Strikeforce

With the Strikeforce doors preparing to close for good, fans of the San Jose-based organization have one final event before saying goodbye to an organization that has had many memorable fight cards over the last seven years.

However, after purging their roster and sending many top talents over to the UFC, Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine is perhaps the most lopsided card in MMA history.

Taking a look at the betting odds (courtesy of bovada.lv), we can see just how predictable this card is in the eyes of the oddsmakers. 

In the main event, welterweight champion Nate Marquardt is a 3:1 favorite against challenger Tarec Saffiedine. However, many would argue that this line is giving Saffiedine too much credit against a better-trained, more seasoned opponent.

And 3:1 is the closest betting line anywhere near the top of the card.

Some of the more one-sided fights include:

Roger Gracie (-325) over Anthony Smith (+250)
Ronaldo Souza (-400) over Ed Herman (+300)
Tim Kennedy (-450) over Trevor Smith (+325)
Pat Healy (-500) over Kurt Holobaugh (+350)
Gegard Mousasi (-500) over Mike Kyle (+350)
Josh Barnett (-1600) over Nandor Guelmino (+800)
Daniel Cormier (-2000) over Dion Staring (+900) 

For anyone who doesn't understand betting lines, they show your probability of victory. For example, Ronaldo Souza's -400 betting line represents an 80 percent chance of success, as he is a 4:1 favorite.

It's understandable that Strikeforce isn't exactly in a position to put on high-level bouts of a competitive nature. But it is still fairly disappointing to see that the final card in organizational history has six fights where the betting favorite has an 80 percent or better chance of winning.

Perhaps the most disgusting mismatches come in the heavyweight contests.

Both Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier are world-ranked fighters who deserve opponents that can test them inside the cage. However, each man will meet fighters who have never competed in a major organization.

Barnett meets Nandor Guelmino. To no one's surprise, the former UFC champion is a 16:1 favorite over the guy whose name I've had to look up five times since starting this article. It will likely be a one-sided grapple fest where Barnett ragdolls his opponent before scoring a quick submission.

If that isn't enough, the evening's co-main event has Daniel Cormier as a 20:1 favorite against Dion Staring.

After winning the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, Cormier was expected to meet former UFC champion Frank Mir. Instead, he is given a 95.2 percent chance of victory against yet another heavyweight who you likely couldn't pick out of a lineup.

Perhaps the well-timed injuries of Luke Rockhold, Gilbert Melendez and Jorge Masvidal  watered down this event. However, other than Pat Healy, no fighter who is still on the card was affected by those dropouts.

At the final card in Strikeforce history, fans of the promotion deserve more than this lopsided night of predictable outcomes. However, at least we can look forward to a night of likely stoppage wins to put an exclamation point at the end of Strikeforce's final chapter. 

Ignore the headline and just imagine Dion Staring vs. Daniel Cormier. 

I cannot ignore the fact that this looks like a cakewalk for Daniel Cormier. Why shouldn't everyone else?

Staring is a heavyweight who doesn't possess one-punch knockout power, doesn't have stellar striking skills and relies on getting his opponent to the mat, where he can grind out a win. 

Cormier is an Olympic-level wrestler with much improved striking who has defeated Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett in his last two fights. Cormier has been applauded as the next great heavyweight contender by many fans and writers alike.

But where many see his strengths, I see a possible weakness.

The hype thrust upon Cormier has been tremendous, and it isn't a secret that he is looking forward to the competition in the UFC.

So much so that he is already considering his next UFC heavyweight opponent or deciding if he wants to fight for the UFC light heavyweight championship.

Cormier is undoubtedly going to be in the UFC for his next fight, whether it's against Frank Mir or Jon "Bones" Jones. Cormier has shown the ability to be a top-level talent without needing an additional fight in Strikeforce.

There is only one problem: Dion Staring has been a very overlooked opponent. While many consider him to be a stepping stone for Cormier, he is a relatively unknown fighter who could shake up the landscape of the MMA rankings with a win. 

Staring is a fighter who shouldn't be taken lightly in the most important fight of Daniel Cormier's career. If Cormier doesn't win, he will take a giant step backward. At his age, that is something he cannot afford to do. 

