(Wow. If that mug gets any meaner we might have to get a restraining order.)

Nick Diaz seemed a little out of sorts on today’s conference call to promote Strikeforce: Miami.  Or maybe that was completely in sorts for Diaz.  There’s no way to know for sure.  When asked to give an opening statement Diaz seemed a bit lost, replying, "Am I supposed to have something to say?"  Later, when asked to give an assessment of Marius Zaromskis‘ skills, Diaz shot back, "Why?  What is this shit?  I apologize.  I just woke up.  I didn’t even know this call was going down."  

Once Diaz got his bearings he managed to describe Zaromskis as "a good fighter," adding, "Anybody who’s going to be fighting at this level is a good fighter.  It’s like an oxymoron." 

It isn’t, actually, but no one was about to challenge Diaz on that after the struggle it took just to get any answer at all.  Fortunately, things got better from there.  Some notable moments:

- When confronted with Jay Hieron‘s previous suggestions that Diaz might be ducking him, Diaz shrugged it off, saying, "I’m just fighting who they want me to fight, you know, so whatever. That’s how it is. …That’s why I don’t open my mouth and start talking shit on UFC fighters.  I don’t go, ‘Georges St. Pierre‘s a pussy because he won’t fight me.’  I know I can’t just start fights."

- Asked if he’d be open to fighting in California again after the debacle that resulted from his last attempt to get licensed there, Diaz insisted that he’d fight anywhere and claimed that he "didn’t know there was any problem" in California. 

- As for Zaromskis, he credited Diaz with being a well-rounded fighter, and said that he doesn’t necessarily look for those spectacular head kick finishes, but simply takes advantage of the openings whenever he sees them.

- Also on the call were Marloes Coenen and "Cyborg" Santos, who’ll be squaring off for Strikeforce’s women’s lightweight title.  Coenen acknowledged that she’d be the underdog coming into the fight and said she expects a tough battle against a "powerhouse" like Santos, but added, "I think hardcore MMA fans know what I can do and what I’m capable of."

- As for rumors that she’s considering posing for Playboy in the future, Santos said she was "horrified" when she woke up one morning and learned that the entire MMA world knew about the offer.  She said she preferred not to think or talk about it at the present, and focus instead on her fight with Coenen.