Most notable in the quartet of competitors was Renato “Babalu” Sobral, a light heavyweight with roots in the UFC who also held the Strikeforce title during his stint in the promotion. The 36-9 veteran will face DREAM stand-out Tatsuya Mizuno who has won his last two fights and holds past victories over Melvin Manhoef as well as Trevor Prangley.

Also revealed for ONE FC 4: Destiny of Warriors, 25-10-2 Masakazu Imanari will look to build on his ONE FC 3 tap-out of Kevin Belingon when he takes on fellow master of the mat Leandro Issa. Issa is currently on a six-fight winning streak and owes seven of his nine total triumphs to submission stoppages.

More fights are expected to surface in the coming weeks. The show will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at Stadium Negara.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/FEG

In a recent conversation with Brazilian publication Tatame, the 36-year old spoke about the time he’s spent with Rua in addition to his aspirations in the future including a return to the ring before year’s end.

“I’m sure he’ll be different from his last performance,” Sobral said of his former opponent Rua. “’Shogun’ is that old ‘Shogun’ from PRIDE we all know. He came back to his origins. He’s training with us and Rafael (Cordeiro) back in California, and it’ll be just happiness Saturday.”

“He’s a great athlete, I’m a personal fan of his, and he’s on the right track to regain UFC’s title,” the popular light heavyweight concluded on Rua.

Like “Shogun,” Sobral is in Brazil for UFC 134 and offered his perspective on the changes he’s seen there in terms of MMA’s popularity.

“First of all, it’s really different than the last time,” Sobral started with a laugh. “Now it’s different – now we’re on a different level and we deserve it, but it’s all thanks to many people, like Pedro Rizzo, Renzo Gracie, Royce Gracie, Amaury Bitetti, me… Many people were responsible to do the necessary job to bring the sport to the level it currently is.”

“It’s really surprising,” he continued. “I guess that despite everything we’ve done, there’s one person who’s most responsible for this change – Anderson (Silva). His success brought the sport to a whole new level.”

As far as his own success, Sobral explained that he wants to fight again soon and is waiting for Strikeforce to finalize their September 10 card before making a move, but that he also understands he can only compete for so long at a high level and has recently focused on teaching others as much as training himself.

“Adrenaline is addictive, but then you learn to enjoy teaching and follow closely the improvement of other people, and that’s the work I do with the kids. I train as an athlete, but I do a development work along with the kids and I see kid who didn’t have self-confidence and then after they started training Jiu-Jitsu they changed completely, and that’s really rewarding.”

Sobral holds an overall record of 36-9 with eighteen submissions and five TKOs to his credit. Among his career wins are victories over Jeremy Horn, “Shogun” Rua, Robbie Lawler, and Chael Sonnen.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

As fans likely remember, Henderson started out incredibly strong against Shields and nearly finished him in the first before fading in the following frame and being out-grappled for the remainder of the five-round bout. The double-divisional PRIDE champion recently spoke with media about his upcoming fight and offered his thoughts on the Shields loss, why he prefers to compete at 205-pounds, and how he views Sobral as an opponent.

“It’s hard to say for sure, but knowing the condition I was in, I just didn’t have the energy I should have had,” Henderson said when asked to assess the decision-based defeat. “Halfway through the first round I was so tired and with my conditioning there is no reason I was so tired.”

“I had other things going on in that fight that affected me and my weight cut,” he continued. Though the Olympic-level wrestler didn’t elaborate on specifics, he did state, “I have always been one to focus on the positives. I try to put the negatives out of my mind. It’s tough to do and I felt I could still pull through and handle the fight just fine but I kind of got a little tired in the process. It’s the way it goes sometimes. I tried to pull through and I learned from mistakes, but it won’t happen in the future. I have been focused on making sure my body feels good for this fight.”

On the subject of fighting at 185 pounds, as he did against Shields, Henderson went on express his preference of stepping into the cage a weight-class higher, saying, “I have always felt comfortable at 205. I have never felt weak or out-powered. I can eat a good meal the night before the fight. It means it’s one less thing I need to worry about before the fight. I am hanging out at 203, 204. I don’t think the age is an issue, just trying to get smarter with my training and making sure I am really listening to my body and getting enough rest. “

The Team Quest patriarch also implied he didn’t envision a similar outcome to the one offered in the losing performance, if for no other reason beyond his comfort at light heavyweight, the pairing of styles this time around.

