Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 25, 2011 at 12:30 pm ET Bleachersreport
Despite some hiccups along the way, the televised main card for next month's
"Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" event is good to go.
This month's earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan, as well as the UFC's recent purchase of Strikeforce, initially cast some doubt on the Showtime-televised card.
But all four bouts are official for April 9, Strikeforce spokesperson Mike Afromowitz recently confirmed
San Diego's Valley View Casino Center hosts "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," and a welterweight title fight between champion Nick Diaz (24-7 MMA, 5-0 SF) and challenger Paul Daley (27-9-2 MMA, 2-0 SF) headlines the show.
Daley cast some doubt on the matchup following the UFC-Strikeforce purchase earlier this month. Daley, who was fired by the UFC after a post-fight suckerpunch of opponent Josh Koscheck in 2010, fired off a series of posts on and suggested he might not want to fight for the Zuffa LLC-owned Strikeforce any longer.
The British slugger, though, is going through with the bout.
Also secured for the card is a lightweight title fight between champ Gilbert Melendez (18-2 MMA, 8-1 SF) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2 MMA, 0-0 SF). Officials had put K.J. Noons on standby as a possible replacement following the chaos of the Japanese disaster, but they're now confident Kawajiri is good to go.
In addition to the title fights, the "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" main card includes lightweights Lyle Beerbohm (16-1 MMA, 5-1 SF) vs. DREAM champion Shinya Aoki (26-5 MMA, 0-1 SF) in a non-title fight and light heavyweights Mike Kyle (18-8-1 MMA, 2-3-1 SF) vs. Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1 MMA, 2-1 SF).
Afromowitz said the event's preliminary card will be finalized in the coming days.
(Pictured: Paul Daley)