Here are some pics from Strikeforce's press conference yesterday: [gallery]

Even though he lost by decision in his fight against Gray Maynard at UFC 96, Jim Miller is still in good spirits and is having an after-party for his New Jersey fans tonight at Miami Mikes on Route 10. I have full confidence that Jim will be back stronger than ever in his next UFC fight. If you want to meet Jim and party with him and those crazy AMA Fight Club guys, head on down to Miami Mike's tonight!

The guys over at TapouT would like people to honor Mask's memory today by wearing TapouT clothing. Mask was a founder in the company and died tragically in an automobile accident this week. So break out that TapouT gear and pay respects to a man who really loved the sport of MMA and helped make it go mainstream. You can leave comments about Mask on TapouT's site: Click to leave comments.

Strikeforce has put together its announcing team for their MMA broadcasts.  The team features Gus Johnson, Frank Shamrock, Mauro Ranallo, Stephan Quadross and Pat Militich.  After the jump you can read the entire press release.

LOS ANGELES (March 12, 2009) – The SHOWTIME Mixed Martial Arts announce team, led by play-by-play broadcast veteran Gus Johnson, Mixed Martial Arts experts Mauro Ranallo and Stephen Quadros and MMA legends Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich will combine to create one of the most experienced and versatile groups in the history of the sport. The announcement was made today by Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports & Event Programming, SHOWTIME, at a Los Angeles press conference kicking off the premium network’s new relationship with leading MMA promoter Strikeforce.

The group will work in various combinations on both Strikeforce championship telecasts and on the yet to be named up-and-comers’ series.

“I am thrilled with the announce team we’ve assembled,” said Hershman. “The depth of talent, in terms of professional fight experience and live broadcast polish, is unmatched in the industry.

“As the first premium television network to regularly deliver live MMA events, SHOWTIME has taken the lead in presenting the sport with the respect and integrity it deserves. We take pride in delivering unparalleled coverage of this dynamic sport. And now, our broadcast team is unparalleled as well.”

Gus Johnson

Johnson will be the lead play-by-play announcer and host for the Strikeforce telecasts on SHOWTIME, beginning with the first live event on April 11 (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) that features Frank Shamrock against Nick Diaz in the main event of a five-fight telecast. The versatile Johnson will be joined on April 11 by analysts Ranallo and Miletich.

A practicing mixed martial artist who studies Shing Yi Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and boxing, Johnson joined SHOWTIME Sports in January 2009 as the lead play-by-play announcer on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. In addition, Johnson continues his work with CBS Sports as play-by-play announcer for the network’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championships (since 1995) and the National Football League (since 1998).

“This is a great opportunity to be part of the most rapidly growing sport in America,” said Johnson. “MMA is a sport that, in a few years, can become one of the most dominant sports in the country because the kids love it. I think MMA is going to continue to flourish and SHOWTIME is the perfect network to foster its development on television.

“I don’t think there’s a better team out there that can deliver the intensity of the moment while entertaining the core MMA fan and enlightening new comers.

Johnson, who called boxing for CBS Sports and Madison Square Garden Network, was the voice of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS in 2008. He continues as an active member of the CBS Sports broadcast team.

Mauro Ranallo

Always quick with a quip, the renowned Ranallo will lead the play-by-play duties on the up-and-comers’ series.

The colorful Canadian previously worked blow-by-blow for EliteXC and ShoXC telecasts on SHOWTIME and was an analyst on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. From 2003-2006, he has provided play-by-play for pay-per-view broadcasts of Japan ’s legendary Pride Fighting Championships into the North American marketplace.

“I am very excited to be a part of the new SHOWTIME team,’’ said Ranallo, who also is the current lead anchor of the Fight Network, host of Fight Network Radio on Sirius/XM 98 and host of “The MMA Show” on the SCORE Network in Canada. “MMA is the purest form of competition featuring the greatest athletes in the world and I look forward to working with a very talented crew in providing the soundtrack for what I know will be some amazing fights.”

Stephen Quadros

Known throughout the world as "The Fight Professor," Quadros has been involved in the martial arts for decades. He was the editor of two fight magazines, trained competitors in both kickboxing and MMA and has an extensive broadcasting resume that includes Pride Fighting Championships, K-1, the International Fight League and ShoXC on SHOWTIME.

As an actor, the talented Quadros has had guest roles on numerous TV shows, including “C.S.I. Miami’’ and “Without A Trace.’’ Quadros was a guest lead when he fought Chuck Norris on the season premiere of “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

On the other side of the camera, Quadros functioned as fight technical advisor for two films for Warner Bros. (“Exit Wounds,” “Cradle 2 The Grave”).

“To me, working in the MMA industry has always been a great job,’’ the respected Quadros said. “So far I've been very fortunate to have been around the world, commentating on the best fighters and the best contests.

“But now with the partnership between Strikeforce and SHOWTIME, two of the most professional and enduring entities in the modern sports world, my confidence is at an all-time high.

