Rockhold retains the Strikeforce middleweigh title (Photos by Esther Lin/Forza LLC/Getty Images via Forza LLC)
Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (14-3) has his next fight.
On July 14 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon the 185-lbs title holder will look to defend his title for a second time when he faces Tim Kennedy (14-3) in the main event.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced the bout during Thursday’s media call for the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament Final, set for May 19.
Coker also confirmed two other middleweight bouts, pitting Keith Jardine against Roger Gracie and Robbie Lawler versus Lorenz Larkin.
Rockhold is coming off a first round finish over Jardine this past January in ‘The Dean of Mean’s’ middleweight debut. The victory was Rockhold’s eight straight win, all of which have come inside the Strikeforce cage. The champ won the title last September by defeating Ronald ‘Jacare’ Souza by decision.
Kennedy has won two in a row and is 6-2 in his last eight matches. He will not have fought for almost a year once the two step into the cage, with Kennedy’s last appearance coming on July 30, 2011. At the Illinois event, Kennedy was able to earn a unanimous decision against Lawler.