Nick Diaz scored an exciting first round knockout over Mariusz Zaromskis in a wild round to retain his Strikeforce Welterweight title at the Bank Once Center in Sunrise, Florida.
Both guys landed heavy shots that included Zaromskis landing a hard shot that sent Doaz down to the floor but Diaz popped right up and and began to pound away on the face of Zaromskis as he landed some huge shots until he landed a booming right hook that put Zaromskis down and out at the 4:38 mark of round one.
Diaz, of Stockton, California is now 20-8-1 with twelve knockouts. Zaromskis of London is now 13-4.
“I’ll fight anybody,’’ said Diaz, who has been victorious in seven of his last eight and hasn’t lost in more than two years. I felt real good fighting again at 170. But the guy I really want is Gegard Mousasi.’’
Cris Cyborg retained her Strikeforce Lightweight title as she stopped a tough Marloes Coenen in round tyhree of their scheduled five round five.
Cyborg controlled most of the action throughout the fight by Coenen showed toughness and got in some big punches for herself until Cyborg pounded her on the ground and the fight was stopped at 2:07 of round three.
Cyborg, 144 1/2 lbs of Curitiba, Brazil is now 9-1 with seven stoppages. Coenen, 143 3/4 lbs of Amsterdam is now 17-4.
I’m very happy to win this fight,’’ said Cyborg shortly the heated scrap was stopped at 3:40 of the third. “It was a good fight. I think I could have done more but she was the toughest fighter I’ve faced and has a great heart. I admire her a lot.’’
Coenen, a strikingly attractive submission whiz who couldn’t take down Cyborg, wanted the fight to continue. “This is extremely disappointing to say the least,’’ she said. “This was for a world title. It should have been allowed to go a little longer. I wanted to fight.’’
Former NFL Star and Olympic Bobsledder Herschel Walker proved that life begins at forty-seven years old as he made a successful pro debut by stopping an over matched Greg Nagy in round three of a scheduled three round Heavyweight fight.
Walker showed versatility as he was effective with strikes and on the ground and was in control for just about every second of the fight until it was stopped at 2:17 of round three.
Walker, 214 1/4 lbs looked in pronominal shape to winhis pro debut. Nagy, 210 1/2 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 1-2
“I feel good but I didn’t do many things right and I still have a lot to learn,’’ said Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and a two-time Pro Bowl competitor. “The experience itself was exciting and I thank my opponent for fighting me. It’s tough to fight an old man. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“I thought I’d be more nervous. I’m an MMA fighter now. I earned a little bit of a stripe tonight. This is one of my biggest athletic achievements ever.’
“Ruthless” Robbie Lawlor scored one of the most devastating one punch knockout over Melib Manhoef in round of their scheduled three round bout.
Manhoef dominated the fight as he was viciously kicking Lawlor’s legs and landing hard body shots until Lawlor landed a “Hayemaker” right hook that landed squarely on Manhoef’s chin and he was knocked out cold before he crumbled to the ground and for good measure, Lawlor landed a hard right to jaw the jaw and the fight was stopped at 3:33 of round one.
Lawlor of Granite City, IL is now 17-5-1 with fourteen knockouts. Manhoef of Amsterdam, Netherlands is now 24-7-1
“I knew this guy was really a killer, but I knew I would catch him,’’ Lawler said. “When he looks to finish, he really loads up. I just lured him in and got him.
“He was chopping and chopping and he was really hurting me with the leg kicks. When I felt the first one land, I knew I could get one more in and finish, and that’s what I did.’’
Former WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley remained undefeated as he pounded Wes Sims for much of their two-plus minute Heavyweight bout.
Lashley had the 6’8″ Sims on tne ground and continued to pound Sims until the referee stopped the bout at 2:06 of round one of their scheduled three round fight
Lashley, 252 1/4lbs of Coconut Creek, Fla is now 5-0 with two knockouts. Sims. 258 1/4 lbs of Lancaster, OH is now 22-13-1-2.
“Anytime you win and learn something, it’s a good night,’’ he said. “Sims is a tall guy who came in with nothing to lose, almost like he didn’t care, and those are the guys that are usually the hardest to fight.
“I want to continue to step up.
