Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Strikeforce Fighters

4. Nick Diaz

One of the most popular and entertaining fighters in MMA history, Diaz has had a mercurial, up-and-down career, alternating wins and losses, and with some disappointing outings to go along with the impressive ones. The exception to this is the period when he fought in Strikeforce, when he went 6-0, won the welterweight championship and defended three times, more than all but one fighter on this list, and was in his absolute prime as a fighter. Diaz had outstanding and creative BJJ, but didn't have the wrestling to go with it, as he could be defeated by being taken down and kept on the bottom. His striking was utterly unique, relying on a never-ending stream of punches, many unorthodox and from weird angles, which gradually overwhelmed the opponent. This style could only work with great cardio, and in his prime, Diaz's was among the very best in the sport. His Strikeforce debut in 2009 was historic, knocking out the greatest fighter of the 1990s, Frank Shamrock, in a fight in which Diaz was actually the underdog. After that, Diaz showed off his grappling chops, tapping dangerous striker Scott Smith in the third round with a rear-naked choke. After that, Diaz faced Marius Zaromskis for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight crown. Few fans remember Zaromskis now, but he was a tremendously talented and exciting striker, as well as one of my favorite fighters back then. In fact, I even favored the Lithunian to beat Diaz. Instead, Diaz delivered an utterly one-sided beating, finishing off Zaromskis right before the first stanza ended, and showing a significant improvement to his technique, movement, and defense. Diaz then rematched another highly skilled striker in K.J. Noons, who had stopped him due to a cut at the end of Round 1 in 2007. Showing he was no longer the same fighter in 2010, Diaz won a clear, convincing, five-round verdict. Diaz then armbarred Evangelista Santos in the second round, and for what would turn out to be his last Strikeforce outing, faced world-class kickboxer Paul Daley, one of the best strikers in MMA. In what is arguably the greatest one-round fight in the history of the sport, the two went back-and-forth with monster strikes, with Diaz recovering from being badly hurt to notch an incredible knockout at 4:57 of the stanza. And with that, Diaz's time in Strikeforce was over, the lone stretch in his career where more than just being highly entertaining, he fulfilled his potential and achieved greatness.

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