“’Babalu’ is not close to the same style as (Shields),” the Californian began. “He has an exciting style and he is well-rounded. He has not had a problem standing up and trading punches. He throws a lot of kicks and obviously submits a lot of guys here and there but they are two totally different styles as far as I am concerned.”

As the topic turned to his forthcoming foe, Henderson was asked about his interest in facing Sobral after having already beaten him a decade ago in Japan.

“Excitement value. It will not be a boring fight. I am in this to perform well and I want to make sure it is exciting for the fans and to bring new fans to the sport. I did not do that in my last fight so I want to make sure this one is exciting.”

Another characteristic of the bout Henderson found appealing was in relation to how his skill-set matches up with the Brazilian’s. When asked to explain why he felt he would win, Henderson replied, “Because I believe in myself and that I am a better fighter. I am going to be ready to go, and conditioning should be all there. There is no reason in my mind why I should lose. I feel like I am as good as a grappler as Babalu, and I feel like I am a lot more dangerous on my feet and I just feel confident everywhere.“

Henderson is 25-8 in his career with ten TKO wins to his credit. In addition to Sobral, he has beaten the likes of Michael Bisping, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, and heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira.

In addition to his headlining fight with “Babalu”, Strikeforce’s December 4th also features a match-up between middleweights Robbie Lawler and Matt Lindland, as well as surefire edge-of-your-seat material coming by way of British striker Paul Daley throwing down against fearless, hard-hitting Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith. Former NFL and college football star Herschel Walker will also return to the ring at the show. The card can be seen live on Showtime starting at 10:00 PM EST.

Additionally, talented St. Louis native Jesse Finney will face an opponent to be announced in a non-televised undercard fight. Additional bouts for the main card will be announced in the next several days.

A two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling team member (‘92, ‘96), Henderson is the only fighter in the sport’s history to simultaneously hold two different titles in two different weight classes (welterweight and heavyweight) for a major fight promotion (PRIDE Fighting Championships). A former UFC star, Henderson is considered one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history.

“It’s going to be a great fight. We’ve both progressed a lot since our first fight 10 years ago so it will be interesting to see who’s progressed more,” said Henderson, who defeated Babalu with a majority decision in 2000. “I’m looking forward to putting on a great show for Strikeforce and for the fans.”

Sobral is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over knockout artist Robbie Lawler on June 16th at “Strikeforce – Los Angeles”, his first fight since losing the Strikeforce title to Gegard Mousasi on December 19th, 2009. Prior to the defeat, Sobral had reeled off five consecutive victories.

“Dan and I have a lot of respect for each other and this will be a great rematch,” Babalu said. “I’m looking forward to fighting another top opponent at Strikeforce and will be going into seclusion for my training camp. When I’m not fighting, my kids come first. But, when I am in camp, training comes first because I am fighting for my kids.”

The 48-year-old Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is undefeated at 1-0 in his latest athletic endeavor – MMA. A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound Walker already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo.

On January 30th, Walker made an impressive professional MMA debut, scoring a third round TKO (punches) over 26-year-old Greg Nagy at Sunrise, Fla.’s BankAtlantic Center. Walker has been training in San Jose, California with Team AKA, one of the most prominent MMA fight camps in the world that is also the home of former Strikeforce world champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the cage again at Strikeforce and to be fighting on the same card that Henderson and Babalu will be fighting on,” Walker said. “They are two superstars of the sport so it’s a great feeling to be fighting alongside them.”

“This is a great sport. I want to bring more attention to it so I can show people that. It’s a human chess match. I’ve always loved martial arts and that’s why I’m doing this.”

Photo Credit: Bob Barton/ STRIKEFORCE

Heisman Trophy winner, and newly turned Mixed Martial Artist, Herschel Walker will also be in attendance and is expected to test his skills for a second time in the ring at the St. Louis event.

The 25-8 Henderson has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Jake Shields last April in his Strikeforce debut. Though he nearly finished Shields in the opening round of the bout, “Hendo” was ultimately out-grappled and found himself on the wrong-side of his opponent’s mount multiple times throughout the remainder of the match-up. The defeat was the first for Henderson in two years and broke a three-fight winning streak including victories over UFC stars Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping.

