Joe Riggs file photo: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com
Chris Gruetzemacher will face
Ryan Diaz in a preliminary matchup at
Strikeforce Challengers 10 on Friday at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix. The promotion will feature a 13-bout lineup at the event, which will air live on Showtime.
Gruetzemacher -- a training partner of World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight champion
Benson Henderson at the MMA Lab in Glendale, Ariz. -- has posted four consecutive victories since his 25-second submission loss to
Joe Cronin in February 2009. The 24-year-old last appeared at Rage in the Cage 140 in March, when he stopped
Nadeem Al-Hassan on first-round punches.
Anchored at Arizona Combat Sports, Diaz has not competed since his knockout loss to
Reuben Duran at a King of the Cage show in February. The well-traveled 31-year-old has tested his skills against a number of highly regarded fighters, including world-ranked flyweight
Mamoru Yamaguchi, former UFC lightweight title contender
Hermes Franca and 2009 Dream featherweight grand prix quarter-finalist
Abel Cullum. Diaz has secured 10 of his 13 career victories by submission.
A catchweight bout pitting UFC veteran
Joe Riggs against
Louis Taylor will headline Strikeforce Challengers 10, along with the professional mixed martial arts debut of
Ryan Couture, son of UFC hall of famer
Randy Couture. In addition,
Miesha Tate,
Carina Damm,
Maiju Kujala and
Hitomi Akano will take part in a one-night, single-elimination women’s tournament at 135 pounds. Matchups for the tournament will be announced at Thursday’s weigh-in.
Joe Riggs vs.
Louis Taylor
Ryan Couture vs.
Lucas Stark
Colleen Schneider vs.
Liz Carmouche
Chris Gruetzemacher vs.
Ryan Diaz
Christian Grosinsky vs.
Jason Karpel
Jeffrey Anderson vs. Edmund Xhelili
Joel Champion vs.
Sean Scott
Tim Worth vs.
Rob Anderson
Andres Acuna vs.
Edwin Louis
Frankie Saenz vs.
Jace Crawford
Miesha Tate vs. TBA
Carina Damm vs. TBA
Maiju Kujala vs. TBA
Hitomi Akano vs. TBA
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