Strikeforce – Diaz vs. Daley
April 9, 2011
Valley View Casino Center
San Diego, California, United States
Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Nick Diaz (25 – 7 – 0) extended his winning streak to 10 in his dazzling finish over Paul Daley (27 – 10 – 2) by TKO due to punches at 4:57 of the 1st round. Daley, who was just 3 seconds shy of being saved by the bell, protested the stoppage by “Big” John McCarthy. However, Daley looked unsteady when he was helped up onto his stool, leading one to believe that the stoppage may have been justified. Diaz and Daley rocked each other numerous times throughout the truncated tussle, but the legendary chin of Diaz allowed him to recover and prevail. Daley has never been stopped by strikes in his career prior to this loss. With this win, Diaz moved up 2 spots, eking past [#5] B.J. Penn and [#4] Jon Fitch to rest at [#3]. Diaz has more or less beaten everyone in the Strikeforce welterweight division except for unbeaten [#35] Tyron Woodley. Paul Daley was on a 4 fight win streak prior to this loss, and is 8-2 in his last 10. After suffering his first TKO loss due to strikes, he will want to come back with an emphatic victory to prove he is still a top tier welterweight. A bout with fellow loser to Nick Diaz, [#32] Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos would most likely produce fireworks on the feet, propelling the victor back into title contention. Daley drops 8 spots from [#8] to {#14].
Strikeforce Lightweight Championship
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Gilbert Melendez (19 – 2 – 0) brutalized Tatsuya Kawajiri (27 – 7 – 0) and won via TKO due to elbows at 3:14 of the 1st round. Melendez truly made a statement by dominating fellow top ten competitor Kawajiri in such shocking fashion. Ironically it was his elbows, which are newly allowed in Strikeforce, that forced the stoppage. Melendez, like his teammate Nick Diaz, does not have a paucity of talent available for him to face. A rematch with [#4] Shinya Aoki or a bout against [#28] Justin Wilcox could prove interesting. The cross promotional dream match between Melendez and Bellator lightweight champ [#5] Eddie Alvarez would always be appealing. Melendez moves 2 spots up the ranks from [#4] to [#2], usurping [#3] Gray Maynard’s previous spot. Melendez is on a 5 fight win streak. Tatsuya Kawajiri has suffered two hard 1st round defeats in the last year, and these have both shown sizeable chinks in his armor. Kawajiri did not impress in his Stateside debut, and should look for bouts with [#13] Jorge Masvidal or [#50] Pat Healy. Kawajiri drops 2 spots from [#9] to [#11].
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
Gegard Mousasi (30 – 3 – 2) fought to a majority draw with Keith Jardine (17 – 10 – 2). Mousasi would have had this fight if it were not for a point deduction in the 1st round from an illegal upkick. Mousasi most likely lost the first round due to being taken down 4 times. With the point deduction in the 1st round, it could have been viewed as 10-8 in favor of Jardine. Mousasi dominated the rest of the fight with precision striking and a takedown of his own in the 3rd. Mousasi, whose ranking stays at [#9], should face Strikeforce light heavyweight champ [#6] Dan Henderson for the title. Mousasi, who is 3-1-1 in his last 5 fights, will need to work on his takedown defense prior to that bout if he is to stand a chance. Keith Jardine, who is 2-2-1 in his last 5, moves up 9 spots from [#25] to [#16]. Bouts against former light heavyweight champs [#13] Muhammed Lawal and [#17] Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante would help show where Jardine belongs in the division.
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Shinya Aoki (27 – 5 – 0) defeated Lyle Beerbohm (15 – 2 – 0) by submission due to neck crank at just 1:33 of the 1st round. Aoki is on a 4 fight win streak, winning 3 of the last 4 by submission. Beerbohm made a fatal mistake in clinching up with Aoki, when he clearly should have tried to keep the fight at a distance on the feet. Once Aoki landed a leg trip, he was all over Beerbohm like flypaper. It was only a matter of time until Aoki would find his submission. A rematch with [#2] Gilbert Melendez may be apropos given Aoki’s 4 fight win streak. Beerbohm, who has now lost 2 in a row, should look to get back on the winning path by facing [#78] Billy Evangelista or [#89] Carlo Prater.
Untelevised Preliminary Bouts
Featherweight (145 lbs)
Robert Peralta (14 – 3 – 0) won a contentious split decision over Dream featherweight kingpin Hiroyuki Takaya (15 – 9 – 1) in a huge upset. Peralta and Takaya battled evenly over 15 minutes, but it was Peralta who got the nod at the end of the bout. Peralta, who is on a 7 fight win streak, had never had a victory via decision prior to this bout. Peralta takes an unprecedented 228 spot leap from [#232] to [#4]. Takaya, who has won 3 of his last 5, drops 3 spots from [#2] to [#5].
Heavyweight (265 lbs)
Virgil Zwicker (10 – 2 – 0) defeated Brett Albee (3 – 1 – 0) via TKO due to punches at 1:46 into the 1st round. Zwicker leaps 84 spots up the ranks from [#237] to [#153]. He should face [#134] Jay Freeman or [#164] Gian Villante next. Zwicker has won 3 of his last 5, all by stoppage. Brett Albee remains unranked.
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Joe Duarte (6 – 2 – 0) submitted fellow Bellator vet Saad Awad (8 – 4 – 0) via armbar 2:45 into the 2nd round. Duarte took the first round, controlling the fight on the floor. Awad hurt Duarte with punches on the feet in the second, but he was able to secure a takedown and take back control. From there, he scored a belly down armbar, forcing Awad to tap out. Duarte, who is 3-2 in his last 5, has won 4 of his 6 fights via submission. Duarte, previously unranked, enters the lightweight “Top 500” at [#313]. Awad, previously ranked at [#340], falls off the lightweight “Top 500.”
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Herman Terrado (6 – 2 – 0) defeated A.J. Matthews (4 – 1 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 4:16 of the 1st round. Terrado is on a 3 fight win streak and has won all his fights via stoppage. Terrado enters the welterweight “Top 500” at [#349]. A.J. Matthews, previously ranked at [#317], falls off the welterweight “Top 500.”
Catchweight (160 lbs)
Ronaldo Perez (6 – 4 – 1) won a unanimous decision over Edgar Cardenas (3 – 1 – 0). Perez is on a 2 fight win streak, losing 3 prior to the wins. Cardenas went the distance for the first time in his pro career in this bout. Both fighters remain unranked.
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Casey Ryan (2 – 0 – 0) defeated Paul Song (2 – 1 – 0) by triangle choke submission at 1:39 into the 1st round. Ryan, after being taken down by Song, tried to lock up an armbar, but the arm was not straight. He transitioned to a triangle and that was all it took. Ryan, who has won both of his pro fights via triangle choke, enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#332]. Paul Song remains unranked.