PRO MMA (promma.info) has learned that Jorge Gurgel (12-5) will make his return to the MMA cage and Strikeforce debut on June 6th in St. Louis, Missouri. PRO MMA (promma.info) spoke with the UFC veteran this afternoon.
Gurgel had originally been slated to fight lightweight champion, Josh Thomson. However due to an elbow surgery and an extremely hectic schedule, Gurgel was forced to postpone the fight. Rather than wait for Gurgel, Strikeforce went ahead and lined Thomson up with Gilbert Melendez, whom he will fight on April 11 in San Jose.
When he was cut from the UFC back in November 2008, Gurgel had signed with the Strikeforce promotion literally within minutes. Since that time, he has had an elbow surgery and has been to Brazil where he got some much needed rest and relaxation that involved eating a lot of mangoes and surfing.
In a few weeks Jorge Gurgel will make his way north to Mark Dellagrotte’s gym at Sityodtong in Boston to begin training camp for his first fight outside of the UFC in four years. He is embarking on a new phase of his professional career just as Strikeforce also begins a new era as they make their way east for the first time.
Although Jorge’s opponent has not yet been named, the lightweight BJJ Black Belt will certainly put on an exciting bout. Win or lose, if Jorge is anything, he is exciting. And if he keeps his word, Gurgel fans will get to see something they have not seen in a long time and that is his ground game.
When asked if there was anyone he would prefer to fight in the Strikeforce lightweight division, Jorge said, “No that is not my job. My job is just to get a phone call with a location and a date and a name and I’ll show up man. Picking opponents and choosing people is not my job. That’s why I have a manager. So I’ll just do my best and whoever they put me to fight, I will fight.”
By: Jack Bratcher