SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The first major Strikeforce vs. DREAM matchup could see Strikeforce contender Nick Diaz taking on DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight belt. MMAWeekly was first to report the matchup, which is being talked about for the Jan. 30 Strikeforce event in Miami.
MMAFighting.com asked Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker Saturday about the fight and Coker confirmed the matchup as a possibility, but contracts have not yet been signed.
If the fight happens, it would be another blow to Jay Hieron, whom Coker previously said would be next in line for the title. The Xtreme Couture striker was actually scheduled to face Diaz in August, but fought Jesse Taylor instead in a non-title bout after Diaz was denied a license to compete.
Coker said the Diaz-Zaromskis matchup was at the request of DREAM and hopes to put Hieron back in the title picture at some point.
"We want Jay to be part of the small (title) mix, and with the relationship between DREAM and Strikeforce, that was the fight they wanted us to put together," Coker said. "We're trying to work it out with DREAM to have Marius come fight Nick, and then maybe we'll have Jay on the card and maybe fight Joe Riggs, but there's nothing set yet."
Other notes from Saturday's Strikeforce media conference:
Coker said Alistair Overeem will be back in Strikeforce in second quarter of 2010 and he would like to see Overeem fight Fedor.
Coker would like to see the winner of Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson take on DREAM's Shinya Aoki. KJ Noons vs. Aoki is another possibility/
Melvin Manhoef could be making his Strikeforce debut at the Miami card in January.
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