While Strikeforce will take to the Showtime airwaves this Saturday, the pay-cable provider's other televised MMA property -- M-1 Global -- announced Tuesday that it will make its return on Friday, July 8th.
The event will be headlined by Pat Bennett vs. Kenny Garner, a rematch of the promotion's 2010 M-1 Selection Americas Tournament heavyweight finals. In that bout, Garner (6-3) defeated Bennett (4-2) by 1st round TKO to win the tourney.
Bennett was set to fight M-1 Global Heavyweight Champion Guram Gugenishvili but the champion had to withdraw due to a hand injury. Garner is coming off an April 1st round KO of Danny Lockhart at a regional event, while Bennett defeated Alexander Volkov by decision at an M-1 Challenge event in December.
The July show will emanate from Costa Mesa, CA's O.C. Fair and Events Center and can be seen on Showtime at 11 pm EST/PST (delay on the West Coast). Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich will provide commentary.
This will be M-1 Global's second event on Showtime after debuting in March.