UFC and Dream veteran
Jesse Taylor will square off with
Luke Rockhold in a welterweight tilt at Strikeforce “Challengers Series 4” on Nov. 6 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz made the matchup official on Friday.
Based out of Team Quest, Taylor has posted seven wins in eight fights. The 26-year-old Californian last competed in August, when he dropped a unanimous decision to former International Fight League welterweight champion
Jay Hieron. A product of Season 7 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Taylor submitted to a
CB Dollaway Peruvian necktie in his only appearance inside the Octagon.
Rockhold, meanwhile, has never gone the distance in six professional bouts. Spawned by the American Kickboxing Academy, he has rattled off four consecutive victories, all by submission, since his technical knockout loss to
Tony Rubalcava at a Melee on the Mountain event in 2007. Rockhold has not competed since he submitted
Cory Devela with a rear-naked choke four months ago.
In addition to the Taylor-Rockhold matchup, unbeaten heavyweight prospect
Shane del Rosario will butt heads with Palace Fighting Championship veteran
Brandon Cash. Del Rosario has finished all eight of his opponents, seven of them inside one round.
A lightweight bout pairing UFC veteran and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
Jorge Gurgel with undefeated Californian
Billy Evangelista will headline the Nov. 6 event, which will air on Showtime.