Staring is a Dutch army veteran who has never been knocked out as an MMA professional. He will be a mentally tough opponent with the opportunity of a lifetime in front of him.

That makes him very dangerous.

Staring has a decent overhand right and prefers to clinch as he works to get his opponent to the mat. He has also shown a well-rounded arsenal of weaponry with wins by submission and knockout. 

Now training with the Blackzilians, he is gaining experience and should be prepared to take on Daniel Cormier in the final Strikeforce event. The high skill level of his training partners will undoubtedly help in his preparation.  

Most importantly, Staring has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. One victory could land him a UFC contract and take all the hype away from Cormier.

Staring knows that there has been more attention on Cormier's first fight in the UFC than on the upcoming fight with Staring. If Cormier hasn't put in a fully focused training camp, that might be the only advantage Staring needs to play spoiler. 

The odds will be heavily against him, but Staring may have all the advantage he needs to achieve a victory.

There are few fighters with more buzz surrounding them at the moment than Daniel Cormier.

The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner's impending arrival into the UFC fold has created a stir throughout the MMA community, as speculation over potential opponents or a possible drop in weight class continue to swirl. The increased attention and excitement for the next chapter of his career are certainly flattering to Cormier, but the former Olympic wrestler's focus is locked on the here and now as he prepares to face Dion Staring this Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

While critics and fans alike are looking ahead to his eventual Octagon debut, Cormier's sights are set on finishing the last piece of business he'll conduct inside the Strikeforce cage. The fight will mark the AKA-trained fighter's curtain call in an organization which allowed him to establish himself as a mixed martial artist.

In a strange but fitting way, the fight will provide the 33-year-old an opportunity to bring his time in the Hexagon full circle. The former Oklahoma State wrestling standout made his professional debut under the Strikeforce banner in Tulsa, Okla. back in 2009, and Saturday night's tilt with Staring has Cormier looking to close out his time with the promotion in impressive fashion. 

"It's crazy," Cormier told Bleacher Report. "Not many people get to come full circle and I am one of the people who are lucky enough to get to do that. I would have never thought things would have gone as they have so far. Walking into an arena in Tulsa back in September of 2009, me and Gary Frazier, two guys who were both 0-0, went in there and swung for the fences. It looked like a street fight and it was crazy. For me to go back to Oklahoma, finish my time in Strikeforce and be at the point of my career that I'm at; I can't really explain how that feels."

Coming up through Strikeforce's Challengers series, Cormier quickly picked up the prospect label as his first five showings all resulted in victory. They were impressive performances for the Louisiana-native, and when the promotion put together the Heavyweight Grand Prix, Cormier was slotted as a tournament reserve.

After champion Alistair Overeem parted ways with the organization and transitioned into the UFC, Cormier stepped in to fill his position. In the Grand Prix semifinals, "D.C." made a thundering statement by battering Antonio Silva and scoring a first-round knockout.

The victory over "Bigfoot" put Cormier on the heavyweight radar, but his one-sided drubbing of Josh Barnett in the finals launched Cormier into the conversation of world's best. 

Leading up to their showdown in the finals, the two heavyweights threw down in a now-infamous "dance-off" which took place at the Fight Magazine party in Columbus, Ohio. It was an intense battle with the crowd on hand giving Cormier the victory.

Whether or not suffering defeat on the dance floor had anything to do with what transpired in the cage remains to be seen.

"I think [Barnett] was like, 'oh my goodness, this guy can fight and he can dance? What am I going to do?" Cormier joked. "Josh had some pretty good moves, though. For a big 'ole dude like he is, he has some pretty good moves. I was trying to win at every turn. I was trying to win in the dance-off, the media, the weigh-ins, the press conference; I was trying to win every single step."

Scoring the victory over Barnett only increased the momentum for Cormier's already-fast-tracked career. Prior to the finals, Strikeforce eliminated their heavyweight division and the fighters on the roster merged into the UFC. With the tournament complete, it appeared as if Cormier would join his colleagues, but it was determined both finalists would have to complete one more bout on their contracts before they could leave the organization.

