Just a reminder from your friendly neighborhood blogger, Strikforce: Diaz vs. Noons II comes to the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Saturday, October 9th, this weekend. It's no secret that I'm a huge MMA fan, and it's no secret that I love imposing my likes and interests on you, my readers. That's why you love me ... right?
Either way, Strikeforce has put on some decent cards of late. My problem with the promotion is their commentating and production, not to mention their propensity for butchering tournaments, but beyond that, the actual fights more often than not err on the side of exciting. It's not a stacked event, but it does have a few exciting matchups that any fan of mixed martial arts or combat sports in general should enjoy. Jump for more.
The main event is a rematch from 2007 in which K.J. Noons pummeled Nick Diaz for five minutes before a doctor called the fight due to bad cuts sustained by Nick, to earn the vacant lightweight championship belt for the now defunct EliteXC organization. Diaz and Noons have a rather large rivalry going on at the moment, and the bout, more so than determining who will come out as Strikeforce's welterweight champion, will solidify who, of the two, get final bragging rights between them.
The women's 135-pound title is on the line in the co-main event as Sarah Kaufman takes on dutch grappler Marloes Coenen. Despite Coenen's recent loss, it's stellar matchmaking between a couple of the best female fighters in the game today. If Coenen can secure a takedown, it should be her fight to lose, but Kaufman isn't a slouch in the takedown defense department. Should be interesting to see where the fight ends up, as it will decide who's hand is raised at the end.
Josh Thomson and Gesias Cavalcante square off in lightweight action that should be fast-paced fun provided both of the injury-prone fighters make it out to the cage with all limbs intact. Thomson will look to avoid the bombs of "JZ," while negating the sometimes-inconsistent, but at it's best sensational jiu-jitsu with his wrestling if and when the fight goes to the mat.
The night's main card is opened with a welterweight bout between Tyron Woodley and Andre Galvao, two prospects looking to string together some semblance of consistency while feeding off each other's mid-level name in the Strikeforce promotion.
For all of SB Nation's stellar coverage of the event, check out our Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II page. Check back here on Saturday for more on the event as well.