Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz April 11 San Jose

[GeneChing]

Anyone else going? I'm applying for press credentials right today. I wasn't going to go because it's the same day as Berkeley's CMAT, so it'll be a really big work day for me. But I talked to Cung and he convinced me I should try to go. Cung is slated to call the fight and if Shamrock wins, I'm guessing he'll call Cung out for a rematch. Cung would probably honor that, given his traditional roots in kung fu. He's been coaching Josh Thompson and James Terry who are both slated to fight that night.

Many have asked when Cung will go back in the cage. That's a good question, which I put to him last Wednesday. He's obligated to defend the belt for Strikeforce, but they haven't given him a deadline because he's got four movies in the queue this year. Every time one of those movies gets promoted, Strikeforce gets mentioned, so they're pretty happy with him holding the belt for now. The four films, if you haven't been keeping up, are Fighting, Tekken, Pandorum & True Legend. That's putting Cung on a pretty busy promotion tour schedule for this year, not much time to prep for a rematch. But if Shamrock wins and calls him down, his honor will be at stake, so there you have it.

I'll have more on this very soon. Stay tuned. Hope to see you at Shamrock vs. Diaz.

[WinterPalm]

I love watching Diaz fight...I think it'll be a drawn out mess of a fight.

[GeneChing]

I've been asked to pass this along to readers by good people at Strikeforce.

On Thursday, March 12th, at 12 noon, there will be a kick-off press conference about this fight featuring Shamrock, Diaz, Shields, Lawler and others at the Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood, hosted by Strikeforce and Showtime. If you're in that area, drop by and check it out. It's open to the public.

And if you do that, be sure to give us a report here.

[GeneChing]

I haven't got my confirmation yet, but I don't expect that until next week. Looking forward to the fight. James Terry on the undercard is one of Cung's fighters.

APRIL 11, 2009
Hp Pavilion - San Jose, Calif.
Live on SHOWTIME

___________________SHOWTIME Fight Card 7 p.m. PT*__________________
*Airs 10 p.m ET/PT, delayed on West Coast

RED CORNER
MAIN EVENT
FRANK "The Legend" SHAMROCK 24-9-1 San Jose, CA
NICK DIAZ 18-7-1 NC Stockton, CA
3x5 179 lbs

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH
JOSH "The Punk" THOMSON 16-2 San Jose, CA
GILBERT "El Nino" MELENDEZ 14-2 San Francisco, CA
5X5 155 lbs

CRIS Cyborg 6-1 Curitiba, Brazil
HITOMI "Girlfight Monster" AKANO 14-5 Tokyo, Japan
3x3 140 lbs

SCOTT "Hands of Steel" SMITH 16-5 Elk Grove, CA
BENJI "The Razor" RADACH 19-4 Irvine, CA
3x5 185 lbs

BRETT "The Grim" ROGERS 8-0 Minneapolis, MN
ABONGO HUMPHREY 12-0 Atlanta, GA
3x5 Heavyweight

_________Non-televised Undercard begins at approximately 5 p.m._________

LUKE ROCKHOLD 3-1 Santa Cruz, CA
BUCK MEREDITH 3-2 Temecula, CA
3x5 185 lbs

ERIC LAWSON 8-2 Concord, CA
WAYLON KENNELL 4-1 Los Angeles, CA
3x5 185 lbs

RAUL CASTILLO 5-0 Half Moon Bay, CA
BRANDON MICHAELS 2-2 Los Angeles, CA
3x5 185 lbs

JAMES TERRY 5-1 San Jose, CA
ZAC BUCIA 3-1 San Francisco, CA
3x5 170 lbs

JEREMY TAVARES 0-3 San Jose, CA
SHINGO KOHARA 0-0 PRO DEBUT Foster City, CA
3x3 135 lbs

[GeneChing]

They're local for me and they have Cung.

Coker working hard to ensure Strikeforce continues growth
By Brian Linder, T&D Sports EditorMonday, March 30, 2009

Scott Coker is a busy man.

Of course, the founder and CEO of Strikeforce wouldn’t have it any other way. Busy, in Coker’s world, means successful.

“We have a ton of fights to do,” Coker said. “We have probably quadrupled our workload, getting the TV contracts.”

In February, Strikeforce completed a deal to buy Pro Elite (Elite XC) and a TV deal with Showtime – which will air the company’s upcoming April 11 card featuring Frank Shamrock versus Nick Diaz in the main event. The company also has a TV deal with NBC. That, combined with the influx of fighters from Pro Elite, has left Coker scrambling to make everything come together.

“I think it’s an exciting time for our company,” he said. “We were able to pick up 40 of the top athletes (from Elite XC) … Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler, Gina Carano and some guys that you likely haven’t heard about but that are up and coming guys. Mix that with our roster, the Frank Shamrocks and (Renato Sobral) Babalus of the world … we are going to be very busy.”

