Wilcox-Damm, Satoshi Ishii Booked for Strikeforce Challengers 15

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After recent jaunts through Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, the Strikeforce Challengers series is coming back to California.

According to a source close to the event, the promotion will hold Strikeforce Challengers 15 on April 1 at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif. The same source informs Sherdog.com that the show will be headlined by a lightweight scrap between powerful prospect Justin Wilcox and Sengoku veteran Rodrigo Damm.

Additionally, Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii will make his continental North American MMA debut, as the 24-year-old Japanese prospect squares off with once-beaten Scott Lighty in a 205-pound affair. Also slated for the main card is a lightweight confrontation between up-and-comers Caros Fodor and David “Tarzan” Douglas.

The event will air live on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET, delayed on the west coast. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m.

A former bodybuilder, Wilcox is known for his wrestling and his chiseled physique. The American Kickboxing Academy standout rides a five-fight winning streak into his bout with Damm. A professional since 2006, “The Silverback” holds notable victories over Gabe Ruediger and the aforementioned Douglas, and was most recently seen grinding out a unanimous decision win over former Shooto champion Vitor Ribeiro at Strikeforce Challengers 12 in November.

Damm has lost three of his last four fights, falling to Eiji Mitsuoka and current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez before rebounding with a victory over Ivan Iberico in February 2010. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Damm was most recently seen losing by TKO to hard-hitting Pancrase titlist Maximo Blanco at Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 in June.