San Jose Pro Footballer Suits Up For Strikeforce Cage Fight

San Jose Sabrecats lineman and undefeated mixed martial arts super heavyweight contender, Rex Richards (3-0), will attempt to extend his win streak in the cage when he makes his Strikeforce debut during the promotion’s “Triple Threat” world championship fight card being presented by BodogFIGHT at San Jose, California’s HP Pavilion on Friday, December 8th.

The 26 year old Richards, a 6 foot 5 inch, 300 pound monstrous specimen of man, holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He will face another giant in 6 foot 8 inch, 290 pound Kyle Leviton (0-1) of San Diego. Also 26 years of age, Leviton is skilled in both kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Richards’ track record of achievement on the field is trivialized only by his determination to excel in competition. Over the course of his four year playing career (1999-2002) at Texas State University, he started a total of 40 games, more than any other offensive lineman in the school’s history. In his senior year, he was named to the All-Big 12 first team by both the Dallas Morning News and Kansas City Star.

In September 2003, Richards was signed to the practice squad of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and, one year later, he was signed as a free agent by the Sabrecats, an Arena Football League (AFL) squad.

On November 5th of last year, Richards made his professional mixed martial arts fighting debut at the Verizon Wireless Theater in Houston, Texas. He made quick work of Ashley Rivers, stopping his opponent with a barrage of knee strikes at the 1:24 mark of the opening round.

Tickets for Strikeforce “Triple Threat” are on sale at Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS) and Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) as well as at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070). Tickets are priced at $200.00, $150.00, $100.00, $75.00, $50.00, and $40.00, and $30.00.

The December 8th card will feature Strikeforce’s first-ever 205 pound light heavyweight championship bout. Bobby Southworth (Pictures), a veteran of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, will face off with hard-hitting road warrior and K-1 and Pride Fighting Championship veteran, Vernon “Tiger” White, for the vacant crown.

Making his third-career mixed martial arts start, undefeated world San Shou kickboxing champion, Cung Le (Pictures), will face his toughest test to date in Jason “Live Wire” Von Flue, a contestant on season two of The Ultimate Fighter.

Off the heels of his victory on October 7th, lightweight sensation, Josh “The Punk” Thomson, will be challenged by another dangerous adversary in 23-year-old rising star, Nam Phan (Pictures).

World Muay Thai champion and UFC and K-1 Max veteran, Duane “Bang” Ludwig, will move up to the 170 pound weight class to meet hard-nosed battler, Tony “The Freak” Fryklund.

Old rivals Eugene “The Wolf” Jackson and Ronald “The Machine Gun” Jhun will collide for the second time in their careers. Jhun is looking for payback eight years after Jackson submitted him with a forearm choke during a contest in Hawaii.

Former WWE star, Daniel Puder (Pictures), will face fellow unbeaten heavyweight contender, Mike Cook (Mike Cook' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures). Heavyweight contender, Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello, who stopped UFC legend David “Tank” Abbott on Strikeforce’s October 7th card, will return to action against a yet to be named opponent.

The Strikeforce mixed martial arts event is being produced by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (SVS&E, www.svse.net), a leading producer of major sporting and entertainment events and the exclusive producer of such events for San Jose, California’s largest entertainment venue, HP Pavilion. SVS&E’s many properties include “Fight Night at the Tank” professional boxing; the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks; and the annual ATP men’s professional tennis “SAP Open” event.

Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion that, on Friday, March 10th, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock (Pictures) against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie (Pictures) at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to 18,265 fans, the largest-ever attendance at a mixed martial arts fight card held in North America.