Strikeforce Challengers 16 to Feature Couture, Villante, Larkin
Mike Whitman May 3, 2011
Ryan
Couture will try for his third win as a professional on June 24. |
Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
The fight card for Strikeforce Challengers 16 has begun to take shape.
Going down June 24 at ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., “Challengers 16” is expected to feature Ryan Couture fighting an opponent to be named, as well as a heavyweight tilt between prospects Gian Villante and Lorenz Larkin. Sherdog.com confirmed the date and matchups with multiple sources close to the event Tuesday after an initial report from MMAFighting.com.
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Villante, a former Ring of Combat heavyweight champion, suffered his second career defeat in February at the hands of Chad Griggs. Though Villante stunned his foe early on with a head kick, Griggs surged ahead and finished the New Yorker by knockout late in the first round. A former standout linebacker and wrestler at Hofstra University, Villante owns five of his seven career victories by KO.
A powerful striker, Larkin is perfect through 10 professional outings. Most recently, the 24-year-old battered Scott Lighty at “Challengers 15” in April, earning a second-round TKO. Known as “The Monsoon,” Larkin has knocked out eight of his opponents since beginning his career in August 2009.
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