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Strikeforce Nashville Predictions: Strikeforce Henderson vs Shields April 17 Preview & Predictions

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Pro Fighting Fans is the home of Strikeforce MMA fans across the globe and we now bring you the best place to find the latest Strikeforce news as well as the latest preview & predictions. Strikeforce is set for another great event on April 17, 2010 and our Strikeforce "Henderson vs Shields" predictions & fight previews are posted below for MMA fans across the globe to enjoy. Check out the Strikeforce Nashville results and buy Strikeforce tickets online here through Pro Fighting Fans and be sure to check out the latest Strikeforce predictions!

Jason Miller vs. Tim Stout

Jason “Mayhem” Miller (22-7, 1 NC) will try and get back in the win column when he faces Tim Stout (8-7) on the preliminary card at Strikeforce “Nashville.” Miller lost his last bout in November against Jake Shields for the Strikeforce middleweight title via unanimous decision. Stout is also coming off of a loss; he was defeated by Roger Carroll at a Clash of the Kings fight in October.

Miller, 29, is a Team Quest-trained fighter that made his debut in 2001. He built a 12-3 record while fighting for Extreme Challenge, Superbrawl, Rage in the Cage and others. He lost his UFC 52 bout by unanimous decision against George St. Pierre, but, went on to win the Icon Sport middleweight title by submitting Robbie Lawler. After losing in his very next bout to Frank Trigg, Miller has won 5 of his last 8 fights. He was dominated on the ground in his Strikeforce middleweight title bout against Shields in November in his most recent action.

Stout, 31, fights and trains out of Team Oxendine in Jackson City, Tennessee. He made his debut in 2004 and has fought for a wide variety of organizations including Full Throttle, Wild Bill’s, and Absolute FC. He recorded an even 5-5 mark over his first ten bouts losing to notables Pat Healy, Luigi Fioravanti, and Mikey Gomez. He has turned it around somewhat lately winning three of his last five, although he did fall in his most recent fight. He was submitted by Roger Carroll in October at Clash of the Kings.

Prediction – Miller over Stout 1st round submission

Strikeforce: Nashville - CBS Televised Fights

Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki

Japanese superstar, Shinya Aoki (23-4, 1 NC), will make his debut on North American soil when he takes on current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez (17-2) in a title bout at Strikeforce “Nashville.” Aoki was in action on New Year’s Eve at Dynamite 2009 submitting Sengoku lightweight champion, Mizuto Hirota. Melendez won the organization’s unified title with a decision victory over Josh Thomson in December.

Aoki, 26, is a Nippon Top Team fighter who made his professional debut in November 2003. He fought in DEEP, Shooto, PRIDE, and DREAM organizations against some of Japan’s best lightweight fighters. He won the Shooto middleweight title and defended it once before he began his DREAM career in 2008. He lost to Joachim Hansen in the lightweight grand prix final in July 2008 but would get redemption in an October 2009 bout for the lightweight title. In his last fight, Aoki schooled Sengoku’s lightweight titleholder, Hirota, and finished him with a 1st round technical submission at the 2:17 mark.

Melendez, 27, is a Cesar Gracie disciple as well as a purple belt in jiu-jitsu. Shortly after his 2002 debut, he became the WEC’s first lightweight champ. He continued on to win his first thirteen fights including the Strikeforce title in 2006. He lost the title in June 2008 to Josh Thomson but won the interim title back in his very next bout. He defended the interim title with an August 2009 TKO over Mitsuhiro Ishida and then won the unified title in a rematch against Thomson this December at Strikeforce “Evolution”.

Prediction – Aoki over Melendez 4th round submission

Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed Lawal

Muhammed “King” Lawal (6-0) is finally matched up against a formidable opponent for the first time in his young career. Lawal will be fighting for the Strikeforce light heavyweight title against the champion, Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1), in the Strikeforce “Nashville” co-main event bout. Lawal defeated former The Ultimate Fighter contestant, Mike Whitehead, in December where he easily finished him with a 1st round KO. Mousasi is riding the strength of a 15-fight winning streak, including a 1st round TKO over Gary Goodridge on New Year’s Eve at Dynamite 2009.

Lawal, 28, is a former Big XII champion wrestler at Oklahoma State who transitioned into MMA in 2008. Working out of Team Quest in California, Lawal won his first four fights in Sengoku defeating experienced fighters such as Travis Wiuff and Ryo Kawamura. He knocked out Mark Kerr in 25-seconds at M-1 Global “Breakthrough” in August 2009 in a heavyweight bout. He made a second heavyweight appearance against Whitehead last December at Strikeforce “Evolution” earning another 1st round KO.

Mousasi, 24, debuted in April 2003 and went 13-1-1 prior to entering the 2006 PRIDE welterweight grand prix. He lost his second career bout in the quarterfinals to Akihiro Gono; however, he hasn’t lost since that August 2006 bout. His fifteen straight victories include winning the DREAM middleweight grand prix and the Strikeforce light-heavyweight title. Most recently, he defeated Gary Goodridge via TKO in December.

Prediction – Mousasi over Lawal 2nd round TKO

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Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson

In arguably the biggest fight in Strikeforce history, current Strikeforce middleweight champion, Jake Shields (24-4-1), defends his newly won belt against UFC transplant, Dan Henderson (25-7) in Strikeforce “Nashville’s” main event. Shields won his belt in November at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Rogers” with a unanimous decision over Jason Miller. Henderson earned “Knockout of the Year” consideration with his UFC 100 KO of Michael Bisping in his most recent fight.

Shields, 31, is a Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu fighter who has earned his black belt from the legendary trainer. He debuted in MMA in October 1999 and lost twice over his next five fights. He fought in Gladiators Challenge, Shooto, Pancrase, ROTR, and others over the next several years collecting titles in Shooto and ROTR. He lost his Shooto title in December 2004 and hasn’t looked back since, winning thirteen straight fights. Among his thirteen victories include winning the Elite XC middleweight title (July 2008) and the Strikeforce middleweight title (November 2009). He also holds career victories over Nick Thompson, Mike Pyle, and Hayato Sakurai.

Henderson, 39, is a former Olympic Greco-Roman and NCAA Division I wrestler who turned to MMA in 1997 after his amateur career was complete. He went on to win his first nine of ten including the UFC 17 tournament and Rings “King of Kings” tournament. He began fighting in PRIDE in December 2000 and continued until February 2007 winning the 2005 welterweight grand prix and middleweight title. He returned to the UFC in September 2007 losing back-to-back fights against Quinton Jackson and Anderson Silva for the light-heavyweight and middleweight titles respectively. He did win his last three fights defeating Rousimar Palhares, Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping.

Prediction – Henderson over Shields 2nd round TKO