Strikeforce is back and this time they are bringing the fights to the Playboy Mansion. The event will be streamed live at http://sports.yahoo.com/ at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET. It should be an actioned packed event, with a some fights I'm definitely interested in seeing.
Headlining the card we'll see Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez defend his title against Shooto vet Tetsuji Kato. Melendez is making his long awaited 2007 debut, as he has been in limbo due to the aquisition of the PRIDE organization by Zuffa. Gilbert's last fight was a win over Tatsuya Kawajiri at PRIDE Shockwave 2006.
Kato is coming into the fight off a TKO loss to tough MMA vet Joe Camacho. Kato is pretty much always the bridesmaid, never the bride. He's fought and lost to some of the best like Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Anderson Silva. He looks to get over that hump in this fight and prove that he can become a champion.
Making his Strikeforce debut at the event will be UFC vet Joe "Diesel" Riggs. He will face another former UFC middleweight in the heavy handed Eugene Jackson.
Riggs asked out of his WEC contract so that he could signed with Strikeforce. He felt that he was being overlooked when the WEC gave Joe Doerksen (a fighter Riggs had beaten) an immediate title shot. Now he is in Strikeforce, but don't look for it to be easier on him. The promotion has some tough middleweight competion in Frank Shamrock, Cung Le, Phil Baroni, and Jackson.
Also on the card we'll see the return of Josh Thomson as he battle Adam Lynn, Bobby Southworth will defend his lightheavyweight crown against the tough Canadian Bill Mahood, and young American Top Team fighter Jorge Masvidal take on Matt Lee.
Don't forget about the live stream at Yahoo sports, and check back for the results on Sunday.
Strikeforce “Strikeforce at the Mansion”
September 29, 2007
Playboy Mansion, Beverly Hills, CA
-Gilbert Melendez vs. Tetsuji Kato
-Bobby Southworth vs. Bill Mahood
-Eugene Jackson vs. Joe Riggs
-Josh Thomson vs. Adam Lynn
-Falaniko Vitale vs. Ron Fields
-Matt Lee vs. Jorge Masvidal
-Daniel Puder vs. Richard Dalton
-Billy Evangelista vs. Clint Coronel
-Dewey Cooper vs. Adam Smith
-Luke Stewart vs. Sam Liera
-Anthony Figueroa vs. Miguel Linares
-Eddie Millis vs. TBA
