Strikeforce's next major event could land in the promotion's birthplace.
Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that San Jose, Calif.'s HP Pavilion is targeted for a Strikeforce event on May 19, though the location has yet to be finalized.
No matchups have been confirmed for the event's fight lineup, which would include a main card on Showtime and prelims on Showtime Extreme.
Still in limbo at this point is the finals of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, which originally was targeted for next week's "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey" slot before finalist Daniel Cormier (9-0 MMA, 6-0 SF) was forced to withdraw due to a broken hand. Cormier meets veteran Josh Barnett (31-5 MMA, 2-0 SF) in the finale.
Cormier, of course, is a member of MMA gym American Kickboxing Academy, which enjoys hometown-hero status in San Jose.
Strikeforce recently signed onetime UFC middleweight challenger Nate Marquardt (31-10-2 MMA, 0-0 SF), who is expected to meet contender Tyron Woodley (10-0 MMA, 8-0 SF) in his promotional debut, possibly for a vacant welterweight title. However, a date has yet to be set for the fight.
Since being purchased by UFC parent company Zuffa LLC nearly a year ago, Strikeforce hasn't returned to San Jose, which hosted 12 of Strikeforce's first 17 events (and 18 of 58 overall). The promotion's most recent trip to San Jose came with "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg," which drew a reported attendance of 9,059 and a live gate of $533,214 in January 2011.
