Strikeforce has taken ample steps to make up for the changes that have been made to their April 9th card. Originally fans were going to see the second set of quarterfinals fights in the Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament. Instead, fans will get to see two title fights and other interesting battles.
Champions and teammates, Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez have been called upon to defend their belts. Diaz is set to face off against British knock out artist, Paul Daley while Melendez fights Japanese star Tatsuya Kawajiri.
Diaz has been on a roll recently since his emergence in Strikeforce. Winner of his last nine fights, he defeated Evangelista Santos with an impressive armbar to start 2011. Diaz has been known as both a trouble maker but exciting fighter throughout his career. Twenty of his 24 wins have come by finishing his opponent.
Daley has also been on a tear through MMA. Not to be deterred by his last UFC fight against Josh Koscheck, Daley has been knocking out opponents left and right. Most recently Scott Smith and Yuya Shirai have fallen in the first round when facing Daley’s striking. Twenty of his 27 victories have come by a form of knockout. Daley will be riding a four fight win. streak into the main event of the card.
Melendez is coming back to the Strikeforce cage for the first time since April of 2010 where he defeated Japanese star Shinya Aoki. Melendez has only been defeated twice in his career and has repaid both of those defeats. This isn’t the first meeting between Melendez and Kawjiri as they faced off in 2006. Melendez pulled out a unanimous decision victory at that event.
Kawajiri has been an active fighter who has also added a string of victories to his resume. He started this year off with a victory over former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thompson at the K-1 New Year’s Eve event.
Strikeforce: Diaz versus Daley is set for Saturday, April 9th at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.
