American military hero and rising mixed martial arts (MMA) star Tim Kennedy (10-2) will return to the cage to battle power punching Brazilian and middleweight (185 pounds) rival Evangelista Cyborg (16-13) in the main event of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers card live on SHOWTIME from Tulsa, Oklahoma’s SpiritBank Event Center on Friday, September 25.

Tickets for the event, priced from $25, go on sale Monday, August 10 at 10 a.m. CT and will be available for purchase at the SpiritBank Event Center box office as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

“I think we’re both pretty explosive fighters and we both show up to fight. We both like to throw some big bombs so it’s a good matchup,” said the 29-year-old Kennedy, who recently accepted an offer to serve in the Texas National Guard after spending six years in The United States Army, the last three as a sniper in the Seventh Special Forces Group.

In his last start, a June 19 matchup with Nick “The Goat” Thompson at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, Kennedy turned out a dominant performance, stopping Thompson on the ground with an onslaught of punches in the second round (2:37) of action.

“I don’t think anybody can really plan to see what I’m coming in to do this time,” said Kennedy. “I’m working with the best boxing coaches and training with Mark DeLaGrotte, one of the best MMA striking coaches in the world, so I think that people are going to see a new Tim that they’ve never seen before.”

“Strikeforce has a whole bunch of guys in my weight class who I match up very well with. They pretty much have control of the whole 185 pound division barring two exceptions that are in UFC. I want to fight all of these guys and put on a good show for SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE.”

A graduate of Columbia College in Missouri, Kennedy launched his professional MMA career shortly before enlisting in the military near the end of 2001.

“After 9/11 happened, I wanted to do something for my country,” he explained. Kennedy’s new job will allow him to remain in the armed services while maintaining enough flexibility to take his MMA career to the next level.

“The military is my life,” said Kennedy. “I am going to serve as long as they’ll let me. I’d love to retire in uniform.”

The 31-year-old Cyborg is looking to turn his fortunes around after suffering two straight defeats, the last of which was to Joey Villasenor by way of split decision in the main event of the June 19 STRIKEFORCE Challengers event.

“I was just a little bit out of rhythm and was coming off an injury so my training was not 100 percent,” explained Cyborg of his showing in the fight with Villasenor, which also marked Cyborg’s first start in nearly nine months. “This is not an excuse. It’s just something natural that all athletes go through when they stop fighting for a long period of time.”

“I believe I will be able to do the opposite this time from the Villasenor fight where we stood up and punched each other,” said Cyborg. “I think I will finally be able to show my Jiu-Jitsu game and surprise a lot of people.

Cyborg is a member of the famed Chute Boxe fight squad that has produced a number of MMA’s finest champions including Anderson Silva, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, and brothers Mauricio “Shogun” and Murilo “Ninja” Rua. Cyborg’s wife and training partner, Cris Cyborg, is preparing for the biggest fight of her life – a long-awaited, STRIKEFORCE women’s 145 pound championship showdown with top rival Gina “Conviction” Carano – on Saturday, August 15.

World championship MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE will produce the event at SpiritBank Event Center along with eXtreme Fighting promoter and five-time world kickboxing champion Dale “Apollo” Cook.

SpiritBank Event Center doors will open at 7:15 p.m. CT for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event and the first preliminary bout will begin at 8:00 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME telecast of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

Strikeforce Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

Strikeforce Challengers “Villasenor vs. Cyborg” live Friday, June 19 on Showtime.

For those of you who missed it, Strikeforce Videos HERE

Main Card

• Joey Villasenor (184.5) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (185)
  Result: Joey Villasenor defeats Evangelista Cyborg via Split Decision..
• Tim Kennedy (184) vs. Nick Thompson (185)
  Result: Tim Kennedy defeats Nick Thompson via Submission (Punches) at 2:37 of R2.
• Jorge Gurgel (157.5) vs. Conor Heun (158.5)
  Result: Jorge Gurgel defeats Conor Heun via Unanimous Decision.
• Shayna Baszler (134.5) vs. Sarah Kaufman (134)
  Result: Sarah Kaufman defeats Shayna Baszler via Unanimous Decision.
• Cory Devela (184) vs. Luke Rockhold (183.5)
  Result: Luke Rockhold defeats Cory Devela via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 0:30 of R1.

