Johnson-Zwicker, Olsen-Budd Bolster Strikeforce Challengers 11
Brian Knapp Oct 7, 2010
Heavyweight Lavar
Johnson (pictured left) will lock horns with the once-beaten
Virgil
Zwicker in a featured matchup at Strikeforce Challengers 11 on
Oct. 22 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Four fights are
now signed for the event, which will air live on Showtime.
The match will be Johnson’s second since he was shot at a family barbecue last year. The 6-foot-2 Californian survived three gunshot wounds on July 4, 2009 during a shooting that led to the death of his cousin. Johnson spent a month in the hospital recovering from the life-threatening incident. He will carry a six-fight winning streak into his showdown with Zwicker, including a second-round technical knockout over Lolohea Mahe at Strikeforce Challengers 7 in March. A World Extreme Cagefighting veteran, he has secured all 14 of his victories by knockout, TKO or submission.
Zwicker finds himself on the rebound entering his Strikeforce
debut, as he tasted defeat for the first time in a unanimous
decision loss to Cody
Goodale under the Gladiator Challenge banner in April. The
28-year-old grew up and still lives on the San Pasqual Indian
Reservation near San Diego. Zwicker has delivered six of his eight
career wins by KO or TKO, including a September 2009 victory over
Strikeforce veteran and former University of Tennessee linebacker
Ovince St.
Preux.
Meanwhile, the undefeated Shana Olsen will toe the line against mixed martial arts rookie Julia Budd in a women’s middleweight duel at 145 pounds.
Unbeaten in four professional outings, Olsen owns notable victories over EliteXC veterans Kaitlin Young and Yoko Takahashi. The 29-year-old Minnesotan has finished three of her first four foes. Budd, a Canadian muay Thai specialist, trains out of Gibson Kickboxing in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. She remains the only fighter to defeat Gina Carano in professional muay Thai.
Strikeforce Challengers 11
Friday, Oct. 22
Save Mart Center
Fresno, Calif.
Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker
Lavar Johnson vs. Virgil Zwicker
Billy Evangelista vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf
Shana Olsen vs. Julia Budd
The match will be Johnson’s second since he was shot at a family barbecue last year. The 6-foot-2 Californian survived three gunshot wounds on July 4, 2009 during a shooting that led to the death of his cousin. Johnson spent a month in the hospital recovering from the life-threatening incident. He will carry a six-fight winning streak into his showdown with Zwicker, including a second-round technical knockout over Lolohea Mahe at Strikeforce Challengers 7 in March. A World Extreme Cagefighting veteran, he has secured all 14 of his victories by knockout, TKO or submission.
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Meanwhile, the undefeated Shana Olsen will toe the line against mixed martial arts rookie Julia Budd in a women’s middleweight duel at 145 pounds.
Unbeaten in four professional outings, Olsen owns notable victories over EliteXC veterans Kaitlin Young and Yoko Takahashi. The 29-year-old Minnesotan has finished three of her first four foes. Budd, a Canadian muay Thai specialist, trains out of Gibson Kickboxing in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. She remains the only fighter to defeat Gina Carano in professional muay Thai.
Strikeforce Challengers 11
Friday, Oct. 22
Save Mart Center
Fresno, Calif.
Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker
Lavar Johnson vs. Virgil Zwicker
Billy Evangelista vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf
Shana Olsen vs. Julia Budd
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