David Douglas has been added to Strikeforce Challengers 14. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
As reported by Sherdog.com in January, David “Tarzan” Douglas will square off against “The Ghost” Nick Gonzalez at 150 pounds, while Bryan Travers and Carlo Prater will meet at a 160-pound catchweight. Also added was a welterweight tussle pitting Erik Apple against Ryan Larson.
Set to take place at the Cedar Park Center in the Austin, Texas, suburb of Cedar Park, the latest iteration of Strikeforce’s prospect-driven series will be headlined by a lightweight showdown between the unbeaten Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm and experienced veteran Pat “Bam Bam” Healy.
The Cesar Gracie-trained Douglas made a name for himself in a wild 2008 ShoXC scrap with muay Thai standout Mongkhon “Malaipet” Wiwasuk, whom the underdog Douglas finished with punches in the third round. Tarzan’s opponent, the Austin-based Gonzalez, carries a record of 16-9, but has won just two of his last five.
Like Douglas, Travers makes his second Stikeforce Challengers appearance, having dropped a unanimous decision to Healy in his first outing for the promotion. World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Prater enters the bout following a 1-3 year in 2010; two of those losses came on the same date, against Drew Fickett and Rich Crunkilton, in Shine Fights’ one-night lightweight grand prix.
Apple, a part-time MMA and X-Games commentator, makes his first appearance since November 2009, when he was punched out by Bobby Voelker at Strikeforce Challengers 5. The broadcaster holds notable career wins over Matt Makowski and “Magical” Ray Elbe. His foe, Larson, fights out of Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Austin and brings a 5-2 professional ledger, including a February 2010 rear-naked choking of old-school UFC vet Anthony Macias.
Lyle
Beerbohm vs. Pat Healy
Bryan
Travers vs. Carlo
Prater
Ryan
Couture vs. Lee
Higgins
David
Douglas vs. Nick
Gonzalez
Erik
Apple vs. Ryan
Larson
Ousmane
Thomas Diagne vs. Aaron
Franco
Drew
Pendleton vs. Dennis
Dombrow