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Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of Strikeforce: "Miami."

Quick results of the preliminary fights will begin to flow around 8 p.m. ET and round-by-round coverage of the main card action on SHOWTIME is set for 10 p.m. ET! Our play-by-play coverage of the welterweight showdown between Joe Riggs and Jay Hieron, which will air live on EASports.com, will begin at t 9:05 p.m. ET.

If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main Strikeforce: "Miami" results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off. Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

Props: CagePages (via Tatame.com)

Quoteworthy:

"I don’t know what happened, he seemed upset or nervous, I don’t know. We were face to face, but we didn’t greet each other. Some people like to stare down, but when the fight is on it doesn’t matter who can hold the stare the longest. I won the heavyweight tournament and the light heavyweight championship, and I want to be called a UFC champion again. Anderson is really dangerous and has all these weapons, but I have a good chance, and I’m working on a strategy to beat him."

UFC number one middleweight contender Vitor Belfort seems to have rattled the cage of current division champion Anderson Silva during a recent trip overseas to promote their upcoming title fight at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi on April 10. "The Spider" wasn't his usual jovial self -- but is that an indication of pre-fight trepidation or was it simply his war face? "The Phenom" may find out the hard way -- though it's hard to overlook his resume when arguing against his chances this Spring. Upset special, or just another victim?

"I get a chance to win some Internet fans over, so that’s great. Riggs is no layover. He’s a well-rounded fighter. I’m not just worrying about his hands. I’m worrying about everything. I’m not trying to fight anybody’s fight but mine; I’m trying to show my best ability when I get out there and on fight night I’ll be smart and sharp."

Strikeforce welterweight contender Jay Hieron jokes to Sherdog.com about going from a welterweight title fight against Nick Diaz on August 15 to the undercard against Joe Riggs on Jan. 30. "The Thoroughbred" was offered the Marius Zaromski fight at 'Miami' however, his management turned the fight down and Hieron was paired with "Diesel" instead. On the up side, the Hieron vs. Riggs fight will be televised via EASports.com to promote their upcoming MMA video game that includes a strong presence from the San Jose promotion's talent roster.

Featherweight King of Pancrase, Marlon Sandro (15-1) aims to return to Sengoku for his first fight of 2010 on March 7.

Tatame.com reports that Sandro, who was forced to withdraw from his Dynamite!! 2009 bout against Hideo Tokoro due to injuries, has been training hard at Nova União in preparation for his return to the ring. His appearance on March 7th remains tentative, as SRC has yet to name his opponent.

"I would fight for the title, but Kanehara got hurt. They’re still looking for an opponent to face me", Sandro said.

Sandro had a breakthrough year in 2009 with his successful run in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix. He dispatched Matt Jaggers and Nick Denis before losing a controversial split decision against the upset artist, Michihiro Omigawa, in the semi-final round of the tournament. He then rebounded with a first-round TKO victory over Yuji Hoshino at Sengoku 11.

Another Nova União fighter who is rumored for return to Sengoku at the same event is Leonardo Santos (6-3).

Santos, a younger brother of WEC bantamweight, Wagnney Fabiano, last fought at Sengoku 8 and lost a split decision against the Sengoku top lightweight contender, Kazunori Yokota. He is a highly decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner who is cited as one of the most dominant lightweight competitors in the sport's history.

Sengoku, now rechristened as Sengoku Raiden Championship, will hold its first fight card of 2010, SRC 12, at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on March 7th. The fight card will feature a middleweight title bout between Jorge Santiago and Mamed Kahlidov.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - In traditional education, the names are familiar - Shakespeare for English majors, Aristotle for those studying philosophy, and Copernicus for students of astronomy. In mixed martial arts, Rob Emerson's schooling was served by 'The Rock', 'Babalu', "Ximu", and a man ominously dubbed 'The King of The Streets.'

Marius Zaromskis (13-3), who is set to battle Nick Diaz for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title tonight at "Strikeforce: Miami," will have little time to unwind after tonight.

