Showtime Networks Inc. and world championship mixed martial arts (MMA) Event producer Strikeforce hosted a kickoff press conference Thursday to discuss their new relationship and the eagerly awaited April 11 fight card on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT).

Highlights from the press conference at the Avalon Hollywood included verbal insults between legendary MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock and talented MMA bad boy Nick Diaz, who will collide in the main event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Conversely, Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez, who will square off in a rematch of their first all-action matchup, showed nothing but respect for each other's ability and tenacity. Both are braced for a repeat performance, five-rounds of frantic and versatile MMA battle.

Strikeforce founder and CEO Scott Coker, in addition to putting a stamp on "a new era" for his respected MMA brand, also announced the main event of the next Strikeforce event to air on SHOWTIME-Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Shields-coming in May. The matchup of EliteXC champions - Lawler was welterweight titleholder, Shields owned the lightweight belt - will be contested at a catch weight of 182 pounds.

Other fights confirmed for April 11 on SHOWTIME: Benji Radach of Los Angeles faces Scott Smith of Sacramento at 185 pounds and Cris Cyborg of Brazil meets Japan's Hitomi Akano in a women's fight at 140 pounds.

Among the speakers Thursday were Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks, Coker, Jim Goddard, the SVP of Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, and fighters Shamrock, Diaz, Thomson, Melendez, Smith, Radach, Cyborg, Lawler and Shields.

What they had to say:

KEN HERSHMAN
"This is going to be the new MMA 2.0. We're starting over. We've been presenting boxing on SHOWTIME for 20 years and we think boxing and MMA complement each other. The younger audience the MMA brings us will only help us add more viewers and ultimately subscribers.

"We've assembled the best announce team in the business--Gus Johnson, Stephen Quadros, Frank Shamrock, Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich. We feel like we have some incredibly compelling matchups. When Scott (Coker) mentioned the matchup of Frank (Shamrock) and Nick (Diaz) I said, ‘Done. Next.'

"Let's move on to the next one."

SCOTT COKER
"Today is a great day for MMA, for Strikeforce and for SHOWTIME. We are going to be able to put on some of the best fight matchups out there. We've been doing this for 24 years and we know what works. We know how to put on a successful martial arts show.

"An era has begun where every fighter gets into the cage to prove they are the best and where every fan can afford to participate. We have entered an era that will begin with two incredible matchups on April 11."

FRANK SHAMROCK
"Someone asked me the other day how my comeback was going so I guess I've come back. I love fighting. I love this art. I want to thank Nick Diaz for the opportunity and just warn him that when I punch his head and he lands in the second row he'll need someone to catch him.

"I'm not going to show a lot of things I have in the past. This time I'm just...