Comparably, Sobral has won six of his last seven fights including a unanimous decision over Robbie Lawler last June at “Strikeforce: Los Angeles”. The 35-year old Brazilian had earned an originally earned an opportunity to face former light heavyweight title-holder Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal with the performance but opted to pass based on his friendship with the then-champ.

Both “Babalu” and Henderson can boast victories over a number of notable opponents in their impressive careers. Sobral has had his hands raised against UFC 205-pound champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, as well as tough opposition like Chael Sonnen and Trevor Prangley, while Henderson rose to notoriety in Japan while competing in Japan and racking up wins over the likes of “Minotauro” Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, Kazuo Misaki, Wanderlei Silva, and Vitor Belfort.

The two faced off once before in February 2006 in the conclusion of a single-night tournament for the RINGS promotion. Henderson went on to win the bout by majority decision.

New Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight Champion, Gegard Mousasi

Make it thirteen in a row for the Dutch-Armenian sensatiion that goes by the nickname “The Dreamcatcher”.

‘Wow! Gegard Mousasi is the real deal’, is the sentiment currently rippling throughout the world of mixed martial arts as the M-1 Global signed fighter put a vicious beating on Renato “Babalu” Sobral to claim the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship.

The two met up this evening at “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg” from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

Mousasi entered the ring stone-faced, showing no emotion. As the two slammed into each other in the opening moments of round one Mousasi hurled Babalu to the canvas and followed him down into side position. From there it was a matter of seconds before the finish came as Mousasi based up and let loose a flurry of punches that left Sobral in an unconscious stupor.

Gegard is quickly making a case for himself as one of the most dangerous pound for pound fighters on the planet.

Strikeforce has recently announced that Babalu will be defending his light heavyweight championship against Mousasi on the live broadcast portion of “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg“.

The event is scheduled for August 15 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and will air live on Showtime.

Sobral is on an impressive five fight win streak, notching victories over the likes of David Heath, Mike Whitehead, and Sokoudjou along the way. The title defense against Mousasi in August will be his first since obtaining the championship from Bobby Southworth in November of 2008.

Mousasi is currently riding a twelve fight win streak with recent stoppages over Melvin Manhoef, Denis Kang and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to his credit. His last appearance saw him climb up to heavyweight after previously competing at middleweight where he dismantled a much larger Mark Hunt in the first round of their opening “Super Hulk Tournament” bout.

Gegard Mousasi

Widely regarded my many of the MMA hardcore as one of the very best pound for pound fighters in the world, Mousasi plans on taking his respect as he prepares for the most high profile bout of his twenty eight fight career to date.

The extremely dangerous Dutch-Armenian will be looking to celebrate his twenty fourth birthday in style as he faces off with the top rated Renato “Babalu” Sobral in a light-heavyweight match-up on August 1 in Anaheim, California as part of the “Affliction: Trilogy” main card.

It would be impossible for Gegard to not have a certain level of confidence going into the bout with Babalu following a dozen consecutive victories, but according to the Red Devil trained brawler, training alongside the greatest fighter on the planet has done wonders for his mind-set.

“Standing next to Fedor, I feel so much bigger than him,” explained Mousasi in a recent press release issued through Affliction. “When you train with him, he feels like a middleweight. He’s as strong as a heavyweight but as fast as a middleweight, so I think that makes him special. If I can take my speed as a middleweight, have that explosiveness and mobility and move up to heavyweight, I think that’s something a lot of them don’t have.”

Having polished off the likes of Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Mark Hunt over the last year has left Mousasi feeling like there isn’t a man alive that can finish him.

“I feel always that I’m physically stronger than my opponents,” said the former DREAM middleweight champion. “I feel like my opponents can’t hurt me because I’m always comfortable in stand-up and there hasn’t been a fighter that’s ground-and-pounded me,” he says. “I feel like I can hurt them, but they can’t hurt me.”

Without a doubt, Babalu poses one of the toughest tests, if not the toughest, of Mousasi’s six year career in MMA.

“Babalu is a big challenge,” said Mousasi. “I like the way he fights—he fights to win. He’s a real fighter. I like fighters who come to fight. This fight will be and all out war. I think the fans will get an exciting fight.

