A welterweight tilt between Roger Bowling (9-2) and Jerron Peoples (4-1) is the latest addition to December's Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal fight card. Strikeforce officials announced the bout on Tuesday.
Bowling returns for the first time since concluding his trilogy against Bobby Voelker with a TKO loss at Strikeforce Challengers 17. The 29-year-old knockout artist, known as "Relentless", trains out of Ohio and holds sub-30-second KO wins over UFC veterans Seth Baczynski and Shamar Bailey.
Peoples, meanwhile, hopes to right the ship after suffering the first professional loss of his career in his Strikeforce debut against Eduardo Pamplona. Prior to the June tilt, the native Californian racked-up four straight knockout victories in regional promotions.
'Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal' is slated for December 17th at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California. Number-one lightweight contender Jorge Masvidal faces off with reigning champion Gilbert Melendez in the night's main event.
'Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal' fight card:
Lightweight Championship: Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal
Women's Featherweight Championship: Cristiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka
Light Heavyweight: Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux
Lightweight: K.J. Noons vs. Billy Evangelista
Lightweight: Caros Fodor vs. Justin Wilcox
Heavyweight: Devin Cole vs. Gabriel Salinas-Jones
Welterweight: Roger Bowling vs. Jerron Peoples