We reported earlier that the "Whitemare" has been named as a possible participant in the upcoming DREAM 13 on March 22. It now looks like he will defend his DREAM welterweight title against Kiyoshi Tamura (32-13-3) at the event.

According to MMA Fighting, DREAM is close to signing the bout. Needless to say, Zaromskis-Tamura is contingent upon Zaromskis' medical condition after his fight with Nick Diaz: Should he sustain a serious injury, the fight may be called off.

Zaromskis, a Lithuanian native training out of London Shootfighters, catapulted himself to fame when he emerged as a winner of the DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix. DREAM 13 will mark the first time he puts his DREAM belt on the line.

Tamura, who competed for United Wrestling Foundation in his professional wrestling days, launched his MMA career in 1995 with a heel hook win over Patrick Smith. The 40 year-old has since fought mainly in RINGS and Pride. In his last fight, he earned a dominant decision victory over Kazushi Sakuraba at Dynamite!! 2008. Having fought opponents from a diverse range of weight classes (from welterweight to heavyweight), Tamura makes his official welterweight debut at DREAM 13.

DREAM 13 will take place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, and it will air live on HDNet in North America. Bibiano Fernandes will also defend his 145-pound belt against Joachim Hansen on the card.

On the eve of the first significant Strikeforce event of 2010, many MMA fans still are upset that the highly anticipated fight between Jay Hieron and Joe Riggs was relegated to the undercard.

To help alleviate some fan frustration, Strikeforce and EA Sports announced the fight will air live on EASportsMMA.com.  MMA HQ learned some extra details from EA Sports, as the company briefly chatted with us a day before the event.

“It was a discussion that came up between Strikeforce, Showtime and EA Sports during planning meetings,” said Randy Chase, EA SPORTS MMA product manager, in a statement to MMA HQ.  “All parties had seen the MMA  community interest in the fight and we have a common purpose to grow the sport of MMA.  We wanted to give the fans what they wanted to see.

“We are committed to supporting the fighters in our game, so we were happy to play a part in bringing this fight to the fans.  In addition, we also really wanted to see the fight ourselves.”

Prior to our chat with EA, Sherdog spoke with Strikeforce’s Mike Afromowitz.

“It’s definitely one of those fights that deserved to be aired somewhere, so we’re glad to get the opportunity to do this.”

I applaud EA Sports for stepping up and offering the fight live — but I still wish Strikeforce and Showtime found a way to put it on the main card.  The card features main event fights between Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen, while Melvin Manhoef vs. Robbie Lawler also is on the main card

The other two bouts on the Strikeforce: Miami main card, Bobby Lashley vs. Wes Sims and Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy, appear to be on the card simply to drive up ratings.  Both fights are geared towards casual MMA viewers — with Lashley and his WWE background, and Walker as the former NFL superstar — have raised attention among those in the MMA community.

Despite the attention and media buzz surrounding Lashley and Walker, I still think the Hieron vs. Riggs fight should have been bumped to the main card.  However I understand business is business, and appreciate EA Sports for streaming a fight that will likely lead to a new No. 1  welterweight contender.

Check out more weigh-in pics after the jump. For complete Strikeforce: "Miami" weigh in results click here.

• Shine International strikes Strikeforce deals
• Harris Confirms WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber in May on PPV
• Gov’s plan to legalize mixed martial arts gets mixed reviews
• Michigan promoter reveals own highs and lows during state’s drive toward pro MMA
• “Inside MMA” to Preview “Strikeforce: Miami”,  KOTC signs TV Deal With HDNet
• Herschel Walker ready to tackle MMA

Shine International strikes Strikeforce deals

Distributor Shine International has completed a host of deals for its Strikeforce brand internationally, selling more than 70 hours of mixed martial arts programming in Europe, Australia and Latin America.

Virgin Media Television-owned Bravo in the UK, Turner in Latin America, FX in Portugal, Ukraine’s Megasport, Seven Network in Australia and Dahlia TV in Italy have all purchased Strikeforce’s library of TV programming.