“Even if he could take me down, I don’t see him (being able to) ground and pound me. I don’t see him getting mount or top position (or) that he can do any damage. I don’t see him submit(ting) me. So eventually it’ll be a stand up fight again. And sooner or later, I’ll catch him.”

According to Ortiz, he’s about to become the latest member of the Strikeforce family.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion was a guest of honor at last night’s UCFC “Clementi vs. Jensen” show in Pittsburgh at the Mellon Arena. In between fights, Ortiz entered the ring and announced to the crowd that he was extremely close to signing a four-fight deal with the Strikeforce promotion. Not only that, but he also mentioned that he could face Renato “Babalu” Sobral at a Strikeforce event in October.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was when Ortiz announced to the crowd that if he does sign the four-fight deal with Strikeforce that he would like his fourth fight to be a catchweight bout against the #1 heavyweight in the world, Fedor Emelianenko.

At one time, Ortiz was considered one of the best fighters in the world. Upon making his MMA debut at UFC 13 back in 1997, Ortiz compiled a 5-2 record with the company before defeating Wanderlei Silva for the UFC light heavyweight title.

Ortiz went on to hold the belt for three years before losing to Randy Couture at UFC 44. Since then Ortiz has had a very rocky relationship with the UFC and it’s owner, Dana White.

After losing to Machida last year, Ortiz decided it was time to move on with his career. Since then he has appeared as a “special guest” for multiple MMA promotions such as EliteXC, Strikeforce, and Affliction. He has also mentioned a number of “rumored” deals with other MMA promotions in the past, but nothing has yet to come to fruition. Perhaps this time we will finally see the return of one of MMA’s true “bad boys”.

A report released by www.M-1Global.com this afternoon suggests that Renato “Babalu” Sobral will very likely be the man to face Mousasi on August 1. M-1 Global was able to confirm the report from sources close to Mousasi.

Mousasi is widely considered to be one of the top pound for pound fighters competing in the sport today. He has put together a more than impressive record of 28-2 during his professional MMA career and has had his hand raised in his last twelve consecutive bouts. Names such as Denis Kang, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Melvin Manhoef and most recently Mark Hunt are just a few of the men that have fallen victim to the well rounded Armenian-Iraninian.

Babalu bounced back in the Octagon following consecutive stoppage losses to Jason Lambert and Chuck Liddell when he put David Heath to sleep with an unforgiving side choke at UFC 74. It was his choice to hold he choke a couple of seconds too long on his unconscious victim that left him as an outcast from the UFC. The release may have been a blessing for Sobral, who has gone undefeated in his four fights since his departure from the UFC over the likes of Bobby Southworth, Mike Whitehead and most recently Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

According to a report by MMA Weekly Radio, the Sobral vs. Cavalcante match was called off several weeks ago due to the fact that Sobral’s wife is scheduled to give birth on or around May 24.

MMAWeekly.com quotes Sobral’s manager Richard Wilner as saying that Sobral originally consented to the match vs. Feijao for a tentative May date that later was booked at a ShoMMA event. Soon after learning that Strikeforce had moved the title fight to June 6, Strikeforce officials were informed about Sobral’s lack of availability and moved the fight to a date in August.

In the interim, Feijao is expected to remain on the June 6 event against an unnamed opponent.

Feijao, 7-1, has not competed since EliteXC’s “Unfinished Business” event this past July. Facing then-King of the Cage light heavyweight champion Travis Galbraith, Feijao improved his win streak to three after recording a TKO at 3:01 of round 1. The former IFL veteran went 3-0 while competing under the EliteXC banner with all victories coming via TKO or KO in the first round.

Sobral, 32-7, is currently on a five fight win streak that includes winning the Strikeforce light heavyweight title following a first round TKO victory over then-champion Bobby Southworth during Strikeforce’s “Destruction” event this past November.

The former UFC veteran has also recorded wins on both of Affliction’s events. Facing Mike Whitehead at “Affliction: Banned” this past July, Sobral recorded a unanimous decision win. His most recent fight took place in January at “Affliction: Day of Reckoning,” where he submitted Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with a Brabo choke at 2:36 of round 2.

Strikeforce’s June 6 event will be headlined by former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler facing former EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields. A welterweight bout between Phil Baroni and Joe Riggs is set to be featured for the event as well.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com spoke with Sokoudjou on Friday during the weigh-ins for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, where he stated that he had signed the bout agreement to face Sobral and that the matchup is now official.

Reports of the bout surfaced earlier this week after Affliction prematurely released promotional materials to its website signifying the addition of the bout. However, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio informed MMAjunkie.com that while the fight was under discussion, that Sokoudjou had not formally signed.

Sobral, 31-7, last competed on November 21 during a Strikeforce event in San Jose, California. Facing the promotion’s then-incumbent light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth, Sobral claimed his first major title following a TKO at the conclusion of the first round.

Prior to arriving in Strikeforce, Sobral had competed in the UFC, where he recorded notable victories over Chael Sonnen, Travis Wiuff, and Mike Van Arsdale. He was dismmised from the promotion following a second round submission victory over David Heath at UFC 74 for refusing to immediately release a choke.

Sokoudjou rose to stardom falling a pair of upset victories against top ten ranked light heavyweights during bis brief PRIDE tenure. Despite facing long odds heading into his bout at PRIDE 33 vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Sokoudjou managed to upset the native Brazilian with a knockout just 23 seconds into the bout.

The Cameroon native returned a couple of months later at PRIDE 34 in April of the same year and was matched up against another renowned Brazilian light heavyweight in Ricardo Arona. Despite his win over Nogueira, Sokoudjou was still pegged as the underdog. However, lightning struck twice with Sokoudjou knocking out Arona at 1:59 into the first round.

Sokoudjou eventually migrated to the UFC after Dream Stage Entertainment sold PRIDE to Zuffa. However, Sokoudjou’s tenure in the UFC was less than memorable and he was released following an October loss to Luis Cane at UFC 90.

In addition to the possibility of Sobral vs. Sokoudjou, “Day of Reckoning” is also slated to feature Fedor Emelianenko defending his WAMMA heavyweight title vs. former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Additional matchups include Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort and Josh Barnett vs. Gilbert Yvel.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com was alerted about the change by a source speaking on the condition of anonymity. We then contacted Richard Wilner, Sobral’s agent and attorney, in regards to the information and confirmed that the match is indeed off.

According to Wilner, there was a strong desire to schedule a middleweight matchup between Lindland and former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort. While Lindland vs. Belfort has not yet been finalized, Wilner stated that out of respect for Lindland, the promotion, and the sport itself, he was willing to opt out so that all parties involved could pursue the matchup.

Wilner added that there was some debate about what weight the Lindland vs. Sobral fight would be contested at. The principles could not settle on whether the catchweight bout would take place at 192.5 or 195 pounds. Wilner also expressed that there was concern whether his client could drop 25 pounds and still perform to the best of his ability. As such, the decision to step aside was made easier by the fact that a final weight for the fight had yet to be determined.

Wilner also indicated that Sobral is expected to remain on the card and compete in a 205 pound. He added that Affliction officials are currently working to secure a new opponent.

Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. and will be headlined by WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko defending his title vs. former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

Ortiz appeared destined to sign with Affliction after finally parting ways with the UFC. However, to this day, Ortiz and Affliction have not come to terms on a contract. Sobral has still not wavered on a potential match-up.

“That is my dream fight,” said Sobral, “I’d fight him for free. I’d whip that ass for free.”

Sobral and Ortiz undoubtedly had multiple opportunities to get to know each other. They both fought in the UFC for many years. Apparently, that time didn’t go very well.

“I don’t like his attitude,” said Sobral, “it would be awesome to fight him.”

“I had a torn meniscus,” said Sobral, “the surgery is already done. I will recover well.”

Sobral hopes the recovery is quick. He is planning to fight in just a couple of months, and he hopes it is for a championship.

“I am looking forward to fighting again on November 20th,” Sobral said, “I hope the fight is with Bobby Southworth for the (Strikeforce light heavyweight) title.”

The fight with Southworth would be Sobral’s first fight backsince Sobral defeated Mike Whitehead at the July 19th Affliction show.

The September 20th date is only three weeks prior to the second Affliction show where Babalu is supposed to be facing Tito Ortiz.

It’ll be very interesting if both organizations are willing to let Sobral fight on two different shows so close together. While Sobral would be a heavy favorite against Southworth, he could be forced to go five rounds with the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.

Plus, based on all accounts, the Affliction show would pay Sobral substantitally more. Sobral also has publicly stated the the match-up with Ortiz is his “dream fight”. However, for Strikeforce to be willing to announce the fight, I would think they would feel very positive that it will take place. The other possibility is that negotiations between Ortiz and Affliction have fallen off. This could be a very interesting situation over the next few months.

The proposed Ortiz vs. Sobral bout would co-headline Affliction’s Oct. 11 show at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The tentative main event for the show will feature Fedor Emelianenko defending the WAMMA heavyweight title vs. former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

Cofield contacted Affliction V.P. Tom Atencio would not confirm the report. The promotion won’t be releasing further details about the October show until a Aug. 6 news conference that will be taking place in Las Vegas. Atencio also indicated that he was under the impression that under the terms of Ortiz’s non-compete with the UFC that they cannot speak with him until Aug. 4. He also expressed that financial Ortiz’s financial requirements could also be a concern.

Ortiz is 0-2-1 in his last three fights and last competed on May 24 at UFC 84, losing a unanimous decision to undefeated light heavyweight Lyoto Machida. Prior to the Machida fight, the last time he had competed was the previous July, going to a draw with Rashad Evans.

Sobral is 30-7 in an MMA career that dates back to 1999. He was dismissed from the UFC last August following a submission victory over David Heath at UFC 74. After tapping Heath with an anaconda choke at 3:30 of round 2, Sobral refused to immediately release the hold at referee Steve Mazzagatti’s instruction.

Since leaving the UFC, Sobral has compiled a 2-0 record and most recently fought on Affliction’s first-ever show on July 19, record a unanimous decision over Mike Whitehead.

The event, which is expected to take place in Hollywood, Fla. at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, already was slated to feature a WEC middleweight title rematch between incumbent Paulo Filho and challenger Chael Sonnen.

However, Filho vs. Sonnen II will not be the night’s main event, as Sherdog.com’s Loretta Hunt reported late Tuesday that the camps for both WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber and number one contender Mike Brown have confirmed that the two are set to fight each other on the Sept. 10 show.

Also slated for the fight card is former NCAA champion and Oklahoma State amateur wrestling standout Mark Munoz. According to a report by MMAWeekly.com, Munoz will face former K-1 and BodogFIGHT competitor Steve Steinbeiss.

The televised portion of the card is expected to be rounded out by a lightweight matchup between former WEC lightweight champion “Razor” Rob McCullough and up-and-coming star Donald Cerrone. The winner of the fight could be named the new number one contender for the WEC lightweight title.

While not confirmed, Jens Pulver and Tim McKenzie have both been rumored for the card as well.

The report comes from print version of the June 23 edition of the Wrestling Observer.

Filho and Sonnen had been scheduled to rematch this past March but the fight was postponed after Filho checked himself into a Brazilian rehabilitation center in order to seek treatment for depression and substance abuse.

Filho, a former veteran of PRIDE, is a perfect 16-0 with notable victories in his career over Kazuo Misaki, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Ryo Chonan, Yuki Kondo, and Akira Shoji. He has not fought since his Dec. 12 submission win over Sonnen at WEC 31.

Sonnen was dominating the fight until Filho caught him in an armbar from bottom position. The outcome of the fight was somewhat controversial, as Sonnen claimed he didn’t tap. However, during replays, Sonnen could be heard yelling as the bout was called to a stop.

Sonnen, a former veteran of both the UFC and BodogFIGHT, last fought in March for the WEC. After the bout with Filho fell through, he agreed to fight Bryan Baker instead. Sonnen recorded a one-sided unanimous decision win over the young middleweight prospect.

Filho just did a stint in rehab due to depression and chemical dependency and is back to training and focusing on fighting. The two were originally supposed to have a rematch in March but Filho pulled out due to these personal reasons.

The first bout ended in a bit of controversy as Filho was getting dominated for the majority of the fight until Sonnen made a mistake on the ground that allowed Filho to lock on a tight armbar. The referee claimed that Sonned tapped verbally and he clearly had a look of pain on his face but Sonnen claims that he never tapped. The two will now clash again in a rematch to settle things once and for all in September.