While Cormier sat on the sidelines and watched proposed bouts come and go, he was excited to see the Strikeforce heavyweights finding success inside the Octagon.

"It was great to see those guys do well, because I always knew what we had over in Strikeforce was some of the best heavyweights in the world," Cormier said. "Those guys going over there and doing what they did pretty much validated that. Guys like Lavar and Werdum are doing great. I'm excited to watch them as I move forward and actually compete with or alongside them as I move into the UFC."

"It's about being professional," Cormier added, in regards to handling the frustration. "You just have to be as professional as you can. You have to work hard and no matter who I fight or when I fight, I just have to be prepared. I learned a lot about that from my wrestling career. We never knew who we were wrestling but we were always prepared to face anyone. That is exactly the approach I take in mixed martial arts."

The road to making his final bout in Strikeforce certainly came with a fair share of ups and downs, but on Saturday night, the fight with Staring will finally arrive. While Cormier is a heavy favorite, he refuses to overlook a game opponent.

Where no other fighters were stepping up to accept the bout, the Dutch-born Staring happily accepted. That being said, Cormier is also fully aware everything is on the line and his next step greatly depends on his success in Oklahoma City.

"It's a tough fight," Cormier said. "He's a guy that is a good stand-up fighter. Also, if you watch his fights in Europe, he has taken a lot of guys down. He's no slouch in the wrestling department. It's a tough fight, and I think it is going to be a good fight as well."

"You have to prepare for all of your fights the same way, because you never know who you are going to be fighting. Especially with all the injuries we've had in our sport this year. I understand what I have to lose. I'm very aware of it. No one is trying to hide it from me. A lot of times, people in a fighter's camp will try to keep everything sunny. But the people around me have been very clear in letting me know that all my dreams and all my aspirations go out the window if I can't get the job done on Saturday night."

"I'm going forward, setting a really high pace, and scoring some nice takedowns. I'm going to be mixing it up in the stand up and looking for the finish. Every second of this fight I'm going to be looking to finish. Fans can look forward to a high pace with a lot of action that hopefully ends in some sort of finish."

In the realm of preparation, the gym Cormier calls home is one of the most revered in the sport of mixed martial arts. The team at AKA is a tight-knit group made up of some of the world's best fighters and coaches. Where some gyms operate with an individual based mindset, at AKA the fighters are a family. They share in one another's successes and failures, but as of late, there hasn't been much to be down about as team staples Jon Fitch and Cain Velasquez each picked up career-turning victories.

"It was awesome to see them both win those big fights," Cormier said. "The craziest thing about watching your teammates and people you care about fight is you go back into the gym and you train harder than you may be prepared to train. When Fitch fought I was just starting my training camp and wasn't in the best shape. But after watching Fitch bust out that crazy pace on that guy, I went in there and trained like I was in the last week of fight camp. I got exhausted and had to take a day off."

There is no doubt Cormier's intensity is focused on the upcoming bout with Staring. With that being said, his awareness of what is at stake tells you this is man who fully understands how big the next step of his career can be.

He hears all the talk and realizes there will be multiple paths for him to travel should he so choose. But where other fighters talk about making it to the UFC and having the driving force which pushes them onward, Cormier finds his inspiration in a place closer to the heart. 

"I don't need those things to get motivated," Cormier said. "I have enough to motivate myself. I don't have to use pressure or expectation from other people to motivate me. If that is the only thing that motivates you then you are in trouble, man."

"Your motivation should come from your family and the other things in your life. Obviously the expectations are great, and I love it, but I don't need that to drive me. I get motivated knowing if I continue to win I can provide for my kids. I can provide for my family and everything keeps getting bigger. I get exactly what I want: bigger fights, bigger named opponents and to fight on the biggest stage there is."

"What matters the most to me is just making sure I am giving myself the best chance to win every fight I go into. Making sure that every time I step into the cage, I fight with all my heart and give the fans what they come to see. I want to put on exciting fights and let the fans know the best Daniel Cormier is getting in there. They won't see me out of shape and unprepared.

"I just want to make sure that when people pay their money to watch me fight in the cage or see me live that they are getting everything they expected and more."

