With lightweight fighter Josh Thomson pulling out of the upcoming Strikeforce: World Heavyweight Grand Prix – Barnett vs. Kharitonov event, veteran Pat ‘Bam Bam’ Healy (27-17) has been tapped as his replacement.
Healy will now welcome World Victory Road veteran Maximo Blanco (8-2-1, 1NC) to Strikeforce and North America on September 10.
Strikeforce officials announced the new matchup overnight, adding the two to the Showtime broadcast main card for next months Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-final event, which will take place at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.
This will be Healy’s fifth straight appearance with Strikeforce, in a career that has seen him fight for many promotions over his career including the UFC, the IFL, the MFC, and Shark Fights. ‘Bam Bam’ has won two in a row and is 5-1 in his last six. He earned a unanimous decision over Eric Wisely earlier this month fighting on the Strikeforce Challengers: Gurgel vs. Duarte card.
Blanco will carry a six fight win streak into his Strikeforce debut and will fight on this side of the Pacific Ocean for the first time in his career. The Venezuelan born fighter earned a wrestling scholarship to Japan when he was younger, and eventually found his way to mixed martial arts. This bout will be his first of 2011, and is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Won Sik Park at WVR’s December 30 Soul of Fight event.