Jorge Masvidal – Image by Esther Lin for Strikeforce.com
With just one event left in the life of Strikeforce, and an injury to lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, top contender Pat ‘Bam Bam’ Healy (28-16) has opted to face another opponent and will reportedly face Jorge ‘Gamebread’ Masvidal (23-7) at the upcoming Strikeforce: Champions event.
News of the matchup was reported by MMAWeekly.com this morning with sources close to the bout who confirmed verbal agreements from both sides.
Strikeforce: Champions is place on January 12, 2013 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Healy had been scheduled to face Melendez, twice, but a bad shoulder injury has kept the Strikeforce champ out of both bouts. They were first scheduled to headline a September event, which was subsequently cancelled after the injury to the champ.
‘Bam Bam’ has won five straight, all with Strikeforce, and most recently won a decision over Mizuto Hirota in July for his last victory. The other four wins came over fighters Caros Fodor, Maximo Blanco, Eric Wisely, and Lyle Beerbohm.
Masvidal has been looking to get back into action since his last fight in July, a spit decision over Justin Wilcox. ‘Gamebred’ wasn’t able to secure a fight after the two previous Strikeforce events were cancelled. His record over his last four is 3-1, a loss to Gilbert Melendez along with wins over K.J. Noons and Billy Evangelista.