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It was the spring of 2006 and Matt Hughes, then the UFC welterweight champion, had a problem. The problem was his back. More specifically, the problem was the three bulging discs that made every day its own little carnival of pain. He had a fight coming up in a month's time – a catchweight showdown with early UFC legend Royce Gracie. He had a decision to make. Only if you hear Hughes tell it, there was no decision. The matter had already been settled before the injury ever occurred. "I'm probably a little different than most people," says Hughes. "If ...

 Strikeforce cagefighting champion Nick Diaz is only 26 years of age, but the young Stockton California native has fought in almost every legit MMA promotion there is, including a three-year, 10-fight stint with the biggest and best one, the UFC. All his matches have been tremendously entertaining, the best one possibly being the "news reel-style" knockout win over a heavily favored Robbie Lawler at UFC 47 in April of '04. Diaz, in my opinion, is one of the top "pound for pound" fighters in the world today, and the eldest of the two fighting siblings was recently in Las Vegas to race in the Xterra Triathlon, an "iron man" contest; but ...

ROBBIE LAWLER VS. MELVIN MANHOEF

Strikeforce will showcase one of its top stars when UFC veteran Nick Diaz shares the stage with women’s champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos and 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker during a Jan. 30 event at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., the promotion announced on Friday. Opponents for the three have not been booked. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, Diaz has proven himself one of the most versatile competitors in the sport. The rugged 26-year-old Californian will carry ...