CBS to air strikeforce event

Friday, February 26, 2010 by l. Hunt 22905 CBS will air its second Strikeforce event on April 17 from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., Sherdog.com has confirmed with the major broadcast network. The network said it would likely announce its four-fight roster next week. However, at least one bout has been locked for the April 17 event, which will likely be followed up with a May 15 event in St. Louis, Mo., airing on Showtime. Jake Shields will make his first title defense against Dan Henderson in a 185-pound championship bout. Henderson, a top-five ranked middleweight, left the UFC to sign a four-fight 16-month deal with Strikeforce last December. Light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi is also expected to appear against Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in a second championship bout offering. Herschel Walker, who earned a third-round stoppage against Greg Nagy in his MMA debut at Strikeforce “Miami” on Jan. 30 in Sunrise, Fla., has been called to fight again on April 17, Sherdog.com has learned from multiple sources. The 47-year-old NFL veteran and 1982 Heisman Trophy winner garnered unprecedented media attention for the promotion and the sport in his debut bout. Fedor Emelianenko, the world’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, will not appear on the April card. Emelianenko’s proposed bout with Fabricio Werdum has been pushed to May. However, multiple sources are indicating that the stoic Russian could be absent from both events as his management attempts to re-tool terms of Emelianenko’s existing contract with Strikeforce. Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Rogers” earned favorable ratings for CBS when it aired in its “Saturday Night Fights” slot on Nov. 7 from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The event reached 4.04 million homes to take the coveted Men 18-34 timeslot and peaked during the main event between Emelianenko and Rogers with 5.46 million viewers, making it the ninth most watched live fight in U.S. history.