Strikeforce Tries Again: Southworth v Babalu in San Jose, Thomson to Defend Title

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) will defend his belt from “Babalu” Renato Sobral (30-7) in San Jose 21 November.

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion “Punk” Josh Thomson (16-2) will also defend his title versus an opponent yet to be named.

Before his last “W” over “Archer” Ashe Bowman (9-5) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, 20 September, Thomson expressed interest in fighting “Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida (17-4-1).  After the fight, Thomson also hoped to defend his title from Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked lightweight and DREAM champ “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (19-7-1).

After knocking off former Strikeforce champ “El Nino” Gilbert Melendez (14-2) in San Jose 27 June, Thomson has been desperate for an opponent who’d help him crack the top ten.

Southworth versus “Babalu” was originally scheduled for the 20 September card at the Playboy Mansion, but both fighters pulled up lame and spent the night chasing bunnies into the grotto (I assume).

Southworth defended his title from “El Toro” Anthony Ruiz (21-12) by UD in San Jose 27 June, then asked Strikeforce for the match-up versus Sobral.

Sobral won a UD over Mike Whitehead (22-6) in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, 19 July.

Also on the card, “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-11) will return to welterweight to fight Luke Stewart (6-1).

In a brief return to middleweight, Riggs was TKO’d by ninth-ranked Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) in Beverly Hills, while Stewart tapped Jesse Juarez (6-5) in an armbar on the undercard.