With Antonio Silva and Sergei Kharitonov having already cemented slots in the semi-final round of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix the public’s attention has turned to the remaining quartet of competitors still seeking to take a step closer to emerging tournament champ. While the “who” of the fearsome foursome has long been established it now appears the day and location attached to their respective match-ups are likely to change, as word has now surfaced Strikeforce is planning an event for April 9 but in California and featuring promotional champions Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz rather than Fabricio Werdum fighting Overeem and Josh Barnett’s brouhaha with Brett Rogers. Recently it had been rumored the second round of the Grand Prix could take place in Japan on the same date.

According to a report on Sherdog it looks as though 155-pound king Melendez may face Japanese slugger Tatsuya Kawajiri while Diaz’s opponent has yet to be determined.

A catchweight clash with rival Jason “Mayhem” Miller was not mentioned to be in the works for Diaz but rather a title-defense with the two names offered as potential opposition by the outspoken welterweight’s trainer, Cesar Gracie, being Tyron Woodley and Paul Daley. Daley is currently scheduled to fight Yuya Shirai on Saturday night for British organization BAMMA and would have to emerge victorious in order to maintain his status as a possible contender.Similar Posts:

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CageCraze.com is back with the second installment of “The North-South Position” with Brian Hemminger and Chad Cunningham. Tonight we square off again by picking the four televised fights from this Saturday’s “Strikeforce – Diaz vs. Cyborg” card on Showtime. Brian won the first contest by picking 3/5 fights correctly on the UFC Fight for the Troops 2 card while Chad logged a paltry 2/5 picks correctly. Chad went out on a limb and picked George Roop to upset Mark Hominick and he paid dearly. As always, comments are encouraged, so let us know what you think. Brian has decided on Chad’s punishment for losing: he must write a haiku poem about Thomas “Wildman” Denny’s mutton chops.  Take it away Chad:

Aim for the mutton

Hit him right on the button

Like Nick Diaz did

Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos

Strikeforce Welterweight Championship

(Chad) This is the biggest fight of Evangelista Santos’ career and he can definitely win this fight against Nick Diaz. I think that “Cyborg” has a chance at catching just about anyone, including Nick Diaz.  I just think that Diaz is too hot right now for that to happen. Diaz is on an eight fight win streak since his 2007 loss to K.J. Noons.  Diaz will have an edge if the fight goes to the ground but I do not think he needs it to go to the ground to win.  Diaz has shown he can go toe-to-toe with great strikers like Robbie Lawler (also on this card) and K.J. Noons.  I see Diaz picking Santos apart with his jab throughout the first round.  ”Cyborg” makes it into the second round but is stopped via TKO by Nick Diaz.

(Brian) I wouldn’t necessarily say this is the biggest fight Santos has ever had.  The man has faced incredibly tough competition throughout his career including former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi and current UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, losing both fights via first round TKO.  He’s fighting Diaz two weight classes lower than he fought Mousasi and Rua, and if his last fight against Dream welterweight champion Marius Žaromskis is an omen, he will be very powerful and dangerous.  Nick Diaz has recently been talking a lot about facing UFC champ Georges St. Pierre and Strikeforce middleweight Jason “Mayhem” Miller in interviews.  He could very well be looking past Santos.  Despite his 18-13 career record, Santos is a very dangerous man and it could cost Diaz to overlook him.  I think Santos shocks the world by swarming Diaz and knocking him into another dimension in the clinch with knees in the 2nd round.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Robbie Lawler

Strikeforce Middleweight Championship

(Chad) I think this comes down to whether or not Robbie Lawler can catch Jacare before being taken down. Once on the ground, will Lawler be able to fend off submissions for up to five rounds? I am a fan of Robbie Lawler but I am hesitant to bet that he will be able to keep this fight standing. If Jacare can make it out of the first two rounds he will wear Lawler down and submit him in the third round. Even if I am wrong, I am confident that the championship rounds will be superfluous. Someone is leaving the cage unconcious on Saturday night.

(Brian) Strikeforce middleweight champ Jacare Souza surprised many when he ignored his world champion Brazilian jiu jitsu skills and made his first title fight with Tim Kennedy a five round stand-up affair.  While Jacare has been improving his striking, he’s not an idiot.  Robbie Lawler is one of the most powerful punchers in the middleweight division and if Jacare stands with him for five rounds, he’s probably going to get knocked out.  Lawler recently decimated former UFC contender Matt Lindland at the violent St. Louis show in December and he is confident.  Look for Jacare to score one of his “Souza” takedowns and secure a submission in the first or second round similar to when Jake Shields had his submission of the year candidate in 2009.

Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley

(Chad) Trevor Prangley is the type of fighter that will give everyone a stern test. He may not be able to defeat the fighters in the upper echelon of the sport, but anyone that fights him will know that they were in a battle.  That is the quality about Prangley that makes this fight very interesting. He is arguably in the declining years of his career, and he faces someone that is on the rise.  Roger Gracie can stand with Prangley and fluster him with his jab but he is obviously the most dangerous on the ground.  I think that Prangley will give Gracie fits in this fight, but Gracie will pull out the win via a hard-earned decision.

