MMAFighting has reported that a light heavyweight contest between Lorenz Larkin and Gian Villante is in the works for Strikeforce Challengers 16.
The event has not been officially announced by the promotion. However, multiple sources have reported that it takes place June 24 in Kent, Wash.
Strikeforce plugged Larkin into a main event slot against Scott Lighty at Strikeforce Challengers 15 after Satoshi Ishii pulled out of the fight. Larkin made the most of the opportunity by stopping Lighty in the second round. The win moved his professional record to 10-0. He also holds victories over Elite XC veteran Mike Cook and Grapplers Quest ace Joao Assis.
After dominating the field in Ring of Combat, Villante signed with Strikeforce. He made his promotional debut against Chad Griggs in an alternate bout for the Heavyweight Grand Prix. Despite coming in as the underdog, Griggs swarmed Villante early and won the fight in less than three minutes. Even with the loss, Villante still holds an impressive 7-2 as a professional MMA fighter.
A lightweight fight featuring Ryan Couture is also expected to be a part of the upcoming Strikeforce card. The main card will air live on Showtime.