New Title For January’s Strikeforce Show

By Joseph Lisnow | November 30, 2012

Strikeforce had hoped their final show would end on a high note by featuring three championship fights. That number has since dwindled to one, causing Strikeforce: Champions to be renamed. The January show is now titled Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine.

The final card will be headlined by welterweight champion Nate Marquardt (32-10-2) defending his title against Tarec Saffiedine (13-3).

Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (10-1) and Lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez (21-2) were expected to compete as well, but they pulled themselves from their respective fight due to lingering injuries. The two were scheduled to compete on the September and November card, but both shows were cancelled when the champion was injured.

The January show is expected to be the final Strikeforce card. It is not known who the UFC will absorb into their roster. The last show takes place January 12 from Oklahoma and will air on Showtime.

Below is the current fight card for the show:

MAIN CARD (Showtime)

Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
Nate Marquardt (c) vs. Tarec Saffiedine

Heavyweight: Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring

Heavyweight: Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino

Light Heavyweight: Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle

Middleweight: Ronaldo Souza vs. Lorenz Larkin

Lightweight: Pat Healy vs. Jorge Masvidal

PRELIMINARY CARD (Showtime Extreme)

Middleweight: Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith

Middleweight: Roger Gracie vs. Anthony Smith

Lightweight: Ryan Couture vs. K.J. Noons