Strikeforce - Nick Diaz Vs.Top 5 Middleweight Free Agents

by Marine44 on Jun 17, 2009 11:23 PM EDT Comment 11 comments

Ok Strikeforce is starting to get exciting especially for the price, but now there is a problem and that is Cung Lee. I glad his movie Carrier is going well, but it is time for strike force to create a Middleweight Interim title. Just one problem the2 best middle weight contenders ( Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler) just got beat by welterweights. So the obvious solution would be for the two to fight each other.... Not going to happen Nick Diaz and Jake Shields are training partners and best friends and that fight will never happen. One fighter needs to go up to middle weight (I pick Diaz) and the other needs to stay at welterweight. If that were to happen then who would Diaz fight? Scott Smith, Benji Radach, Terry Martin, Robbie Lawler, and Frank Shamrock all coming off losses and with the winner of Evangelista Santos ( the husband of Cristinane "Cyborg" Santos) Vs. Joey Villasenior not quite a challenge I think Strikeforce needs to pick up a #1 contender off the free agent market to challenge Shields or Diaz (I think Diaz is more well rounded and could do better in the middleweight division than shields).

Disclosure : I don't know if these fighters are under contract with smaller promotions. (no particular order)

1. Travis Lutter - Yes I know he is coming off two losses but those were to Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin. In both of those fights fatigue played a factor and he also had both fighters in serious trouble.

2. Jason McDonald- Also coming off two losses but a great well rounder fighter with wins over Ed Herman and Chris Leban. Jason could make a huge impact in Strikeforce.

3.Jesse Taylor- Yes the drunken TUF reject, but he is on a 5 fight win streak and holds the KOC Middleweight title.

4.Paulo Fiho- The ex WEC middleweight champion is scheduled to fight for dream, but with Affliction , Dream, and Strikeforce having such good relations maybe that fight could happen.

5.Vitor Belfort- Is on a 4 fight win streak and is scheduled to fight at Affliction: Trilogy, but maybe after that Strike force could sign him or borrow him.

Poll

Who should Strikeforce Sign next in the middlewieght Division?

Travis Lutter

13 votes

Jason McDonald

39 votes

Jesse Tayor

7 votes

Paulo Fiho

16 votes

Vitor Belfort

79 votes

154 votes | Poll has closed

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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Comments

Taylor, MacDonald and Lutter are in your top 5 free agent middleweights but Santiago and Misaki (who have both actually fought in Strikeforce) don’t even rate a mention?

by George Lucas on Jun 17, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Strikeforce has plenty of challengers for Diaz in the WW and MW class, even without signing these guys, although, the addition of Lutter, J-Mc, Taylor, and Belfort would further solidify the MW class as their best weight class, with Shields, Ruthless, Le, Santiago, Misaki, Villasenor, Mayhem, etc.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 17, 2009 3:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nick’s camp has said that all of his fights from here on out will be at welterweight, so I don’t really see the use in speculating match-ups for him at middleweight.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 17, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dream should try to get Nick to fight Melvin Manhoef… So he can either start working on his excellent groundwork again, or get KTFO to realize that he SHOULD be using it more… His boxing won’t be able to stand up forever.

by itsallgood013 on Jun 17, 2009 5:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would like to see Nick take on Mayhem Miller – could be an epic smack-talking battle.

Visit MMAEruption.com!

by MMAEruption on Jun 17, 2009 10:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw Taylor win that belt

He’s a mathumper extraordinaire. He’d get pieced up.

I like the Manhoef idea.

by subo on Jun 18, 2009 12:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pretty sure that Taylor has been fighting at welterweight since he got the boot from the UFC the second time around.

by rabrown on Jun 18, 2009 9:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nope

Jesse Taylor is currently the MW Champion for King of Champions based out of Colorado. Like Subo, I was there and he was a major force that night but I wouldn’t say that Chris Camozzi is up there in skill when it comes to Nick Diaz.

What the fuck is a "robster craw"?

by Gunslinger20 on Jun 19, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vitor

is too good to be in Strikeforce.

Affliction, UFC, or bust

Supporting all Las Vegas MMA. Xtreme Couture FTMFW.

'09 is the year of the FW's.

by ElliotMatheny on Jun 19, 2009 4:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, in my opinion Affliction is not better than Strikeforce. Strikeforce has more staying power and Vitor will see that. Just cuz Fedor fights for Affliction, doesn’t necessarily mean they are better.

What the fuck is a "robster craw"?

by Gunslinger20 on Jun 19, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could see Vitor in Strikeforce...

but the big signing out of all those will more than likely be Jason McDonald. While not a huge, charismatic fighter…. the guy has awesome skills and would be a major player.

Lutter is done, he’s coaching down in Texas doing occassional show appearances.

Filho said he is moving to LHW

Jesse Taylor could pull it off, I don’t know if he’d be a challenger though.

Once Strikeforce has had a few more shows on Showtime and such, the popularity will get bigger and Vitor would sign, at least in my opinion.