STRIKEFORCE Miami -
Results
01-31-2010
Denver,
CO
Live on
SHOWTIME From BankAtlantic Center, Miami, Florida
IMPRESSIVE NICK DIAZ WINS STRIKEFORCE WELTERWEIGHT
BELT, CRIS CYBORG RETAINS STRIKEFORCE FEMALE CROWN
HERSCHEL WALKER WINS MMA DEBUT, LAWLER RALLIES
IN FIGHT OF NIGHT AND LASHLEY STAYS UNDEFEATED
AS STRIKEFORCE BEGINS 2010 IN EXCELLENT FASHION
SUNRISE, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2010) – Nick Diaz (21-7) of
Stockton, Calif., won his sixth straight and the
first-ever STRIKEFORCE welterweight championship
with a 4:38, first-round TKO over Marius Zaromskis
(13-4) of London, England, and the first and only
STRIKEFORCE Female lightweight champion, Cris Cyborg
(9-1) of Curitiba, Brazil, successfully defended her
145-title for the initial time with a third-round
TKO over Marloes Coenen (17-4) of Deventer, Holland,
in the co-featured matches of an action-packed mixed
martial arts card before 8,156 at BankAtlantic
Center Saturday on SHOWTIME®.
In other results on the main portion of
Strikeforce’s first event in 2010, former pro and
college football superstar Herschel Walker of San
Jose, Calif., made his pro MMA debut at age 47 a
winning one, registering a third-round TKO (2:17)
over Hungarian-born Greg Nagy (1-2) of Phoenix,
Ariz., former two-time world champion “Ruthless’’
Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 NC) of Granite City, Ill.,
rallied from the brink of defeat to score a
spectacular 3:33, first-round knockout (punches)
over Melvin Manhoef (24-7-1) of Amsterdam and
unbeaten Bobby Lashley of Coconut Creek, Fla., won
his Strikeforce debut and improved to 5-0 with a
2:06, first-round TKO over Wes Sims (22-13-1, 2 NC)
of Lancaster, Ohio.
The event, presented by SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE,
aired live simultaneously on SHOWTIME® and on the
Web (Strikeforce: All Access) at http://strikeforce.sho.com.
The SHOWTIME telecast began at 10 p.m. ET/PT
(delayed on the west coast); the Strikeforce: All
Access webcast went at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
In a fight streamed live on EA SPORTS™ MMA website (www.easportsmma.com),
Jay Heiron (19-4) of Las Vegas took a unanimous
three-round decision over Joe Riggs (32-11) of
Phoenix to put him in position to possibly fight for
the Strikeforce welterweight title.
Southpaw Diaz, a talented, Cesar Gracie Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu black belt, mostly outclassed Zaromskis in
the match for the vacant world title. Diaz
decisively defeated the Dutchman at his own game:
striking.
“I’ll fight anybody,’’ said Diaz, who has been
victorious in seven of his last eight and hasn’t
lost in more than two years. I felt real good
fighting again at 170. But the guy I really want is
Gegard Mousasi.’’
Cyborg had to work hard to defeat the courageous
Coenen, who at no point seemed intimidated by the
powerful Brazilian bomber and fought like it. She
certainly wasn’t totally overwhelmed and presented
Cyborg with more problems than the vast majority of
Cyborg’s opponents.
In the end, Cyborg was too tough and rough. “I’m
very happy to win this fight,’’ said Cyborg shortly
the heated scrap was stopped at 3:40 of the third.
“It was a good fight. I think I could have done more
but she was the toughest fighter I’ve faced and has
a great heart. I admire her a lot.’’
(more)
STRIKEFORCE BEGINS 2010 WITH A STACKED, NON-STOP
ACTION FIGHT CARD ON SHOWTIME
Coenen, a strikingly attractive submission whiz who
couldn’t take down Cyborg, wanted the fight to
continue. “This is extremely disappointing to say
the least,’’ she said. “This was for a world title.
It should have been allowed to go a little longer. I
wanted to fight.’’
A native of Wrightsville, Ga., Walker was satisfied
with his performance in his highly-anticipated,
much-publicized debut. Endurance-wise, he didn’t
fight like a man his age. He was still breathing
easily during the post-fight interview.
“I feel good but I didn’t do many things right and I
still have a lot to learn,’’ said Walker, the 1982
Heisman Trophy winner and a two-time Pro Bowl
competitor. “The experience itself was exciting and
I thank my opponent for fighting me. It’s tough to
fight an old man. This is the hardest thing I’ve
ever done.
“I thought I'd be more nervous. I'm an MMA fighter
now. I earned a little bit of a stripe tonight. This
is one of my biggest athletic achievements ever.’’
Nothing was going right for the left-handed Lawler
for more than three minutes as the highly regarded
Manhoef had his way. But a savage overhand right
rocked Manhoef and a left that caught him on the way
down ended matters almost immediately.
“I knew this guy was really a killer, but I knew I
would catch him,’’ Lawler said. “When he looks to
finish, he really loads up. I just lured him in and
got him.
“He was chopping and chopping and he was really
hurting me with the leg kicks. When I felt the first
one land, I knew I could get one more in and finish,
and that's what I did.’’
Lashley, who wants to fight for a world title, said
Saturday’s exercise against the 6-foot-10-inch Sims
was an excellent learning experience.
“Anytime you win and learn something, it’s a good
night,’’ he said. “Sims is a tall guy who came in
with nothing to lose, almost like he didn’t care,
and those are the guys that are usually the hardest
to fight.
“I want to continue to step up.’’
Hieron outpointed Riggs by the scores of 30-27 twice
and 29-28: “I wanted to beat Joe and show that I am
a top fighter,’’ Heiron said. “I want to fight the
winner of Diaz-Zaromskis. Actually, I hope it is
Diaz but I don’t care.’’
STRIKEFORCE: Miami will be available On Demand
beginning Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Mauro Ranallo called the action on SHOWTIME with MMA
expert Stephen Quadros and MMA superstar Frank
Shamrock serving as expert analysts.
In Saturday’s non-televised results: Pablo “The
Hurricane’’ Alfonso (5-1), Jacksonville Fla.,
submitted (armbar) Marcos “Parrumpinha” DeMatta
(8-1), Coconut Creek, Fla., at 1:47 in the first
round (140 pounds); Hayder Hasan (3-1), Coconut
Creek, KO 2 (2:42, punches) over Ryan Keenan (3-1),
Orlando, Fla., at 170 pounds; John Kelly (4-0),
Miami, submitted (rear naked choke) Sabah Homasi
(2-0), West Palm Beach, Fla., at 2;48 of the second
round (170 pounds); Michael Byrnes (1-2), Port Saint
Lucie, Fla., won a majority decision (30-27 twice
and 29-29) over David Zitnik (4-7), Sunrise, at 155
pounds; David Gomez (1-2), Miami, won a unanimous
decision (30-27 three times) over Craig Oxley (0-3),
Miami (145 pounds); ad Joe Ray (1-0), Miami, TKO 1
(3:14, strikes) over John Clarke (0-1), Hollywood,
Fla. (170
pounds).
