the official Web site of Nick Diaz’s trainer Cesar Gracie, is reporting that the Strikeforce welterweight champion will confront Japanese legend Hayato “Mach” Sakurai on May 29 in Japan for the Dream promotion.
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“Good. I've been trying to fight this guy for a long time now,” said Diaz on the Web site.
Diaz (21-7, 1 NC) has won his last six bouts, and last saw action in a thrilling stoppage of Dream 170-pound champion Marius Zaromskis on Jan. 30 at Strikeforce “Miami.” The 26-year-old BJJ black belt hails from Stockton, Calif.
Sakurai (35-10-2) has lost his last two fights by knockout and submission at the hands of Zaromskis and Akihiro Gono, respectively. Much like Diaz, the 34-year-old Tokyo-based fighter is a seasoned veteran that has competed at the highest levels the sport offers, including a long run for the Pride promotion and a failed UFC title shot against Matt Hughes at UFC 36 in March 2002.
May 29’s bout is expected to be held at 170 pounds. -
Strikeforce Post-Mortem: Punches in Bunches, Football’s Revenge, and More
By: Jake Rossen
D. Mandel/Sherdog.com
Nick Diaz is not a knockout artist in any traditional sense: you don’t need to fear a lunch box of a hand crashing into your temple. What Diaz does instead is arguably more impressive: instead of connecting once, he transmits force over and over and over again -- 95 times in the first round alone against Marius Zaromskis on Saturday. If the first ten don’t wear on you, the next 85 will.
Diaz’ evolution from a pestering striker with a black belt reserve to a genuinely threatening combination artist has been fascinating to watch. Western boxing has had a tradition of being the most criminally under-represented element in MMA. Part of the blame lies in the ineffectual nature of a boxing stance -- feet planted -- which will get you kicked or swept into a coffin; part of it is just the handyman nature of the sport and the limited time afforded to any one element.
Diaz is by no means a striker who can step into a boxing ring, a suggestion made -- hopefully in jest -- by commentator Mauro Ranallo last night. By boxing’s standards, he is eccentric at best. But in a sport where bad boxing is the only kind being practiced, eccentric is enough. Read more -
Diaz: 'I'm Ahead of the Game'
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Red Ink: Diaz/Zaromskis
By: Jake Rossen
D. Herbertson/Sherdog.com
Nick Diaz might have a night stand brimming with books on geometry, military warfare, and psychological intimidation. (All these things might also idle near a bong, but this isn’t relevant.) His strikes come from odd angles, stretched further than you’d think he could reach, and slap into heads with insulting sting. One or two are tolerable: 125, the amount of punches Diaz landed in the second round against Scott Smith last June, are enough to ruin your evening. He will scowl, stick his chin out, and dare you to do something about it.
Marius Zaromskis is the kind of guy that dares. A Lithuanian by way of Japan, Zaromskis settles in to generate power from the ground up. He launches kicks with a proficiency that should worry his podiatrist. He’s not afraid to climb into the pocket or do something unorthodox to get his way. This is the kind of fight you’ll want to show friends.
Might Look Like: Diaz’ bout with Takanori Gomi, a wild bar scene of a first round followed by Diaz using a deep well of conditioning and submission savvy to take Zaromskis out in the second.
Third Party Investor: The winner of Jay Hieron/Joe Riggs, who would be in front of the line for the 170-pound title.
X Factor: Zaromskis’ ability to scramble back to his feet in the event Diaz attempts to drown him.
Who Wins: It’s impossible to root against Zaromskis’ ingenuity, but Diaz has proven more at this point: Diaz by submission. Read more -
Poll: Diaz vs. Zaromskis
By: Mike Fridley
The map below displays regional data for the current poll. Refresh (F5) to update:
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Diaz vs. Sakurai Considered for October DREAM; Drug Use Could be Deemed 'Therapeutic'
By: Jake Rossen
Japan: land of opportunity for men who don’t get along with athletic commissions. Sherdog reports that Nick Diaz, ousted from Saturday’s Strikeforce card due to failure to appear for a drug test, is considering an October DREAM date, possibly against Hayato "Mach" Sakurai.
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That’s swell, but the real interest comes in a mention that the California State Athletic Commission is investigating something called a “Therapeutic Usage Exemption Program,” which would collude with physicians to allow athletes with valid reasons for using banned substances to compete. -
Diaz Stunt Angers Showtime, Coker
By: Jake Rossen
ESPN Radio 1100 spoke with both Showtime VP of Sports Programming Ken Hershman and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently. Naturally, the high-altitude training of Strikeforce athlete Nick Diaz was touched upon; neither man seemed delirious with joy over Diaz’ choices. (Cliff’s Notes version: according to trainer Cesar Gracie, Diaz avoided taking a urine test because he was confident he’d test positive for marijuana. The strategy bumped him from a Strikeforce welterweight title bout against Jay Hieron last Saturday.)
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Clipped from Cagewriter: "You gotta be able to show up and if you can't and you're not reliable then who can count on you and where are you going to go with your career?" Hershman said. "Either you're going to do it right or not do it at all. You only get one or two shots at that and then it's done. -
Fedor in November, Cyborg-Coenen Likely Next
By: Loretta Hunt
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Fabricio Werdum and Brett Rogers have emerged as the frontrunners to face Fedor Emelianenko at a Strikeforce event sometime in November.
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Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said both fighters were under consideration to meet the world’s No. 1 heavyweight, during the post-fight press conference for the promotion’s “Carano vs. Cyborg” event, which drew 13,524 spectators and an estimated gate of $750,000.
The bout, which would mark the first of three fights the Russian has signed on for and his debut foray into a cage, still awaits a date and venue, said Coker. However, Coker did say the event would not be held in the promotion’s homebase of San Jose.
