Strikeforce Diaz vs Daley Recap and Results

Posted by Joshua Wood (Editor in Chief)

Apr 9

The first major Strikeforce event under its new ownership started out with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker addressing the sale in an interview with Mauro Ranallo. The interview didn’t net anything to interesting other than Coker (as a fan) would like to see super fights between UFC and Strikeforce. We know that’s not going to happen Mr. Coker cause everything is “Business as Usual” remember?

Live from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley was an exciting event overall. The main card which aired live on Showtime saw three finishes in the first round plus a slugfest between Keith Jardine and Gegard Mousasi that ended in a majority draw.

Here is a recap of tonight’s Strikeforce action:

Main Card:

155 lbs.: Shinya Aoki vs. Lyle Beerbohm – Shinya Aoki by 1^st round submission (neck crank)

Knowing just how good Shinya Aoki was on the ground you’d like Lyle Beerbohm would have wanted to stay clear of the ground. That wasn’t the case as Beerbohm went to the clinch with Aoki and got taken down by the DREAM lightweight champion. Aoki quickly took the back of Beerbohm and went for a rear naked choke, but instead got a nasty neck crank that forced Beerbohm to tap.

205 lbs.: Keith Jardine vs. Gegard Mousasi – Majority Draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)

The first round saw Keith Jardine getting five takedowns but only throwing two punches from the top position. Gegard Mousasi was getting the better of the striking throughout the round but was deducted a point for an illegal up kick. Round two and three saw Mousasi take over and batter and bloody Jardine for ten minutes. Credit Jardine for hanging in there but he didn’t nothing major in those two rounds except survive. Mousasi was taken down twice in round two but quickly got up before Jardine could even throw a single punch. The fight went to the judges and was called a majority draw but if not for the point deduction Mousasi would have won the fight.

155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri – Gilbert Melendez by 1^st round TKO

Getting his first chance at using elbows on a grounded opponent, Gilbert Melendez wasted no time using them on Tatsuya Kawajiri. Using them to perfection as if he was a season pro, Melendez dropped four nasty elbows on Kawajiri that stopped the fight minutes into its beginning. Melendez completely dominated this bout, not allowing Kawajiri to get any momentum and punishing him non-stop.

Main Event:

170 lbs.: Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley – Nick Diaz 1^st round TKO

WOW! This fight was a complete slugfest with both fighters getting in powerful shot that hurt their opponent. The champion Nick Diaz was hurt not once but twice and the powerful Paul Daley and even though he said he was never hurt, Diaz is pulling everyone chain. Both fighters were throwing punches all over the place, which is how the fight ended as Diaz and Daley were both landing shots and as they broke Daley was hurt and stumbled to the ground. Diaz jumped in and finished the fight with ground and pound.