Hallman gets new opponent, Gurgel vs. Heun changed to catch-weight for Friday's Strikeforce

Quote :: On the eve of Friday's "Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg" event, the card has undergone a few changes, including a new opponent for preliminary-card headliner Dennis Hallman.

Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Hallman, originally slated to fight Cedric Marks, will instead meet Justin Davis at a catch-weight of 195 pounds.

Afromowitz also told MMAjunkie.com a Showtime-televised bout between Jorge Gurgel and Conor Heun, originally slated for 155 pounds, will instead be held at 160 pounds.

Friday's Strikeforce event, the second held under the "Strikeforce Challengers" (formerly "SHO MMA") banner, takes place at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. The five-fight main card, which includes a main event of Joey Villasenor (26-6) vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (16-12), airs on Showtime.

Hallman, a Washington native, was slated to fight veteran Marks (26-18) in the preliminary card's featured bout.

But, "Marks got medically suspended," Afromowitz said. "He didn't tell us. Apparently he fought last weekend."

Now unable to compete on perhaps the biggest event of his career, Marks has been replaced by Davis (11-8), a seven-year veteran of the Northwest fight scene. The 26-year-old returned from a near-two-year layoff last month to defeat Ryan Pope via first-round stoppage at a Cage Sport event.

Davis, traditionally a light heavyweight, agreed to meet Hallman, a middleweight, at 195 pounds.

Also slated for a catch-weight is the Gurgel (12-5) vs. Heun (8-2) main-card bout.

Afromowitz said both fighters agreed to meet at 160 pounds, which means Gurgel and Heun both may have had trouble cutting weight for tonight's official fighter weigh-ins.

Did Strikeforce have a problem with the change?

"No problem," Afromowitz said.

Gurgel, fighting for the first time since his release from the UFC in late 2008, and Heun, a former IFL and EliteXC fighter, both make their Strikeforce debuts at the event.

The full card now includes:

MAIN CARD
Joey Villasenor (26-6) vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (16-12)
Tim Kennedy (9-2) vs. Nick Thompson (38-10-1)
Jorge Gurgel (12-5) vs. Conor Heun (8-2)
Shayna Baszler (9-5) vs. Sarah Kaufman (8-0)
Cory Devela (9-2) vs. Luke Rockhold (4-1)
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-televised)
Justin Davis (11-8) vs. Dennis Hallman (40-12-2)
Brian Caraway (10-3) vs. Alex Zuniga (2-1)
Lyle Beerbohm (9-0) vs. Duane Ludwig (18-8)
Travis Doerge (4-8) vs. Landon Showalter (7-12-1)
Len Bentley (3-2) vs. Marques Daniels (1-2)
Steve Hadsel (1-0) vs. Taylor Roberts (1-1)

ENFORCER Number of posts : 413 Location : CHRONIC HEIGHTS

duane ludwig ddint make the main card ??

dayzaway wrote:: duane ludwig ddint make the main card ??

Duane Ludwig is a shit fighter, They need to take out

Quote :: Cory Devela vs. Luke Rockhold

and replace it with the Dennis Hallman fight, kinda fucked up that they aren't going to televise his fight when he's probably the most experienced guy @ the event.