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Nate Diaz will get next title shot after UFC on Fox 3 win

Nate Diaz's next opponent is set. After his dominating win over Jim Miller on Saturday night, MMA Junkie reports that Diaz will get the next shot at the UFC lightweight belt.

Though previous reports had Diaz possibly facing off with Anthony Pettis for a title eliminator, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Diaz will get the next title shot after champion Benson Henderson and former champ Frankie Edgar rematch this summer.

In his last three fights, Diaz has a second-round submission over Miller, a decision over Donald Cerrone and a first-round submission win over Takanori Gomi. With an overall record of 16-7, five of his losses have come in the UFC but he has never been stopped in the Octagon. Diaz was last submitted by Hermes Franca at a WEC bout in October of 2006.

Does Diaz deserve the next title shot in the packed UFC lightweight division? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace

PENICK: Strikeforce "Barnett vs. Cormier" Preview and Fight Picks For Top Three Bouts

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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Strikeforce's Heavyweight World Grand Prix finally comes to a close tomorrow night as Daniel Cormier faces Josh Barnett in the finals in San Jose, Calif. on Showtime. Cormier makes it into the final despite not even being a designated alternate when it kicked off last February, yet nevertheless he's more than a deserving contender in this slot. Additionally, Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson will square off for a third time for the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship. Here's what's on tap for the Showtime broadcast tomorrow night:

Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier (Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix Finals)

Josh Barnett has won eight straight fights dating back to 2008, and he hasn't lost a fight since New Year's Eve of 2006, when he dropped a decision to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. That eight fight winning streak is just the latest chapter of a lengthy career, yet it almost matches the entirety of Cormier's MMA run, which has seen the former Olympian go 9-0 since entering the sport in 2009.

However, while Barnett's certainly got a massive experience edge over Cormier, this fight represents a massive shift in opponents from what Barnett has faced during this most recent run. If you look at the opponents Barnett has taken on over the last four years, none have much if any wrestling to speak of. He's been having a lot of success against strikers that he can hang with on the feet, but who can't hang with him on the ground.

Against Cormier, he's got a former Olympic wrestler who is one the most accomplished wrestlers competing in the sport, and he's shown some very good striking as of late as well. His three round performance against Jeff Monson was impressive, and his knockout of "Bigfoot" Silva as well was an eye opener in that department.

Barnett's got a great top game and very solid striking, but Cormier is capable of standing and being effective against Barnett in the striking game, and he won't be dominated on the ground. In fact, I'd be surprised if Barnett can find a way to score a takedown in this one. I like Cormier to keep his record undefeated here. Cormier via decision


Gilbert Melendez vs. James Thomson (Lightweight Championship)

These two fought twice 18 months apart in 2008 and 2009, and the difference between the two fights was immensely clear. Thomson's injury issues just three years ago saw him become a slower and less effective version of the fighter that defeated Melendez, and the current Champ dominated the action throughout all five rounds of the rematch.

Since that fight, Melendez has won three more fights, and Thomson has won three of four. However, injury issues once again have hampered Thomson, and he was out of action for another 15 months between his last two fights.

There's absolutely no reason to believe this fight will be any different than the second fight. Melendez is simply the superior fighter in every aspect of the sport in 2012. Thomson is immensely tough, and he'll have some success in a 25-minute fight, but this is very likely going to be a repeat of their December 2009 title bout. Melendez via decision


Rafael Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle (Light Heavyweight)

This fight pits two of the only viable light heavyweight fighters left on Strikeforce's roster against one another, and it's another rematch on the card. Kyle knocked Cavalcante out almost three years ago when "Feijao" was still an up and coming contender in the division. At the time it was a shocking outcome, but Kyle's continued to have a modicum of success in the years since that win.

Kyle is 6-2 with one no contest in nine fights since that knockout win, and both losses came in the heavyweight division when he jumped up to take on Fabricio Werdum and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. In his six wins at 205 lbs. since their first fight, Kyle has stopped all but one.

Cavalcante would rebound from that loss, and in fact captured the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title from Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal before getting knocked out by Dan Henderson last year.

This is going to be a striking heavy fight, and both are going to be swinging with bad intentions looking for a finish. Both have suffered recent knockout losses, and there are questions on the chins for both, but at this stage I think I have more faith in Kyle's than Feijao's. I'll take Kyle by KO in the second round

Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez Keith Hackney Matt Hamill

UFC 129: Ben Henderson Beats Mark Bocek

by Michael David SmithBen Henderson defeated Mark Bocek at UFC 129.In the UFC debut the former World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight champion, Ben Henderson won a unanimous decision over Mark Bocek at UFC 129.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Henderson, who improved his MMA record to 13-2.

"Where ever the fight took place, if he's on top of me, if I'm on top of him, if we trade knees and elbows, I'm ready for anything," Henderson said after the fight.

 

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Tony DeSouza  Edwin Dewees  Nick Diaz  Tadhg Steamfist Dixon Joe Doerksen 

Bellator: Season-six bantamweight and welterweight tourneys conclude in summer

It doesn't take much more than a calendar and an upcoming fight schedule to realize Bellator had a problem.

With two of its season-six tournaments yet to conclude their semifinal rounds, and with Bellator's current season wrapping next week, the eight-man tourneys now will concluded in the summer.

A Bellator official today confirmed the plans with MMAjunkie.com.


Wes Soldier Combs  Ray Cooper  Kit Cope  Wesley Cabbage Correira  Patrick The Predator Côté 

A New #1 Contender and Other Handsome Notes from WWE RAW

Welcome to our review of Monday Night RAW Starring Brock Lesnar from this week!  Yes! Daniel Bryan is the number one contender for CM Punk‘s WWE Championship after submitting Jerry Lawler in two and a half minutes to beat Randy Orton‘s time of 4:16 in a Beat the Clock contest. Such contests are a lot [...]

Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio  Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz AzeredoÂ