FanHouse Nick Diaz

Little has been heard from Robbie Lawler since losing to Jake Shields at a Strikeforce event in June, but FanHouse has learned that the former EliteXC middleweight champion has been offered to return on Strirkeforce's December card. Lawler has verbally agreed to fight at the end of the year but no opponent has been finalized.

FanHouse has also learned that two opponents have been talked about to face Lawler: Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Nick Diaz.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Jay Hieron has every reason to be frustrated. After seeing his Affliction fight against Paul Daley get canceled, Hieron was excited to fight Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce welterweight title. Of course, that fight never happened. Still, Hieron had his Showtime debut against Jesse Taylor to look forward to. Only problem was his fight was bumped off the telecast at the last minute.

FanHouse spoke to a clearly disgruntled Hieron about blocking out all the frustrations en route to defeating Taylor on Saturday night and when he plans on fighting next. The full video interview is below.

Gina Carano had the weight of a sport on her shoulders. Often referred to as "the face of women's MMA," Carano almost single-handedly carried the promotion leading up to Saturday night's Strikeforce event. But now, it's someone else's burden to carry, after Carano suffered a first-round TKO at the hands of Cris "Cyborg" Santos.

In some ways, it would seem like this is the worst possible outcome for Strikeforce with its poster girl losing, but there's another possibility here, that Cyborg's win adds another major drawing card to the company's improving roster.

Make no mistake: Carano is still a star, even in losing. She has such a magnetic personality and natural star power that the loss will not slow her down. Really, are you going to skip her next match?

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Please excuse Jay Hieron if he sounds a little annoyed -- the man just can't buy a break.

The former International Fight League welterweight champion has now been a part of two failed promotions and recently saw his Strikeforce title shot evaporate after Nick Diaz failed to show up for his pre-licensing drug test.

Hieron will now face Jesse Taylor on this Saturday's Strikeforce card on Showtime. FanHouse spoke to Hieron about dealing with all these changes and how he remains focused on his fighting career. The full video interview is below.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Nick Diaz's failure to show up for his pre-licensing drug test paved the way for Jesse Taylor to reacquaint himself with North American MMA fans. The controversial cast member on the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter has agreed to face Jay Hieron on five days' notice on this Saturday's Strikeforce card. The event airs live on Showtime.

"JT Money" is doing his best to erase the memory of his TUF 7 antics, as he's won his last seven fights in a row. On Saturday, he hopes to take one step closer towards a future Strikeforce title shot. FanHouse spoke to Taylor about prepping for Hieron and putting the past behind him. The full video interview is below.

Nick Diaz has signed a contract to box professionally in addition to his commitments in MMA with Strikeforce, longtime boxing promoter Don Chargin announced Thursday.

"When the subject of mixed martial arts versus boxing arises, it always comes down to the boxer winning a boxing match easily and vice versa for MMA," Chargin said in a release. "However, after having seen the replays of Diaz's fights over the course of his career, I truly believe that this kid has what it takes to really make for some very entertaining fights within boxing. While some would state that he's merely a slugger possessing a good chin and a heavy work rate, there's something about his rhythm and fighting intelligence that really caught my eye."

Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz engaged in a war of words prior to their April fight on Showtime. So, when we asked Shamrock on this week's edition of The MMA Hour (to be posted later this week on MMA FanHouse), about the California State Athletic Commission not granting Diaz a license to compete on this Saturday's Strikeforce card because he failed to show up for a pre-fight drug test, "The Legend" didn't hold back.

We also asked Shamrock about his current health status and whether he would ever fight in the UFC again. Some highlights of the interview are below.

Jesse Taylor, the controversial cast member from the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter, will step in to fight Jay Hieron on five days notice after, according to Hieron's manager, Ken Pavia, Nick Diaz failed to show up for the second time to his pre-fight drug test administered by the California State Athletic Commission. Pavia informed FanHouse of the news on Monday. He also stated that the fight has been changed to a three-round non-title fight.

Arguably the second-biggest draw on this Saturday's Strikeforce card, Nick Diaz, is now uncertain for his welterweight title fight against Jay Hieron.

The organization, Hieron and the California State Athletic commission have been placed in the awkward of position of waiting to see if Diaz will show up to take his pre-fight drug test. Diaz missed his appointment on Friday, but the CSAC has given him a deadline of 3 PM PT to take it.

British welterweight Paul "Semtex" Daley is still in negotiations with a number of promotions and a deal with the UFC has not yet been finalized, contrary to the reports Wednesday of a four-fight deal.