Strikeforce: KJ Noons to Jorge Gurgel: It's on then! Gurgel: Hell yeah!

First reported by MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, a Strikeforce lightweight matchup between former EliteXC 160-pound champion KJ Noons (8-2) and eight-time UFC veteran Jorge Gurgel (13-6) may have been sealed on my Nokia N95 Thursday night.

After reading Helwani’s report, I text messaged both fighters for confirmation.

Gurgel responded first: “I am!”

But, Noons was more hesitant, texting me, “Don’t know yet.”

But, I responded with Gurgel’s confirmation and Noons quickly texted back, “It’s on then!”

I forwarded Noons’s message to Gurgel, who confirmed again, “Then it is!  Hell fucking yeah!”

Helwani reported the matchup was on the table for the August 21 Strikeforce card in Houston.

Noons is coming off a three-round split decision victory over “Hurricane” Conor Heun (4-4) at Strikeforce in Los Angeles June 16.

Gurgel won a unanimous decision over Heun at Strikeforce Challengers 2 in Kent in June 2009, but has since dropped a Strikefore top lightweight contenders matchup versus Billy Evangelista (9-1) Challengers 4 in Fresno in November 2009.

The two 155-pounders will battle to throw their name in the mix at the top of Strikeforce’s lightweight division with Evangelista, former champion “Punk” Josh Thomson (16-3-1), and current champ “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (18-2).