Lawler-Prangley Agreed for Dec. 19 Strikeforce

Robbie Lawler and Trevor Prangley will lock horns in a featured middleweight bout at Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., Sherdog.com confirmed with both fighters’ camps on Thursday.

Prangley replaces tentatively scheduled Lawler opponent Benji Radach, who couldn’t obtain medical clearance to resume training for the bout after breaking his right hand last April. Sherdog.com has learned that recent Dream and K-1 entry Melvin Manhoef and Sengoku participant Mamed Khalidov were also under strong consideration for the vacated slot.

The heavy-handed Lawler has ploughed through five of his last seven bouts. A former EliteXC middleweight champion and H.I.T. Squad member alongside Matt Hughes, the 27-year-old Iowan was submitted by Jake Shields in the first round of their headlining bout at Strikeforce “Lawler vs. Shields” on June 6 in St. Louis.

Prangley, a South African Olympic wrestling alternate, has won 11 of his last 12 bouts. His only loss in that time came at the hands of Jorge Santiago, who knocked out Prangley in the finals of Strikeforce’s four-man middleweight tournament in November 2007. Prangley became the Shark Fight light heavyweight champion following his first-round submission of Marcus Sursa on Nov. 28 in Amarillo, Texas.

Strikeforce “Evolution”
December 19, 2009
HP Pavilion,
San Jose, Calif.

Strikeforce Lightweight Championship
Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert Melendez

Matt Lindland vs. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
Scott Smith vs. Cung Le
Robbie Lawler vs. Trevor Prangley
Muhammed Lawal vs. Mike Whitehead