Strikeforce Features Loaded Card for April Event
Dan Henderson will take on Jake Shields for the Strikeforce middleweight title
Strikeforce is back on CBS for April 17 at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee and the card is headlined by the Strikeforce debut of veteran Dan Henderson vs. middleweight champion Jake Shields.
In perhaps the most interesting matchup, light heavyweight title-holder Gegard Mousasi takes on the colorful Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, and in what is likely to be the best fight of the night, lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez faces Shinya Aoki.
The CBS broadcast begins at 9pm ET on Saturday, April 17, but is delayed on the west coast.
Strikeforce made its CBS debut last November on the strength of an appearance by top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko who took on Brett Rogers. The show pulled 5.46 million viewers.
Overeem Finally Returns For May Strikeforce Event
Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem returns to defend his Strikeforce belt for the first time in more than two years against Brett Rogers at the promotion’s May 15 Showtime-televised event in St. Louis.
Overeem has two bouts planned before making his return. His management says he’ll fight on March 22 at DREAM 13 against an opponent to-be-named-later. Overeem is also expected to fight at Glory 12 on April 24 in Bosnia.
”It’s been too long,” Overeem said. “This year, I want to fight in MMA. Rogers is an excellent opponent. I’m looking forward to smacking his face and his loud mouth. I don’t think it’s going to be for the title because he lost to Fedor. He’s coming off a loss, so I don’t think they’re going to put it for the title, but it’s up to the promotion.”
PRIDE veteran and K-1 kickboxer Overeem won the Stirkeforce title in a November 2007 bout with Paul Buentello, and has since put together seven straight first-round wins against a succession of lesser opponents. The streak does include a first-round KO of Kazuyuki Fujita in his most-recent fight at Dynamite!! 2009.
Rogers, now 10-1 after his loss to Emelianenko on CBS, put together a 22-second knockout of Andrei Arlovski last June. His first loss came during a second-round TKO to top-ranked heavyweight Emelianenko.
Rumor has it that issues between Emelianenko and Strikeforce, including recently reported attempts to re-negotiate his contract, are preventing an Overeem vs Emelianenko matchup for the heavyweight title. Emelianenko’s camp are on record as saying the fight won’t happen until Overeem submits to drug testing.
The Strikeforce May 15 event will include the promotion’s latest signing, Andrei Arlovski, who will take on Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
Tickets for the World Championship Tripleheader Go On Sale Friday, March 5.
Pre-Sale begins today, March 3, via “STRIKEFORCE Insider.”
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- Now That He’s Off the Hook For A Fedor Fight, Alistair Overeem Takes on Ricco Rodriguez
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