(Never go up against a thespian when death is on the line.)
According to new reports, Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold will defend his belt at Strikeforce’s July 14th event in Portland, where he’ll face off against former title contender/video-parodist Tim Kennedy.
Luke Rockhold has won his last eight fights, most recently beating the crap out of Keith Jardine in a somewhat farcical title defense in January. Kennedy has won his last two bouts under the Strikeforce banner, but hasn’t competed since a unanimous decision win over Robbie Lawler in July 2011. Rockhold and Kennedy were briefly scheduled to face each other last year before Rockhold pulled out of the matchup, and were matched up again earlier this year before Tim had to withdraw due to injury, so this one’s been a long time coming. Can the Special Forces sniper shock Rockhold and take that belt?
Also on the card…
Heavy-handed middleweight mainstay Robbie Lawler will follow-up his TKO win over Adlan Amagov in January with a fight against undefeated prospect Lorenz Larkin. Larkin was KO’d by Muhammad Lawal in his last Strikeforce appearance, but that fight was changed to a no-contest after Lawal tested positive for steroids.
As previously reported, Keith Jardine will face Roger Gracie on the 7/14 card, which may also feature a welterweight bout between Nate Marquardt and Tyron Woodley.