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

This Saturday night in Oklahoma City, the books will officially close on Strikeforce. For the past six years the San Jose-based promotion has been one of MMA's top organizations. But after experiencing numerous obstacles, diminished rosters and cancelled events, the once promising path has finally come to an end.

The writing of Strikeforce's demise has been on the wall for some time, and the final event will mark the end to a great run that founder Scott Coker and Co. can be proud of. In order to make sure it goes out in style, the promotion has stacked its final show with everything it has left.

The event will be the final showcase before the roster is merged in the UFC, and for several of Strikeforce's higher profile fighters, their performances on Saturday night could heavily influence which direction their transition into the UFC will go. 

All Eyes on D.C.

There is a lot speculation regarding the matchups fans are going to see when the crossover is official, and there are few names hotter right now than Daniel Cormier. The former Olympic wrestler locked himself firmly into the conversation of the world's best heavyweights on the strength of his performances in route to winning the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Originally signed on as an alternate, the AKA-trained fighter stepped in for champion Alistair Overeem to face Antonio Silva in the tournament semifinals. In the matchup with "Bigfoot," Cormier needed less than a round to make a booming statement as he battered the Brazilian at every turn and scored a first-round knockout in the process.

The victory positioned him to square off with former UFC champion Josh Barnett in the finals. Despite "The Warmaster" being one of the sport's most feared submission artists, Cormier attacked from bell to bell and scored a lopsided decision victory over the veteran. 

Winning the Grand Prix certainly raised his profile, but it also managed to slow his career down in the process. While Zuffa had transitioned Strikeforce's heavyweight division into the UFC, both Cormier and Barnett were left with one fight to fulfill on their contracts. The process of making that final bout a reality has been frustrating for the Louisiana-native as the 33-year-old has watched a collection of opponents, both rumored and factual, fall to the wayside.

Eventually Cormier locked up a fight with Frank Mir, but an injury to the former two-time UFC champion forced him to withdraw from the bout. After losing the main event on the card in addition to other high-profile bouts, Strikeforce and cable host Showtime, decided to cancel the event entirely.

The former Oklahoma State wrestling standout voiced his frustration regarding how the situation was handled, and with the Strikeforce's curtain call less than a week away, the road ahead could finally clear up for Cormier. That being said, he still has one final challenge waiting for him inside the Hexagon in Dion Staring. 

With the expectation building for Cormier's UFC debut, he can ill-afford a misstep against Staring. The Dutch fighter brings a solid amount of experience with him into the cage, and while his stateside debut will be made as a heavy underdog, the bout presents a tremendous amount of upside. The same can be said on Cormier's side of the table. Despite his name recognition far out-weighing that of his opponent, Cormier knows how much is riding on his performance in Oklahoma City. 

There are going to be a lot of options for Cormier when the next chapter of his career begins. Whether it is a run at the UFC heavyweight title or a drop down to light heavyweight to chase down Jon Jones' crown, an impressive showing this Saturday will keep the momentum building for his arrival in the UFC. 

If You Don't Know Mousasi, Now Would Be a Great Time to Start

When it comes to talk of potential Strikeforce versus UFC matchups, I will be the first to admit my excitement for Gegard Mousasi's entry into the UFC fold. The Dutch fighter became one of the highest touted prospects in mixed martial arts by wrecking shop in Japanese-based promotions. But after making his transition over to Strikeforce, the 27-year-old has experienced varying results.

Mousasi looked impressive in his promotional debut as he claimed the light heavyweight title by punishing Renato "Babalu" Sobral. He would make a successful defense of his crown against Thierry Sokoudjou, only to drop the belt in his next outing against Muhammed Lawal. In the fight with "King Mo," Mousasi's typical nonchalant demeanor translated as a lack of urgency as Lawal used his superior wrestling skills to keep the fight in his favor. The result was a lopsided tilt that served to expose a gaping hole in Mousasi's game and silence the buzz the former Dream champion was building.

With renewed focus, Mousasi bounced back and has claimed victory in four of his last five outings. The only setback during this current stretch came by way of a majority draw against UFC veteran Keith Jardine, in a fight where he was deducted a point for an illegal upkick. Aside from his tussle with "The Dean of Mean," Mousasi has been lights out since his loss to Lawal.

