By FCF Staff
While much of the Strikeforce discussion has centered on the promotion’s upcoming heavyweight grand-prix lately, two of the organization’s more highly touted fighters in Nick Diaz (pictured) and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, will return to action, January 29th, in San Jose. Diaz (23-7) will look to defend his welterweight crown against Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (18-13), while the Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Souza (13-2) will take on challenger Robbie Lawler (18-6).
The two champions participated in a conference call yesterday to discuss next Saturday’s event, which will be hosted by San Jose’s HP Pavilion. The card will be broadcast on Showtime.
Here are some of the highlights from the call.
Nick Diaz
How would you describe Cyborg’s style?
“I think he’s a brawler and he kicks well. He’s a kick-boxer brawler. He’s a good fighter. He has knockout power and he hits hard. He can hurt you with one punch. If you hit anyone right with a good punch they’ll go down.”
“I think (Cyborg) is the best opponent for me right now. I want to fight George St. Pierre. I think (Jake Shields) is going to take him out (when they fight April 30) to be honest.”
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| Diaz Landing a Left on KJ Noons |
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind moving up. I’d just like to get paid for it, you know? I don’t like when I hear people say I didn’t accept the fight with (Mayhem) Miller because I was too small. I never said anything about that. I said if I’m going to go off-track and screw with my whole season and it’s going to screw with my whole year and screw with my capabilities fighting at 170 then I’m going to have to get paid in full. I’d like to have a reason for doing that. I’d like to get paid double or triple to do something that crazy. To f--k with my weight like that? I’d rather move down than move up if you’re not going to pay me for it. I might as well move down than up. Am I going to get paid for it? I’ll fight at 155 pounds unless they offer me a big money fight at 185 pounds. If they do then I’ll make it happen but I’m not going to do it for free; for the same as I would make at my normal 170 pounds. Why would I? It’s more work. That’s why I never wanted to sign for that fight with Miller, because they were talking about me moving weight. I was like tell these guys to f-----g get in shape and make weight like I do. It’s f-----g hard enough for me to make 170 pounds. You know what I mean? He acts like he wouldn’t be able to do it. He doesn’t want to work hard like me. That’s the problem. So he can work his ass off and make 170 pounds or 175 pounds or someone can f-----g pay me a couple f-----g million dollars to move up to 185 pounds to fight him. I know someone’s got that shit on videotape. That motherf----r doesn’t want to fight me. Talking about how he wants to fight me every chance he gets. I’ll fight him anyway. I just want to get paid. Pacquaio’s making 40 f-----g million dollars. He’s making a couple million dollars. I’m over here f------ driving a Honda because my shit’s breaking down. F--- all you motherf------.”
So what you’re saying is money is the key factor to fighting Miller. Bad blood doesn’t factor into it as much?
“That’s what it sounds like.”
How do you think you match up against some of the UFC’s top guys?
“I think I got here first and I was fighting before most of them, including George St. Pierre in the UFC. I was at it first. I was mad that they were getting fights and getting all this recognition when I was at it first. I thought it was first-come, first-serve. Like Josh Koscheck. I cornered a guy at a bar who probably had two fights in his life. They worked it like he was set up to fight Josh Koscheck. Then he gets an ass-whuppin. That’s what I’m saying. They’ve made easy fights for those guys. These guys have got like six or seven fights. Like all easy fights. I’ve never got to fight a guy like the one they brought into fight Josh Koscheck. So when you bring up fighters like that and tell me they are the best fighters in the world it’s a fucking joke. Those guys are all ranked now but I was here first. So let’s fight then. Let’s make it happen, you know?
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| Souza Hitting Tim Kennedy |
“Jacare” Souza:
“I want to show everyone that I’ve improved my cardio, my strength and my Jiu Jitsu technique. I want to show I have all those elements in my game.”
What is your game plan against Robbie Lawler?
“My plan is to bring Jiu Jitsu to the fight. I don’t know how or when but I’m well prepared. My guard is up and I will be 100 percent ready to go and fight. The plan for the fight is to bring Jiu Jitsu to the table when the time is right.”
What have you done to work on your standup game?
“I have a great gym behind me. We’ve been training a lot in cardio and boxing and learning how to walk around the cage and the ring. I know he’s a good boxer so I’m doing everything necessary to prepare for that. I’ve been training everything: boxing, wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, so I’m prepared to go in there and show everything.
“I’ve fought a lot of tough guys and I’ll put Robbie Lawler right there in the mix of the toughest I’ve faced.”
Is there a dream fight out there for you?
“I like to fight the best and the best changes every year so I pretty much want to fight anyone who can make my weight. The guy I want to fight right now is Robbie Lawler. He’s the guy that’s up next for me so that’s who I want to fight next.”
