"Get up, you're a legend" 

San Jose, CA - "Get up, you're a legend. Don't just lay there, get up" said the Stockton bad boy, Nick Diaz, as he lifts the "Legend" Frank Shamrock to his feet after their fight. Nick came in as he does most his fights, roaring and emotional looking to fire things up. And light things up he did as 15,000 plus fans screamed "Diaz, Diaz, Diaz" to one of the best performances of his career. From the opening bell, Nick taunts Frank, having an answer for everything the former UFC champ attempted. Using his reach and attitude, Nick pushes and taunts Frank to throw his "right hand of death" as Diaz's called it. Nick's game plan was counter-punching the right hand, "you got something for me?" he asked talking to Shamrock the whole fight. It worked completely. Every time Frank tried to step in the pocket and fire off he paid for it. Nick had an answer for everything, passing guard and, even mounting the San Jose native... putting on a clinic, forcing referee Big John McCarthy to step in and call the fight at 3 minutes 57 second of the second round.

Former UFC fighters Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith and Benji "Razor" Radach both knew going into this fight that one of them wasn't walking out coherent, and they were right. Yet, I think after this fight neither man is going to be too coherent for a week. In slugfest fashion Smith and Radach both landed huge in each round. However, it was Radach getting in and out more, landing clean stiff jabs, and then... Boom, Smith lands and Benji is down. Then just as Smith goes in for the kill Radach lands a huge Left that drops Scott. Yet it wasn't enough as Scott regains his composure and we go to round two.

In the middle of the second, Benji lands a big left hand then a right and quickly cinches up a standing guillotine choke looking to put Smith away, but the former Ultimate Fighter contestant escapes and shortly after the round ends with both men standing.

It was the third round that Smith started to capitalize as he lands some nice shots forcing Radach to shoot. After a restart both men are bleeding, Smith stalks Radach and moves to the left in the pocket. Then as Smith goes left he swings a huge right hand that drops Radach and ends the fight in amazing comeback fashion. The fight ended at 3:24 of the last round, now dubbing Scott Smith as the Comeback King of MMA.

NW Fightscene spoke with Radach, who is scheduled to have surgery for a broken hand on April 13, "I've came back from worse" said Radach displeased with the stoppage. "Hell Yeah" is his answer for Smith vs Radach II, after the hand is fixed though I'm sure.

Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez won the Strikeforce Interim Lightweight title knocking out Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rodrigo Damm at 2:02 of round 4. Damm took the fight on a week's notice, filling in for the current lightweight Champ Josh Thomson who sustained a broken ankle forcing him to drop out of the fight. Damm was back peddling and moving the whole fight but began to wear as Melendez pushed the pace causing Damm to make a mistake. Once he did, El Nino landed a devastating overhand right, dropping Damm and turning out the lights with one more right hand on the ground to seal the deal.

In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, Brett "Grim" Rogers & Ron "Abongo" Humphrey both landed shots and took shots, but it was Rogers who chopped down the tree that was Abongo. This, even after getting a point deducted for pulling hair on the 3 warnings by referee herb Dean. "It didn't faze me" said Rogers referring to the point deduction "I knew I was going to get him." And get him he did, Rogers started landing knees and uppercuts in the clinch chopping away at Humphrey until he finally goes down and referee Herb Dean calls the fight in 30 seconds of the second round.

Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum almost had a post-fight fight, when both expressed extreme intent to fight each other again. While both fighters argued back and forth, Rogers expressed his urge to fight both of them while he climbs the Strikeforce ladder.

After the debacle of the weigh-ins, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and seventh ranked world female bantamweight (135 pounds) Hitomi Akano gloved up and agreed to fight. Santos had trouble making weight for the 145 lb bout, coming in officially at 150.5 lbs, and it was clear once the bell sounded that she was a lot bigger and stronger. To be honest it was like watching a pit bull go after a poodle. Akano was thrown with ease as she desperately tried to avoid the onslaught of striking and get the fight to the ground. But, that didn't help either, Santos punished Akano who vied for submission attempts but was just simply overpowered. Very impressive of Akano for taking the fight and fighting in true Japanese warrior style to the end for two full rounds, finally going out by TKO in 35 seconds of round 3. Hopefully, Akano will be able to fight someone more her size at 135, and showcase her skills. 

At the post fight press conference, Strikeforce's CEO Scott Coker spoke about getting Gina Carano and Cyborg in the first ever Main Event title fight for Women's MMA... let's hope they don't dub the show "Making Weight." The fight will likely take place later in the summer. Next for Strikeforce and Showtime is the inaugural event of the SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers series on Friday, May 15 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. Undefeated lightweight Billy Evangelista takes on "Iron" Mike Aina in the main event, while Kim Couture will reportedly face Victory Athletic's Miesha Tate.

                     Scott Coker & Tito Ortiz                         Scott Coker, Scott Smith, Gilbert Melendez

Josh Barnett backstage