"I feel I am the perfect candidate for this fight. Shamrock thinks he can beat guys with styles like me.... I don’t care about the weight. I feel more energetic. My strength is great. I hit harder. I like this fight because I will be able to control what goes on when we’re on the ground.... Frank can talk all he wants, but I’m going to beat him up. Let’s see how much he fights back.’’

-- Nick Diaz shows his respect for mixed martial arts legend and upcoming opponent, Frank Shamrock, at today's press conference in California to promote the April 11 event on Showtime. Diaz and Shamrock have been tapped to collide in the main event at a catchweight bout of 179 pounds, setting up a grudge match between two big local stars at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, California. This is more than likely just the start of a war of words that will undoubtedly boil over when fight night finally arrives.