BOBBY LASHLEY SIGNS WITH STRIKEFORCE
Bobby Lashley - looking pleased.
FORMER WWE CHAMPION AND UNDEFEATED MMA HEAVYWEIGHT
BOBBY LASHLEY TO MAKE STRIKEFORCE DEBUT ON JANUARY 30
NEW YORK (December 10, 2009)-Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion and undefeated mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter has signed a multi-year agreement with STRIKEFORCE and will make his debut for the world championship MMA promotion at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday, January 30.
The 6 foot 3 inch, 250 pound Lashley, also a former collegiate wrestling star for Missouri Valley College and member of The United States Army, will face an opponent that has not yet been determined during the live, SHOWTIME® telecast of STRIKEFORCE: Miami, the historic, first-ever STRIKEFORCE event in the state of Florida.
In his last MMA start on June 27, 2009, the 33-year-old pulverized and scored a first round (3:17) TKO on 6 foot 5 inch, 350 plus pound goliath Bob “The Beast” Sapp with a barrage of punches in Biloxi, Mississippi. The win brought Lashley’s overall MMA record to 4-0.
“I’m looking forward to fighting for STRIKEFORCE and challenging myself by taking on some of the top heavyweights in MMA,” said Lashley, a native of Junction City, Kansas and resident of Denver, Colorado.
After getting his feet wet with several matches in both the WWE Raw and SmackDown! shows in 2005 and 2006, Lashley captured the WWE United States Championship by defeating rival competitor “JBL.” During this stint with the league and another in 2007, Lashley wrestled several top superstars, including The Big Show and John Cena.
Lashley made his MMA debut on December 13, 2008, earning a 41 second TKO over Joshua Franklin after Franklin sustained a cut that would not allow him to continue their fight.
Earlier this year, Lashley joined Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. In his first appearance with the league on July 30, he helped tag team matchup partner Mick Foley defeat superstars Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash.
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE: Miami officially go on-sale tomorrow/Friday, December 11 at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office as well as online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800)745-3000.
Doors at BankAtlantic Center open at 7 p.m. The first non-televised, preliminary card fight will begin at 8 p.m.
STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on premium cable television network SHOWTIME. The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on
Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.
- It appears Bobby Lashley may well be done in the world of pro wrestling having signed a deal with the California based fight outfit and number 2 cage fighting brand Strikeforce. This may leave some of his British TNA fans disappointed who hoped to see the big man in action as part of the UK tour late January 2010, considering Lashley is to debut against a yet to be announced opponent on January 30th 2010 in the sunshine state of Florida.
Presumably Lashley joining Strikeforce will be a lucrative deal for the ex-WWE superstar, who will continue to enjoy good exposure on TV. For the MMA fans this is huge news, there is the potential for Lashley to challenge WAMMA champion Fedor “Last Emperor” Emelianko.
UFC & MMA blog by Duane Farr
duane@bluraymma.com