Hello all. Welcome to Heavy MMA's first roundtable discussion of 2010. The topic at hand – Strikeforce: Miami. We've brought in the experts to break down the real issues surrounding Strikeforce's first major card of the year.

Your panel:
- Jonathan Snowden: Heavy.com feature contributor and author of Total MMA: Inside Ultimate Fighting
- Chris Palmquist: Partner at MixedMartialArts.com
- Jeremy Botter: Lead Writer at Heavy.com
- Paul Thatcher of FIGHT! Magazine
- Matt Brown: Sr. MMA Editor of Heavy.com

Topic 1 – Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs was placed on the undercard of this event. Is Strikeforce missing the boat by not airing this fight on the feature broadcast?

Thatcher: This should be a war.

Palmquist: This fight has barnburner written all over it. I do think is has two guys with some notoriety that could help sell a card.

Snowden: I don't understand the perception from people online that Jay Hieron is a big star. He's still relatively unknown.

Botter: It might be a barnburner, but nobody will subscribe to Showtime to see this fight.

Brown: My personal thought is that they are missing a chance to make Jay a star. He's a very talented fighter that, given the right opportunity, could be very valuable to Strikeforce.

Snowden: From a business perspective, I don't think it affects things one iota.

Palmquist: I don't consider him anywhere near a star. He's most famous for getting destroyed by GSP.

Thatcher: Well, either way I think it will be a good fight.

Snowden: I worry about Joe Riggs a little. Has he really recovered from a string of injuries that were plaguing him last year? Famous or not, Hieron is a tough fighter.

Fight Predictions?

Botter: Riggs is definitely in trouble. It will be a good fight, but I've got to think he's overmatched and by a wide margin.

Thatcher: Tough one to pick. I think I'm going with Jay on this one though.

Snowden: I see Hieron winning this in all phases. He's a real high level wrestler and if he gets in trouble standing should be able to take it to the mat. Hieron, TKO, round 2.

Palmquist: Heiron has been on quite a roll and I see him continuing on the winning streak with better cardio and persistence. He'll out work Riggs and get a decision.

Botter: I'm going to go with Hieron via TKO in the second.

Brown: Jay trains with some of the best guys in the world, day in and day out at Xtreme Couture. I can't see any aspect of the fight that he is in bad shape versus Riggs. Hieron by KO in the first.

Topic 2: Wes Sims is currently sitting at +700 against Bobby Lashley. Sims has 35 fights, Lashley 4. Is he really a 7 to 1 dog here?

Palmquist: Absolutely not. That line is way skewed. Wes Sims is a complete goofball, but he's got some decent experience and can make it tough for Lashley who hasn't fought anyone substantial.

Thatcher: I think Lashley will crush him, so I think it's about right.

Snowden: Like he crushed Guida?

Botter: I don't think it's skewed at all. I mean, it might be a little high, but Lashley is just way too strong and his wrestling is good enough to keep him out of any trouble.

Snowden: I think Lashley is a lousy prospect. He's just better than Wes Sims.

Brown: A line like that almost makes you wonder if someone knows something we don't! But in MMA, it is really hard for me to think anybody with 35 fights can be a 7 to 1 underdog to a guy with 4 fights.

Palmquist: I agree with what Jonathan said. He's better than Sims, but not 7-1 better.

Fight Predictions?

Thatcher: First round crush fest! Lashley.

Botter: Like I said, I think Lashley is too strong with just enough in the wrestling department to overwhelm Sims. Lashley by TKO, round one.

Snowden: In the battle of the pro wrestlers, I think Sims will be taller. That will be his sole advantage. Lashley ground. Lashley pound. Lashley goes to the back and works his traps.

Brown: I'll say Sims gasses in the 2nd and basically gives up. Lashley by TKO in 2nd via only decent ground and pound.

Palmquist: Wes Simms with the upset winning via Guillotine in the first round as Lashley tries to work the fight to the ground.

