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Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley, set for April 9, 2011 will be the first major card from Strikeforce since Zuffa’s purchase of the aforementioned organization. This card is shaping up to be one of the better ones of the year thus far, with two titles on the line, and quite a few other interesting matchups. With so many great fights in line, there certainly shouldn’t be a lack of action.
In my opinion, the main bout to watch for on the undercard should be Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Robert Peralta, an exciting matchup of two fighters currently on a tear in the featherweight division. Both are well known in their realms for being exciting fighters with very interesting styles, and both fighters are finishers, with Peralta scoring all 13 of his wins before the 15 minute mark, with 11 of them occurring by way of KO/TKO. Takaya, on the other hand, has 11 of his 15 victories coming by way of knockout. His very intuitive wrestling abilities and ground-control make it extremely difficult for opponents to get the edge on him, or get to their feet once he has taken them to the ground. A self-proclaimed streetfighter with heavy hands, Takaya was last seen pounding BiBi Fernandes for three rounds en route to a decision victory at Dynamite!! 2010, taking the DREAM Featherweight World Championship. This fight poses some very interesting questions, most importantly: If “Streetfight Bancho” Takaya is able to dispatch a decent competitor in Peralta, could this potentially be a “set-up” for a future Strikeforce Featherweight title?
Further action to be found on the undercard would include the always interesting KJ Noons fight, if one actually does happen. Though at this time it is unknown who his opponent will be, or even if one will materialize, KJ is always heavy-handed, and very active on the feet, which makes the majority of his fights turn to slugfests that don’t often disappoint. Hopefully for the fans, and for Strikeforce, they will actually be able to get KJ on the card. Another fighter to watch is Saad Awad. Awad, though not a household name, is a well-rounded fighter who was last seen brutally knocking out Bryson Kamaka in a 21 second slugfest at King Of The Cage last August.
As for the Main card, three very compelling bouts have been arranged on this four-fight event, which will also include a matchup pitting former Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi against UFC veteran Keith Jardine.
Japanese submission guru Shinya Aoki is set to face “Fancypants” Lyle Beerbohm in a lightweight showdown. Though Beerbohm may not possess the same level of craftiness as Aoki when it comes to technical Jiu-Jitsu, his wrestling and speed, as well as his striking, should pose a substantial threat to the Nippon Top Team member. Beerbohm is known for having a very solid base in all things MMA, which is displayed well in his 16-1 professional record. With as many victories coming by way of submission as by knockout, he can normally take the fight wherever it needs to go. The problem for Fancypants in this matchup, however, is that perhaps his best asset, his double-leg takedown, puts Aoki on the ground, where the current DREAM Lightweight Champion has an almost unfathomable repertoire of attacks from his back.
If Beerbohm is able to get the W over a tough opponent in Shinya Aoki, look for him to get a shot at the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship if he can defeat another top contender – perhaps KJ Noons, or possibly a rematch with Pat Healy. As for Aoki, a victory would open the doors once again for another major bout on American soil. However, a second loss in the U.S. in as many fights may close those same doors, and leave the Flying Submission Master to rule over his domain in his native Japan.
The Co-Headliner matchup puts the always-energetic Gilbert Melendez against Japanese Shootist, Tatsuya Kawajiri. The “Crusher” will make his debut in the cage on April 9, receiving the opportunity after he destroyed former Strikeforce Champ Josh Thomson on the Dynamite!! 2010 event. Being a very quick and powerful lightweight with better-than-average Wrestling, Judo and striking abilities, Kawajiri has been a fighter to watch for the last 10 years, earning multiple titles, and a longtime spot on the Top 10 rankings of many sources. Melendez, currently the #4 ranked lightweight fighter (possibly number one) in addition to being the Strikeforce Champion, typically pummels his opponents to KO, or scores decision victories with his crisp and powerful boxing skills. Also holding a Brown Belt in Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, “El Nino” has a solid defensive ground-game, which is well complimented by his takedown defense. If the fight goes to the ground, Melendez has the ability to bring it back to his comfort zone, utilizing his superior striking on the feet to best his opponents. Yet perhaps the most intriguing consideration is the durability of the Japanese “Crusher”, as Kawajiri is known for having endured serious beatings, while still emerging victorious. A Kawajiri victory would crown the first Japanese Strikeforce Champion, and could potentially open the door to UFC stardom down the road for the “Crusher”. This would be the most interesting outcome, and what true MMA fanatic wouldn’t find interest in a Gomi vs. Kawajiri II – inside the Octagon? As for Melendez, a victory just shortens the list of potential challengers for the dominant champion, unless parent company Zuffa decides to move some competition down for him to weed his way through, or perhaps even move Melendez up to meet said competition.
The main event of this card pits “Scrap Pack” bad-boy Nick Diaz against the brash British brawler, Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley. The “always colourful” Daley had been a bit of a question mark on this bout since the Zuffa purchase of former MMA rival promotion Strikeforce, when certain comments were made regarding the scheduled April 9 fight. After a few weeks, and some social networking clean-up, the fight was once again given the green-light, and once again a main event not quite as interesting a match as the co-main event. Daley is a superior striker with an explosive left-hook, which is what ‘Semtex’ has claimed to been given his nickname for. Something not as well known is that the former Cage Rage Welterweight Champ also holds a Purple Belt in BJJ, and Daley has a wealth of experience, with 38 fights in his 8-year MMA career. Nick Diaz really needs no further description. His mouth outside of the cage speaks equally as loud as his skills inside of it. With his commonly overwhelming striking style, combined with his Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Diaz is one of the more dominant welterweights in the division, winning his last 9 contests, with only 1 going the distance. The current champ is slender at 6’1, and normally uses this to his advantage while striking, making his 74-inch reach look much longer than it actually is. The unorthodox striking from the Stockton southpaw adds to the confusion factor, as his punches come in bunches from a variety of angles not often seen. If Daley cannot defend the takedown, and use his more powerful striking to his advantage early on, he may find himself either defending off his back, or being worn out from the quicker hands of Diaz.
Though an underdog in this event, and rightfully so, do not be surprised if Daley can pull off a TKO victory within the first 2 rounds of the bout. However, don’t let shock set in if this outcome leads to a quick rematch with the former champion. Another potential scenario would be Diaz moving to the UFC, win or lose, within the year. A win would virtually exhaust the ranks of potential challengers for the current champ, and a loss would free him of the welterweight title, which may be holding him back from bigger things. As for the British striker Daley, a loss at this stage could push him as far back as an opening bout on the main card of a late 2011 event, or perhaps to another organization. With the purchase of Strikeforce by Zuffa, and with Daley previously terminated by Zuffa for throwing an illegal blow following a loss to Josh Koscheck, ‘Semtex’ could once again find himself in the unemployment line, and very quickly.
Overall, this card certainly has shaped up to be full of intrigue, and should not be missed. Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley can be viewed Saturday, April 9, 2011 live on Showtime, at 10PM Eastern.
