A light heavyweight tilt between former Strikeforce 205-pound kingpin Gegard Mousasi and controversial American Kickboxing Academy fighter Mike Kyle has been added to Strikeforce’s March 3 “Tate vs. Rousey” event in Columbus, Ohio.
Kyle revealed the news today via Twitter.
Mousasi, who is undefeated in his past five bouts, including a draw to Keith Jardine last April, has not faltered since losing the Strikeforce strap to Muhammed Lawal back in April, 2010. Recently, the Armenian-born fighter who is the current DREAM light heavyweight champion revealed last year that he may try out for the Dutch Olympic boxing team in February and if all goes well he will compete at the Olympics this summer.
First he will have to prove his pugilistic skills against Kyle, a knockout artist in his own right who racked up 12 of his 19 wins by knockout.
MAK has competed as a moneyweight fighter the past few years with various levels of success, including a surprise KO of future Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante in June 2009. Since then he hasn’t fought the same level of competition, except for Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, who knocked him out at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II in December 2010. In his only fight since, he defeated Marcos Rogerio de Lima by unanimous decision at Strikeforce World Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov in September.
The card will be headlined by a women’s bantamweight championship bout between challenger Ronda Rousey and champion Miesha Tate. Also on tap are a welterweight bout between Paul Daley and Kazuo Misaki as well as lightweights Josh Thomson and KJ Noons.
Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey
March 3, 2012
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, Ohio
Main card (Showtime)
Women’s Bantamweight Championship Bout
Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey
Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle
Paul Daley vs. Kazuo Misaki
K.J. Noons vs. Josh Thomson
Sarah Kaufman vs. Alexis Davis
———-
Undercard
Caros Fodor vs. Pat Healy
Ryan Couture vs. Conor Heun