“Strikeforce is the leader in mixed martial arts content as proven by the huge demand for their programming around the world,” said Chris Grant, president of Shine International.

“They have the world’s best fighters, the world’s best events and they know how to translate that into fast-paced programming that captures what will soon be the most popular sport in the world.”

The deal covers the 30 episodes and 56 hours of fights that have aired on NBC and Showtime respectively. (C21Media)

Harris Confirms WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber in May on PPV

The upcoming featherweight title fight between champion Jose Aldo and challenger Urijah Faber will be the first pay-per-view fight card in World Extreme Cagefighting history, WEC President Reed Harris said Friday.

“I think the Aldo-Faber fight could truly be one of the most exciting fights ever in the whole sport of MMA,” Harris said on the Dave and Mahoney Show.

Harris said an official announcement is coming within the next week or 10 days, and that he expects the fight to take place in May and cost $45, the same price as a UFC pay-per-view.

There’s no question that Aldo vs. Faber is a good enough fight to be worthy of pay-per-view. The question is whether the WEC can convince enough people of its worthiness to make the event a financial success. Non-UFC MMA events have never turned a profit on North American pay-per-view, and the WEC faces an uphill battle in making this one work, no matter how great a fight Faber vs. Aldo is.  (MMAFighting) … [MMA Payout's Perspective]

Gov’s plan to legalize mixed martial arts gets mixed reviews

New York Gov. David Paterson’s plan to legalize mixed martial arts in an effort to raise $2 million to help close the budget gap doesn’t have much support among registered voters.

According to the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, 68 percent of registered New York voters opposed Paterson’s plan to legalize what’s known as ultimate fighting. However, 29 percent support the measure.

The institute, which is affiliated with Marist College in Poughkeepsie, found 82 percent of women and 55 percent of men disapproving Paterson’s proposal.  (The Business Review)

Michigan promoter reveals own highs and lows during state’s drive toward pro MMA

Donofrio credits the UFC with helping Michigan regulators realize the importance of bringing the sport to the state, but he also feels the sport’s biggest promotion may have added a few regulations that make true grassroots growth of professional MMA very difficult.

“It wasn’t exactly as I hoped it would be,” Donofrio admitted. “There were so many stipulations that would make it difficult for a small-time promoter to be successful. One of them was you have to have a minimum of 30 rounds (on a card), which would be 10 three-round fights. You can’t have a pro-am card. The fee to do the show is $2,000 compared to $125 for boxing. And then the fighters have to have a CT scan and EKG, all that stuff.

“So it’s kind of difficult for anybody to be profitable doing a professional show here in Michigan. That was probably by design.”

Donofrio, who is the first to admit he’s not a medical professional, thinks perhaps the extensive testing could be reserved for older fighters and those who have shown previous reason for concern. Nevertheless, the promoter admits fighter safety is of the utmost concern, and simply hopes the commission will at least revisit the fees one day in the future.

In the meantime, Donofrio is pleased that unlike a handful of states still looking to pass regulation, Michigan will no longer have to concern itself with unregulated events.

“I think the regulations in Michigan are pretty strict, but I think the rogue promoters need to be put in check,” Donofrio said.  (MMAJunkie) … [MMAPayout's Perspective]

“Inside MMA” to Preview “Strikeforce: Miami”,  KOTC signs TV Deal With HDNet

This week the “Inside MMA” panel will preview the “Strikeforce: Miami” fight card with the following fighters joining Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten to add perspective to the event and to discuss their own journey through the ranks in mixed martial arts.  The panel features Gegard Mousasi, Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champ (and former Dream Middleweight Champ), Gilbert Melendez, Strikeforce Lightweight Champ and Tony Lopez, the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion of King of the Cage.  The panel will take a look at the Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen match-up, along with the Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis fight and Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy.

Also, Ron Kruck files a report on the MMA debut of Walker, the Heisman Trophy winner, and former NFL running back.  Despite having several decades of experience in martial arts and being a sixth- degree black belt in tae kwon do, Walker admits he has quite a learning curve.

