On Thursday, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced that middleweight champion Luke Rockhold’s next opponent would be Tim Kennedy. The fight, which will take place at Portland, Oregon’s Rose Garden on July 14, will be Rockhold’s second defense.
He won the title when he defeated Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza on September 10, 2011.
Rockhold entered the cage that night in Cincinnati, OH, having not fought for over a year-and-a-half, as multiple injuries kept him out of competition. Potential ring rust and the fact that he was facing the reigning champion saw him enter the fight as the underdog.
After a 25 minute battle, the cage door was unlocked, and Jimmy Lennon, Jr. entered to read the scorecards, unveiling a new Strikeforce champion, as Rockhold took the unanimous decision.
In his first defense of the title, Rockhold stopped Keith Jardine at the 4:26 mark of Round One, scoring a TKO victory.
Rockhold’s opponent in July, Kennedy, is currently riding a two-fight winning streak. His last loss came across Souza back in August 2010, when the two met to fight for the then-vacant Strikeforce middleweight crown. Since that time Kennedy has defeated Melvin Manhoef and Robbie Lawler.
Two other middleweight fights have been verbally agreed to for the card. Roger Gracie, coming off a loss to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, will face Jardine. In the other fight, Lorenz Larkin faces Lawler.
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