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Gilbert Melendez, STRIKEFORCE lightweight champion and top pound-for-pound fighter, will make his next title defense against veteran and red-hot number one contender Pat Healy, when STRIKEFORCE: MELENDEZ vs. HEALY comes to Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 29. The main event, scheduled for five rounds, will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

“There’s no doubt that Gilbert Melendez is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but he’s facing a tough test when he defends the STRIKEFORCE lightweight title against Pat Healy in Sacramento,” STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker said. “Pat has been around the sport a long time and has put together an impressive winning streak. This is the biggest fight of his life and he doesn’t want to waste this opportunity.”

The co-main event will feature recently crowned STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix Heavyweight champ and San Jose’s own, Daniel Cormier, returning to the cage to take on his next challenge, as he looks to keep his unbeaten streak intact and prove he truly is one of the best in the division. Cormier’s opponent will be announced in the coming days.

STRIKEFORCE^®: MELENDEZ vs. HEALY will air live on SHOWTIME^® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast). Additional fights scheduled for the event are expected to be released shortly.

Winner of his last seven bouts and having not tasted defeat since 2008, Gilbert Melendez returns to the STRIKEFORCE cage looking to cement his place as the world’s best 155-pound fighter. At 21-2, “El Niño” has career wins over fighters such as Josh Thomson, Clay Guida, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Shinya Aoki, Jorge Masvidal and Rodrigo Damm, the Cesar Gracie-trained fighter is more than ready to solidify his status as the division’s premiere fighter when he faces his toughest test to date on September 29 in Sacramento.

Following a unanimous decision victory over Mizuto Hirota on July 14 in his home state of Oregon to extend his winning streak to five, Pat Healy (fighting out of Portland, Ore.) secured a date with the STRIKEFORCE lightweight champ. At 30-15, the 28-year-old “Bam Bam” has racked up wins over marquee names like Carlos Condit, Dan Hardy and Paul Daley, and is currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes STRIKEFORCE victories over Caros Fodor and Maximo Blanco. Having fought his entire career for this opportunity, fans can expect fireworks when this grappling ace puts his skills to the test against the elite striking prowess of Melendez.

Two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler and current STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix champion Daniel Cormier (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) meets his first opponent since defeating former UFC titleholder Josh Barnett in the finals of the heavyweight tournament last May. Since putting gold around his waist, the undefeated 10-0 AKA-trained fighter has vowed to prove he is as good as advertised and offered to fight anyone that’s put in front of him. “DC” owns additional decisive victories over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Jeff Monson and Devin Cole and will look to use his superior wrestling ability to knock off yet another heavyweight foe.