Strikeforce Evolution: "King" Mo Lawal, Matt Lindland, "Jacare" Slated for December

Light heavyweight prospect “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0), DREAM veteran middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2), and UFC veteran middleweight “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-6) are set for Strikeforce Evolution in San Jose December 19, Strikeforce has announced.

Lindland and Souza are set to clash, while Lawal will make his Strikeforce debut versus an opponent to be determined.

Lindland signed a three-fight deal with Strikeforce in August on the heels of Affliction’s announcement to close-up shop. The former Olympian is coming back from a brutal knockout at the hands of UFC middleweight title challenger “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) at Affliction in Anaheim in January 2009.

Souza, the 2005 Abu Dhabi submission grappling champ, signed with Strikeforce at the same time as Lindland following a five-fight run in Japan’s DREAM promotion.  Similar to Lindland, Souza is also coming off a September 2008 knockout loss to Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1). Most recently, Souza experienced a no contest against “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) in May 2009 at DREAM.

Lawal experienced success within the Japanese Sengoku promotion following a respectable collegiate wrestling career. A former NCAA Division II champion, “King Mo” was in consideration to fight Mousasi at Strikeforce in Chicago Friday, but chose to make his debut later in December.