Also, HDNet will make a BIG announcement on tonight’s broadcast.  Don’t miss it!  (HDNet Fights)

MMAPayout Note: KOTC has partnered with Mark Burnett to produce KOTC based programming and signed a 3 year deal with HDNet for live monthly events. The first KOTC event to air live on HDNet will be the 2/12/10 show, which features Lopez v. East, Valenzuela v. Sanchez, Coca v. Cullum, Wiuff v. Kyle, and Clementi vs. Lapsley.

Herschel Walker ready to tackle MMA

Herschel Walker is most known for his accomplishments on the gridiron, but his athleticism extends further, and on Saturday, Jan. 30, he will add mixed martial artist to a stellar résumé, debuting for Strikeforce at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.

The 47-year-old Walker will face another MMA newcomer, Greg Nagy (1-1).

“I love martial arts,” he said. “I’ve loved it for years. I love the sport of it. When I saw MMA years ago, I fell in love with it.

“They’ve cleaned it up so much that it is now a mainstream sport, and I wanted to get involved in it. There are incredible athletes doing it, and I want to consider myself a good athlete, and that’s the reason I want to do it.”

A very good athlete, Walker, a 6-1, 220-pound former running back with the University of Georgia, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in Kenpo karate and Muay Thai.

“People have to know that I love this sport [MMA], but I am green,” he noted. “I’m not stepping into this sport, fighting for a belt, `Oh, I want to be heavyweight champion.’ No.

“I’m stepping into this sport because I love it and to fight people who are trying to grow like I’m trying to grow. I don’t know how far I’m going to go and how long I’m going to be in it.”  (Miami Herald)

***

Drive to compete powers Walker’s jump to MMA

“This is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Walker said. “This was a very tough sport for me. … Every muscle in your body is sore.”

He added that his MMA instruction was even tougher than the grueling NFL training camps he endured for 12 seasons in the sweltering heat. Walker said that in football, a play goes for eight seconds and then players have 30 seconds to rest. In MMA, athletes don’t have such a luxury.

Even his Tae Kwon Do skills were somewhat neutralized, saying he had to, in essence, forget about that fighting style and enter his training with a completely open mind.

Walker, who said he’s an avid fan of MMA and watching it inspired him to enter the sport, is thankful to Strikeforce for giving him a shot. For a company looking to raise its profile any way it can, this was a simple decision. In announcing Walker’s signing in September, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said, “I flew to L.A. last month to watch Herschel train and was surprised to see his advanced wrestling and striking abilities. He’s got work ahead of him.”

Coker’s company has plenty of work to do too. Strikeforce is the No. 2 MMA company in the United States, behind the juggernaut Ultimate Fighting Championship. Not many sports bosses are going to travel to watch a guy pushing 50. But, Walker brings a known name and will attract mainstream interest.  (Fox Sports)

