“Strikeforce: Miami” is in the books, and the action-packed evening was the source of many discussion topics. Are Bobby Lashley and Herschel Walker legitimate mixed martial artists? What’s next for the biggest star in women’s mixed martial arts?

“Strikeforce: Miami” is in the books, and the action-packed evening was the source of many discussion topics. Are Bobby Lashley and Herschel Walker legitimate mixed martial artists? What’s next for the biggest star in women’s mixed martial arts? Is Strikeforce emerging as a legitimate contender for the UFC’s crown? This week’s edition of The Sunday Junkie, MMAjunkie.com’s weekly reader-feedback feature, touched on all of these topics and more, but the winning entry, from Andrew “vice” Walter, argued that new welterweight champion Nick Diaz is rapidly establishing himself as one of the sport’s most complete fighters.

Following their respective wins at Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Miami” event, newly crowned welterweight champion Nick Diaz and top contender Jay Hieron would seem logical opponents for an upcoming card. However, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker isn’t sure Hieron deserves the title shot, and Diaz said he’d rather fight big-name fighters – not “undercard fighters” such as Hieron. And perhaps the biggest stumbling block of all? Hieron, who signed with Strikeforce in 2009 primarily because he was promised a title shot, has fulfilled the terms of the contract and now needs a new deal if he’s to stay with the promotion.

Following their respective wins at Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Miami” event, newly crowned welterweight champion Nick Diaz and top contender Jay Hieron would seem logical opponents for an upcoming card. However, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker isn’t sure Hieron deserves the title shot, and Diaz said he’d rather fight big-name fighters – not “undercard fighters” such as Hieron. And perhaps the biggest stumbling block of all? Hieron, who signed with Strikeforce in 2009 primarily because he was promised a title shot, has fulfilled the terms of the contract and now needs a new deal if he’s to stay with the promotion.

Ashley Hartman has a stint on the OC. She’s grown up in all the right places since then

SUNRISE, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2010) – Nick Diaz (21-7) of Stockton, Calif., won his sixth straight and the first-ever STRIKEFORCE welterweight championship with a 4:38, first-round TKO over Marius Zaromskis (13-4) of London, England, and the first and only STRIKEFORCE Female lightweight champion, Cris Cyborg (9-1) of Curitiba, Brazil, successfully defended her 145-title for the initial time with a third-round TKO over Marloes Coenen (17-4) of Deventer, Holland, in the co-featured matches of an action-packed mixed martial arts card before 8,156 at BankAtlantic Center Saturday on SHOWTIME®. In other results on the main portion of Strikeforce’s first event in 2010, former pro and college football superstar Herschel Walker of San Jose, Calif., made his pro MMA debut at age 47 a winning one, registering a third-round TKO (2:17) over Hungarian-born Greg Nagy (1-2) of Phoenix, Ariz., former two-time world champion “Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 NC) of Granite City, Ill., rallied from the brink of defeat to score a spectacular 3:33, first-round knockout (punches) over Melvin Manhoef (24-7-1) of Amsterdam and unbeaten Bobby Lashley of Coconut Creek, Fla., won his Strikeforce debut and improved to 5-0 with a 2:06, first-round TKO over Wes Sims (22-13-1, 2 NC) of Lancaster, Ohio. The event, presented by SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE, aired live simultaneously on SHOWTIME® and on the Web (Strikeforce: All Access) at http://strikeforce.sho.com

SUNRISE, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2010) – Nick Diaz (21-7) of Stockton, Calif., won his sixth straight and the first-ever STRIKEFORCE welterweight championship with a 4:38, first-round TKO over Marius Zaromskis (13-4) of London, England, and the first and only STRIKEFORCE Female lightweight champion, Cris Cyborg (9-1) of Curitiba, Brazil, successfully defended her 145-title for the initial time with a third-round TKO over Marloes Coenen (17-4) of Deventer, Holland, in the co-featured matches of an action-packed mixed martial arts card before 8,156 at BankAtlantic Center Saturday on SHOWTIME®. In other results on the main portion of Strikeforce’s first event in 2010, former pro and college football superstar Herschel Walker of San Jose, Calif., made his pro MMA debut at age 47 a winning one, registering a third-round TKO (2:17) over Hungarian-born Greg Nagy (1-2) of Phoenix, Ariz., former two-time world champion “Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 NC) of Granite City, Ill., rallied from the brink of defeat to score a spectacular 3:33, first-round knockout (punches) over Melvin Manhoef (24-7-1) of Amsterdam and unbeaten Bobby Lashley of Coconut Creek, Fla., won his Strikeforce debut and improved to 5-0 with a 2:06, first-round TKO over Wes Sims (22-13-1, 2 NC) of Lancaster, Ohio. The event, presented by SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE, aired live simultaneously on SHOWTIME® and on the Web (Strikeforce: All Access) at http://strikeforce.sho.com. The SHOWTIME telecast began at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast); the Strikeforce: All Access webcast went at 10 p.m.