During Saturday nights Strikeforce event, officials announced the addition of three more bouts to it’s upcoming June 18 show in Dallas.
Fan favorite, Gina Carano (7-1) will make her return against an unknown opponent, as well as two heavyweight matchups featuring Dan Cormier (7-0) versus Shane Del Rosario (11-0), and Valentijn Overeem (29-25) takes on Chad Griggs (10-1).
The Strikeforce: Dallas event is expected to take place on June 18 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The show will feature the second set of Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament quarterfinals between champ Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers.
It will have been almost two years since Carano had a professional fight, a Strikeforce Women’s title loss to Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in August of 2009. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker noted during an interview that they had talked with Cindy Dandois about taking the fight, but she was forced to turn it down becuase she was three months pregnant. Carano recently finished filming the movie “Haywire” with director Steven Soderbergh.
Cormier is undefeated in seven professional bouts, which includes winning the KOTC and XMMA heavyweight titles. The former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler had his last fight in January, winning a unanimous decision over Devin Cole at a Challengers event. Del-Rossario will also carry an undefeated record into the cage. He appeared in the opening Grand Prix quarterfinal event in February, having submitted Lavar Johnson with an armbar in the first round.
Overeem, brother to heavyweight champ Ailstair, made his promotional debut at the February 12 event, earning a neck crank submission victory over Ray Sefo. He’s won his last three fights and is 5-2 in his last seven. Griggs has won his last five and has only tasted defeat once, back in 2007. He too appeared on the February show, earning a first round TKO win over Gianpiero Villante.
The winner of the two heavyweight matches will go on to meet in the tournament reserve bout, and may replace any of the Grand Prix participants who become injured during the tournament.