QUICK HITS

• MMA fighting: Herschel Walker faces new challenge at 47 (Miami Herald)
• ESPN Primer: Strikeforce: Miami’ (ESPN)
• COENEN READY TO GO TOE-TO-TOE WITH CYBORG (MMAWeekly)
• The future of women’s MMA (Baltimore Sun)
• Nick Diaz getting back in cage (Lodi News)
• Cyborg Santos ‘Ready for War’ With Marloes Coenen (MMAFighting)
• Shamrock gives Coenen a shot at ‘Cyborg’ upset (Cage Fighter)
• Diaz, Manhoef tabbed to earn victories at Strikeforce: Miami (Sports Illustrated)
• Strike Force Miami (Sun Sentinel)
• Nagy Ready to Seize his ‘Opportunity of a Lifetime’ (Sherdog)
• Lawler: I’ll take my chances on the feet against Manhoef (USA Today)
• Melvin Manhoef Coming to Strikeforce for ‘American Dream’ (MMAFighting)
• Wes Sims promises Hogan legdrop on Lashley (USA Today)
• Five Burning Questions for Strikeforce in 2010 (MMAFighting)
• Five Burning Questions for WEC in 2010 (MMAFighting)
• Intimidation Clothing Sponsors Greg Nagy at Strikeforce Miami (Email Wire)
• 5 Heavyweights Strikeforce Needs to Sign (Fight Magazine)
• Matrix Fights to launch in Philadelphia on Feb. 27 with Matt Makowski vs. LeVon Maynard (5OzsOfPain)
• Ultimate fighting a knockout and bound for Sydney (Cumberland Courier)
• King of Cage competition producer returns home (U.S. Marine Corps Bases Japan)
• Marloes Coenen: Survival of the Fittest (Fight Magazine)
• DREAM LIGHTWEIGHTS HEADED TO STRIKEFORCE (MMAWeekly)
• HIERON/RIGGS WINNER LIKELY TO GET TITLE SHOT (MMAWeekly)
• DREAM Roughs Out 2010 Plans, Korea Possible (MMAWeekly)
• King Of The Cage Japan: “Toryumon” Preview (MMARising)

VIDEO OF THE DAY

• Inside MMA Preview (01/29/10): Guests Gegard Mousasi, Gilbert Melendez and Tony Lopez weigh in on the latest in mixed martial arts news with hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten. Also, reporter Ron Kruck previews the upcoming Strikeforce: Miami fight card.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Updates on the attendance for the past two shows. The Jan. 2 show drew 13,529 fans in total according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Those are different numbers than announced that night or numbers from the building. The live attendance and gate were the same as we reported, with 8,004 paying $1,969,670, so there were 5,314 comp tickets, and of those paid tickets, a couple of thousand were casino buys, so there were actually more fans who didn’t pay for tickets in the arena than paid. (Dave Meltzer commenting on UFC 108 attendance, Wrestling Observer)

TV LISTINGS

• HDNet Fights Presents K-1 Classics (Musashi Tribute) at 8 PM ET on HDNet (01/29/10)
• InsideMMA (Gegard Mousasi, Gilbert Melendez, & Tony Lopez) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (01/29/10)
• HDNet Fights Presents Best of DREAM Super Hulk GP at 10 PM ET on HDNet (01/29/10)
• Best of Pride FC at 10 PM ET/PT on Spike (01/29/10)
• Strikeforce Miami: Diaz vs Zaromskis at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (01/30/10)
• Countdown to UFC 109 at 12:30 AM ET/PT on Spike (01/30/10)
  

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Strikeforce Miami: Diaz vs Zaromskis at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (01/30/10)
• FCF 39: Women’s 135 lbs Grand Prix: Opening Round on PPV (01/30/10)
• KOTC: Toryumon from Okinawa, Japan on PPV (01/30/10)
• UFC 109 at 10 PM ET on PPV (02/06/10)

The third installment of Spike TV's "The Best of Pride FC" premieres tonight at 10 p.m.

Because the list of fights that were to be shown last week proved to be inaccurate, we're not going to try guessing again. Here's hoping we get to see some great action involving Dan Henderson, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and dare I say it ... FEDOR!

And, if you were actually successful in convincing your girlfriend to watch "The Best of Pride FC" last week, only to have her suffer through a TV show that depicts what your everyday life was like when you were in college and before you met her, try again tonight.

It might be worth it.

The Dave and Mahoney Show sat down with Reed Harris to discuss many things related to the WEC including talk about the company’s debut on PPV this May.

There’s more to the interview than just talk of the PPV, but here’s a summary of the more pertinent points:

• WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber will happen in May on PPV
• Harris believes Aldo-Faber could be one of the greatest fights ever
• No location yet; looking at announcement in next few days or weeks
• Harris wants $44.95 for price, but it’s not decided yet
• He thinks hardcore fans will pay for the fight, and believes he’ll be able to bring casual fights in for fight

Payout Perspective:

The UFC brand has built a tremendous amount of goodwill over the last 5 years, which is why it can be guaranteed to pull 300,000 buys on every card regardless of its actual quality. While the WEC’s card might be just as entertaining as those of the UFC, the perception in the mind of the consumer will likely be very different. Thus, charging $44.95 will be a difficult sell for the company.

