Is Strikeforce Afraid that Jay Hieron Might Dethrone Nick Diaz?

Despite a seven-fight win streak and a unanimous decision victory over Joe Riggs on the undecard of Strikeforce: Miami, it doesn't look like Jay Hieron will be getting the first crack at Nick Diaz's newly won title after all. According to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, that honor will be bestowed to Japanese icon Hayato "Mach" Sakurai.

At one point in time Sakurai was recognized as one of the most lethal strikers in the welterweight division. Those days, however, are far past him, and it's hard to view "Mach" as a legitimate title contender considering he's coming off back-to-back defeats.

One of those losses was a vicious head-kick knockout from Marius Zaromskis in the DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix, the very same Zaromskis whom Diaz brutally finished to earn the Strikeforce title.

Coker's decision to place Sakurai into the title picture ahead of Hieron is absolutely absurd and raises a few flags in regards to what his intentions are.

It's no secret that Diaz is one of Strikeforce's hottest commodities. The cocky young kid from Stockton, California brings forth a level of excitement both inside and outside the cage that is unparalleled by any other fighter on the roster. Diaz talks the talk, sometimes more than necessary, but 90 percent of the time he walks the walk, and it is for this reason that he has potential to become one of the most popular fighters in the world.

Think back to a young Tito Ortiz and how his loud-mouth antics and brash behavior benefited the UFC in the long run. Whether people loved him or hated him, they always tuned in to watch Ortiz fight. This type of marketing made Ortiz a star and, in turn, helped upgrade the UFC to a higher level thanks to "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy's" star power.

Diaz has potential to do for Strikeforce what Ortiz did for the UFC, and Coker, along with Strikeforce officials, recognizes this. If Diaz continues to defend his title, knocking out every foe placed in front of him, it will only mean good things for the California-based promotion. However, if Diaz were to lose to a much less popular fighter in Hieron, it could spell a disaster for the Strikeforce welterweight division in terms of promoting compelling matchups.

"The Thoroughbred" is a phenomenal talent with world-class wrestling and a well-rounded skill set, but he brings absolutely no name recognition to the table. Hardcore fans certainly acknowledge Hieron as a potential top 10 welterweight, but casual observers won't even be able to recognize him on the street.

Not only that, but Hieron isn't exactly known for being a fighter that fans will get behind. With Diaz, there is a large majority of fans that either support him or tune in with hopes of seeing his face smashed in. Either way, people care.

Some fans may even consider Hieron a boring fighter due to his offensive wrestling style and unwillingness to stand and bang. Diaz, on the other hand, always looks for the knockout, and lately he's found it with finishes over Frank Shamrock, Scott Smith, and now Zaromskis.

It is without a doubt that Diaz is the more exciting combatant, but is he a better fighter than Hieron? That answer will be unknown until they actually step into the cage against each other, but if one was to stylistically break this matchup down, one can easily make the argument that Hieron would have his hand raised when all is said and done.

This article was originally featured on fiveknuckles.com.