(Brian) Roger Gracie and Trevor Prangley are both arguably coming off the biggest wins of their careers.  Prangley recently defeated former UFC contender Keith Jardine at Shark Fights 13 while Gracie submitted former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery this past May.  There’s no doubt that once this fight gets to the ground, Gracie will have a tremendous advantage.  Roger Gracie is currently the most accomplished jiu jitsu practioner in the world, having won the Mundials a record 10 times.  Prangley must do everything he can to keep this fight standing or he will have zero chance.  Gracie’s standup still has a lot of work and if Prangley can keep the fight there, he could hurt Gracie, even knock him out.  Sadly, I don’t think it happens.  Gracie is a tactician and he will have a gameplan for getting this fight to the ground and get the finish via submission in the first round.

Herschel Walker vs. Scott Carson

(Chad) There has been a lot of banter about Herschel Walker not deserving to fight on a televised card at this point in his career, and while that may be true in terms of his accomplishments in MMA, it would not make financial sense for Walker to be buried on the undercard. There really is not another fight on the undercard that fans would want to see more than the Walker fight, in terms of interest or relevancy for the promotion. This fight was made to give Walker another stepping stone, and I do not think that Scott Carson has the tools to derail the Herschel Walker “experiment.” Walker will come out smoother and more confident in this fight and put Carson away via TKO in the first round.

(Brian) It makes zero financial sense for Herschel Walker to lose this fight.  Strikeforce needed a guy they thought he could easily defeat and they feel they’ve found it with Scott Carson.  Carson (4-1) scored four wins from 1999-2001 and mysteriously didn’t fight for nearly ten years, losing his comeback fight this past June via first round knockout.  Carson also used to fight at light heavyweight so Walker will likely have a size advantage as well.  Walker (1-0) is one of the greatest athletes of our time, and at 48 years old, he’s still in incredible physical condition and has put in a lot of time with the American Kickboxing Academy alongside tough heavyweights Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier.  With how little we know about Carson, he could pull a miracle out of his hat like Chad Griggs against Bobby Lashley in 2010, but it’s not very probable.  I fully expect Walker to steamroll Carson with a first round knockout or submission.

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Ending months of speculation, Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz has finally come out and openly addressed media regarding the company’s failed attempt at putting him in the ring with Jason “Mayhem” Miller. While it was originally believed the pairing’s point of contention was weight, in fact it appears money was the primary hold-up in convincing Diaz to temporarily abandon his focus on welterweight in favor of a fight at 185 pounds.

Diaz spoke about the situation in a recent conference call, as well as about a number of other subjects including his interest in facing a few of the UFC’s top names and, of course, his January 29 fight against Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos.

When asked about whether or not his plans for the future include a change in division, Diaz was open to the idea but only if the price is right.

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind moving up. I’d just like to get paid for it, you know? I don’t like when I hear people say I didn’t accept the fight with (Mayhem) Miller because I was too small. I never said anything about that,” explained the Stockton native. “I said if I’m going to go off-track and screw with my whole season and it’s going to screw with my whole year and screw with my capabilities fighting at 170 then I’m going to have to get paid in full. I’d like to have a reason for doing that. I’d like to get paid double or triple to do something that crazy. To screw with my weight like that? I’d rather move down than move up if you’re not going to pay me for it.”

Diaz continued on the topic, saying, “I might as well move down than up. Am I going to get paid for it? I’ll fight at 155 pounds unless they offer me a big money fight at 185 pounds. If they do then I’ll make it happen but I’m not going to do it for free; for the same as I would make at my normal 170 pounds. Why would I? It’s more work.”

“That’s why I never wanted to sign for that fight with Miller, because they were talking about me moving weight. I was like tell these guys to get in shape and make weight like I do. It’s hard enough for me to make 170 pounds. You know what I mean? He acts like he wouldn’t be able to do it. He doesn’t want to work hard like me. That’s the problem. So he can work his ass off and make 170 pounds or 175 pounds or someone can pay me a couple million dollars to move up to 185 pounds to fight him,” he continued. “I just want to get paid…I’m over here driving a Honda because my sh*t is breaking down.”

One former middleweight who has been open to making the extra effort to squeeze into a 170-pound frame, “Cyborg” Santos, also came up in relation to next weekend’s title fight with Diaz explaining he understands the risk involved.

“I think he’s a brawler and he kicks well. He’s a kick-boxer/brawler. He’s a good fighter. He has knockout power and he hits hard. He can hurt you with one punch. If you hit anyone right with a good punch they’ll go down.”

As far as other fighters he has his eye on, Diaz mentioned a few names who currently call the Octagon home including Josh Koscheck, Anderson Silva, and welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre.

