Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz

From CageWiki

1 Background
2 Fight Card
3 Pre-Event Notes
4 Results
5 Strikeforce Event Chronology
6 External Links

Background

Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz is a 10-bout fight card that is set to take place on April 11, 2009 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

The card will air live on Showtime at 10pm ET and will feature a catchweight bout (179 lbs.) between former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Frank Shamrock and UFC and PRIDE veteran, Nick Diaz as its main event.

Fight Card

Preliminary Card

Bantamweight Bout: Jeremy Tavares vs. Shingo Kohara
Welterweight Bout: James Terry vs. Zak Bucia
Catchweight (187.5 lbs.) Bout: Raul Castillo vs. Brandon Michaels
Middleweight Bout: Eric Lawson vs. Waylon Kennell
Middleweight Bout: Luke Rockhold vs. Buck Meredith

Main Card

Heavyweight Bout: Brett Rogers vs. Ron Humphrey
Middleweight Bout: Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach
Womens Catchweight (150.5 lbs.) Bout: Cristiane Santos vs. Hitomi Akano
Interim Lightweight Championship Bout: Gilbert Melendez vs. Rodrigo Damm
Catchweight (179 lbs.) Bout: Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz

Pre-Event Notes

This is Strikeforce's first solo event to be held on Showtime since signing a three year contract in February of 2009.

A welterweight bout between former EliteXC welterweight champion, Jake Shields and former UFC competitor, Joe Riggs was originally scheduled for this card but Shields pulled out of the bout in order to headline the June Strikeforce event against Robbie Lawler. Joe Riggs would also move to that card as well.

A lightweight championship bout between champion, Josh Thomson and former champion, Gilbert Melendez was scheduled for this card, but a broken leg leading up to the bout suffered by Thomson forced his removal. Sengoku veteran, Rodrigo Damm filled in as a replacement and the bout was changed to one for the Interim championship.

At the weigh-in Cristiane Santos and Brandon Michaels were over the weight limit. Michaels came in at 187.5 lbs. for his 185 lbs. bout and the fight was changed to a catchweight of 187.5 lbs. with Michaels being fined 20% of his purse. Santos on the other hand weighed in at at 152 lbs. for her 145 lbs. bout. She was given a couple of hours to cut down to 149.5 lbs. in order to make the bout a legal one, however she weighed in at 150.5 lbs. but the fight was still cleared by the California State Athletic Commission. Her opponent, Hitomi Akano initially turned down the bout at the catchweight but after some coaxing she finally accepted the bout.

Results

Preliminary Card

Bantamweight Bout: Shingo Kohara defs. Jeremy Tavares via KO (knee) at :04 of round 2.
Welterweight Bout: James Terry defs. Zak Bucia via unanimous decision.
Catchweight (187.5 lbs.) Bout: Raul Castillo defs. Brandon Michaels via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:45 of round 1.
Middleweight Bout: Eric Lawson defs. Waylon Kennell via TKO (punches) at 4:54 of round 1.
Middleweight Bout: Luke Rockhold defs. Buck Meredith via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:07 of round 1.

Main Card

Heavyweight Bout: Brett Rogers defs. Ron Humphrey via TKO (Knees) at 1:38 of round 2.
Middleweight Bout: Scott Smith defs. Benji Radach via KO (punch) at 3:24 of round 3.
Womens Catchweight (150.5 lbs.) Bout: Cristiane Santos defs. Hitomi Akano via TKO (punches) at :35 of round 3.
Interim Lightweight Championship Bout: Gilbert Melendez defs. Rodrigo Damm via KO (punches) at 2:02 of round 2.
Catchweight (179 lbs.) Bout: Nick Diaz defs. Frank Shamrock via TKO (punches) at 3:57 of round 2.