The Weekly Wrap: March 7 - March 13

Strikeforce holds press conference

With four weeks until their premiere solo-promoted event on Showtime, Strikeforce held a press conference in Los Angeles to make several announcements, including the main event for their second Showtime event in May. On that show, which is likely to be held in Washington state, former EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields will headline against EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler at 185 pounds. Shields was originally set to face Joe Riggs on April 11; Riggs is now being considered for another fight on that show.

Also this week, Strikeforce revealed the announcing team for the April 11 show. Calling the action will be CBS and Showtime boxing veteran Gus Johnson, Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich. Stephen Quadros and Frank Shamrock, who fights Nick Diaz in the April 11 main event, will also be announcing for Strikeforce.

Shamrock and Diaz traded entertaining verbal barbs at the press conference, with topics ranging from Diaz’s past drug test failures to Diaz’s willingness to fight Shamrock’s son. Diaz flipped Shamrock off at one point. Showtime executive Ken Hershman said the April 11 show will mark the beginning of “MMA 2.0” on the network.

Elsewhere, Spike TV announced this week that it will air the requisite 12-hour UFC programming marathon to compete with the opposing MMA event. The April 11 programming slate will be capped by the first free airing of UFC 94, the Jan. 31 card headlined by Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn.