The card features a light heavyweight title fight against newly crowned champion “King Mo” Lawal against top contender Rafael “Feijao”, out of Team Blackhouse, who trains alongside the likes of the Nogueria brothers, Anderson Silva, and Junior dos Santos.

The preliminary card, which can easily headline any challenger series with it’s depth, will go as such.

Strikeforce: Houston Preliminary Bouts:

Daniel Cormier vs Jason Riley
Andre Galvao vs Nate Moore
Vinicius Magalhaes vs Rocky Long
Adam Schindler vs Kier Gooch
Jose Santibanez vs Reynaldo Trujillo
Chad Robichaux vs Humberto Deleon
Chad Cook vs Arteneus Young

Some notables there include Daniel Cormier, who has been anything short of impressive since his inception into the sport. He’s recently picked up two new heavyweight titles in his last two outings outside of the promotion, with a TKO win over seas against Lucas Brown in Australia, and then last Saturday at King of the Cage against former heavyweight champion Tony Johnson. Both men were undefeated before they tangled with the former wrestling olympian and American Kickboxing Academy standout.

Cormier will be in action against Jason Riley, who some might remember was on the losing side of things against former UFC champion Tim Sylvia in September of last year. He has since split his last two contests, with a TKO win over Joel Wyatt, and a loss to Devin Cole in his most recent performance.

Vinicius Magalhaes, though, should not be confused with season 8 competitor of “The Ultimate Fighter”–not the same guy.

Andre Galvao, a DREAM veteran who submitted long time veteran John Alessio in his debut with the Japan-based promotion last year, will look for his second win under the Strikeforce banner. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion also trains with the aforementioned Blackhouse team.

The card is set for the Toyota Center, which at full capacity, can hold up to 19,000 at a time.

The two welterweights began round one cautiously, Daley landing couple of low kicks before Alessio attempted a takedown, unsuccessfully.  Daley continued to land hard kicks to Alessio’s legs.  Alessio charged in with a quick straight right-left hook combination and shot for the double legs again.  Daley made Alessio work hard for the eventual takedown, and did not stay long on the mat.  Daley stood back up and caught Alessio with more kicks.  In the final seconds of the round Daley shot and slammed Alessio to the mat.

The second round started the same way, with Daley kicking Alessio’s legs.  Alessio went for the single leg but Daley stayed on his feet.  Daley resisted a slam and a throw, again making Alessio work hard, and took the fight back to standup.  Visibly fatigued, Alessio avoided a left uppercut but ate a couple of big left hooks before Daley caught him with a left kick that dropped him.  With Alessio covering his head, Daley threw three more hard left punches before the referee stopped the fight.

Daley will forfeit 25 percent of his purse.

All other fighters made weight.

A second-round armbar loss to EliteXC Champion Jake Shields (21-4-1) in October ended Daley’s six-fight win streak.

Xtreme Couture fighter Alessio TKO’d “Gladiator” Gideon Ray (15-11-1) at 0:45 of round one in October.

Alessio’s participation was officially announced last week, and Daley confirmed the fight to Five Ounces of Pain.

Alessio TKO’d “Gladiator” Gideon Ray (15-11-1) at 0:45 of round one in October.

Daley most recently fought in October at EliteXC and was submitted by Jake Shields (21-4-1) in round two.

“The Natural” John Alessio (24-11) knocked welterweight Gideon Ray (15-10-1) cold on the mat in 45 seconds.

Xtreme Couture’s Alessio whipped a left hook over a Ray right hand and dropped Ray.  Alessio finished the job with hammer strikes, leaving the fellow former UFC fighter unconscious.

“Quicksand” Mike Pyle (18-5-1) of Xtreme Couture transitioned slickly into an armbar from full mount to tap welterweight Brian Gassaway (28-19-2) as he attempted roll free at 4:21 of round one in another battle of former Octagon fighters.

Xtreme Couture welterweight “Thorobread” Jay Hieron (16-4) won a one-sided unanimous decision over late replacement Chris Kennedy (6-6) by judges’ scores of 30-27 three times.

Hieron’s original opponent, Bryson Kamaka (6-13), failed his pre-fight urinalysis.

Light heavyweight “Sick Dog” Hector Ramirez (8-3-1) also won a UD over “The Jet” Rick Roufus (4-4) by scores of 29-28 three times. 

After blocking a high kick with his head in round one, Ramirez kept the kickboxing legend off his feet for the “W”.

TUF 3 finalist “Bring the Pain” Josh Haynes (11-10-1), of Xtreme Couture, tapped middleweight Sean Salmon (15-6) in an Achilles lock at 2:49 of round two.

“JJ” Jonathan Mix (2-3) TKO’d welterweight John Halverson (16-7) at 4:25 of round one.

Xtreme Couture prodigy Kui Gonsalves-Kanoho (2-0) tapped “Mighty Mouse” Shawn David (2-2) in a Kimura at 3:51 of round two.

Ryan Haas (1-0) tapped Ian Omalza (2-1) in an armbar at 3:09 of round one.

Former IFL titlist Hieron has been matched, if not undermatched, versus Bryson Kamaka (6-13) while Pyle will fight vet Brian Gassaway (28-18-2).

