D. Mandel/Sherdog.com
It was a busy week of reported and announced signings, as Strikeforce locked up a series of notables to spice up their December and January cards. Also, the UFC appears to have come to terms with a legendary member of the Gracie family.
Brazilian sports media reported that Renzo Gracie has signed a UFC contract. The welterweight is expected to debut in the first half of 2010, possibly against Matt Hughes, who said on his Web site this week that he’s looking to fight April 10. Gracie has said the Hughes fight, playing off his brother Royce’s 2006 loss to the welterweight legend, would likely be his second UFC fight. Matt Brown has campaigned to be Gracie’s first UFC test.
Heavyweight Gilbert Yvel, who most recently tested Josh Barnett in the Affliction ring and knocked out Pedro Rizzo in June, looks to be the replacement for Gabriel Gonzaga against Junior dos Santos at UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in what promises to be a standup war.
Strikeforce locked up an exciting kickboxer of its own this week in Melvin Manhoef, 33, with a multi-year agreement. It’s the first U.S. contract for the wild Dutch striker, who has proven consistently prone to submission attacks but is also brilliant at securing knockouts against all level of competition in both MMA and kickboxing fights. He is expected to compete at middleweight.
Manhoef will also continue to compete for the Dream organization in Japan, which has a working relationship with Strikeforce, and is expected to compete there on New Year’s Eve, according to MMA Weekly.
In addition, well-traveled veteran Trevor Prangley announced he was headed to Strikeforce shortly after he submitted Marcus Sursa on Nov. 28 to capture the light heavyweight title of the Texas-based Shark Fights promotion. Prangley has agreed to drop to middleweight and face Robbie Lawler on the Dec. 19 "Evolution" card. Benji Radach was thought to be Lawler’s opponent, but hasn't been cleared to begin training following surgery on his right hand in April, his agent told Sherdog.com.
Strikeforce also announced the signing of the first and only EliteXC 160-pound champion K.J. Noons. The pro boxer’s substantial MMA campaign, including wins over Nick Diaz and Yves Edwards, took place in EliteXC, which was once operated by his boxing promoter Gary Shaw. Noons won four pro boxing bouts after his last MMA fight in June 2008. No opponent for Noons has been named. Strikeforce announced Diaz will return to on a Jan. 30 card alongside the mixed martial arts debut of football great Herschel Walker.
Not all of Strikeforce’s signings were of fighters. The promotion announced a television deal in Canada, where its fight cards will air live on the Super Channel, the country's only pay television network. The deal starts with the "Evolution" card on Dec. 19 from San Jose, Calif.