He will be looking to keep things rolling this weekend against Mike Kyle. The AKA-trained fighter possesses put-away power in both hands as 12 of his 19 victories have come by way of knockout. Kyle certainly has the ability to put anyone he faces to sleep, but Mousasi's striking style will present problems for the UFC veteran. Where Kyle throws heavy shots, Mousasi has a unique understanding of spacial difference. This allows him to close distance at will. With power in both his hands and feet, Mousasi's stand-up game is one of the most diverse in MMA.

The biggest question surrounding Mousasi and his transition into the UFC will come in motivation. In past interviews he has described half-hearted training camps and going into fights on the strength of talent not giving much care for preparation. If Mousasi has truly put his career as a mixed martial artist front and center, the sky is the limit. When you include his ability to compete in various weight classes, Mousasi could make quite an impact under the UFC banner. 

The Wild Cards

While Cormier and Nate Marquardt will draw the lion's share of the attention heading into this weekend's card, there are several other fighters who can make statements of their own when the cage door closes.

In an early preview of things to come, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza will mix it up with former TUF competitor Ed Herman. "Short Fuse" has experienced a resurgence as of late, winning three of his last four outings. Besting an opponent of Souza's caliber would raise his stock to new heights, and agreeing to cross over into Strikeforce waters to take the fight shows it's a challenge he's more than up for. 

The fight carries upside for Souza as well. By all indicators, "Jacare" has been a monster since entering Strikeforce, winning six of his seven outings. His only setback came against Luke Rockhold, as the AKA-trained fighter claimed a unanimous decision victory and took hold of the championship. Following the loss to Rockhold, Souza came surging back strong as he submitted recent TUF cast member Bristol Marunde in the third round of their contest in Columbus. He complemented that impressive performance by scoring a brutal first-round knockout over Derek Brunson in his next showing.

A victory over a scrappy opponent like Herman will set the tone for the next chapter of his career, where a loss could potentially drop him into the lower end of the divisional picture. 

Another middleweight looking to shake things up in the UFC will be Tim Kennedy. The Army Ranger turned mixed martial artist has been one of the top 185-pound competitors under the Strikeforce banner for years. Even with this being the case, Kennedy has flown somewhat under the radar in the bigger middleweight picture.

None of this matters to the 33-year-old war veteran. It is a simple love for the fight which pushes him forward and he'll be looking to bring the ruckus when he throws down with Trevor Smith in OKC. With the difference in name recognition between the two competitors, Kennedy will most likely need an impressive win to draw one of the bigger names in his UFC debut. Again, these are matters Kennedy has no concern for and his hard-nosed style has the potential to present problems for anyone he faces.

On January 12, the Strikeforce crew will set up the six-sided cage one final time before the promotion closes its doors for good. Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine is a stacked card that features some of the biggest names on the roster, and the event will now take place on free TV.

The Showtime network has long been the home of Strikeforce, but the subscription-based premium network is only available to those willing to pay an additional fee on their monthly cable or satellite provider. With 22 million subscribers, the most recent card, Rousey vs. Kaufman, peaked with 676,000 viewers.

However, by running a free preview weekend from January 11 through January 13, the final Strikeforce card will be available free of charge in more than 80 millions homes across the United States.

Headlined by a welterweight championship fight between UFC veteran Nate Marquardt and 13-3 Tarec Saffiedine, the card also features high-profile talent such as Daniel Cormier, Josh Barnett and Gegard Mousasi. In addition, an inter-promotional matchup between UFC middleweight Ed Herman and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza kicks off the main card.

While this free preview weekend is a major gift for MMA fans, it is designed to coincide with the season premieres of hit Showtime programs Shameless, House of Lies and Californication.

But who are we to look a gift horse in the mouth? Regardless of why we are getting the final Strikeforce card for free, as MMA fans, it's time to be thankful.

Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine takes place on January 12 and the main card will air live on Strikeforce beginning at 10 p.m. EST. Four preliminary fights will be aired on Showtime Extreme immediately prior and will feature the likes of Roger Gracie, Tim Kennedy, KJ Noons and Pat Healy.