Preliminary Card

• Justin Davis (200) vs. Dennis Hallman (191.5)
  Result: Hallman defeats Justin Davis via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 0:20 of R1
• Brian Caraway (145) vs. Alex Zuniga (144)
  Result: Brian Caraway defeats Alex Zuniga via Unanimous Decision.
• Lyle Beerbohm (160) vs. Duane Ludwig (159.5)
  Result: Lyle Beerbohm defeats Duane Ludwig via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:27 of R1.
• Travis Doerge (184) vs. Landon Showalter (185.5)
  Result: Landon Showalter defeats George Stork via Unanimous Decision.
• Len Bentley (155.5) vs. Marques Daniels (154.5)
  Result: Len Bentley defeats Marques Daniels via Unanimous Decision.
• Steve Hadsel (170) vs. Taylor Roberts (170.5)
  Result: Steve Hadsel defeats Taylor Roberts via KO (Punches) at 0:17 of R1

Strikeforce Challengers series ended in controversial fashion when Billy Evangelista (9-1) was disqualified for kneeing Mike Aina (12-6-1) in the head while he was still down on the mat.

“I feel bad at what happened, but I am definitely planning to protest,’’ Evangelista said. “Nothing I did was on purpose. I thought I had timed the knee perfectly and that he was on his feet when it was delivered.’’

Mike Aina: “No one likes a fight to finish this way. I don’t look at it as a win for me, and he should not look at it as a loss for him. It should have been a no contest.’’

Strikeforce Results

• Mike Aina defeats Billy Evangelista via DQ (Illegal Knee) at 3:40 of R2.
• Sarah Kaufman defeats Miesha Tate via Unanimous Decision. (29-28 x3)
• Lavar Johnson defeats Carl Seumanutafa via KO (Punch) at 0:18 of R1.
• Aaron Rosa defeats Anthony Ruiz via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:29 of R1.
• Bao Quach defeats Tito Jones via Unanimous Decision. (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Spencer Herns defeats Chad Sutton via Majority Decision
• Fabricio Camoes defeats Torrance Taylor via submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:21 of R1.
• Thomas Diagne defeats Kaleo Kwan via Unanimous Decision.
• Ben Holscher defeats Cody Cantebury via submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:07 of R1.

Showtime Challengers ShoMMA on May 15th in Fresno, CA. The fights will be broadcast on Showtime starting at 11pm EST.

“Evangelista has a great record, but there are holes in every fighter’s game. I’ve watched tape on him and he is definitely vulnerable to some things.” Said Mike Aina “I plan to spoil his homecoming and win one for all my fans in my hometown in Hawaii, who have always been there and supported me. They are with me each and every time I step into the cage

Showtime ShoMMA Weigh-In Results

Mike Aina (157.2) vs. Billy Evangelista (157.5)
Sarah Kaufman (135) vs. Miesha Tate (135.4)
Lavar Johnson (246.4) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (250.5)
Aaron Rosa (205.4) vs. Anthony Ruiz (205.2)
Tito Jones (145.6) vs. Bao Quach (145.8)
Cody Cantebury (160) vs. Ben Holscher (160.2)
Zolia Frausto (129.8) vs. Avery Vilche (122.8)
Ousmane Thomas Diagne (155.6) vs. Kaleo Kwan (155.4)
Fabricio Camoes (156.2) vs. Torrance Taylor (155.8)
Spencer Herns (180.6) vs. Chad Sutton (184)

Strikeforce announces via press release that Joey Villasenor will face Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos in the main event of ShoMMA 2 set for June 19 at the ShoWare Center in Kent, WA.

Villasenor (26-6), part of Jackson’s MMA, was picked up by Strikeforce last year with the purchase of EliteXC. He was scheduled to take on Robbie Lawler for the EliteXC middleweight title last year, before EliteXC went belly up.

Santos (16-12) is the husband of famed female MMA fighter Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. He last competed at Sengoku 5 against Siyar Bahadurzada, losing due to an elbow injury suffered early in the first round.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker:

“This is where the men — and women — will be separated from the boys, so to speak. The growth and future of our sport just got a turbo injection. For regional fighters and up-and-coming men and women looking to test themselves against other top prospects and get on the fast track to stardom, SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers is the place to do it. I can’t wait for this first event.”