Topic 3: Cris Cyborg fights Marloes Coenen for the women's belt on Saturday. Is there a real, viable future for women's MMA?

Botter: There may be a future, but I'm not sure that future will be realized any time soon.

Snowden: Besides tennis, there is no truly successful women's sports league.

Palmquist: I firmly believe in the right of women to fight MMA, I just don't see it as viable to the market. There just aren't enough marketable women that are good fighters.

Snowden: As an occasional fight, I think it works. But I don't think Jeff Osborne is about to get rich, if you catch my drift.

Brown: I want it to make it, but sadly I cannot see women's MMA making it. Like Jon said, other than tennis, no pro women's league has ever made it. And I have talked to far too many fans who have voiced how hard it is to watch.

Fight Predictions?

Brown: Cyborg by domination in first. Until I see otherwise, she is the best female fighter in the world.

Snowden: I was charmed by Marloes Coenen when I was in Chicago. She put on a dress postfight and has a cute Audrey Hepburnian accent. But she is getting busted up.

Thatcher: I can't imagine Cyborg not winning this.

Botter: I think Coenen is a very game fighter, but not game enough to overcome Cyborg in any way, shape or form. Cyborg by TKO, round two.

Palmquist: Marloes will survive the first. She's a tough and experienced fighter, but she'll be overwhelmed by Cyborg's power and get TKO'd in the 2nd.

Topic 4: Two brawlers in Melvin Manhoef and Robbie Lawler will be mixing it up Saturday. Is this really the best fight on the card?

Botter: I don't think so. I doubt it tops the Diaz/Zaromskis fight in terms of excitement.

Thatcher: There should be some sparks flying in that one but I'm more intrigued by Diaz & head kick.

Palmquist: It's a great fight for sure. I don't see it getting out of the first round though.

Snowden: It has the potential to be very explosive. It's hard to pick against a Nick Diaz fight though. I think it is cool to see Manhoef in the States, but his game is still woefully limited.

Snowden: Will Lawler channel Matt Hughes? Or will Lawler get knocked out?

Thatcher: Robbie dictates where this fight happens.

Palmquist: Lawlor is arrogant. He will stand and bang and get knocked out.

Brown: I think it is a good fight for television because I think there is a 90% likelihood that someone gets finished.

Thatcher: But that the problem with labeling it the best fight on the card. It is going to be quick.

Brown: But, as everyone has said, tough to bet against a Diaz fight.

Fight Predictions?

Palmquist: Manhoef by KO in the 1st.

Botter: Robbie will probably channel Matt Hughes here and grind his way to a decision. Mahoef just has nothing to offer outside of his striking.

Snowden: I think Lawler should win. But Lawler is, in all probability, a little slow. I think he stands, bangs, and lands flat on his back looking at the lights.

Brown: I think Robbie stands with Melvin and ends up getting KO'd late in the first.

Brown: One thing to mention is that while Melvin is super thick, he's only 5' 8" tall.

Palmquist: Yeah, which will make it hard for Robbie to get under him and take him down. And as a striker he knows how to deal with taller opposition as everyone at 185 is taller than him.

Thatcher: Gotta go with Lawler. Gut feeling.

Topic 5: Marius Zaromskis. We know him because we're "in the biz" and all, but is this a guy that should be headlining a major MMA card in the US?

Palmquist: Doesn't matter who Nick Diaz fights. People will tune in to watch him fight my grandmother.

Brown: And if she talks shit, he might!

Snowden: He's very much like Raphael Assuncao at the last WEC show. A relatively unknown opponent, but one who is damned good.

Botter: Scott Coker is a promoter that tends to think outside the box, and this is just one more example of that.

Brown: While I do believe that Nick Diaz has a built in fan base, I think there will be lots of "who the hell is this guy" going on at house parties across the country.

Palmquist: They might think that, and when the fight starts it will be like, "Oh, that's why he's here. Man this kid can bang!"