“I think I got here first and I was fighting before most of them, including (GSP) in the UFC. I was at it first. I was mad that they were getting fights and getting all this recognition when I was at it first. I thought it was first-come, first-serve,” Diaz began. “Like Koscheck. I cornered a guy at a bar who probably had two fights in his life. They worked it like he was set up to fight Koscheck. Then he gets an ass-whuppin. That’s what I’m saying. They’ve made easy fights for those guys. These guys have got like six or seven fights. Like all easy fights. I’ve never got to fight a guy like the one they brought into fight Koscheck. So when you bring up fighters like that and tell me they are the best fighters in the world it’s a joke. Those guys are all ranked now but I was here first. So let’s fight then. Let’s make it happen, you know?”

Before moving on in the conversation, Diaz parted with one more closing shot saying, “People think (St. Pierre) is better than me and its bullsh*t. He went five rounds with Koscheck. I just told you about Koscheck, right?”

The proud Californian, who adheres to a vegan lifestyle and also runs triathlons in his spare time, holds an overall record of 23-7 with wins in his last eight bouts as well as twelve of his last thirteen. He holds past victories over Robbie Lawler, Josh Neer, and Frank Shamrock, and most recently had his hands raised as the result of a unanimous decision over K.J. Noons in October at “Strikeforce – Diaz vs. Noons II”.

Other action slated for “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg” includes a second title-fight with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza putting his middleweight belt up for grabs against hard-hitting Lawler, as well Herschel Walker returning to the ring in a bout against Scott Carson and 3-0 Roger Gracie going for #4 against experienced competitor Trevor Prangley.Similar Posts:

• Nick Diaz fighting in January against unnamed opponent
• Nick Diaz signs multi-fight extension with Strikeforce
• Jason Miller turns down January catch-weight bout with Nick Diaz
• Sarah Kaufman: “I think it’s important for fighters to stand up for what they deserve…”
• Paul Daley: “…I’d like to fight Noons after I knock out Scott Smith.”

Fans anxious to see Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz follow teammate Jake Shields to the Octagon will have to wait a little longer, as the company he currently calls home has issued a press release stating the 27-year old has elected to extend his professional relationship with Strikeforce. Though no specific terms were provided the official statement labeled the agreement as a “multi-year” deal.

“I’m looking forward to continuing my career with Strikeforce,” said the Cesar Gracie student. “When I first got here, there weren’t a lot of great 170-pound fighters for me to fight, but that’s definitely changed. There are a lot of really good fighters in the division now and I’m ready to fight anyone who thinks they can beat me.”

Diaz has found success his last eight fights including victories in Strikeforce over K.J. Noons, Frank Shamrock, Scott Smith, and Marius Zaromskis. He is currently scheduled to put his welterweight strap on the line against Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos on January 29 in San Jose, the second title-defense of his run as champion.

As a result, he is an individual MMA enthusiasts have been clamoring to see in the UFC again since parting ways with the company after a three-year stint in the mid-2000s. During his stretch in the Octagon, Diaz rose to fame with a mixture of his unique personality, fearless style, and a series of highly-entertaining scraps against Robbie Lawler, Karo Parisyan, Diego Sanchez, Joe Riggs, and Josh Neer. However, the two parties professional parted ways based on issues unrelated to in-ring ability including Diaz’s behavior outside of competition (open marijuana use and a post-fight brawl in the hospital with Riggs being two examples).Similar Posts:

• Nick Diaz vs. Joe Riggs II will be for Strikeforce welterweight championship
• Nick Diaz defending belt against Evangelista Santos in January
• UPDATE: Strikeforce opts to not re-sign Joe Riggs
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• Nick Diaz vs. Joe Riggs II set for “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg”

The period of debate regarding Nick Diaz’s immediate future in the ring, specifically the weight he would compete at in his next bout due to an anticipated clash with rival Jason Miller, appears to be over. It looks as though Strikeforce’s 170-pound champ will in fact defend his strap against exciting Brazilian striker Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos on January 29 in San Jose, adding a second title-fight to the card with the other involving middleweight champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza putting his gold up for grabs against heavy-handed Robbie Lawler.

News of the pairing was reported earlier today by MMAFighting and has since been confirmed by Strikeforce through an official press release.

Santos made a successful debut at welterweight against Marius Zaromskis this past June, knocking the Lithuanian kickboxer out a few minutes into the match-up, and has eighteen career victories with sixteen involving some form of finish. Other than being one-half of MMA’s most-imposing couple, Mr. “Cyborg” is known for his daring delivery in the cage including a 2006 performance against Melvin Manhoef viewed as being one of the sport’s greatest battles.

Whether or not Diaz will choose to engage on his feet with Santos, as he’s shown a willingness to do against previous opponents, remains to be seen. Stockton’s favorite son is currently on an eight-fight win streak including a successful defense of his belt against K.J. Noons in Houston last October. Though he owes more than half of his total victories to strikes, the outspoken Californian is also known for an extremely slick BJJ base cultivated at Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and has submitted seven opponents as a result of his mastery of the craft.

