Strikeforce: Diaz vs Cyborg Main Card Predictions
Posted by Joshua Wood (Editor in Chief)Jan 25
This Saturday Strikeforce will put on its second event and first non-challengers event of the 2011. Taking place live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California the main card can be seen live on Showtime at 7pm PT/10pm ET.
The card will be headlined by two Strikeforce title fights and will also feature NFL great Herschel Walker, who will be making his second MMA appearance and Submission specialist Roger Gracie.
Welterweight champion Nick Diaz (23-7) will make his second title defense against Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (18-13) in the night main event. Diaz defeated NJ Noons in his first title defense last October by drumming the former EliteXC champion the entire 25 minutes. Santos has only fought once at welterweight back in June against Marius Zaromskis, after fighting at light heavyweight and middleweight for most of his career.
Diaz is a heavy betting favorite heading into the fight, but Santos having only one fight at welterweight is the great unknown. Santos is a heavy Striker, yet the unorthodox striking and length of Diaz should easily keep him safe from the knockout punch of Santos.
The Strikeforce middleweight title will also be on the line as Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (12-2, 1nc) will make his first defense against the heavy-handed Robbie Lawler (20-6, 1nc). Souza defeated Tim Kennedy last August at Strikeforce: Houston to win the middleweight title that Jake Shields had vacated after signing with the UFC.
Lawler will look to get his 18th KO
The fight is the classic grappler vs. striker matchup as Souza has 10 career submissions and no knockouts, while Lawler has 17 knockouts with just one submission. Souza is undefeated (3-0) under the Strikeforce banner and has only one loss since his first professional bout back in 2003. Lawler is coming off a brutal first round knockout of Matt Linland at Strikeforce: St. Louis last December. Lawler has been up and down over his last four fights (2-2) but his last performance caught everyone attention and earned him a title shot.
There is no confusion as to what each fighter wants to do in the fight, but the one that can actually do it will be the one that leave with the belt on Saturday.
Main Event:
170 lbs.: Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Santos – Nick Diaz
Main Card (Televised):
185 lbs.: Ronaldo Souza vs. Robbie Lawler – Ronaldo Souza
205 lbs.: Herschel Walker vs. Scott Carson – Herschel Walker
205 lbs.: Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley – Roger Gracie
- Filed under: MMA, Predictions, Strikeforce
170 lbs.: Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Santos – Cyborg Santos via KO
185 lbs.: Ronaldo Souza vs. Robbie Lawler – Robbie Lawler via Decision
205 lbs.: Herschel Walker vs. Scott Carson – Herschel Walker via KO
205 lbs.: Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley – Roger Gracie via Submission
@ Dylan H:
Those are very interesting picks. Do you think the 185 lb. title fight will go that far? In my opinion, we have great jiu jitsu vs. great stand up and power. It’s going to be a great fight for sure. Thanks for posting.
170 lbs.: Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Santos – Diaz TKO
185 lbs.: Ronaldo Souza vs. Robbie Lawler – Jacare sumbission
205 lbs.: Herschel Walker vs. Scott Carson – Carson GNP
205 lbs.: Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley – Roger Gracie RNC
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