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Why the Winner of KJ Noons vs Josh Thomson Needs to Be Next for Melendez

The Strikeforce 155-pound class is rife with talent. The only problem is Gilbert Melendez has all but wiped them out.The Californian has long reigned as the organization’s lightweight champion and now serving his second term in office, Melendez ca…

The Strikeforce 155-pound class is rife with talent. The only problem is Gilbert Melendez has all but wiped them out.

The Californian has long reigned as the organization’s lightweight champion and now serving his second term in office, Melendez can have the benefit of facing new and stiffer competition. In the past, UFC President Dana White bluntly stated that the world-renowned fighter would be Octagon-bound, though an impending deal with Showtime quickly squelched those plans.

Now Melendez struggles to find suitable, or at the very least noteworthy, competition.

However, a pivotal battle between former champions Josh Thomson and KJ Noons could quickly pique the interest of the Cesar Gracie fighter.

Both Thomson and Noons will meet one another on March 3 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, where a women’s bantamweight title bout pitting Miesha Tate against Ronda Rousey will serve as the headliner.

“The Punk” first struck gold in 2006 when he bested The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 vet Nam Phan, though the AKA fighter later became the organization’s undisputed champion with a dominant victory over Melendez himself.

“El Nino” quickly reasserted his claim as the best 155-pounder in Strikeforce when he rematched Thomson a little over a year later, edging the UFC vet in a five-round thriller.

Noons, a former EliteXC champion, has since made waves in Strikeforce thanks to his boyish good looks and elite striking skills.

A former professional boxer and kickboxer, Noons has used his fists to best the likes of Andre Amade, Yves Edwards and Nick Diaz in the past. Since joining the Strikeforce ranks, the Hawaiian has gone 3-1 in the lightweight class, recently picking up a fan-friendly decision win over the homegrown Billy Evangelista.

Either Thomson or Noons are regarded as formidable and credible opponents and whomever the victor may be, that man will be the best fit for Melendez, who after three successful title defenses against Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Jorge Masvidal, needs something to keep him motivated.

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Strikeforce Booking Roundup: Tate-Rousey Card Filling Out

…and fillilng out nicely, we must say. (Pic: StandThemUp.org)

At the post-fight presser for “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Jardine”, promotion CEO Scott Coker artfully dodged questions about the demise of Women’s Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg, offering up some good news for the media to focus on instead. His announcement confirmed the pending showdown between Champion Miesha Tate and rising star Ronda Rousey. Additionally, Coker unveiled three more bouts for the card, which will go down in Columbus, Ohio on March 3^rd.

With their women’s Featherweight division in shambles, Strikeforce will look to further develop the scene at Bantamweight with a pairing of Sarah Kaufman and Alexis Davis. Kaufman formerly held Strikeforce’s 135lb strap–her only loss came in a title defense against Marloes Coenen back in October of 2010. Since that time she’s rattled off wins over Megumi Yabushita and Liz Carmouche. Davis is on a three-fight streak, picking up her last two wins over Julie Kedzie and Amanda Nunes under the Strikeforce banner. Given the caliber of competitors and their placement on this card, it’s safe to assume that the winner of this fight could go on to challenge the victor of the Tate-Rousey bout.

…and fillilng out nicely, we must say. (Pic: StandThemUp.org)

Another former Strikeforce champion, Josh Thomson, will square off against former title contender KJ Noons in a lightweight clash. This will be Thomson’s first bout in fifteen months; he last met Tatsuya Kawajir on the K1-Dynamite!! Power of Courage 2010 card in a fight he lost via decision. Noons recently picked up his first win in three fights with a decision victory over Billy Evangelista.

In a bout that will likely round out the main card of this event, noted scalephobe Paul Daley will look to continue his winning ways against Kazuo Misaki. Though “Semtex” dropped his last two fights in the Strikeforce organization, he’s since picked up two decision wins overseas in Bamma. Misaki has similarly rebounded from a two-fight skid with a pair of TKO victories. This will be his first contest back in Strikeforce since a 2008 victory over Joe Riggs.

UPDATED Gil Martinez Says Maynard is Likely Leaving Xtreme Couture to Train at AKA; Gray Says He’s Undecided

(Plan “B”: Boy band — PicProps: MMATKO)

Gil Martinez appeared on Mauro Ranallo’s “The MMA Show“ radio program today and the head boxing trainer and coach at Xtreme Couture dropped a bombshell about one of his highest profile students.

According to Martinez, he’s pretty sure that former number one UFC lightweight contender Gray Maynard has decided to cut ties with the Vegas gym and is planning a move to the San Francisco Bay area where he will train American Kickboxing Academy moving forward. There, Maynard will join a top-tier team that includes notables like Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, Mike Swick, Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, Josh Thomson and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.

(Plan “B”: Boy band — PicProps: MMATKO)

Martinez told Ranallo that he was hurt and disappointed that Gray decided to move without discussing it with his Xtreme Couture stablemates and coaches, but wishes him the best at his new gym.