In addition to the twin title-fights, Strikeforce’s January 29 event is expected to feature a bout between Roger Gracie and Trevor Prangley as well as Herschel Walker facing Scott Carson in the former football star’s follow-up to victory in his MMA debut almost a year to the day of the 2011 show.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCESimilar Posts:

• K.J. Noons Scratched From Jan. 30 Strikeforce card
• “Strikeforce: Miami” weigh-in results
• Trevor Prangley vs. Roger Gracie rumored for January 29 in San Jose
• Nick Diaz fighting in January against unnamed opponent
• Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs announced for “Strikeforce: Miami”

Those hoping to see a formal pairing between Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz, as opposed to the title-holder’s involvement in a post-fight attack on Miller this past April, will apparently have to wait at little longer for the match-up to materialize if it in fact ever does come to fruition.

According to digital-representative of Diaz, GracieFighter, the host of MTV’s “Bully Beatdown” has declined to meet Diaz at a catch-weight of 178 this January at an event scheduled for the organization’s home-base of San Jose, California.

While Miller fought at welterweight at one point in his career, his last bout at 170-pounds came five years ago, and the colorful competitor has generally fought as a middleweight for the bulk of the span since then. It is believed “Mayhem” open to stepping into the ring against Diaz at 183 pounds but the controversial champion has never weighed in north of the 180 mark for a fight and doesn’t appear interested to testing those waters against Miller. Unfortunately, based on the report, it looks as though unless a compromise can be eventually found the five clicks on the scale making up the difference in desired weights will be an insurmountable distance where the culmination of their feud is concerned.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCESimilar Posts:

• Nick Diaz fighting in January against unnamed opponent
• Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Nick Diaz possible for Strikeforce in October
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• Jason “Mayhem” Miller facing MMA legend at DREAM 16

Assuming all goes according to plan, Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz will return to the ring on January 29 at a yet-to-be-announced event in San Jose against an opponent of equal mystery. However, MMA fans will be happy to know rival Jason “Mayhem” Miller hasn’t been fully ruled out as potentially filling the vacant slot opposite Diaz.

News of the Stockton native’s plans for the immediate future, as well as his willingness to face Miller early next year, came by way of a radio conversation between Cesar Gracie and MMAJunkie.

Gracie explained his camp, including Diaz, were still opposed to taking on Miller at 185-pounds but open to the idea of a catch-weight bout at 178. However, until such a match-up is offered, the controversial champion will continue to train for competition at his standard weight.

Diaz is 23-7 overall in his career and has won his last eight fights. He’s only been finished a single time in his career while compiling victories over respectable opponents including Scott Smith, Robbie Lawler, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, and K.J. Noons.
Similar Posts:

• Tyron Woodley scheduled for action at “Strikeforce – Henderson vs. Babalu”
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• Diaz vs. Noons rematch likely to take place on July 26 in Stockton, Calif.

You’ve experienced “Brocktober” – now comes “Ranksgiving”!

When I became an editor at Five Ounces of Pain, one of my first orders of business was to re-establish the site’s rankings. Throughout this week I will be providing a list of fifteen Mixed Martial Artists currently competing in a specific weight-class with the intention of subjectively sorting out the involved names from “exceptional” to “pretty frakkin’ good!”

As already alluded to, I’m well-aware that these kinds of lists are not doctrine and won’t insult you by pretending my set of names should be the mirror reflection of your own. In some divisions, it’s difficult to determine who the #1 fighter actually is and the reality is that a sport like MMA thrives on its unpredictable nature. When two finely-tuned individuals step into a cage and let loose the difference between consciousness and looking up at the ceiling is a matter of milliseconds no matter who is ranked where.

That being said, I invite you all to join in on the discussion in the “Comments” section below the article.

Welterweight is a tricky poundage to ponder. While a certain Canadian who recently got an ESPN commercial appears to be the easy favorite for the chief slot, even he has faltered in the past to lesser opposition and has a newly-signed, former middleweight champ hot on his heels. There’s also a sneering, sublimely talented Boilermaker and a son of Stockton to consider towards the top. The rest seem to be poised for “5A” and “5B” designations or are at least skilled enough to dethrone even the best 170er out there under the right circumstances.

And away we go…

1. Georges St. Pierre (20-2)

Was there ever any doubt St. Pierre would be sitting atop the list? While GSP has recently earned a reputation for essentially being too good, and capitalizing on his ability to control opponents in an intelligent fashion, the truth is he’s turned in finishing performances in three of his last six fights and nearly submitted Dan Hardy. It would have also been hard to blame the corners of Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves had they thrown in the towel after the physical abuse each man took at the limbs of St. Pierre.

2. Jake Shields (26-4-1)

Shields receives a lot of criticism based on his approach to competition but his place in the division isn’t based on entertainment value; it’s the result of…well…results. The former Strikeforce champ has racked an impressive number of notches up on his record including wins over Yushin Okami – currently next in line for a middleweight title-shot – and former WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit on the same night in 2006. Shields also has victories over respected 185-pounders like Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler, and Jason “Mayhem” Miller. He may not have looked sharp against Martin Kampmann, but he was coming off an extended absence from 170 and still got the win over a “Top 10” adversary. He’s beaten other tough welters and hasn’t lost is nearly six years. Need I say more?

3. Jon Fitch (23-3)

The fan in me wants to rank Fitch at the two-spot but the realist in me doesn’t feel he deserves it. While I’m absolutely an avid supporter of the AKA front-man, he hasn’t shown the ability to finish fighters he should be a definite step above like Mike Pierce, Chris Wilson, or Kuniyoshi Hironaka. He’s a solid #3, but Shields has tapped or TKO’d eight of the last eleven individuals he’s fought and for that fact alone he deserves to come out a nose ahead in the race.

4. Nick Diaz (23-7)

As wonderful as it would be to judge “2010 Diaz” against the essentially 75% of this list competing for the UFC, I can only go by what he’s done outside of the Octagon and as such he definitely deserves to be in the “Top 5”. He’s won eight straight and twelve of his last thirteen while only having been legitimately finished a single time in his thirty-fight career. He’s a threat when standing, or if action hits the canvas, and is more rounded than Fitch or Shields in that regard.

5. Josh Koscheck (15-4)

This is the point the rankings become a little murky for me. Koscheck is only 4-2 in his last six fights and hasn’t beaten a consensus “Top 10” guy since perhaps Diego Sanchez in 2007 (while losing to the other three he faced). Still, he’s an extremely skilled wrestler with good submission skills and the ability to leave an opponent rubber-legged with ever-improving hands.

6. Carlos Condit (26-5)

Condit may deserve to supplant Koscheck in the “Top 5”, as the only blemish on his record since June 2006 is a split-decision loss to the #9 guy on these rankings. However, he hasn’t faced quite as many “Top 10” guys as the polarizing Ultimate Fighter alumnus/coach so it’s difficult to know exactly where he should fall. Still, Condit has won three consecutive fights since the Kampmann loss, including a first-round knockout of the man below him on this list, and had his hands raised in the end leven of the last twelve times he’s entered the ring.

7. Dan Hardy (23-8)

I’m not sure how I can justify Hardy in this spot with back-to-back losses other than to say his relative competition for the designation have also hit hard times over the last 12-18 months and each defeat came to a “Top 10” welterweight. Minus the two losses, and an accidental groin-kick DQ three years ago, the Brit hasn’t lost while racking up eleven victories during the span. He seems to be improving each time out in terms of wrestling and has an underrated ground-game to compliment his speed/striking. As long as he continues to progress, I wouldn’t say he’s too far away from putting it all together and making another legitimate run at the belt.

8. Thiago Alves (17-7)

Also victim of two losses in his previous pair of fights, Alves has beaten a number of highly touted opponents including a trio of competitors on this list. His main fault seems to be an ability to handle high-level wrestling (or the necessary weight-cut to make the 171-pound welterweight limit). If he can figure out a way to slim down without sacrificing his explosiveness, not to mention stuff a hotly-contested takedown, there’s no reason he can’t beat anyone he stands opposite from in the cage.

9.Martin Kampmann (17-4)

Kampmann’s only issue seems to be with taking power-shots to the chin and, frankly, how many fighters can eat leather without crumpling at some point? He took Shields to the limit at UFC 121 and has looked sharp at welterweight since dropping down from a successful stint at 185 pounds. The Dane’s Muay Thai is as crisp as a pretzel and sometimes overshadows his ability to tangle foes up like the baked snack too, as he’s never been tapped in twenty-one fights while having almost an equal number of submissions on his record as he does TKOs.

10. Matt Hughes (45-8)

Like many of you, I found myself starting to believe in Hughes divisional resurgence and was shocked, though satisfied, with the ending to his trilogy with B.J. Penn this past weekend. However, he did beat Ricardo Almeida and Matt Serra prior to the loss, not to mention Chris Lytle before running into GSP and agreeing to fight an overweight Alves on late notice. Hughes has found a lot of success against a number of tough opponents and will remain relevant as long as he fights due to his blend of strength, cardio, and wrestling. The 37-year old may not be able to take a clean strike as well as he might have 5-10 years ago but he will always be a major mountain for any welterweight to climb.

11. Diego Sanchez (22-4)

There’s no question Sanchez is a threat to be reckoned with when he’s focused on the task at hand. He brings great intensity in the cage along with multi-level stand-up and fast, powerful submissions. Still, “Nightmare” hasn’t QUITE been able to get over every highly-ranked hurdle he’s encountered in his career but has wins over some top names like Paulo Thiago, Ken Florian, and the afore-mentioned Diaz. He also took Fitch to a split-decision. I’m willing to write off the Hathaway loss to his return from 155 to 170 but Sanchez was smashed by Penn and still cleanly fell to Fitch, not to mention Koscheck, regardless of how the “L” came about.

12. Tyron Woodley (7-0)

Woodley is the only name you’ll find among the fifteen listed here who has earned his spot based on potential more than who he’s actually beaten. Though none of his seven victories have come against especially notable opponents, “T-Wood” has looked exceptional in every outing. The former Missouri State Champion wrestler has great takedowns, is quick, and can fight from any position. He also reminds me a bit of St. Pierre when the current divisional king first came into the UFC based on pure athleticism.

13. Paul Daley (25-9-2)

Regardless of what you think about Daley’s post-fight sucker-punch of Koscheck, “Semtex” is still a supremely talented striker who has taken out his share of tough fighters. He’s a great addition to Strikeforce and should turn in some classics starting as soon as next week with his upcoming match-up against Scott Smith.

14. Paulo Thiago (13-3)

Similar to a few of the folks who are ranked higher, Thiago is coming off consecutive losses to “Top 10” competition. Dropping decisions to Sanchez, Kampmann, and Fitch a few fights earlier has far less impact than it might if any of the defeats had involved a submission/TKO. It’s also worth considering that Thiago can’t train full time due to his commitments as part of a special Brazilian Police unit.

15. Chris Lytle (30-17-5)

Lytle is still seeking a “career defining” win in the Octagon, which is why he’s this low on the list, but I wouldn’t be surprised to seem him attain at least one of them over the next year or two. The Indiana fireman has won five of his last six fights and is stiff test in any area of the ring. Consider this – Lytle has never been cleanly finished in his 50+ fight career. He’s lost bouts due to cuts and fifteen based on judges’ scorecards but never by a submission or strike-based TKO. It’s a remarkable statistic and one I’d challenge anyone to top.

Honorable Mentions

B.J. Penn (16-7-1): Though Penn’s knockout of Hughes was jaw-droppingly impressive, it was his first win at 170 pounds in six-and-a-half years for Baby Jay. If he can beat Fitch in Februray at UFC 127, which is far from a guarantee in my opinion, he’ll obviously jump up a lot higher in the rankings.
John Hathaway (14-1): The British youngster may have been exposed against Mike Pyle in his first career loss last month, but Hathaway has taken out some tough foes in his short career and appears to have a ton of upside based on the skills he’s exhibited thus far, not to mention his size and age.
Jake Ellenberger (22-5): The 25-year old has won six of his last seven with the lone stumble being a razor-thin decision loss to Condit in which he nearly finished “The Natural Born Killer” on more than one occasion. He’s also beaten the likes of Pyle, John Howard, and Pat Healy, and has upside for days when it comes to how far he could go in MMA if he gets minimally better in all areas.Similar Posts:

• 5 Oz. Official Rankings: Welterweight
• Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves set for UFC 111
• The Fab Fifteen – Lightweights
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• The Fab Fifteen – Light Heavyweights

Will Miesha Tate do better against Strikeforce champ Marloes Coenen when they face off in a few months than Sarah Kaufman did this past Saturday night? What UFC 120 match-up looks like a lock for “Fight of the Night” Should Josh Thomson have to win another fight before getting a crack at Gilbert Melendez for a third time? Is John Hathaway a superior, undefeated welterweight prospect when compared to Tyron Woodley or is it the other way around?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column.

What’s your preference for Nick Diaz’s next fight: a catch-weight bout with “Mayhem” Miller or another defense of the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship?

Conlan: The choice between the options should be a no-brainer for most in terms of creating both an entertaining and competitive fight. Strikeforce’s 170-pound roster isn’t particularly top-heavy and is stacked would-be contenders like Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, Paul Daley, and Tyron Woodley rather than an established group of highly-touted competitors. While those three, as well as a handful of other Strikeforce welterweights, are unquestionably talented they’re not currently sellable as true adversaries for someone on Diaz’s level. The notion KJ Noons – typically a lightweight with no divisional victories – was given a shot at the Gracie-trained champion’s belt should tell fans all they need to know in terms of Strikeforce’s confidence in their welterweight group.

Matching Stockton’s favorite son with Jason Miller would not only give the afore-mentioned welters an opportunity to further cement their claim to a title-bout, but Strikeforce would also have Miller/Diaz’s name-recognition and personal dislike of one another to use for marketing purposes. It’s one of the few relevant pairings the company can create in terms of attracting mainstream attention, actually making it somewhat crucial that Strikeforce finds a way to make the fight happen as far as their future prospects go. Whether doing so means paying Diaz’s snack-bill for the next five years or hiding some cameras in a backyard, getting the rivals together, and doing things Kimbo-style, Scott Coker’s crew should be trying to intensely negotiate the deal before the opportunity to do so slips away.

Tool: I also have to favor a grudge match with “Mayhem” over a predictable title defense against one of the aforementioned names in the division. Miller is arguably the biggest star on Strikeforce’s roster, but you wouldn’t know that with the way they’ve used him. He should be towards the top of their cards and a fight like this with a built-in storyline is perfect for an upcoming main event. Diaz has made it clear lately that he’s just looking to get paid, so here’s hoping that Coker can fork over the necessary cheddar to make this match happen as each man’s next fight.

BUY/SELL – Josh Thomson should have to win one more fight before earning a third meeting with Gilbert Melendez.

