Estavan Payan
With Strikeforce officials putting in a busy day, the promotion appears to be adding one more match for the upcoming Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine event as lightweights Estevan ‘El Terrible’ Payan (13-3) and Michael Bravo (7-3) have agreed to meet at the January show.
Both fighters had been scheduled to face one another at the November 3rd Strikeforce card but with the event cancelled so was their bout.
News of this match was confirmed by MMAjunkie.com with sources close to the bout.
Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine is expected to take place on January 12, 2013 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The show features a welterweight title bout between Nate Marquardt and Tarec Saffiedine. The event was formerly named Strikeforce: Champions with three title fights on the card till injuries to Gilbert Melendez and Luke Rockhold.
Payan is 6-0 (1NC) in his last seven fights having debuted with Striekforce this past January at the Rockhold vs. Jardine event. The bout was also Payan’s last fight, winning a decision against Alonzo Martinez. So far ‘El Terrible’ has earned four victories by (T)KO, three by decision and six by decision.
This bout will mark Bravo’s Strikeforce debut, carrying a three fight win streak into the match. His last fight took place in may at a Rebel Fighter show, finishing opponent Nolan Sules by first round TKO. Previous to that he earned a title win for the Dragon House promotion by defeating Osmar Delima in February.