“It's a dream come true to be aboard a venture of this magnitude alongside people who I hold in the highest regard. Let the games begin.”

Frank Shamrock

If he had his way, Shamrock, who also was an analyst on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, would fight and commentate on April 11.

Arguably the most physically gifted individual to step in the cage, Shamrock has been dubbed by the press as the “closest thing mixed martial has to Muhammad Ali” for his combination of versatile skills and quick-witted mind games he has so often used to gain a sharp advantage over his opposition.

During an illustrious career, Shamrock has taken out the likes of former UFC poster boy Tito Ortiz as well as MMA legend, Bas Rutten.  His 16-second submission of former Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson on Dec. 21, 1997 set a UFC record for stoppage of a fight.

"Great coaching and dedication to my art has allowed me to accomplish extraordinary things in my 15-year career,” said Shamrock, who has held multiple world titles and records. “At 36-years old, I feel that the greatest opponent facing me in the cage is Father Time. My work as a fighter is far from over, and on April 11, you’ll all see that.

“But one of my dreams has always been to work behind the mic as a sports analyst and to share my passion for martial arts with the world. I am honored to be part of the SHOWTIME announce team. These guys are, in my opinion, the best team in sports television. Under the guidance of Executive Producer David Dinkins, Jr., and my mentor Al Bernstein, I am confident that I can provide championship commentary for a great many years to come.”

Pat Miletich

Miletich is the founder of Miletich Fighting Systems, a premier MMA training academy in Bettendorf , Iowa , which includes amongst its trainees some of the most talented and popular fighters in MMA, including former Icon Sport and EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler.

Known as “The Croatian Sensation,” Miletich has been fighting professionally since 1995. Last year, he returned from a two-year layoff to knock out Thomas Denny in the second round (December, 2008). Miletich holds a third degree black belt in Shuri-ryu karate and has trained with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Sergio Monteiro, earning his BJJ black belt from Oswaldo Alves.

“I am very excited to be part of the SHOWTIME team,” said Miletich. “I know Scott Coker very well and he and his Strikeforce outfit have been putting on quality fights for a long time. Strikeforce and SHOWTIME are a terrific match and I am looking forward to contributing in every way that I can.”

Over the years, Miletich has served as guest commentator on Fox Sports Net and HDNet among others.

“I feel very comfortable in front of the camera,” he continued. “It’s going to be fun to be a regular part of the on-air team on such a high-profile show. The key for me is the support system. With guys like Gus Johnson and Mauro Ranallo quarterbacking the commentary, it’s going to be very natural for me.”

One of the most likable fighters in the sport, Miletich is the Vice President of Fighter Relations for the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts.

John "Doomsday" Howard is another East Coast fighter on the rise. I first saw him fight at CFFC 5, on the undercard of Kimbo vs. Mercer. He's been coming along great in his career and recently got his first UFC win at his debut at UFC 94. Thomas Gerbasi of UFC.com wrote a nice article about Doomday. Here it is:

John Howard – Here Comes The Doom By Thomas Gerbasi Broken tooth, lip ripped open, blood everywhere…welcome to the fight game, John Howard. February 5, 2005. Club Lido in Revere, Massachusetts. Boston native Howard, just 21, was competing in his third professional bout, taking on local standout Mandela Kponou. And for the first five minutes, Kponou lived up to all the advance hype, giving Howard a one-sided beatdown that should have been enough for the youngster to say, ‘okay, I’m done for the night.’ “He destroyed me,” recalled Howard. “He broke my tooth, he ripped my lip – my lip was literally hanging off my face – and he really beat me down big time, and that was just the first round.” At the sound of the bell, Howard, bloody but unbowed, made his way back to the corner. His team had seen enough and was ready to call the fight. “No, no, no, no,” came Howard’s response. “This guy just broke my tooth. I’m not leaving this ring until I leave with something. There’s no way I’m going home, looking at my mother and telling her I got beat down and didn’t do nothing back. If I die, then come get me. But if I’m still breathing, leave me alone – I’m going in.” His corner acquiesced and let Howard come out for round two. Kponou didn’t have a chance. Howard came back in the second stanza, held his own, and then just past the midway point, he found the opening he needed. “I caught him in a heel hook, and it wasn’t even in properly, but I was so mad and emotional that I just went for it with everything,” said Howard. “I ended up snapping his ankle and he tapped out.” That was the night John Howard became a fighter. “If that was the worst possible thing that could happen to me, yes, I can be a fighter,” he said. “I can deal with anything they throw at me.” Plus he was able to go back to his mother’s house and show that her son didn’t back down in a fight. The reaction coming back was understandable. “My mother was happy I won, but she was like ‘what are you doing? Do you really need to do this? Are you serious? Stop,’” he laughs. “Unfortunately she doesn’t watch the fights anymore because she don’t want to see that again, but she supports me, and she’s happy I’m doing something positive, she just wishes it wasn’t this and she wonders how I picked this sport.” “But you don’t pick this sport,” he said. “It picks you.” And once it picks you, it sinks its hooks in and won’t let go. That was the case with Howard, who began fighting in 2004 and quickly built up an unbeaten 5-0 record on the New England circuit before going through a year long funk in 2006-2007 that saw him go just 2-4 with another win over Kponou and decision defeats to current UFC middleweights Dan Miller and Nick Catone. It was then that the original light heavyweight realized that 185 pounds was still too big for him to compete on a level playing field. “That was part of the reason – I was fighting above my weight,” said Howard. “I first started at 205 and then went down to ’85, and at 185 I was too small. I was fighting guys who were really bigger than me. I was doing pretty good and I was still beating some of them, but it was a weight class that I never should have been in in the first place. Me, I was like ‘I just want to fight,’ so I did it anyway. And two of the guys I lost to are in the UFC right now – Dan Miller and Nick Catone – and those guys are monsters in the UFC, and I’m one of the only guys who took them to a decision.” Howard even broke Miller’s cheekbone in their closely contested 2007 bout, one that the New Englander believes could have gone either way. But once Howard made the drop to 170, he’s been a changed fighter who is currently riding a four fight winning streak. Oh yeah, and his last fight was on the UFC 94 card and just happened to earn him Fight of The Night honors for beating a quality veteran in Chris Wilson. That’s a long way from Club Lido, but the exciting win over Wilson didn’t really hit him until he got back home to Boston. “When I got home and saw the fight, that’s when I realized the impact,” said Howard. “After the fight, I thought the fight was good, but I thought my performance level was awful. But when I saw it, I was like ‘oh shoot, maybe I did do pretty good.’ (Laughs) There were a few shots he caught me with, and he kicked me off my feet, which impressed me, but it was just amazing to have a fight like that in the UFC. You only could dream about that.” It was no dream though, and once Howard got over the first-time UFC jitters, he was off, and he didn’t stop until he had put in his 15 minutes of work. It was an impressive debut to be sure, but in beating Wilson, he also proved he belonged on the UFC level. “After that fight, I felt like I really belonged and that this is gonna be my new home for some time, hopefully for the rest of my career,” he said. “Now, I’m at the point where I need to stay here – I want to make my spot in the UFC, and say I own this spot and deserve it.” Expected back in the Octagon later this year, Howard’s goal now is to keep moving up the middleweight ladder, but he admits that every fight could determine whether he moves up or if the ladder is pulled out from under him. “I do feel I control my own destiny, but only to a degree, and I still think it’s up in the air,” he admits. “I’m really religious and I think God has a plan, so my thing is to follow that plan. For right now, this is my path, I’m gonna follow it to where he sees fit. I feel my destiny is kinda in my hands, but it could be here today, gone tomorrow, so I stay humble and I live for the moment. That’s all I can do – live for the moment, appreciate the moment, and hopefully there’s a lot more moments to come in this career of mine.” There should be, especially when looking at Howard’s body of work, which includes fights over his weight, fights against more experienced foes, and fights where he had to dig deep in order to pull out the victory. In other words, win or lose, he’s bringing it. “I have a lot of heart, and I just go in there trying to fight,” he said. “I tell everyone, I don’t guarantee a win or a loss, but I guarantee a fight. I’m gonna fight with my heart, and that’s what I go in there with. So far I’ve survived with my heart, and that’s what I keep doing.” And truth be told, as far as the 26-year old is concerned, fighting in the UFC is still a surreal trip. “It’s amazing,” said Howard, 11-4. “When I first came in and I saw Jon Fitch, I was like ‘wow, I watched this guy on TV, I’m impressed with him,’ and then I thought, ‘I might be fighting this guy soon. Oh my goodness, what am I doing?’ (Laughs) But it’s an honor to be fighting with these guys. It was an honor to fight Chris Wilson. I saw him on TV, he took Jon Fitch to a decision, and it was a close fight, so I was honored to even be considered on that level and to be able to be in the same ring with guys like that.” At least until the bell rings – that’s when “Doomsday” comes in. “Doomsday” you ask? He’s the guy who took out Superman – how’s that for a statement to the welterweight division and particularly the man at the top, champion Georges St-Pierre? But do people get it? “Some people get it and they respect it,” said Howard of his moniker. “But a lot of people don’t know that Superman was actually killed at one point in time. And you have to give Doomsday respect because he killed Superman. Doomsday got killed in the process, but at least he did it. Nobody else did. It’s a little ballsy, but hey, people like it.” They’ll like the fighter behind the nickname too.

Our good friends over at MMA Bay first broke the rumor, then confirmed that Mark Coleman will be taking on Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100. This is kind of a weird match up, but I like it. Coleman and Bonnar are both coming off losses, Coleman losing to Shogun Rua and Bonnar getting beat by rising UFC star Jon Jones. Style-wise it's very interesting. I think we'll see some great ground work in this fight.