Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley was a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 event held by Strikeforce

Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

, the event took place on April 9, 2011, at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

.

Background

This was the first "Arena Series" event under Zuffa management.

This event was originally expected to feature Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem

Alistair Cees Overeem is a British born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer, signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Interim Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and made history by being the only fighter in combat...

 vs. Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, a two-time ADCC world heavyweight champion and European Jiu-Jitsu champion. He holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Muay Thai. Werdum has competed in Pride Fighting Championships, the...

 and Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett

Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...

 vs. Brett Rogers

Brett Rogers

Brett Charles Rogers is an African-American mixed martial artist who fights in the heavyweight division. Rogers has fought in EliteXC and Strikeforce.-Biography:...

, the two remaining quarter-final fights in the Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament. Both the event and the fights were listed on Strikeforce's official site. However, on March 2, 2011, Scott Coker confirmed the bouts were being moved to the Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum

Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum

Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum, also known as Strikeforce: Dallas, was a mixed martial arts event held by Strikeforce. The event took place on June 18, 2011 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas...

 event to be held in Dallas, Texas

Dallas, Texas

Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

, on June 18.

K.J. Noons was expected to make his return to lightweight on this card, but a bout did not materialize.

Mike Kyle

Mike Kyle

Mike Kyle is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He fights primarily for Strikeforce and King of the Cage. He is the King of the Cage Light Heavyweight champion...

 was scheduled to face Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...

, but withdrew from the bout on March 31, 2011, due to a broken hand. Keith Jardine

Keith Jardine

Keith Hector Jardine is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division and is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

 agreed to step in on one week's notice to fight Mousasi.

The event drew an estimated average of 528,000 viewers, however peaked at 806,000 viewers.

Main card

• Welterweight Championship bout:   Nick Diaz
  Nick Díaz
  Nicholas Robert Diaz is an American mixed martial artist. He is the former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion, WEC and IFC Welterweight Champion. He has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Fighting Championships and Elite Xtreme Combat. Diaz was promoted to black belt in Brazilian...
  
   (c) vs.   Paul Daley
  Paul Daley
  Paul Daley is an English professional mixed martial artist who has fought for EliteXC, Cage Rage, Strikeforce, BAMMA, Maximum Fighting Championship, Cage Warriors, Shark Fights, Impact FC, Pancrase and the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
  
  

Diaz defeated Daley via TKO (punches) at 4:57 of round 1 to retain the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship.

• Lightweight Championship bout:   Gilbert Melendez
  Gilbert Melendez
  Gilbert Melendez is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican descent. Currently fighting out of San Francisco, California, he formerly competed in the lightweight division of PRIDE Fighting Championships and now competes in Strikeforce...
  
   (c) vs.   Tatsuya Kawajiri
  Tatsuya Kawajiri
  Tatsuya Kawajiri is a Japanese mixed martial artist and a former Shooto welterweight champion, currently competing in Dream's lightweight division...
  
  

Melendez defeated Kawajiri via TKO (strikes) at 3:14 of round 1 to retain the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Gegard Mousasi
  Gegard Mousasi
  Gegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...
  
   vs.   Keith Jardine
  Keith Jardine
  Keith Hector Jardine is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division and is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
  
  

Mousasi and Jardine fought to a majority draw (29–27, 28–28, 28–28). Mousasi was deducted one point in round 1 for an illegal upkick.

• Lightweight bout:   Shinya Aoki
  Shinya Aoki
  is a Japanese mixed martial artist, grappler, and former police trainee who is noted for being the DREAM Lightweight Champion and former Shooto Middleweight Champion. Aoki holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Yuki Nakai, as well as a black belt in judo. He is one of the most prominent...
  
   vs.   Lyle Beerbohm
  Lyle Beerbohm
  Lyle Beerbohm is an American professional mixed martial artist who has fought for Strikeforce, EliteXC and King of the Cage. He currently competes in the lightweight division.-Biography:...
  
  

Aoki defeated Beerbohm via submission (neck crank) at 1:33 of round 1.

Preliminary card

• Featherweight bout  Hiroyuki Takaya
  Hiroyuki Takaya
  |-| Win|align=center| 16–9–1| Kazuyuki Miyata| Decision | Dream: Japan GP Final| |align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Tokyo, Japan, Japan| Defended DREAM Featherweight Championship|-| Loss|align=center| 15–9–1| Robbie Peralta| Decision...
  
   vs.   Robbie Peralta

Peralta defeated Takaya via split decision (30–27, 30–27, 28–29)

• Heavyweight bout:   Brett Albee vs.   Virgil Zwicker
  Virgil Zwicker
  Virgil Zwicker, , is an American mixed martial artist of Native American descent who fights in the heavyweight division. He currently is signed with Strikeforce.-Early life:...
  
  

Zwicker defeated Albee via TKO (strikes) at 1:46 of round 1.

• Lightweight bout:   Joe Duarte
  Joe Duarte
  Joe Duarte is a professional mixed martial artist from Guam, and is of native Chamorro descent. He has trained in various combat arts including Western boxing, Muay Thai, freestyle wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.He currently trains at The Arena Mixed Martial Arts gym in San Diego,...
  
   vs.   Saad Awad

Duarte defeated Awad via submission (armbar) at 2:45 of round 2.

• Welterweight bout:   Herman Terrado vs.   AJ Matthews

Terrado defeated Matthews via KO (punch) at 4:16 of round 1.

• Catchweight (140 lb) bout:   Rolando Perez vs.   Edgar Cardenas

Perez defeated Cardenas via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

• Middleweight bout:   Casey Ryan vs.   Paul Song

Ryan defeated Song via submission (triangle choke) at 1:39 of round 1.

Payroll

Nick Diaz: $175,000 (no win bonus)
def. Paul Daley: $65,000

Gilbert Melendez: $150,000 (no win bonus)
def. Tatsuya Kawajiri: $97,612.50

Gegard Mousasi: $150,000
drew Keith Jardine: $25,000

Shinya Aoki: $73,637.50 (no win bonus)
def. Lyle Beerbohm: $10,000

Robert Peralta: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Hiroyuki Takaya: $2,740

Virgil Zwicker: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Brett Albee: $1,000

Joe Duarte: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Saad Awad: $1,500

Herman Terrado: $1,500 ($500 win bonus)
def. A.J. Matthews: $1,000

Rolando Perez: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Tom Peterson: $1,000

Casey Ryan: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Song: $750