The price the WEC sets for this card has to fit with its long-term objectives. If the WEC is looking to establish a sustainable PPV business model, then the price of its cards must be a consistent reflection of the perceived quality that consumers are getting out of their purchase. In other words, if the plan is for more than just one WEC PPV, this price must be a function of not just what Aldo-Faber are worth, but the brand’s equity and its host of offerings moving forward.

—–

The topic also leads into an interesting discussion as to what the follow-up plan may be: whom do they use in the 2nd PPV, how do they work to build the equity in more than just the main event guys, what is required of their PR/marketing team to get that brand image to the next level, etc.

"No, it's not true at all. He's full of shit. Let me tell you what Chuck told me. He's gonna break his head open! Yeah, he's pissed."

-- WEC General Manager Reed Harris kept it short and not-so-sweet when Dave Farra asked him on X107.5 Las Vegas if there was any truth to the allegations made by Tito Ortiz that Chuck Liddell is a recovering alcoholic. Ortiz claimed that Liddell was in deep trouble with the disease of alcoholism, until Dana White saved the most dominant light heavyweight champion in recent history through an intervention. Harris was quick to challenge Ortiz's claims, saying that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is "full of shit." Whether it is true or not, it seems Tito Ortiz is fully in favor of refueling the fire these two once had between them. Let the games begin ... again.

The San Jose based mixed martial arts promotion, Strikeforce, is all set to invade South Florida this weekend with their "Miami" event live from the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

The organization is opening up the new decade with a bang by putting its first ever welterweight title on the line in the main event of the evening between perhaps the most dynamic fighter on the company's roster, Nick Diaz, and feared DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis.

The rest of the night is jam-packed with highly anticipated bouts as well.

NFL great Herschel Walker is making his mixed martial arts debut. Powerhouse ex-WWE superstar Bobby Lashley is making his Strikeforce debut. The best female fighter on the planet, Strikeforce champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, is making her first title defense.

And as if that wasn't enough, former Elite XC champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and devastating Dutch knockout artist "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef are also set to square off in a can't-miss 185-pound contest.

The main card, including the featured 170-pound championship bout, will air live on Showtime beginning at 10 p.m. ET on fight night.

To help get you better prepared for the festivities, I've told Nostradumb-dumb to take a hike so that I can deconstruct the main card bouts set to hit the Showtime airwaves on Saturday night and drop some money-in-the-bank predictions.

Check it out:

170 lbs.: Nick Diaz vs. Marius "Whitemare" Zaromskis for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title

Diaz has an obvious advantage on the ground. If the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt can somehow get Zaromskis to the mat then he'll have the Lithuanian fighter completely out of his comfort zone. Even though "The Whitemare" has never been submitted in an MMA match, I wouldn't put it past Diaz to change that trend if he gets the opportunity.

However, Diaz has seemingly turned into a boxer over his last two fights for Strikeforce, and it wouldn't be surprising at all to see the talented, yet unorthodox striker, opt to put his pugilistic skills to use once again in this fight.

Good idea? Maybe not.

Zaromskis is smaller, but he's much more dangerous and versatile on his feet than either Frank Shamrock or Scott Smith (Diaz's two most recent opponents). In fact, he's won his last three fights, one of which was against Japanese standout Hayoto "Mach" Sakurai, by first round knockout from head kicks. Overall he has ten career wins by stoppage from strikes.

Diaz's normal routine of peppering his opponent with jabs and straight punches while not worrying much about getting hit himself could be an even more risky approach to take in this fight. Zaromskis is too aggressive, he's too powerful, and he can hit you and knock you out from anywhere, at anytime, with any strike.

With that said, Diaz still has advantages with his length and reach on his feet. He's three inches taller than Zaromskis, and he'll have to capitalize on that reach advantage because I don't see him being able to take Zaromskis down, at least not early on.