Besides his recent knockout loss to Frankie Edgar, part of the reason for Maynard’s departure could be comments Martinez made about his camp for the bout. He revealed in his Fighters.com blog after the bout that he wasn’t involved as much in Maynard’s camp as he has been for previous bouts.

“In the corner I was just playing it by ear and looking for certain things since I wasn’t exactly sure of everything he had been doing since I wasn’t completely involved with his camp this time around, though I wish I had been,” he explained

Martinez also mentioned in the weeks after the fight that he didn’t agree with Gray’s decision to not train every day at Xtreme Couture for the camp. Instead, “The Bully” decided it would be best if he he rented out a gym closer to home and bring in training partners to train with so he didn’t have to travel to XC every day for the eight weeks before the bout.

Although he says that no official decision has been made by Gray, from what he is hearing, it’s all but a done deal.

Attempts to reach Maynard for comment have been unsuccessful. We’ll have more updates as we receive them.

*UPDATED at 7:30 pm ET on Monday, November 21, 2011:
Gray texted us the following statement regarding his supposed switch in camps:

“Nothing for sure yet. Just training, getting new looks. I love [Xtreme Couture], but there’s a lot to learn out there.”

So it seems that he is strongly considering a change of scenery, however he’s taking his time and putting a lot of consideration into where he’ll eventually land.

UFC: "King Mo" vs. Matyushenko and 3 Fights to Schedule Post-Strikeforce GP

Strikeforce hosted the semifinal round of the heavyweight grand prix in Cincinnati on Saturday night and fight fans were treated with an exciting night of action.The event was headlined by Josh Barnett (31-5) and Sergei Kharitonov (18-5) to determine w…

Strikeforce hosted the semifinal round of the heavyweight grand prix in Cincinnati on Saturday night and fight fans were treated with an exciting night of action.

The event was headlined by Josh Barnett (31-5) and Sergei Kharitonov (18-5) to determine who would advance to the finals.

Kharitonov was no match for the far superior Barnett and with the victory, Barnett advances to the final round of the tournament and extends his win streak to nine that dates back to 2008.

Former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier (9-0) stepped in on short notice against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (16-3).

A huge four-punch combination by Cormier dropped Silva, and two devastating hammer fists later, the AKA-trained heavyweight finished the fight.

Barnett and Cormier were both impressive in claiming first-round victories and now face each other in the finals later this winter.

With that being said, we take a look at the fighters who don’t have their next fight set and determine the matchups that should be booked next.

So, if you’d like to hear why Strikeforce should be folded and merged to the UFC, read E. Spencer Kyte’s column on Heavy.com.

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Injury Knocks Josh Thomson Out of Strikeforce Bout With Maximo Blanco

Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsA foot injury has sidelined Strikeforce lightweight Josh Thomson, forcing him out of his September 10 matchup with Maximo Blanco, MMA Fighting has learned.

Thompson hurt himself within the past wee…

Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News

A foot injury has sidelined Strikeforce lightweight Josh Thomson, forcing him out of his September 10 matchup with Maximo Blanco, MMA Fighting has learned.

Thompson hurt himself within the past week, and tests revealed damage that left him unable to complete his training camp and compete. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed the worst-case scenario for a fighter who has had several injury problems in the past.

The Thomson-Blanco match had been scheduled as a main card bout of Strikeforce’s upcoming show in Cincinnati, an event that will feature Heavyweight Grand Prix fights pitting Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov and Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier.

The 32-year-old former Strikeforce lightweight champion hasn’t fought since December 2010, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Tatsuya Kawajiri. He hasn’t competed in the Strikeforce cage since last October, when he defeated Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante via decision.

He is 18-4 with one no contest overall.

Strikeforce officials could not immediately confirm Thomson’s injury, and it is not known if the promotion will seek a replacement fighter to face Blanco (8-2-1, 1 no contest), who was set to debut after six straight wins in Japanese promotions.

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Hump Day Headlines with Stephanie Ann Cook

Dana White tweets: GSP vs. Nick Diaz is on for UFC 137. UFC 133 fight card to include: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Rich Franklin vs. Antonio “Lil’ Nog”.

Dana White tweets: GSP vs. Nick Diaz is on for UFC 137.

UFC 133 fight card to include: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Rich Franklin vs. Antonio “Lil’ Nog” Rogerio Nogueira set for August 6th.

Jon Fitch doesn’t want fight with Rick Story and will wait for either BJ Penn or Georges St. Pierre.

Brian Foster cleared by doctor to fight again after brain hemmorrhage.

Brock Lesnar‘s surgery goes well, plans 2012 comeback.

Josh Thomson back in action against Maximo Blanco for Strikeforce in September.

Roy Nelson claims he had “walking pneumonia” going into his UFC 130 bout/loss against Frank Mir.