Terry Martin to make Strikeforce debut on Sept. 20

Strikeforce has announced that former UFC light heavyweight and middleweight competitor Terry Martin will debut for the San Jose-based promotion on Sept. 20 during its second-ever show at the famed Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Martin’s opponent will be up-and-coming 24-year old middleweight prospect Cory Devela.

Martin is 17-5, according to Sherdog’s fight finder, and most recently competed during Affliction’s inaugural show on July 19 in Anaheim, Calif. Competing against former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort during Belfort’s middleweight debut, Martin was knocked out at 3:12 of round 2.

A month prior, Martin was declared a winner via disqualification against Daiju Takase due to low blows during Adrenaline MMA’s first-ever show on June 14.

While in the UFC, Martin compiled a 2-4 record with victories over Jorge Rivera and Ivan Salaverry and notable losses to Chris Leben and James Irvin.

Martin has also trained and competed as a professional boxer.

Devela is 9-2, according to Sherdog’s fight finder. He might be best known for a submission victory over Joe Riggs at 1:22 of round 1 during Strikeforce’s February show at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash. in which Riggs was forced to submit after injuring his back.

Devela also holds a win over former UFC fighter Lodune Sincaid, who appeared on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Both of Devela’s losses have come to notable fighters, having lost to both Ed Herman and Matt Horwich of the UFC.

Other bouts announced for the 10-bout “Strikeforce at the Mansion II” include Joe Riggs vs. Kazuo Misaki, Bobby Southworth defending his Strikeforce light heavyweight title vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral, and a Strikeforce lightweight title defense by champion Josh Thomson against a challenger yet to be named.