Conlan: This is a “SELL” for me for similar reasons to those mentioned in the above-answer. While Strikeforce has a slightly deeper pool of 155-pounders to work with in comparison to their welterweight division, none have really solidified themselves as being more deserving or must-see than Thomson (who has the rubber-match angle to his advantage as well). For that reason, I have no problem seeing Thomson vs. Melendez III take place in the next few months, but I also don’t think Strikeforce has a lot of say-so in the matter since there aren’t many choices outside of Thomson to work with.

However, I’d have no problem with Thomson facing Lyle Beerbohm or KJ Noons if Melendez was suddenly scheduled to give Shinya Aoki a rematch on Japanese soil or partook in a super-fight with Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez.

In fact, were he healthy, I think a case could be made for Noons getting the nod over “The Punk” in terms of being named top contender to Melendez’s lightweight strap. The well-coiffed Hawaiian-by-way-of-Houston just got done hanging with one of the best welters in the sport for five rounds in a main event and had won six consecutive bouts prior to his hard-fought loss to Diaz, all of which were at a lesser weight. On the other hand, prior to his win over JZ Cavalcante, Thomson had only beaten Pat Healy since last losing to “El Nino” and was close to being finished by the ATT-trained Brazilian in the first round of their epic scrap last weekend.

Tool: I’ve got to go with a “buy” on this one, and my reasons for such have already pretty much been laid out by Brendhan. For one, I’d much rather see Melendez square off with Alvarez before he rematches Aoki or Thomson. There’s also the fact that Noons has a pretty good claim as the number one contender. Granted he did just lose a title fight in a heavier weight class, but that didn’t stop Strikeforce from putting Marloes Coenen into a title bout this past weekend.

I can certainly get behind the idea of Melendez vs. Thomson III, simply on the basis of the outstanding fights these two have given us before. There’s no reason to believe that a third bout wouldn’t follow that tradition, particularly if it’s done at a time when Josh Thomson is 100% healthy. Unfortunately those windows of opportunity seem to be practically microscopic (as “The Punk” was in fact injured going into his fight with Cavalcante), so I guess Strikeforce should probably just put this fight together whenever they have the opportunity to do so.

Give your best guess as to which UFC 120 bout will end up winning “Fight of the Night.”

Conlan: Without a doubt it will be Rob “It’s Already Been” Broughton’s (not his real nickname unfortunately) much-anticipated undercard brawl with Scrabble-friendly opponent Vinicius Kappke de Quieroz…but seriously, I think there’s little question Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit has bonus-check written all over it.

Both 170-pounders fight with passion, have a number of tools in the proverbial shed with which to work, and don’t particularly like each other either. Their match-up should also merit an enormous response from the crowd throughout its duration, as Hardy is beloved in his home-country of England and Condit has already stated he’ll be using the USA’s National Anthem as his entrance music. With the audience on its feet and two men who don’t know the meaning of the word quit slugging it out until one crumples, how could Condit vs. Hardy be anything other than fantastic whether five or fifteen minutes long?

Tool: I’m just as pumped for Hardy/Condit as everybody else, but to keep things interesting I’ll take another fight for my pick. We’ve already spoken a bit about John Hathaway, and I’m very excited to see his fight with Mike Pyle. A lot of people seem to be writing off Pyle in this fight (fun fact: Pyle is the only man in history to have submitted Jon Fitch), but even if he loses it should still be a highly-entertaining scrap given each fighters’ style. Hathaway should have the edge on the feet, but Pyle’s aggressive submission-based offense could give the Brit trouble if the fight hits the ground. Both fighters are looking to make a name for themselves in the field of up-and-coming welterweights, and while they may not be contending for gold anytime soon there can be little doubt that this fight is incredibly important for each man’s career.

Do you see Miesha Tate faring any better against Marloes Coenen than Sarah Kaufman did last weekend?

Tool: I do, but then again I figured that Kaufman would retain her belt this past weekend. I don’t want to underestimate Coenen too much as she’s certainly one of the best female fighters in the world, but then again so is Miesha Tate. I didn’t see anything in Coenen’s stand-up that would make me think that she’ll smoke Tate in the striking, but it’s more likely that the outcome of this fight will be determined on the ground. Tate is at the top of the food chain for wrestling in MMA, and unlike Kaufman she’s not likely to get careless from the top position. Tate’s experience will allow her to be more controlled in her ground and pound, and unless Coenen can stuff repeated takedown attempts then I see this one ending with another new champion.

Conlan: I disagree with Adam for a few reasons, and I hope his comment about Tate being one of MMA’s elite wrestlers was more hyperbole than his actual opinion on her grappling ability. She may be talented in comparison to her peers on the somewhat-thin female scene, but she doesn’t dominate opponents with the same ease seen from the true cream of the sport’s wrestling crop.

