ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK PRESENTS LAWLER VS. SHIELDS Scottrade Center – St. Louis, MO
Saturday, June 6, 2009 – 9:00PM (CST) - prelims at 7:00PM LIVE ON SHOWTIME SPORTS!
MAIN CARD (BEGINNING AT 9:00PM - CST):
Robbie Lawler (16-4) vs. Jake Shields (22-4-1)
Alistair Overeem (29-11) vs. Brett Rogers (9-1) [HW Title Fight]
Nick Diaz (19-7) vs. Scott Smith (15-5) - 180Lbs
Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni (13-10) vs. Joe "Diesel" Riggs (29-10)
Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (7-1) vs. Jared Hamman (10-1)
UNDERCARD (BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00PM – CST)
Jesse Finney (3-0) vs. Josh Bumgarner (7-0)
Tyron "Tabasco" Woodley (1-0) vs. Sal Woods (3-5)
Scott Ventimiglia (12-5-1) vs. Lucas Lopes (7-8)
Pat Benson (2-5-2) vs. Dave Cochran (16-18)
Booker DeRousse (1-1) vs. James Wade (5-6)
If what is being reported is true, Strikeforce has done a great job in assembling their first blockbuster card. There was some real uncertainty for this event after Babalu dropped out of a LHW title fight with the Anderson Silva prodigy, Rafael Feijao due to labor problems his wife is currently having, but Strikeforce quickly inserted Jared Hamman, a 10-1 top prospect that recently brutalized BJ Penn trained standout, Poai Suganuma, in EliteXC last year.
The addition of Nick Diaz vs Scott Smith, a guaranteed blockbuster, will surely add more explosives to the fight card. Both men are coming into this fight with memorable victories over ( Nick over Shamrock and Smith over Radach) in the last Showtime Strikeforce event, and will have many declare it as a favorite for FOTN or FOTY candidate. The last matchup added was Strikeforce's HW champion, Alistair Overeem taking on the highly touted, undefeated, and heavy handed Brett Rogers for the HW title.
It looks like the June 6th event will be Strikeforce's first blockbuster card, and it looks like they will be able to accomplish it without using either Gina Carano or Kimbo Slice, which is something EliteXC was never quite able to do.
UPDATE by Chris Nelson: 5oz. reports that Overeem vs. Rogers has not yet been signed.
UPDATE 2 by MMASuPreMaCy: MMAJunkie is reporting that Joey Villasenor vs Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos has an 85% chance of taking place on this card as well
