Pair of Women's Bouts Inked for July 30 Strikeforce
Mike Whitman Jul 2, 2011
Ronda Rousey will make her Strikeforce debut July 30. | Photo:
Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Two women's contests have been signed for Strikeforce/M-1 “Fedor vs. Henderson,” as Ronda Rousey will meet Sarah D'Alelio and Julie Kedzie will face Alexis Davis, the promotion announced Friday.
Headlined by a titular heavyweight scrap between former Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Fedor Emelianenko and reigning Strikeforce 205-pound king Dan Henderson, the event goes down July 30 from the Sears Centre in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Ill.
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Rousey is one of the hottest prospects in women's MMA. Representing Team Hayastan, the 24-year-old won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympic Games. Rousey began her amateur MMA career in 2010 and turned pro in March 2011, submitting her first opponent with an armbar in just 25 seconds. Her sophomore effort on June 17 would prove nearly as impressive, as she once again forced her opponent to submit to an armbar only 49 seconds into the bout.
Fighting out of Olympia, Wash., D'Alelio enters her showdown with Rousey after suffering the first defeat of her career. Prior to being outpointed by Kedzie in December, “The Monster” had won four-straight bouts, submitting all four of her career victims inside of two rounds.
Representing Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Kedzie has won her last four bouts. She most recently captured the Jackson's MMA Series 135-pound title in April, outpointing Kaitlin Young. The 30-year-old has 16 pro wins to her credit, with 10 of those victories coming by way of decision.
Davis has split her last six fights. The Canadian's two highest-profile bouts both resulted in defeat, as she was bested by Sarah Kaufman in her 2007 debut and then by Tara LaRosa in 2009. Davis owns over half of her career wins by submission.
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