Now, this is a five round fight, which favors Diaz as well because of his insane cardio. The deeper this fight gets into the championship rounds, the more Diaz's chances to win increase.

This is a great main event fight because both guys are aggressive and exciting to watch, but this is a bad matchup for Zarmoskis. He's never faced a guy like Diaz who can frustrate him on his feet and dominate him on the ground.

I got Diaz by TKO in the middle to late rounds.

Final prediction: Nick Diaz via technical knockout in round three

145 lbs.: Strikeforce female champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Marloes Coenen

Unless "Cyborg" has weight cutting issues or some kind of injury that prevents her from performing at her usual pace, I don't see how Coenen is going to be able to deal with the pressure that's going to be put on her by the relentless Brazilian powerhouse.

Coenen is going to have to rely on her jiu jitsu because striking with "Cyborg" is only going to end one way, and we all know what that is. But, even though we haven't had much of a chance to see it, "Cyborg" has a nice set of ground skills herself.

The truth is that Coenen doesn't really have an area of weakness to attack on "Cyborg". And no matter where this fight goes, "Cyborg's" strength and power is going to give her the advantage.

I don't see this fight ending any other way than by first round stoppage from strikes with "Cyborg's" hand raised at the end.

Final prediction: Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos via technical knockout in round one

265 lbs.: Bobby "The Dominator" Lashley vs. Wes "A Whole Show" Sims

The last time Lashley fought someone with a good amount of experience like Sims, he had to grind out a less than impressive decision against Jason Guida. But I expect Lashley to take advantage of his TV time in this fight and have an impressive showing against the TUF alum.

Sims clearly has the edge in experience, and his submission game could be an issue for Lashley as well. And there's no doubt Sims will have a gameplan to deal with the monstrous Lashley and his power, but executing that gameplan once you get in the cage with the behemoth is another story.

The truth is that Lashley has improved a lot since the Guida fight. Training at American Top Team has worked wonders for him as he's won both fights since then by first round submission.

I don't know if he'll be able to submit Sims that easily in this fight, but one thing is for sure, Sims is in for a rude awakening once Lashley grabs a hold of him.

Look for a lot of early aggression from Lashley with takedowns and some smothering ground and pound that's going to lead to a dominating TKO win for the former WWE superstar.

Final prediction: Bobby Lashley via technical knockout in round one

185 lbs.: "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef vs. "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler

Other than the main event, this should be the most anticipated fight on this card. Both of these guys are bangers, and both are extremely fun to watch.

Both guys have knockout power, but I don't think there's much of an argument against saying Manhoef is the more powerful striker of the two. He has that one punch knockout power that can come from anywhere at anytime in the fight.

With that said, Manhoef's ground game is nonexistent. Lawler has a fantastic opportunity to use his wrestling to take Manhoef down and win this fight by submission if he wanted to. But we all know that's not going to happen. Lawler's even said himself that he's going to stand and see what happens.

And I think that's a mistake.

Manhoef is a smaller guy, coming in three inches shorter than Lawler. So maybe Lawler will have some success on his feet by keeping his distance with a healthy dose of kicks and jabs. That could happen, and it could work for a round or two, possibly. But choosing to stand with Melvin Manhoef is like playing Russian Roulette.

Lawler may be able to avoid the bullet for a little while, but the longer the game is played, the more dangerous it becomes. If he tries to trade strikes with the Dutchman, it'll only be a matter of time before he ends up snoring.

I got Melvin Manhoef by knockout.

Final prediction: Melvin Manhoef via knockout in round two

205 lbs.: Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy

Obviously there isn't much to go on for the 47 year old Walker since this is his first ever MMA fight. He still comes in as the heavy favorite though because of his natural athletic ability and because of the fact that he's a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has extensive training in Kenpo karate and Muay Thai.

Plus, the former USFL and NFL great has been training MMA with the American Kickboxing Academy crew in California in preparation for this fight. That can only be a good thing.

