Strikeforce 8/15: Carano vs. Cyborg + LW, HW title fights

[CPT]

Haven't seen a thread on this yet, and it's still a while away, but with some of the latest additions to the card, I figured it was time.

Everyone knows about the main event: Gina Carano vs. Cyborg Santos in a 5 x 5 min round fight for the new Strikeforce Women's 145 pound title. Should be a good one, and being a title fight with 5 minute rounds, we will definitely see a clear winner. I'm a bit worried that one or both may gas (I think Cyborg is more likely), but it will be interesting in any event. I'm picking Gina, but it's a tough one to call. I just think she has the right technique to counter Cyborg's aggression.

The LW title rematch between Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez has been announced for a while as well. It should be a great fight, and I'm picking Thomson to defend.

In the last few days, they have added a HW title fight between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. Most people were expecting Rogers to get the shot, but I think this fight is just as good or better. Werdum is definitely a top level guy, and he may just win this fight if he can get it to the ground. If Overeem wins, then I'll be completely sold on him as a top HW, but he has disappointed before, and his HW record really isn't all that impressive.

Another fight in the works is a rematch between Nick Diaz and Joe Riggs. It's a bit of a step down for Diaz, but it seems like he wants to fight on every card, and it's still a fight worth watching, especially with the history between the two. Diaz will win, but I'm really going to enjoy watching it.

Roger Gracie is also supposed to make his debut on this show, and Billy Evangelista, Poppies Martinez, and Erin Toughill are all supposed to be in action.

Another excellent card from Strikeforce, they are doing a great job.

[Nemesis21]

Carano over Cyborg

Melendez over Thomson

Werdum over Overeem

* Diaz over Riggs (if this fight takes place)

[damo[23]]

Totally agree with Strikeforce doing an excellent job. Very impressed so far with their events, this is looking like a great card.

Should that Diaz fight go ahead, will it be for the WW belt?

But SF getting some real momentum here, not waiting around, calling big fights on these cards and really making fans want to watch them, and its great that they really aren't trying to be competitive with the UFC, just rock their own thing, and hopefully push MMA into a new market themselves.

[cowboyronnie]

You begin to appreciate how much TUF culture supplies UFC with drama and fans, though. Because this is as good as any UFC card, but won't pull a 10th of the market.

[CPT]

You begin to appreciate how much TUF culture supplies UFC with drama and fans, though. Because this is as good as any UFC card, but won't pull a 10th of the market.

It might be better than a lot of UFC cards, but let's not get carried away.

Strikeforce would have a hard time putting together any fights where both guys are in the top 10 at their weight class, let alone top 5. And forget about it happening twice on the same show (Mir vs. Lesnar and GSP vs. Alves at UFC 100, Penn vs. Florian and Silva vs. Griffin at UFC 101 just a few weeks later...Evans vs. Machida back at 98...Sherk vs. Edgar and Hughes vs. Serra were arguably in that class as well).

I mean, I guess Carano vs. Cyborg is in that league by default, but let's not pretend that their fight is in the same class as a GSP/Alves. Thomson, Melendez, Overeem, Werdum, and Diaz are all very good fighters, but they are bringing up the rear of any rankings they are on.

The TUF guys help fill out a card, and sometimes hurt the depth, but UFC still puts on the best shows with the most important fights.

I love their matchups, but Strikeforce doesn't try to compete with the UFC, so it's best not to try to compare them favourably to the UFC, because they will come up short.

[Cammo101]

This is a pretty good card, but it is better than very few UFC cards. Strikeforce lacks the huge named draws that the UFC has, and that is why it will do nowhere near the business. The main event is a freaking women's fight for god's sake. I want to see it, but if a main event is a women's fight, then your card does not match up to the UFC cards.

[cowboyronnie]

Alistair is a serious force at HW. The guy knocked out Badr Hari and has a ridiculous guilotine. He could beat anyone at anytime. He's simply fought in Japan and gone without a NA hype machine. That's the most significant fight on the card.

Nick Diaz is high on the pound-for-pound chart.

[IronChef]

Damn, I haven't seen Overeem fight for a long time, does he still carry the giant hammer to the ring?

[CPT]

The Diaz vs. Riggs fight will be for the Strikeforce WW belt. Not sure if that's been mentioned yet.

That makes 4 title fights in one night. It doesn't make the fight any better, but I think it's a smart move by Strikeforce. I think this card will get a lot of attention because of the women's Main Event. Should get some mainstream features and draw some curious viewers.

Those viewers will then be introduced to 4 champions on one show. That's huge.

[Derekman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJRSYJUVx0

First Diaz interview gearing up for this Riggs fight.

[El Hardee]

Riggs has been training at my gym for the Diaz fight, heard he's in the hospital, but that all eveyone is saying. I wouldnt doubt the fight is off.

[Rafael122]

I think it's been canceled, the Diaz/Riggs fight I mean.

[El Hardee]

I think it's been canceled, the Diaz/Riggs fight I mean.

What happened, everyone at the gym is very tight lipped about the whole deal?

[High 5]

This was going to be such a good month. Now Fedor/Barnett is off, Diaz/Riggs is off, and Overeem/Werdum is off. If something happens to the Torres fight...

I guess Diaz and Werdum could still fight. Not sure what's going to happen.

[Nemesis21]

I think it's been canceled, the Diaz/Riggs fight I mean.

[damo[23]]

Its a shame that we've lost two of the great fights on this card, hopefully Strikeforce have enough time to get another solid fight in order.

[CPT]

They should pick up some of the Affliction fighters to save this card.

Grab Jay Hieron to fight Diaz for the WW Title.

If they can, get Fedor to fight for the HW title.

If not (or even if so), try their hardest to move that Babalu vs. Mousasi fight to Strikeforce. Hell, it was for the Strikeforce LHW title anyway, wasn't it?

The fold of Affliction leaves a lot of fighters ready to fight, but with no event. Strikeforce should jump on this and make the card better than ever.

Only question is what is happening with the Affliction contracts and the UFC.

[damo[23]]

I'd love to see Strikeforce grab a load from the Affliction roster .. except Fedor. I think if they got Fedor that puts them right on the UFC Rival radar, and that could cause problems, rather than both the UFC and SF happily co-exsisting and pushing MMA in the right direction.

It seems selfish/childish, but if they keep the policy of "hands off" with Fedor, and maybe 1 or 2 others, they could easily snap up a ton of great fighters and bolster their roster a bit more, and we'll see even more great cards.

Ofcourse, if Fedor now flat out says no to UFC as a free agent, then fair game, he needs to fight, consequences be damned, its not SF's fault [though UFC might start looking at it as Fedor is cutting off his nose just to spite his face sort of scenario].

[Cammo101]

Fedor, Vitor, and Mousasi should go to the UFC. All the rest should go to Strikeforce.

[CPT]

Good news/bad news for Strikeforce:

The good news is that Babalu vs. Mousasi will take place on this card.

The bad news is that Josh Thomson still isn't ready to fight, and that fight may be cancelled yet again.