Kim Couture, wife of reigning UFC heavyweight champion
Randy Couture, will make her promotional debut when she squares off with
Lina Kvokov at Strikeforce “Destruction” on Nov. 21 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.
Couture (0-1) dropped a unanimous decision to
Kim Rose at Banner Promotions “Night of Combat” in June but has not competed since. The 32-year-old suffered a broken jaw in the defeat but surprised many with the toughness she showed in going the distance.
“Losing that fight was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Couture said. “It’s completely changed me as a fighter. I’ve started doing things a lot different. It made me realize that I have to be the aggressor or I’m going to get hurt.”
Kvokov (0-1), meanwhile, submitted to a Tamara Parks armbar in her professional debut at Fatal Femmes Fighting 4 “Call of the Wild” in April. She lasted only 2:24 with Parks, who has since lost to Margaux La Trobe. The 33-year-old Kvokov trains out of Portland, Ore.
“I’m an A-type personality so of course I’m aggressive,” Kvokov said. “I don’t know Kim Couture, but I’ve heard a lot of great things and have a lot of respect for her, so I’m really looking forward to going in there and banging it out with her.”
Couture recently began training under three-time world kickboxing champion
Ray Sefo, a 36-year-old New Zealand native with 81 boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts matches under his belt..
“I like his style,” Couture said. “He’s very explosive and aggressive. He doesn’t wait around and look for openings; he creates them.”
Strikeforce “Destruction” also features two championship bouts. Light heavyweight champion
Bobby Southworth will put his 205-pound crown on the line against Brazilian veteran Renato “Babalu” Sobral, and lightweight titleholder
Josh Thomson will defend his belt against
Yves Edwards, a man who knocked out Thomson with a highlight reel head kick at UFC 49.