Next up is the mixed martial arts debut of NFL legend Herschel Walker (0-0-0), who takes on “Dangerous” Greg Nagy (2-1-0) in heavyweight action.

Walker became a household name during his illustrious football career, but even at 47 years of age, he has not lost his drive to compete and excel. Taking on a new and very real challenge in MMA, Walker has trained for his pro debut at the American Kickboxing Academy and has earned favourable reviews from those who have watched him progress. Walker brings significant mainstream attention to Strikeforce and will be donating his entire fight purse to charity. He takes the sport very seriously and has been a great ambassador for MMA in recent weeks.

Nagy makes his Strikeforce debut on a one-fight contract with nothing to lose. The Rage In The Cage veteran is a near-complete unknown and has been given little chance in the fight, but he is much younger than Walker and has three mixed martial arts bouts to his name. Admitting that Walker is one of his heroes, Nagy has stated that he will not let that affect his performance in the fight. A win over the legendary sports figure could potentially lead to a bright future in Strikeforce for Nagy.

This is an extremely difficult fight to call. It is tough to predict how Walker will perform and react once the cage door closes and he’s really in a fight. He may surprise everyone and put on an amazing performance or he may forget his training and suffer a quick defeat. For sentimental value, it is hard to root against Walker and it is clear that he wants to help Strikeforce in any way possible. A Walker victory would be great, but Nagy’s experience should prove to be the difference here.

Prediction: Nagy by Unanimous Decision.

The final main card fight is another heavyweight bout, as pro wrestling star Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (4-0-0) makes his Strikeforce debut against three-time UFC veteran Wes “A Whole Show” Sims (22-12-1, 2 NC), who took the fight on one week’s notice.

Lashley has come under fire from critics who have questioned his commitment to the sport – and he continues to maintain a career as a professional wrestler – and some of that criticism may be warranted. After last-minute cancellations, Lashley finally has a confirmed opponent for his Strikeforce debut and it will be up to him to prove the doubters wrong. He has yet to lose in MMA and most recently defeated Bob “The Beast” Sapp last June.

Sims may be best-known to newer fans as the jokester on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, but he is a veteran of the sport and has been fighting since 2001. He competed three times for the UFC in 2003 and 2004, but came up short in a pair of fights with Frank Mir and a battle with current Strikeforce fighter Mike “MAK” Kyle. Sims has won three straight fights, but has not competed since late 2008. A win over Lashley would be huge for the journeyman.

The telling point in this fight is that Sims has been defeated in nearly every high-profile fight that he has had and this is likely to be no exception. While his humour and antics are entertaining, Sims has struggled once his fights begin and Lashley will no doubt be aiming to make a big statement in this fight. With a goal of challenging Fedor Emelianenko within the year, this should be Lashley’s first step towards that. A loss to Sims would effectively end his MMA run in an instant.

Prediction: Lashley by TKO in round two.

Airing live on EASports.com, welterweights Jay “The Thoroughbred” Hieron (18-4-0) and Joe “Diesel” Riggs (32-10-0, 1 NC) will square off to determine a future title challenger in the 170-pound division.

Hieron was robbed of his title opportunity in August when Diaz was not cleared to compete and it was believed that Strikeforce had passed over the former IFL Welterweight Champion when he was matched up against Riggs. It has since been revealed that Hieron was offered a chance to face Marius Zaromskis and declined, and he will now have to fight his way back to title contention. The talented wrestler has won six straight fights and was victorious against late-replacement Jesse Taylor in his Strikeforce debut.

Riggs has faced a rollercoaster of emotions since departing the UFC in late 2006. He won two fights in a row before suffering a back injury against Cory Devela in a Strikeforce bout in early 2008 and was defeated by Kazuo “The Hitman” Misaki later in the year. He has since bounced back with four straight wins – including two in Strikeforce – and a victory over Hieron could potentially place Riggs in line for a title shot.

Riggs has only gone to a decision four times in 43 fights and he possesses vicious punching power in his left hand. He is a powerful welterweight who has competed as high as the heavyweight level before. Hieron is expected to defeat Riggs in order to earn his title shot, but Riggs has a solid chin and will have other plans. For those who watch the fight online, Riggs will begin the night with a crushing knockout.

Prediction: Riggs by KO late in round one.

Undercard Fights:

– Pablo “The Hurricane” Alfonso (5-2-0) vs Marcos “Parrumpinha” da Matta (7-0-0)
– Michael Byrnes Jr. (0-2-0) vs Dave Zitanick (4-6-0, 1 NC)
– Sabah Homasi (1-0-0) vs John Kelly (3-0-0)
– Craig Oxley (0-2-0) vs David Gomez (0-2-0)
– Ryan Keenan (3-0-0) vs Hayder Hassan (1-1-0)

Strikeforce: Miami takes place this Saturday, January 30th, at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The event airs live on Showtime in the United States and Super Channel in Canada.