Strikeforce Challengers 18 Main Card Set For August 12th

The card for Strikeforce Challengers 18 has been finalized and made official. Eight bouts line the action, including five that are set to be broadcast live on Showtime. The event will be held August 12th at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Headlining Strikeforce's 18th iteration of the "Challengers" series is a lightweight contest between "The Ultimate Fighter Season Two" veteran Jorge Gurgel (14-7) and Guam-native Joe Duarte (9-2). After an unsuccessful run in the UFC, Gurgel has struggled to reverse his fortunes under the Strikeforce banner, winning just two of his last four bouts. Duarte, on the other hand, is in the midst of a four-fight win streak including a submission victory in his Strikeforce debut against Saad Awad.

Also lining the main card is a middleweight bout between Danillo Villefort (13-3) and Nate James (12-7-1), a lightweight bout between Pat Healy (26-17) and Eric Wisely (17-5), a women's featherweight bout between Ronda Rousey (2-0) and Sarah D'Alelio (4-1), and a light heavyweight bout between Roy Jones Jr. (5-1) and Derrick Mehmen (11-3).

Updated Strikeforce Challengers 18 card:

Main card
Lightweight: Jorge Gurgel vs. Joe Duarte
Middleweight: Danillo Villefort vs. Nate James
Lightweight: Pat Healy vs. Eric Wisely
Women's featherweight: Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah D'Alelio
Light heavyweight: Roy Jones Jr. vs. Derrick Mehmen

Preliminary card
Light heavyweight: Keith Berry vs. Gian Villante
Welterweight: Lukasz Les vs. Nah-Shon Burrell
Welterweight: Mike Bronzoulis vs. Chad Leonhardt
Lightweight: Sterling Ford vs. Milton Vieira*

*Not yet confirmed