That point aside, I don’t feel “Takedown” Tate will do any better against Coenen from a results standpoint than Kaufman did, and I actually won’t be surprised if the Dutch champ finishes her with the same technique she used to procure the Strikeforce title. Tate gives up a few inches in height and a bit of reach to “Rumina”, meaning she could be susceptible to damage in the clinch (as Kaufman was), and has no noticeable advantage when purely standing either. If she relies on her takedowns and spends a lot of time throwing strikes in Coenen’s guard her arms will be left relatively vulnerable (as Kaufman’s were). Coenen’s success with armbars is well-documented, and because Tate’s go-to attack is based on ground-and-pounding her way to victory I think it’s very possible she could get caught from the bottom and tapped, especially if she starts to get frustrated on her feet.

Who do you see as the superior welterweight prospect – Jon Hathaway or Tyron Woodley?

Tool: It’s hard not to go with Hathaway after the way he dominated Diego Sanchez, and assuming he gets past Mike Pyle this weekend he’s liable to find a spot in the upper levels of the division in 2011. He’s got great striking and unlike most British fighters he’s more than comfortable with the wrestling aspect of the sport. It’s all but impossible to stand-out in the crowded field of the UFC’s welterweight division, so the fact that Hathaway’s already starting to make a name for himself speaks volumes about his potential.

We certainly can’t discount Woodley either, as he’s quickly climbing the ladder to emerge as a potential contender in Strikeforce. Obviously the pool for contenders in Strikeforce is far more shallow than it is in the UFC, but it’s a credit to Woodley for making his way up to the main cards after a few quality showings on the Challengers events. We still need to see how he performs against a higher quality opponent, and I for one would love to see “T-Wood” matched up with the winner of the upcoming Paul Daley/Scott Smith scrap to determine Nick Diaz’s next contender.

Conlan: I’d also have to say it’s the 14-0 Brit, and to elaborate on Tool’s take, not only did Hathaway beat Sanchez in the manner mentioned but he also took home a pair of unanimous decisions against Paul Taylor and Rick Story, who are tough, talented fighters in their own right, prior to the bout.

He’s 5-6 years younger than Woodley, a fact meriting consideration when examining where both are currently in their careers and how much more time each theoretically has to develop as an overall Mixed Martial Artist. He’s also 6’2″, making him one of the UFC’s tallest 170-pounders meaning he typically enters the ring with a reach advantage over his opponent. Additionally, beyond simply his ability and physical dimensions, Hathaway has the added benefit of being British where “star” potential is concerned. The UFC has already invested a lot of time/money/energy into the European market and as a result created relative icons overseas in the form of Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy simply because of their nationalities and success in the cage. The same could easily be true for Hathaway if he keeps on winning, especially in front of his fellow Englanders.

Woodley is exceptionally skilled and his combination of athleticism, wrestling, and submissions are enough to beat a lot of his in-ring adversaries and take him a long way in MMA. However, until he faces a comparable level of opposition to “The Hitman” or Hathaway falls in a few fights, I don’t think the Strikeforce 170-pound contender can be viewed as the superior prospect when matching the two up from top to bottom on paper.

Has the “UFC Primetime” special featuring Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez influenced your opinion on either individual or on how their upcoming match-up will unfold?

Tool: Not necessarily, but that’s mainly due to the fact that I pegged Velasquez to win this bout as soon as Lesnar beat Shane Carwin. It’s reaffirming to watch Velasquez train the way he does, and to hear the people closest to him talk about the level of talent that he brings to the sport. I’ve had a front-row seat aboard the Cain Velasquez bandwagon since he first came into the UFC, and I’m not about to abandon ship just because he’s facing the top guy in his division.

As for Lesnar, I have to wonder just how well he’s preparing for this fight. It’s obvious by now that Lesnar has a fair amount of confidence in himself, and being surrounded by his friends all day at training certainly can’t hurt his ego. To me it seems as though Lesnar may already be too comfortable in his gym, as his strict policies against outsiders could lead to a situation where he’s not challenging himself enough. His natural gifts make up for a lot of that, but I’ll be interested to see if he’s truly prepared for what Velasquez brings to the table.

Conlan: I can vouch for Tool’s long-standing support of Velasquez, though I personally entered the series with a lot more faith in Lesnar than I exited it with. There’s no question the UFC’s heavyweight title-holder is working his ass off under the DeathClutch roof and will be in prime condition at UFC 121, but at the end of the day I think he is still burdened by his build when it comes to movement. Perhaps it was simply the trickery of post-production editing, but Cain looked very crisp in training while Brock just appeared to be building strength/cardio. I think Velasquez’s wrestling background could very well allow him to hold off Lesnar’s advances, while movement and angles may open up an opportunity to either pepper the champ enough times to win rounds or even rock him as Carwin did a few months back. If that’s the case, rest assured Velasquez won’t fade faster than the average reality television star’s post-series career as was the case with Carwin at UFC 116.

I still feel Lesnar is going to walk away from Anaheim with the big, shiny beltbuckle around his waist, but I can honestly admit the bits of insight provided on “UFC Primetime” definitely have me feeling a little more positive about Velasquez’s chances of maintaining his unbeaten record and becoming champion.Similar Posts:

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