For years, there has been a quiet storm brewing outside of the UFC, and his name is Gilbert Melendez. The Strikeforce lightweight champion has scrapped his way to the top of the heap on the strength of an impressive seven-fight win streak which has earned him the recognition of being one of the world's best 155-pound fighters.

Aside from the challenges he's battled inside the cage, the current dilemma facing "El Nino" is his situation with the organization he's championed for the past three years. Over this time, Melendez has dealt with the frustration of not facing the caliber of opponent that would keep him in the conversation of who is truly the world's best lightweight.

It is a situation he has handled with class, but with Strikeforce's demise all but a certainty at this point, the 30-year-old California native has begun to address the obstacles waiting for him on the road ahead. If Melendez has his way, the next fight will be the biggest of his career, and his focus is locked on one man in particular.

"I want to fight Benson Henderson," Melendez told Bleacher Report. "I think a champion versus champion fight makes absolute sense right now. I think we already know how things are going to work out between Benson Henderson and a lot of other lightweight fighters in the UFC, but I'm that mystery fighter. No one really knows how I'm going to matchup with anyone. I have been around for a long time and have been the top lightweight in the world before Benson or any of these other guys.

"I think I have a lot of answers for his style. Sometimes he fights a wrestler like Guida who doesn't have great hands, and sometimes he fights strikers who can't really wrestle. Look at his fights against "Cowboy" Cerrone back in the day, or even Pettis. I have that wrestling pedigree where he ain't taking me down, and I'll be stuffing some shots. I'm not backing away, and I'll be dropping some bombs. I'm not an easy guy to stand with. I have a lot of power, and I'm not running away from kicks. I don't run away from anything. I hold my ground. I'll be coming for him, and anything he dishes out I'll be answering back twice as hard.

"I think everyone would be really excited for this matchup, and I guarantee it would be a great fight. We can do it in the Octagon or the Strikeforce cage—it doesn't matter to me. Henderson is the fight I want, and let's make it happen."

The idea of Melendez facing a UFC champion has lingered for quite some time, but the intensity ramped up this past weekend in Seattle. Following Henderson's dominant victory over Melendez's friend and training partner Nate Diaz, the topic of a potential champion vs. champion bout began to swirl around the press conference.

Despite falling short on his own title shot, it was Diaz who let Henderson know that sooner or later Melendez would be coming for his belt.

"It was awesome to hear what Nate said, and he wasn't bullsh**** about it either," Melendez said. "He was genuine  For those who didn't believe it, he gave a funny little smirk, and that made me laugh. It's the truth, and it means a lot coming from a cool guy like Nate.

"It feels good to be in the conversation. It feels good to hear the media and respectable journalists who really take a genuine interest in the sport mentioning my name in that situation. It means a lot to me. Benson made his reply that he would fight whomever the UFC wanted him to fight, but I think this fight is what the people want. I think I'm the opponent people want to see face him next."

While the situation between Strikeforce, Showtime and the UFC remains unclear, Melendez has felt the fires of motivation return. With the recent announcement of Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey crossing over into the UFC, Melendez is hoping he will receive similar treatment. This was also a topic the younger Diaz addressed in the post-fight press conference in Seattle for UFC on Fox 5.

"I agree, and Nate said it about as classy as it could possibly be said," Melendez said. "They gave Ronda the title, all kinds of respect, and I feel I deserve just as much respect as she's getting. I think I've done a lot in this sport. I hold the Strikeforce title, and I feel it's a respectable one. They have always said it is the equivalent to the UFC belt, and hopefully I get the same respect.

"The fire has been lit, and it was lit a few weeks back. When you start feeling the vibes and hearing the word get out about the things happening with Ronda Rousey, you start getting excited. I'm not saying anything is done in that regard, but it doesn't stop me from getting fired up about the possibility. You get excited you are going to face big names and the possibility of big matchups. It will give me the chance to really prove something to people in this sport. That fire has definitely been lit, and it would be a real bummer if things didn't work out like I hope they do.

