Strikeforce: Diaz Clobbers Zaromskis, Lawler Hail Mary's Manhoef, Cyborg Successful

The story of the evening was once again Nick Diaz.  Love him or hate him, there is one statement that is undeniable about Nick Diaz, which was made by the Stockton scrapper himself in what has become somewhat of a gem in MMA lore:  "I ain't no bitch."

I, for one, will not argue that philosophical epiphany.  Diaz did his usual thing last night:  he strutted fearlessly into battle with his gangly arms raised in an awkward but effective fighting stance with a piercing scowl washed over his face, burying himself in the hostile trenches of close striking range with punches and kicks streaming through and whizzing by, and snapped off a series of sizzling combinations that eventually found their mark and crumbled his opponent to the canvas in a heap.

His opponent, Marius Zaromskis, registered a valiant effort, actually turning the tides in his favor early on in the fight by firing off an accurate string of forceful strikes that caught Diaz' attention and even dropped him once.  With "The Whitemare" bursting out of the gate early and finding success with his vicious stand-up, Diaz initiated a single position and choice of technique that seemed to serve as the fight's turning point. 

After enduring a series of malicious machine gun-bursts from the Lithuanian southpaw's stand-up, Diaz slid under his punches and moved to the clinch, where he pressed Zaromskis against the fence and bombed a volley of short, hard knees to his right leg--and not just one or two either.  The strategy was subtly brilliant, as the centerpiece of Zaromskis' repertoire is the lightning-fast left high kick that he crushed his last three opponents with; a technique that is anchored by the critical torque provided by planting and pivoting on the right leg.

This specifically focused attack put a damper on Zaromskis' footwork and overall movement, and generally took the wind out of his sails.  Diaz was then able to pursue and attack more efficiently, and Zaromskis was reduced to survival mode while covering and counter-punching.  Diaz picked his spot and pounced with a well-timed downpour of mile-long punches from all angles, connecting solidly to the head and body before walking his opponent down and folding him with a short right hook to conclude an electric first round.

It was the type of assured and unflinching ass-kicking that we've come to love and expect from MMA superstar Nick Diaz.

145 pound challenger Marloes Coenen hung tough against Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, showing the uncanny composure that only a veteran like Coenen can, before succumbing to the incessant power-shots that kept coming from Cyborg.  Cyborg's performance did nothing to blemish the notion that she's in an entirely different league than most other female fighters in the game, and she flawlessly demonstrated her picture-perfect rendition of the Chute Boxe wrecking ball style in feminine form.  She continues to single-handedly bolster women's MMA by consistently putting on exciting performances with her masterful skill and unbridled aggression.

Everyone gets really upset if you use the term "lucky punch" in MMA, but let's face it... Robbie Lawler landed the money shot on Melvin Manhoef last night.  In a one-sided beating eerily reminiscent of the striking clinic that Pete Spratt put on Lawler at UFC 47, Manhoef looked like a killing machine set on auto-pilot.  He cracked Lawler's lead leg hard and often with crisp leg kicks that visibly took their toll, and was controlling every aspect of the fight and seemed to be on the verge of finishing until Lawler dug deep and produced the jackpot.

Of course, the beauty of MMA is that a fighter can take a beating for 99% of the fight, but it only takes one well-placed punch on the button to turn the tables.  With his back to the cage while chewing on a lot of leather, Lawler threw a caveman-like overhand right that rocked Manhoef, and followed up with another brutal shot just as Melvin hit the canvas to seal a dramatic comeback victory.

For a first-timer, Herschel Walker looked surprisingly solid.  Regardless of the sugary sweet praise being drizzled by the Strikeforce commentators, Walker looked more calm, comfortable, and competent than most fighters in their professional debut.  He'll never be a champion, or even a contender; but he will be the type of charismatic and likable fighter that fans will rally behind and support, which I think both Walker and Strikeforce will be happy with.  He was decent on his feet and savvy in avoiding some of Nagy's submission attempts, and eventually held on to pound his demoralized opponent out in the third round from the top position.

Wes Sims vs. Bobby Lashley was what we expected.  You have to give Sims credit for taking on a hulking leviathan like Lashley on just a few weeks notice, and even if he had the leisure of training properly, the odds would be highly stacked in Lashley's favor.  The former pro-wrestler ragdolled Sims to the canvas and proceeded to mercilessly thump Sims until the referee intervened.  Sims protested the stoppage, but don't hold your breath for a rematch.

Joe Riggs versus Jay Hieron, which was streamed live on EA Sports, resulted in Hieron implementing his athleticism and ever-improving stand-up to outlast Riggs to a rather drab unanimous decision victory.  Hieron will most likely be next in line for a shot at Nick Diaz' new championship belt.

Overall, for a young promotion that is looking to establish themselves as a legitimate and appetizing alternative to the UFC, Strikeforce succeeded with last night's "Strikeforce: Miami" show, and I will be definitely be tuning in for more.