So, he's old and inexperienced, but he's an athletic freak with a solid amount of first class training. It's going to be interesting to see how he does, to say the least.

Nagy doesn't have much of a resume either. He has two fights under his belt, the most recent of which was a unanimous decision loss to Francisco Navarro back in November. He doesn't appear to be anything special, and it's hard to imagine Strikeforce would be promoting Walker like they've been doing if they expected him to have a difficult time in this fight.

Nobody really knows what to expect, but my money says Herschel Walker by submission.

Final prediction: Herschel Walker via submission

That's a wrap.

To check out the full lineup for Strikeforce: "Miami" click here.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of "Miami," beginning with the SHOWTIME telecast at 10 p.m. ET on Jan. 30. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action as it starts to flow around 7:30 p.m. ET.

Check in early and often -- it should be an exciting night of fights! In the meantime, feel free to share your Strikeforce-related thoughts and predictions in the comments section below.

WHAT: This week the “Inside MMA” panel will preview the “Strikeforce: Miami” fight card with the following fighters joining Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten to add perspective to the event and to discuss their own journey through the ranks in mixed martial arts.  The panel features Gegard Mousasi, Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champ (and former Dream Middleweight Champ), Gilbert Melendez, Strikeforce Lightweight Champ and Tony Lopez, the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion of King of the Cage.  The panel will take a look at the Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen match-up, along with the Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis fight and Herschel Walker vs. Greg Nagy.

Also, Ron Kruck files a report on the MMA debut of Walker, the Heisman Trophy winner, and former NFL running back.  Despite having several decades of experience in martial arts and being a sixth- degree black belt in tae kwon do, Walker admits he has quite a learning curve.

Also, HDNet will make a BIG announcement on tonight’s broadcast.  Don’t miss it!

WHEN: TONIGHT, January 29 at 9:00 p.m. ET only on HDNet.

About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” and the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather.  Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world.  HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant  – telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence.

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League.  HDNet also features the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” (www.hdnetfights.com).  “HDNet Fights” works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more.  HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA.

HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series.  The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more.  HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring “Art Mann Presents,” “New York Confessions,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!”  HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series.  “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters.  The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

Upcoming Sneak Preview films include “District 13:  Ultimatum.”

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Verizon FiOS and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliated companies.

The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet1, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies.

You know how people used to think Albert Einstein was a crazy dude, but then long after he died we realized he was a genius? Well, maybe that's what we have in Nick Diaz. A man respected for his craft, yet someone who doesn't seem to fully understand his surroundings.

A man, who despite possessing the ability to be great at what he does, consistently makes decisions that for all intents and purposes harm his very well being. Sure, some of what he says and does makes very little to sense to us. But is that because Mr. Diaz is well ahead of his time?

Diaz tells Ariel Helwani that there are certain topics we shouldn't touch with him. Like the word - excited."I don't really use that word," he said. "I think I had this discussion earlier. I have a lot of energy, so I feel good."

And as to whether or not Nick has a dream fight, he had to think about for a minute, but then had a pretty sweet idea. I think he means fighting both of them at once. "Um... no. Actually, right now, I'd like to fight both GSP and Anderson Silva because I think I could beat them," declared the defiant welterweight. "But they [UFC] won't ever let that happen."

When asked about how he envisioned the fight with Zaromskis ending, Diaz seemed to surprise himself with his answer:

"I don't. I don't."

Diaz also shared some interesting thoughts on how he thinks fights should be judged. Imagine if NFL games were determined in this fashion. I would argue that the New York Giants went undefeated every season of their existence. "It's about who would have won the fight had the fight kept going," he reasons. "Not who was winning, but who would have won."

Despite owning a 6-4 record inside the Octagon, Diaz feels as though his record should read as 9-1. "I don't feel like I won the fight against Diego Sanchez," he concedes. "But other than that, I didn't lose any other fights in the UFC."

To fully appreciate what could be a defining moment of Nick Diaz's legacy check out the full interview below.