The recently re-energized Strikeforce promotion will finish up its 2011 fight campaign tomorrow night with "Melendez vs. Masvidal," a stacked Showtime card emanating from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

Leading the charge will be lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, as he defends his 155-pound strap against fierce competitor Jorge Masvidal. Strikeforce women's champ...

"King Karl" is back.

Former professional boxer and EliteXC champion K.J. Noons will return to face Billy Evangelista at the upcoming Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" event scheduled for tomorrow night at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

Despite winning his first two fights as a Strikeforce employee, Noons (10-4) has now dropped to 2-2 for the former San Jose-based org...

(Props: YouTube.com/Strikeforce)

Reminder — Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal goes down tomorrow night in San Diego, and we'll be liveblogging the Showtime broadcast beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Strikeforce recently released this promo video focusing exclusively on the lightweight title competitors and Cris Cyborg; Gegard Mousasi and Ovince St. Preux are nowhere to be seen, and the only glimpses ...

The official weigh in event for Strikeforce: "Melendez vs Masvidal" is set to take place later today (Dec. 16, 2011) LIVE from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the Strikeforce weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soo...

Billy Evangelista talks to MMAWeekly.com's Erik Fontanez about how he started his career in MMA.

Like opponent Billy Evangelista, K.J. Noons' most recent MMA outing resulted in a loss to weekend title challenger Jorge Masvidal.

Masvidal, who got a title shot against champ Gilbert Melendez because of the performance, outstruck a fellow striker and cruised to a shutout decision victory.

For Noons, a sometimes-pro boxer who got his start in kickboxing, the June loss was further proof he neede...

"Every single fight has been 'fight of the night' for me, I don't know how long my career is gonna be with 'fight of the night.' I wanna win. I don't want to inch rounds out. I wanna win decisively, so whatever it's gonna take. I'm gonna get in there, feel it out, see what my strengths are and then we'll go from there. Last fight I felt like I went too aggressive and got caught with shots. I'm ...

MMAWeekly Radio returns for Thursday's show with Jorge Masvida, Ovince St-Preux, Billy Evangelista and Mike Bronzoulis.

A surefire slug-fest between lightweight strikers K.J. Noons and Billy Evangelista will kick off the main card of Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal.

K.J. Noons rose to prominence in the EliteXC promotion and is heralded for his boxing prowess, where he holds a professional record of eleven wins and two losses. Noons holds the extremely rare honor of being one of two fighters to stop the infalli...

The first major Strikeforce card in three months is coming up this weekend, and the betting lines for the main card dropped today. And folks...there's not much to see here. Three lopsided lines and one that's sort of close. It should come as no surprise to anyone that champions Gilbert Melendez and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos are heavy favorites, Cyborg in particular. Mousasi as a big favorite isn'...

The Strikeforce promotion will bid adieu to 2011 this Saturday night with Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal from The Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

In the headliner, lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez will defend the strap against Jorge Masvidal. The main card is complemented by female powerhouse Cris "Cyborg" Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka for the women's featherweight cham...

Two former top Strikeforce lightweight contenders will battle for divisional relevance this Saturday night (December 17, 2011) as former EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons takes on nine-time Strikeforce veteran Billy Evangelista in the opening bout of the Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" main card.

Noons is looking to bounce back after a rough year. He lost a rematch to Nick Diaz for th...

Event: Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal"Date: Sat., Dec. 17, 2011, at 10 p.m. ET on ShowtimeLocation: Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California

Main Event:

155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal

Main Card (Showtime):

145 lbs.: Cristiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka205 lbs.: Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux155 lbs.: Billy Evangelista vs. K.J. Noons

Preliminary Card (May no...

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez will be strapping on the gloves this Saturday night (Dec. 17, 2011) to defend his 155-pound strap against Jorge Masvidal at the Valley View Casino Centre in San Diego, California.

Melendez (19-2) hasn't seen the inside of a cage since a successful title defense against Japanese "Crusher," Tatsuya Kawajiri, back in April. That win marked "El Nino'...

The official weigh in event for Strikeforce: "Melendez vs Masvidal" is set to take place at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., on Fri., Dec. 16, 2011.

The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the Strikeforce weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they concl...

('Gamebred' uglies up KJ Noons at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum. Photo via ESPN.)

By Jonathan Shrager

Jorge Masvidal's MMA career has taken him to Russia, Japan, Costa Rica, and the Playboy Mansion — not bad for a guy who got his start in bare-knuckle fights in his native Miami. Now riding back-to-back victories over Billy Evangelista and KJ Noons under the Strikeforce banner, Masvidal has ...

Strikeforce is close to putting the finishing touches on its upcoming Showtime-televised fight card from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., on Sat., Dec. 17, 2011.

"Melendez vs. Masvidal" will feature lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez putting his 155-pound belt on the line against a very dangerous, and hungry, Jorge Masvidal in the main event of the evening.

In addition, fo...

Event: Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal"Date: Sat., Dec. 17, 2011, at 10 p.m. ET on ShowtimeLocation: Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California

Main Event:

155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal

Main Card (Showtime):

145 lbs.: Cristiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka205 lbs.: Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux155 lbs.: Billy Evangelista vs. K.J. Noons

Preliminary Card (May no...

Strikeforce hasn't presented a major card since the Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals card in September, but they're back on December 17th. San Diego will play host to the event, which could possibly be the last major event the promotion ever puts on. The main event will see Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez defend his title against Jorge Masvidal. Melendez is on a fi...

A lightweight bout between former EliteXC champion “King” K.J. Noons and once-beaten prospect Billy Evangelista is now official for the upcoming Strikeforce: “Melendez vs Masvidal” card on December 17th in San Diego, California. Strikeforce officials confirmed the matchup earlier today. Both fighters are coming off of setbacks against main event participant Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal in [...]