Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley and 10 Reasons You Have To Watch
There are many reasons to watch this Saturday's Strikeforce event featuring a main event between Nick Diaz and Paul Daley.
One look at the main card and you will see the likes of Gegard Mousasi, Gilbert Melendez, Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Keith Jardine.
This will be one event you don't want to miss because it may go down as the most exciting card of the first half of the year.
1. How Will Fighters React to the UFC Buyout of Strikeforce?
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There's no doubt fans will see visible changes to the Strikeforce show this weekend after UFC bought the company in March.
Yes, they have had one show since then, but this is the first one being advertised by the UFC. Even though it may be "business as usual," it will be interesting to hear the fighters' post-fight interviews and what statements they will have about becoming a potential UFC fighter...some for a second time.
There are many fighters fighting in Strikeforce that are not on the best of terms with UFC management, so they may ignore it completely.
Expect to see many familiar faces from the UFC in the audience.
2. Will Keith Jardine Make a Much Needed Comeback?
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Keith Jardine (17-9-1) stepped up on short notice to face the very dangerous Armenian-born fighter Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1) this Saturday.
This is why fans love Jardine, but they love him even more for how he fights. He has faced nobody but the best light-heavyweights in the UFC but fell short numerous times, losing by knockout. After a four-fight losing streak, the 35-year-old was cut by the biggest MMA organization in the world.
There are two reasons Jardine accepted this fight. One is that he is not afraid to fight the best and is willing to fight anyone, anytime and anywhere. He is a true fighter at heart. The other is that it could be the type of victory that gets him a big fight in Strikeforce, or even in the UFC.
3. Can Shinya Aoki Make Another Lightweight Title Run?
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Shinya Aoki (26-5) is ranked by most in the top 10 lightweight fighters of the world. He makes grappling look easy, and he has 16 victories by a wide array of submissions to back it up.
He will be facing Lyle Beerbohm (16-1) in the first bout of the evening and will be looking to make a statement in the three-round bout. He has gone 3-0 since losing a unanimous decision to Gilbert Melendez during a title fight in 2010.
If he is unsuccessful in this bout, his work in the United States will become shallow as he seeks out big fights in Japan. If he wins, then he will be making a good start to another title shot in Strikeforce, or maybe even the UFC.
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4. Can Aoki, the Submission Wizard, Pull off Another Crazy Submission?
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Fans in the United States haven't been able to see what Shinya Aoki is really capable of when he gets his opponent to the ground. Here are some of the submission he has been able to pull off: Achilles lock, neck crank, heel hook, two gogoplatas, standing armlock and a flying triangle choke.
In his only U.S. bout last April, he lost a five-round unanimous decision to Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. He barely got Melendez down and when he did, Melendez was quick to get back up.
This should be a showcase fight for Aoki if he is able to get it down to the ground where his skills really shine. Look for a determined Aoki to aggressively seek the submissions fans have come to know him for.
5. Two Championship Belts Are on the Line
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Strikeforce is no stranger to having two title fights on one card. They have done it plenty of times before, including one card with three title fights.
Since the UFC has bought the company based out of San Jose, California, many casual fans will see these titles as legitimate reasons to consider the fighters possibly the best in the world. There will be a lot of attention placed on the champions to showcase why they think they are better than the UFC champions.
The two title fights of the evening will be entertaining and intriguing to fans. The welterweight championship will be on the line between champion Nick Diaz (24-7) and Paul Daley (27-9-2).
The lightweight championship belt, held by Gilbert Melendez (19-2), will be up for grabs by Japanese fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2).
6. Where Does Gilbert Melendez Belong in the Top 10 Lightweights?
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Gilbert Melendez (18-2) is the current Strikeforce lightweight champion and has defended the title successfully against Shinya Aoki last year. He has beaten every opponent he has ever faced, including two revenge bouts against Mitsuhiro Ishida and Josh Thompson.
Currently ranked in the top five lightweights by most MMA sites, Melendez will have to be extra impressive when he takes on Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2) in the co-main event. The five-round bout will be a rematch of their 2006 bout, which Melendez won by unanimous decision.
The outcome of this fight will be the determining factor in where Melendez goes from here in terms of status in the lightweight division.
7. Is Gegard Mousasi on the Fast Track to the UFC?
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Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will be taking on Keith Jardine this weekend in a three-round non-title fight. Jardine accepted the fight on short notice after Mike Kyle pulled out.
The 25-year-old has an impressive record of 30-3-1 and has only been to a decision three times in his career. He has gone 2-0 since losing the title to Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal.
If Mousasi is victorious, fans may see him in the UFC very soon. Everyone has been calling for it for a long time, and he may be one victory away from his much anticipated UFC debut.
8. Will Iron-Chinned Diaz Get Knocked Out?
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It's one thing if Nick Diaz (24-7) loses this weekend, but a knockout loss to Paul Daley (27-9-2) would be devastating to the Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt.
Daley is totally capable of pulling it off, but it will be up to Diaz if he engages on the feet or takes the fight to the ground where his skills will ultimately be superior.
This may be the best chance for fans to see Diaz get knocked out, and they have been calling for it for quite some time. Diaz' personality, which includes whipping the middle finger to the crowd, isn't something that translates relatively well with fans.
Of Daley's 27 victories, 20 have come by knockout, including his 2010 "Knockout of the Year" candidate versus Scott Smith.
9. Diaz Vs. Daley Will Be a "Fight of the Year" Candidate
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The main event between Nick Diaz and Paul Daley are the best types of fights because they put two fighters together whose skills and brash, confident attitudes make for great fights.
Daley's combination of knockout power with decent takedown defense should be more than enough to get Diaz to engage for enough time for there to be some dangerous exchanges.
Daley has lost five times by submission, and Diaz is known for his jiu-jitsu. If the fight hits the ground, it will be a matter of time before fans find out if Diaz can do what Josh Koscheck couldn't do, and that's submit the 28-year-old.
Get ready for fireworks.
10. Will the Winner of Diaz/Daley Get BJ Penn?
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It's been brought up on other sites, but the winner of Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley may get a shot at BJ Penn at UFC 132.
Whether or not this will happen is a big question, but it's one worth mentioning because Penn is in need of an opponent, and the winner of this Saturday's main event would be a attractive main event for a UFC PPV.
Where the questions stops is in the relationships Dana White holds with both of the main event's competitors. He has said before that he isn't interested in having either of them back inside the UFC because of their antics inside and outside the Octagon.
We will just have to wait and find out.
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