"These things play a lot on your motivation, and if everything works out, then it will be great. The fire has been lit because it's becoming a possibility, and I'm seeing the difference in everything I do. I'm running harder because I know it's there. It's true I wasn't super motivated for my past few fights, and it showed out there in the cage. I wasn't happy with my performance, but I was happy I got the "W." When things are handled a certain way, you get a certain performance. When the opportunity is right—you'll get the best I have to give."

For years, Melendez has struggled with the stark reality of having title defenses of the high risk/low reward variety. Should a crossover into the UFC come to pass, Melendez is excited by the thought of entering the ultra-competitive UFC lightweight ranks. The 155-pound weight class is one of the organization's premiere divisions, and in addition to Henderson, Melendez has his eye on a few other fights he respects and would love to mix it up with.

"If everything works out, it is going to be a really exciting," Melendez said. "I see all the toughest guys and a lot of tough tests. I actually think Cowboy Cerrone is going to beat Pettis. I've been watching him for a while, and I think he's a guy who is really tough. Gray Maynard is another amazing guy I would love to fight. I'm also impressed with Benson Henderson, and those are some of the guys on my radar in the UFC. I think they would all be great matchups and give me the chance to prove that I'm the best. It's exciting to think about it, and I'm getting jazzed just talking about it now."

For the moment, all Melendez can do is wait. The biggest difference this time around is that he has a sense that something greater is looming around the corner. The only thing he's ever wanted is the chance to prove he is the best lightweight in the world, and if everything works the way he hopes, Melendez will get the opportunity to prove to the world what he's been saying all along.

"This is seeming more possible every day and feeling like it could really happen," Melendez said about his potential transition into the UFC. "With that on my mind, the fire is light, and I'm ready. I should be medically cleared in the middle of next week. After I see the doctor, that should give me that five- to six-week marker. I have been doing a lot of drilling, technique and running. You can't help but get out there and do things. I've been staying busy, working on a lot of my strategy and tactics. I'll pick it up a lot more once I get cleared. But you could definitely say I'm prepped.

"The timing is right for this fight," he added in regard to a potential bout with Henderson. "I'll be healthy by the time he would be ready to go, and it just makes sense. That is the fight I want. I really want to test myself, and I really want to find out if I'm the best. If Henderson really wants to find out, this is the fight for him to really prove he is the No. 1 lightweight fighter in the world. I say let's do it."

Strikeforce may have built their last great push with Ronda Rousey and the heavyweight division, but their final card will be headlined by a welterweight UFC veteran.

Amid a string of fight confirmations for the upcoming "Strikeforce: Challengers" event in January, the official Strikeforce website has established Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine as their main event.

Here's how the card looks so far, according to the event's webpage:

• Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine
• Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring
• Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle
• Ryan Couture vs. K.J. Noons

(Update: Four more bouts have been added to the event page, listed as follows.)

• Ronaldo Souza vs. Lorenz Larkin
• Pat Healy vs. Jorge Masvidal
• Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith
• Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith

Having Marquardt on top of the card makes sense, as the Strikeforce welterweight champion will be the only fighter actually defending a title belt next year at Oklahoma City's Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Although Daniel Cormier is the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion, the nature of his belt doesn't lend itself to any kind of title defense.

Originally, "Strikeforce: Champions" was meant to host three title fights in the main event, but middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez both pulled out of the card due to injury.

Moreover, the Strikeforce light heavyweight title has been vacant ever since Dan Henderson returned to the UFC last year. Additionally, both that belt and the promotion's heavyweight championship title have been noticeably vacant since 2011, with the later being abandoned by exiting superstar Alistair Overeem.

What better time to bring some more bad news than the weekend of a UFC pay-per-view?

Strikeforce is currently planning to hold a major event in January with three title fights. Unfortunately, it seems as if one of those fights will be forced off the card as Gilbert Melendez is still injured and won't be ready in time to defend his lightweight title against Pat Healy.

Gilbert Melendez was originally scheduled to face Healy in Sacramento in the Fall. A shoulder injury forced Melenedez from the card and ultimately caused the entire event to be cancelled. The fight was then rescheduled for the January supercard, but it appears as if Melendez is still nursing that shoulder injury. 

The news was originally broken by Tatame and late Friday afternoon UFC President Dana White mentioned that Melendez won't be ready for the fight in a live fan chat with the Montreal Gazette. 