Also on the card, welterweight “The Natural” John Alessio (23-11) will return after a “W” over “Secret Weapon” Pete Spratt (18-14) in A Night of Combat’s debut to battle Gideon Ray (15-9-1).

Light heavyweights “Sick Dog” Hector Ramirez (7-3-1) and kickboxing vet “The Jet” Rick Roufus (4-3) will face-off.

And, TUF 3 finalist “Bring the Pain” Josh Haynes (10-10) will fight “Seargent” Steve Byrnes (6-1).

The card features eight men’s MMA bouts at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Spratt didn’t go quietly though.  The former TUF 4 contestant controlled a portion of the opening round using kicks to keep Alessio at distance.

Alessio cracked the code in the second round, wrapping around Spratt’s back and patiently tightening the choke as Spratt backpedalled into a corner of the ring.

Alessio suffered a broken arm for his effort, snapping it while blocking a Spratt high kick.

Alessio’s win put him back on track after losing his previous fight to Brock Larson (23-2) in March by disqualification, breaking a three-fight “W” streak in the WEC.

The veteran welterweights fought on a mixed bag of brutality featuring both boxing and MMA at the Thomas & Mack Center.  Admission was free.

The boxing portion of the card was televised on ESPN2.

On the undercard of 33, lightweight “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0) swung through formerly undefeated “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) in 1:42.

Steve Cantwell (5-1) impressed in a first round rear naked choke deconstruction of 205-pound “Wrecking Machine” Tim McKenzie (11-5).

Top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) scored a unanimous decision after a three-round workout with late replacement Bryan Baker (6-1).

“Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) went into the trenches with lightweight Sergio Gomez (7-2) to score a unanimous decision.

Also on the card, Hiromitsu Miura (9-4), Brock Larson (23-2), Alex Serdyukov (7-4), and “The Pink Pounder” Logan Clark (10-1) added wins to their respective records.

Bantamweights Kenji Osawa (13-7-2) and American Top Team’s Chris Manuel (6-0-2) reached a split draw by scores of 29-28 for Osawa, 29-28 for Manuel, and 28-28.

The main event between Stann and Marshall spanned the most action-packed 1:35 of the televised card.

At the bell, Stann marched forward while a more cautious Marshall circled in a hurky-jerky Muay Thai stance.

Stann scored first, a kick to Marshall’s thigh.  Marshall countered with the same, but Stann grazed a right hook across the “Rhino’s” horn.

Again, the light heavies traded leg kicks, but Marshall’s counter was checked by a statuesque “All American”, sending the champion off-balance into the cage.

Stann was just too powerful as Marshall wrapped a Thai clinch around the back of his opponent’s neck at the cage, but wasn’t strong enough to control Stann’s head.

Marshall broke the clinch with a right haymaker and Stann countered with a spot-on left hook that dropped Marshall to his ass.

Stann followed Marshall to the mat with a barrage of fists, but referee Herb Dean waved the battle finished as Marshall struggled to avoid the onslaught.

Stann burst into tears upon victory.  “This belt represents all my Marines and my friends who couldn’t be here right now, who died in combat with me.”

Stann looked polished in victory after spending time with Team Quest to prepare and will be a tough customer for future challengers.

Another tough customer, lightweight Marcus Hicks, treated formerly undefeated Ed Ratcliff to a man-sized, first-round whoopin’.

After a clumsy standing guillotine against the cage by Hicks, “The Wrecking Ball” broke the clinch with an uppercut, then retreated with looping roundhouse that landed flush on Ratcliff’s chin.

Hicks pressed and dumped shell-shocked “9mm” on the mat in a double-leg takedown.  This time Hicks’s guillotine would bite deep and Ratcliff tapped.

The 5’6″, stocky Texan, Hicks, improves his high-pressure strategy with every outing.

After suffering a 41-second TKO premier in the WEC c/o newly-crowned champion, Stann, Steve Cantwell has followed with consecutive first round stoppages.

A Cantwell right high kick partially landed and backed up Tim McKenzie, a light heavyweight with a win over former division champion Doug Marshall.

Cantwell followed with a right piston, left hook combo that dropped McKenzie.

On the mat, Cantwell wrestled into the full mount where still-dazed McKenzie rolled to his stomach under Cantwell’s looping G’n'P.

Cantwell easily dug-in a rear naked choke causing McKenzie to tap once and weakly.

Chael Sonnen appeared ready for WEC Middleweight Champion “Ely” Paulão Filho (16-0); but, late replacement for Filho, Bryan Baker wasn’t prepared for Sonnen.

Sonnen out-positioned and banged Baker in three rounds fought mostly on the mat.

In another three-round decision, Rich Crunkilton won unanimously in a bloody slog with Sergio Gomez also fought mostly on the mat because of Gomez’s inability to clear his feet during Crunkilton’s textbook takedowns.

The blood started flowing in the first frame, obviously from a Crunkilton elbow to the back of Gomez’s head unseen by referee Herb Dean.

Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of the first round.

“The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) was disqualified in 1:50 after kneeing middleweight Larson in the noggin while his knees were down.

Welterweight Serdyukov blemished Ryan Stonitsch’s (8-1) perfect record in the kickboxer’s WEC debut with a triangle choke submission at 1:35 of round one.

“The Pink Pounder” rebounded from a loss to TKO WEC rookie middleweight Scott Harper (8-4) at 4:37 of round one.