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Strikeforce returns to San Jose on Oct. 9, middleweight tourney kicks off
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Aug 09, 2010 at 3:55 pm ET
Strikeforce returns to its home base for a major show on Oct. 9.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the promotion has tapped the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., for the fall show, which kicks off the organization's middleweight grand prix.
And though Strikeforce may return to CBS airwaves later this year, the Oct. 9 event airs on Showtime.
Coker said the organization is still discussing two possible tournament formats for the middleweight grand prix: a same-night four man tourney, or an eight-slot grand prix held over the course of two events.
Regardless of the format, the winner gets a title shot with either Tim Kennedy or Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, who fight for recent UFC signee Jake Shields' vacant title at next week's "Strikeforce: Houston" event.
Although participants have not been set for the tournament, potential entrants include the likes of Robbie Lawler, Dan Henderson, Scott Smith, Nick Diaz, Cung Le, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Joey Villasenor, Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, Matt Lindland, Melvin Manhoef, Luke Rockhold and others. The 185-pound class, after all, arguably is Strikeforce's deepest.
Strikeforce's most recent major (non-Strikeforce Challengers) event also took place at the HP Pavilion. Back on June 26, Fabricio Werdum upset famed heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Cung Le avenged his 2009 defeat to Scott Smith, and Strikeforce women's welterweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos made a successful title defense over Jan Finney at the event.
To date, 12 of Strikeforce's 34 events have taken place at the San Jose venue, including "Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives," a 2007 event that featured a same-night four-man middleweight tourney won by Jorge Santiago.
For the latest on the Oct. 9 Strikeforce event, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com