For those that have followed the sport, Melendez has constantly been mentioned whenever anyone discusses who the top lightweight is in the sport. His latest title run has fans gnashing at the bit with anticipation as a dream matchup between Melendez and UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will soon be possible. 

The loss of Melendez from the card is a big blow to Strikeforce. A lot of the appeal of the supercard was that so many talented fighters would be defending their championship belts. It was a great way for Strikeforce to shut its doors.

Hopefully Melendez can recover quickly and make his Octagon debut as soon as possible. He'll add a new wrinkle to the UFC's lightweight division. 

News hit last night that Strikeforce's run was officially going to end in January and that the UFC was already in position to start adding fighters to their roster, including Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. Naturally, Twitter reacted in force to this huge news.

Dana White gave us his usual Twitter reaction to positive news for the UFC (and negative news for his competition):

:)

— Dana White (@danawhite) November 9, 2012

Brian Stann was his usual classy self, and wished everyone well:

Just landed in LA to find out women in the ufc and strikeforce fighters coming to ufc. Awesome news congrats to all!!

— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) November 9, 2012

Cesar Gracie poured a proverbial 40 oz. on Strikeforce's curb in honor of the time spent there by proteges Gilbert Melendez, Nick Diaz and Jake Shields:

I'm hearing January marks the end of Strikeforce. We had some great fights there

— Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) November 9, 2012

Miesha Tate, unsurprisingly, was quite pleased to still have a job, considering how close women's MMA came to dying:

So Stoked to be fighting for the @ufc it's been a dream of mine for along time! SO happy it's finally come true:-D

— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) November 9, 2012

Sarah Kaufman congratulated her competition and then gave a polite nudge to Dana White to send her a contract, too:

Great news as @rondarousey and @mieshatate are part of @ufc. Congrats and planning on seeing you there. Excited for all the women and fans

— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) November 9, 2012

Kenny Florian was his now-typical journalist self and plugged the news itself, rather than giving a real reaction:

W/Strikeforce shutting down @ufc is now in the biz of promoting women's #mma with the signing of the sport's biggest name @rondarousey

— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) November 9, 2012

Josh Thomson, one of the lesser-known but still good, lightweights in Strikeforce spent his night tweeting Dana White to ensure he has his chance in the UFC:

Alright everyone, u all know that @strikeforce is coming to a close so I want all of u to let @danawhite know who u wanna see me fight 1st?

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) November 9, 2012

MMA veteran but relative UFC newcomer Cristiano Marcello gave a big shout-out to the female fighters:

Irado! Chegou a vez da mulherada! Bem vindas ao UFC! Girls time congrats ! Well come to UFC!

— Cristiano Marcello (@CristianoBJJ) November 9, 2012

Cris “Cyborg” Santos stayed quiet but did retweet well-wishers, just to keep some fuel on the fire that is her rivalry with Ronda Rousey:

@criscyborg , agora só falta a nossa assinatura com o #UFC , pois a nossa amiga parece q assinou.

— RAFAEL ALEJARRA (@ALEJARRAMMA) November 9, 2012

Lightweight champion Benson Henderson said the likely addition of Strikeforce's top lightweights had him “fired up”:

Always said I've wanted to face the best in the world, w/this new @ufc deal, looks like deepest WC gets a lil deeper...#BullseyeOnMyBack

— Benson Henderson (@BensonHenderson) November 9, 2012

Last but not least, we'll leave you with some Paul Kelly wise-cracking:

"@andyc1arke: @paulkellymma Everyone is saying Ronda Rousey is the first woman in the @ufc , err.. what about Gabe Rudiger?" Haha

— paul kelly (@paulkellymma) November 9, 2012

Perhaps tellingly, the vast majority of actual Strikeforce fighters have been silent on the subject. The incredibly outspoken Josh Barnett, who is usually one of the first to react to big news, has been on Twitter but has not mentioned the fact that he might already be unemployed.

Other fighters who are typically active on Twitter, such as Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy, have been quiet in regard to their long-time promotion closing up.

Keep an eye on Bleacher Report and Twitter for more reactions and news on these developments.