Thatcher: I think he belongs. Strikeforce has to manufacture stars, so he's next in line.

Snowden: Nick has fought a collection of nobodies though. Who knew who K.J. Noons was when that fight went down?

Botter: Who is K.J. Noons?

Topic 6: Nick Diaz. He's won his last five fights. If you throw out the cut loss to Noons, his last "real" loss came to Sean Sherk in April of 2006. So, is Nick Diaz an elite MMA fighter, or is he just thriving against weaker opposition?

Thatcher: I think he's coming into his own of late for sure.

Snowden: He is a very exciting fighter. I don't think he is an elite fighter. He got bounced out of the UFC after all.

Palmquist: I think he's coming into his own as a fighter, but there is certainly less competition in Strikeforce.

Botter: Yeah, "elite fighter" is pushing it.

Thatcher: This will certainly be a test to answer this question. Zaromskis is no joke.

Brown: Does it matter that he's only 26?

Snowden: His wear and tear makes him 126.

Palmquist: Agreed. He's not a normal 26 year-old starting in the sport. He's a 26 year-old with 28 fights.

Brown: He's 26 going on 36, but I think he's got at least 5-6 good years left.

Snowden: And the kind of fights he had with Karo and Diego especially, that make a fighter old fast.

Fight Predictions?

Botter: I'm going with the upset and taking Zaromskis by TKO. The only question will be if he uses his trademarked head kick finisher to end it.

Snowden: I don't like the Nick Diaz we've seen at the press conferences. He seems so mellow. Maybe it was the drug testing that was making him so angry. I miss angry Nick.

Palmquist: Diaz is too smart. He won't get caught standing, but won't be able to hurt Marius either. Diaz by decision.

Snowden: I am going with Marius over mellow Nick. KO, Round 3.

Brown: I'm taking Diaz. The pawing shots don't look like much, but they add up. He won't finish him, but he'll win a convincing decision.

Thatcher: I'm going with Diaz on this too. He's just too tough.

Topic 7: And finally, what, if anything, could Strikeforce do to make the organization more appealing to you and/or the average fan?

Botter: This is a tiny and ultimately pointless complaint, but I really hate the way they introduce fighters twice. But I doubt that makes the promotion more appealing to the casual fan.

Thatcher: It looks like they are doing all they can. They're bringing in great fighters.

Palmquist: It's continuing to go after top-talent that will make them more appealing.

Snowden: I think Strikeforce is on the right path. It's interesting, however, to see them allow Bellator and others to snap up so many of the top unsigned prospects out there. They aren't doing much to concentrate on building the next generation of stars it seems.

Palmquist: Dan Henderson was a huge acquisition. He may have paved the way for other guys to take a hard line with the UFC when their contracts are up.

Snowden: Agreed, but there is only so long they can get by on UFC washouts and older stars like Henderson and Shamrock. They need to create a few stars of their own, and quickly.

Brown: I think its time they go with a change in the rules and allow elbows on the ground. It just confuses the average fan that only knows "UFC fightin" and cant get why the guys aren't dropping bombs.

Palmquist: I don't think t here's a ton of value in guys coming off UFC losing streaks, but a guy like Henderson coming off 3 big wins and huge KO is very valuable.

Snowden: No doubt.

Thatcher: Maybe that's the reason for Marius.

Thatcher: I like that they are not jumping the gun either. Rather, slowly building the brand and the roster.

Brown:And for the record, I agree with Jeremy…UFC's entrances are WAY better.

Palmquist: UFC has done over a hundred shows over 10 years - they have it down. Strikeforce is still learning and has a long way to come.

That wraps up the first Heavy MMA roundtable of 2010. We'd like to thank our expert panelists for their time and analysis. We also invite your feedback! Don't be shy to comment, we won't bite. Check back next Friday for our UFC 109 Roundtable with guest panelists Ken Gonzales of Between Rounds Radio and Johnny Dunn of FightJungle.com.