Long time UFC lightweight Jorge Gurgel will take on Conor Heun at the ShoMMA 2 on June 19th in Kent, Washington, according to MMAWeekly.

Former TUF 2 cast member found him self standing their with a UFC pink slip in hand after losing two consecutive fights to Aaron Riley and Cole Miller.

Submission specialist Conor Heun (8-2) was recently featured on MTV “Bully Beatdown”, in which he took care of Christian “The Angry Couch Potato”.

Heun, a BJJ Black belt under Eddie Bravo is coming off a second round TKO over James Edson Berto at EliteXC “Heat”.

According to MMAWeekly, Kim “Sugar Free” Couture has apparently withdrawn for her ShoMMA fight with Meisha Tate (7-1) on May 15 in Fresno, CA. Tate posted a message on her MySpace page stating that Kim Couture and husband Randy Couture are having “Martial Problems”.

“So Kim ‘Sugar Free’ Couture is pulling out of the fight supposedly cuz her and Randy are getting a divorce………..I’m so pissed right now……Sugar Free my ass!!”

UPDATE
Strikeforce Press Release:

Mixed martial arts (MMA) upstart Kim “Sugar Free” Couture (1-1) has withdrawn from the series debut of Strikeforce Challengers, scheduled for Friday, May 15. Couture was slated to face submission expert Miesha Tate (5-1) in a 135-pound fight. Strikeforce is working to replace the fight and finalize the card.

Strikeforce Challengers will take place at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif, on Friday, May 15, and air live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The fight card, headlined by undefeated lightweight Billy Evangelista (9-0) versus BJ Penn protégé “Iron” Mike Aina (11-6-1), will feature up to five live bouts.

Strikeforce Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. SHO MMA provides today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

NEW YORK (April 7, 2009)—Undefeated lightweight (155 lb. limit) sensation Billy Evangelista (9-0) will fight hard-hitting brawler and BJ Penn protégé “Iron” Mike Aina (11-6-1) in the main event of the inaugural, newly titled SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers series from leading MMA promoter Strikeforce and premium television network SHOWTIME, on Friday, May 15 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

The SHOWTIME telecast will air live beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and feature up to five MMA fights including Kim “Sugar Free” Couture (1-1), wife of MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, facing an opponent to be named.

SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers provides MMA’s hottest prospects with the opportunity to perform at a high level of competition in a nationally televised event.

“This is where the men—and women—will be separated from the boys, so to speak,” said Strikeforce founder and CEO Scott Coker. “The growth and future of our sport just got a turbo injection. For regional fighters and up-and-coming men and women looking to test themselves against other top prospects and get on the fasttrack to stardome, SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers is the place to do it. I can’t wait for this first event.”

Tickets for the first SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers event go on sale Monday, April 13 at 10 a.m. PT at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

“I don’t know anything about my opponent, but it doesn’t matter because I know he’s going to try to take me out like everyone else has, so it’ll be my job to react to whatever he does,” said the 28-year-old Evangelista, who fights out of Fresno. “I’ve got a great team behind me and I’ve been training really hard so I’m not worried.”

A finely tuned Muay Thai technician and wrestling expert, Evangelista notched his last Strikeforce victory by turning the tides on road warrior Luke “Lil’ Hulk” Caudillo in a thrilling slugfest at Broomfield, Colo., on October 3, 2008. After being dropped twice with punches in the first round, a determined Evangelista battled back in the following two rounds to earn a unanimous decision.

Three and a half months prior to his conquest of Caudillo, Evangelista secured a key win over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Nam Phan in Strikeforce action at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

The 28-year-old Aina has never been stopped over the course of 18 professional starts. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, he has been a student of MMA superstar Penn for six years and has since developed a dangerous, hybrid fighting style that favors dirty boxing and kickboxing and is supported by a strong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu foundation.

“It’s a big opportunity for me,” said Aina of the matchup with Evangelista. “Billy is no slouch. I’m expecting a really tough fight because we have similar styles. We both like to stand up even though we’re both also well rounded. I’m going in with a positive mindset and I’m ready to work hard in there.”

Aina nearly pulled off a stunning upset of superstar Nick Diaz when the two faced off in Hilo on September 15, 2007. Aina stalked Diaz in the early going of their matchup and got the better of Diaz in a few of their exchanges. By the third round, however, fatigue set in and Aina’s pace slowed while Diaz, known for his outstanding stamina, continued to dish out punishment before earning a split decision.

“I kind of wore out as the fight went on,” admitted Aina. “Nick stands up in front of you and doesn’t give you a break. I definitely think I won the first two rounds, hands down, but that’s why you can’t leave things in the hands of the judges. That fight definitely tested my character and helped bring my game to the next level.”

Since the loss to Diaz, Aina has reeled off two straight wins, his last being a first round submission of Ismael Gonzalves on August 9, 2008.

Couture made her debut with Strikeforce on November 21, 2008 against Lina Kvokov. Couture, who recently added K-1 superstar Ray Sefo to her team of world-class trainers, quickly overwhelmed Kvokov with punch flurries and knee strikes in the first round of their matchup at San Jose’s HP Pavilion. After Kvokov turned her back due to her inability to defend herself any longer, the referee ordered a stoppage at the 1:44 mark of the opening round, giving Couture a victory by way of TKO.

Save Mart Center doors will open at 5:15 p.m. PT on May 15 and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.

ShoXC Results

• Dave “Pee Wee” Herman (11-0) vs. Kerry “The Meat Truck” Schall (21-10)
  – Dave Herman defeats Kerry Schall by TKO (Punches and Knee’s) at of R1.
• Jason Guida (17-17) vs. Mamed “Cannibal” Khalidov (14-3-1)
  – Mamed Khalidov defeats Jason Guida by TKO (Punches) at of R2.
• Anthony Lapsley (12-3) vs. Mike Stumpf (10-1)
  – Anthony Lapsley defeats Mike Stumpf by Unanimous Decision (Even, 30-27 x2)
• Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (21-3) vs. Robert “Bubba” McDaniel (11-4)
  – Alexander Shlemenko defeats Robert McDaniel by TKO (Flying knee to the Ribs) at 5:00 of R1.
• Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (7-0) vs. Rafaello “Trator” Olivera (5-0)
  – Lyle Beerbohm defeats Rafaello Oliveira by TKO (cut) at 5:00 of R1.
• Orville Smith (8-0) vs. Matt Jaggers (7-4)
  – Matt Jaggers defeats Orville Smith Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27 x2).
• Jacob Hey (4-1) vs. Jared “The Spider” McMahon (8-0-1)
  – McMahon defeats Jacob Hey by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:11 of R1.
• Torrance Taylor (7-4) vs. Jeff Cox (0-2)
  – Jeff Cox defeats Jay Ellis by Submission (Guillotine Choke) 0:28 of R1.
• Johny Hughes (2-3) vs. Tiawon Howard (5-2)
  – Tiawon Howard defeats Johnny Hughes by Submission (rear naked choke) at 3:42 of R1.
• Josh Barnes (1-0) vs. Jeremy Norton (0-1)
  – Josh Barnes defeats Jeremy Norton by TKO (Strikes) at 2:22 of R1.
• John Kuhner (0-0) vs. Deray Davis (2-0-1)
  -Deray Davis defeats John Kuhner by Submission (Armbar) at 3:53 of R2.

Another great night of fighting from Showtime. Earning the first ever EliteXC 150lb. title is Wilson Reis, who was able to control the position of the fight over Abel Cullum to earn the judges nod. Cullum showed he deserved a chance at the tile as he did some amazing submission escapes and rocked Reis a couple of times during the fight.

Resario is a light heavyweight contender as he completely dominated the previously undefeated Seumanutafa, landing some sick knee’s to the body to secure the TKO win on Saturday night.

Malaipet put on a Thai Kickboxing clinic chopping the legs of the winded David Douglas in the second round. Now if any of his opponent would ever stand with him for more then a second he might actually win a fight. Douglas was able to pass his guard and gain full mount with no resistance to eventually pound out the Tahi fighter in the third round.

Malaipet Video Here

ShoXC Results

Wilson Reis defeats Abel Cullum by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 49-46 x2)
Shane Del Rosario defeats Carl Seumanutafa by TKO (Strikes)
David Douglas defeats Malaipet by TKO (Strikes)
Jaime Jara defeats Giva Santana by Split Decision
Erik Apple defeats Matt Makowski by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Scott Lighty defeats Jamiah Williamson by TKO
Damian Douglas defeats Joe Schilling by Submission
Fernando Bettega defeats Mono Otero by Submission