DIAZ VS. DALEY WAS BETTER THAN ADVERTISED
I had concerns about the main event falling short of expectations. Boy, was I wrong.

For three ticks shy of five minutes, these two went toe-to-toe, trading punishing blows and trying to put the other one away. Both men got rocked at different points in the frenetic first round, and even though they only used 1/5 of the allotted time, the fans still got what they came for and then some.

Whatever your feelings on the organization, you have to give Strikeforce their due: more often than naught, we’re treated to wildly exciting fights, and Saturday’s main event was no different.

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SAN DIEGO — For the last year, Gilbert Melendez has been telling everyone who will listen that he’s the best lightweight in the world. After Saturday night’s stunning first-round finish of Tatsuya Kawajiri, he might just have a case.

Melendez, who came into the cage after taking a year off, brutalized Kawajiri from the opening bell using a crisp display of technique and power. Kawajiri is often called one of the toughest and more durable lightweights in the world, but he stood no chance against Melendez in the cage.

The Strikeforce lightweight champion also benefited greatly from the new Unified ruleset put into place after last month’s purchase of the promotion by rival organization Zuffa. After dropping Kawajiri to the mat, Melendez unleashed a savage elbow that finished Kawajiri off and propelled Melendez to new stardom in the new unified North American mixed martial arts world.

After the bout, Melendez issued a charismatic plea for a shot at the UFC champion.

“I am the best lightweight in the world, and I think it’s time for title versus title. I want the UFC champion. It’s time to make it happen,” Melendez said. The crowd roared their approval.

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Well, that has now opened the door for my own “brother” site, strictly devoted to MMA, called MMA Blitz.

At MMA Blitz you will find daily updates on any and all things MMA. From breaking news to opinions to interviews, we will have it all. If you have been a fan of my work here, you will surely enjoy MMA Blitz.

Stop by now to read my latest pound-for-pound rankings, my thoughts on overtime in MMA, and the impact Brock Lesnar will have on the TUF series.

If you like what you see you can find us on twitter or on facebook for regular updates.

Hope to hear from you all in our comments section, where your feedback is always welcome.

Strikeforce heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko has not been released from his contract with the promotion.

Earlier Thursday, Russian website Lifesports.ru reported that the mixed martial arts legend would not have his contract renewed, but BloodyElbow.com has since learned from M-1 Global official Evgeni Kogan that there is no truth to the rumor.

“It’s unfortunate that the site has shown little to no journalistic integrity,” Kogan stated. “This is also not the first time their writers have fabricated a story to create attention. Quite simply, it should be ignored. Should there ever be a change in Fedor’s status, rest assured that M-1 would provide an official position.”

Emelianenko, undoubtedly one of the most recognized figures in the sport, was once considered by many the top pound-for-pound fighter in all of the sport, but a two-fight losing streak has seen him plummet down the ranks. He was defeated by Fabricio Werdum in the main event of their 2010 bout and was then defeated by Antonio Silva nearly one year later in the first round of the highly anticipated Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.

Currently, the Russian fighter is waiting in the wings as a potential replacement in the tournament. He is expected to return to action this summer.

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Despite hinting at walking away from the sport following his first round elimination in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, Fedor Emelianenko is not ready to hang his gloves up just yet.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com on the latest “Beatdown” show that the heavyweight legend will return to action this July.

Emelianenko, who was touted as the best heavyweight in the world not long ago, agreed to participate in the eight-man tournament, joining the likes of heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, and Josh Barnett, among others. But when he met Antonio Silva in the opening round, Emelianenko was dominated, losing to the Brazilian via technical knockout.

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1. Anderson Silva
We thought Silva’s next challenge would come from Georges St. Pierre, but it appears that won’t be the case. Instead, look for Yushin Okami to finally get his title shot, likely in the main event of UFC 132 in July. Media and fans are already clamoring for Silva to move up a weight class and face Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. Should it come to fruition, that would easily be the biggest fight of 2012.

2. Georges St. Pierre
St. Pierre will face Jake Shields at UFC 129 next month. There was talk of St. Pierre abdicating the welterweight throne with a win, but that train seems to be leaving the station. Staying at welterweight might be better for St. Pierre’s legacy, and it’s not like the fans will ever tire of seeing him destroy challengers.

3. Jose Aldo
Aldo finally makes his UFC debut next month with a title defense against Mark Hominick. UFC fans will be pleasantly surprised at just how awesome Aldo actually is. Hominick is the best striker Aldo has faced thus far, but he’ll be no match for the Brazilian wunderkind.

Check out the rest of the rankings.

There are seminal moments is everyone’s life where they remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when something historic happened.

Saturday morning, I was sitting at the desk in my office, working on a piece for UFC 128 when the news broke that Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, had purchased Strikeforce.

Think I’m over-extending by calling this move historic? Think again.

While UFC President Dana White repeatedly told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani “it’s business as usual” in the video interview that broke the news to the masses, the truth is that this deal dramatically changes the landscape of mixed martial arts moving forward. The two premier organizations in MMA may continue to run as separate and distinct entities for now, but the business of mixed martial arts has forever been changed by this announcement.

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