There are more fighters to come. Strikeforce has been rumored to be in the Tito Ortiz sweepstakes and Coker confirmed talks with Kimbo Slice. In a world in which the UFC is established as the top dog, Coker’s Strikeforce has made a name for itself. In fact, it’s one of the few promotions that UFC President Dana White has praised.

“It only took 20 years to become an overnight success,” Coker joked. “About three years ago, there were so many leagues in the space – Bodog, IFL, Pro Elite, UFC, Pride – the landscape has really changed. Now, there’s UFC, our company, DREAM in Japan, those are the three major leagues that are doing the big fights throughout the world. I think the landscape has changed so that the top fighters are going to fight for these leagues.”

Strikeforce initially entered into the martial arts world when ESPN2 launched. They put on breaking contests, weapons contest and kickboxing for the network then. Now, in the mixed martial arts world, Strikeforce has respect but is still faced with the uphill battle of competing for consumer dollars with the UFC – essentially the NFL of the mixed martial arts worlds. That being said, Coker’s company has managed to assemble a stable that includes several of the world’s top fighters and the business plan for keeping the company relevant in the minds of MMA fans is simple.

“It comes down to putting on great fights, great television fights and great live events,” Coker said. “We have been successful at doing that. In the three years we have been in this business, we have put on some high profile fights. We had the fight of the year in Cung Le and Frank Shamrock last year. So, we have been able to put on fights that are relevant, keep putting on big shows, big live events that people want to see.”

He points to the April 11 Showtime card as evidence of the fights the company is able to put on. Shamrock (23-9-2) will main event against Diaz (18-7); Josh Thompson (16-2) will take on Gilbert Melendez (14-2) in a lightweight championship rematch, Scott Smith (14-5) will take on Benji Radach (19-4) and Chris “Cyborg” Santos (6-1), one of the top female fighters in the world, will take on Hitomi Akano (14-5).

“I think we are going to do the best card we have ever done in the history of Strikeforce,” Coker said. “Frank versus Nick Diaz and the rest of these guys you normally wouldn’t see on an undercard. We have three fights that could probably main event in another show.”

Coker’s determination to put on a good show for the fans has his biggest name, Shamrock, fully convinced Strikeforce will be a player in the MMA game for years to come.

“Scott’s the real deal when it comes to martial artists and a promoter,” Shamrock said. “That’s what the sport has been missing for a long time. We’ve kind of lost the martial arts in mixed martial arts, and I have 100 percent confidence that Strikeforce, Scott Coker and Silicon Valley Sports Entertainment can bring that all back. They are all successful business people that know about martial arts. We have had business people. We have had money people. We have had martial arts people, but we have never had those people in one company, on one team, until now.”

[Three Harmonies]

Diaz is going to kick his ass!

[GeneChing]

I'm actually looking forward to this match the most on the card. I like both fighters and their both local.

Gilbert Melendez sounds off

Melendez (14-2), the former Strikeforce lightweight world champion, will attempt to recapture the belt when he takes on current champ Josh “The Punk” Thomson (16-2) on Saturday, April 11 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the HP Pavilion at San Jose. The fight is a rematch of their classic five-round battle in 2008 when Thompson earned a unanimous decision victory over Melendez to win the title.

The “Shamrock vs. Diaz” event represents the dawn of a new age for Strikeforce as it will be the first one under its new television agreement with Showtime Networks Inc. The live telecast will feature up to five fights including a thrilling main event between three-time world champion and MMA legend Frank Shamrock (24-9-1) and fellow knockout artist Nick Diaz (18-7, 1 NC) contested at a catch weight of 179 pounds.

Middleweight (185-pound limit) sluggers Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (16-5, 1 NC) and Benji “Razor” Radach (19-4) will also meet in a featured contest.

Rival forces from different worlds will meet when women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) sensation, Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (6-1) of Brazil collides with “Smack Girl” Champion Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano (14-5) of Japan, in a 145-pound showdown.

Heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) forces, Brett “The Grim” Rogers (8-0) and “Abongo” Humphrey (12-0) will put their unbeaten records on the line when they face off.

Tickets for “Shamrock vs. Diaz,” priced from $30, are available for purchase at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (408-998-TIXS), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Below are some highlights from the attached sound bites recorded at the workout. For full audio, please download the documents attached to this email.

What do expect from Josh:

“I expect the same Josh. Sticking and moving, sticking and moving, and trying to stay light on his feet. He’ll fight with a lot more tricks, a lot more strategy. Maybe go low, and then high and fight at a lot more angles. Josh is a great. He’s a pioneer in the sport and I expect everything from him. He’s good everywhere. He had great takedowns last time as well and I expect a good fight from him.”

On how his training is going:

“I feel great. I feel like 25 minutes is like a normal thing for me. It’s a jog. It’s always hard to feel completely prepared because I always feel like there isn’t enough time in the week to prepare and do everything I need. I feel confident that I’m going to do a hell of a lot better than my last performance out there. I’m just looking forward to performing a lot better than last time.

Are there any friends at 155 pounds?

“Everything is different now. Guys have asked me to train. Diego Sanchez asked me to train now that he’s dropped out of 155. I’ve learned it is war out there. You gotta have your team and you have to stick by it. Sometimes you want to do things to help you out. It’s nothing personal out there, but I want to beat every 155-pounder out there except Nathan (Diaz) so it’s just the way it has to be.”

About Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

[GeneChing]

...This really bums me out. I was looking forward to this match. Form the press release:

BROKEN LEG FORCES THOMSON OUT OF TITLE DEFENSE

New York (April 1, 2009)?A broken left leg sustained during a sparring sessioon earlier today has forced Strikeforce World Lightweight (155 lb. limit) Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson (16-2) to withdraw from his scheduled title defense against Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-2) at Strikeforce’s “Shamrock vs. Diaz” event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, April 11.

Strikeforce is searching for a replacement fighter to face the top-ranked Melendez in the live SHOWTIME televised event.

“I was sparring hard and I broke my leg, above my ankle, during an exchange,” said the 30-year-old Thomson, who was trading blows with fellow Strikeforce competitor Billy Evangelista when the injury occurred. Thomson is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday and is expected to be out of action for two to three months.

“I’m very upset. All the hard work was done and it was time to fight,” said the injured champ. “I was looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans. All I can say is that I’ll be back when I get healthy.”

Strikeforce “Shamrock vs. Diaz” will air live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) on Saturday, April 11.

[GeneChing]

...there's a pay-per view webcast. See this press release:

SHOWTIME® OFFERS MMA FANS ONLINE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE WITH “STRIKEFORCE: ALL ACCESS”

Mixed Martial Arts Event to Stream Simultaneously With Live SHOWTIME Telecast of Strikeforce: "Shamrock vs. Diaz"; Saturday, April 11, From HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

NEW YORK (April 8, 2009) SHOWTIME will offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans the opportunity to get immersed in the April 11, blockbuster premiere of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME with its new interactive online experience, Strikeforce: All Access, it was announced today by the network’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming, Ken Hershman. The digital initiative, an interactive live stream of Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz, on Saturday, April 11, further demonstrates the premium network’s commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution.

Fans can purchase the live webcast simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET*. Online participants can control their own viewing experience through multiple camera angles with corresponding audio tracks as well as interact with fellow users, view user-generated photos and download select music tracks from the event.

"By and large, the core fight fans watching MMA on SHOWTIME are among the most technologically savvy of all viewers," said Hershman. "We are proud to offer this enhanced experience to an audience that will embrace the opportunity to control the content and interact with one another during the live show. Strikeforce: All Access puts you in the driver seat."

Strikeforce: All Access will cost $24.95 per user and is available for review and pre-order by visiting http://strikeforce.sho.com.

With Strikeforce: All Access, fans can be the producer. Users can toggle between five live cameras surrounding the cage with full pause and rewind capabilities. Audio tracks will include the SHOWTIME telecast fight call by Gus Johnson, Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich, and the corresponding audio to the selected camera. SHOWTIME is working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-camera experience.

Fans will be able to make predictions, comment on live fights, discuss outcomes and even talk a little smack with All Access through a live Facebook® Connect application.

Other Strikeforce: All Access features will include professional photography from the action in the cage, as well as behind-the-scenes, backstage and fan photos. Images will be uploaded during the live event via Flickr, the popular image and video hosting website and online community.

If users want to own the ring-walk music of their favorite fighter, they can purchase select songs via iTunes directly from links on the site.

“SHOWTIME has led the industry in multi-platform initiatives for years,” said Robert Hayes, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media for SHOWTIME. “We were the first premium network to offer content on iTunes. We were the first to offer Emmy® voters online screenings of SHOWTIME nominees. We partner with over 100 sites when sampling episodes of our original series and SHOWTIME Sports content. And we are the only premium network offering the explosive sport of mixed martial arts."

“Sports will be one of the big winners with the availability of high quality, scalable and affordable live streaming,” said Chris Turner, VP of Worldwide Sales and Business Development at BitGravity. “SHOWTIME understands that sport fans demand a seamless viewing experience with a quality stream, quick start and no download. We are delighted to work with them to deliver Strikeforce: All Access.”

The April 11 fight card features MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock taking on his newest rival, superstar Nick Diaz in the main event. Female MMA phenom Cris "Cyborg" of Brazil will take on Japan's Hitomi Akano, middleweight contender Scott Smith will face Benji Radach and heavyweights Brett Rogers and "Abongo" Humphrey will square off to round out the show. Plus, Gilbert Melendez will face an opponent to be announced in a lightweight match.

*Telecast airs live at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME (delayed on the West Coast); Strikeforce: All Access will be webcast live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

[Violent Designs]

Gonna be awesome.

On another note.

We HAVE to see Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler II.

That would, be an epic war. I could see Lawler winning it and finishing with a third match too for trilogy.

[Three Harmonies]

Lawler will have to get through Jake Shields first! That is going to be a great fight!
Jake