{"id":46010,"date":"2012-11-29T09:29:42","date_gmt":"2012-11-29T17:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/?p=46010"},"modified":"2012-11-29T09:29:42","modified_gmt":"2012-11-29T17:29:42","slug":"mousasi-vs-kyle-couture-vs-noons-now-official-for-strikeforce-champions-event-mma-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/mousasi-vs-kyle-couture-vs-noons-now-official-for-strikeforce-champions-event-mma-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Mousasi vs. Kyle & Couture vs. Noons now official for “Strikeforce: Champions” event | MMA News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A pair of previously reported fights\u00a0have now been made\u00a0official for the “Strikeforce: Champions” event\u00a0in January, as former\u00a0light heavyweight champ\u00a0Gegard Mousasi (32-3-2 MMA, 3-1-1 SF) meets Mike Kyle (19-8-1 MMA, 3-3-1 SF) and Ryan Couture (5-1 MMA, 5-1 SF) takes on K.J. Noons (11-5 MMA, 3-3 SF).<\/p>\n

Mousasi and Kyle had been\u00a0slated to do battle\u00a0on three prior occasions, but none of those proposed\u00a0fights came to fruition as a result of\u00a0injuries.<\/p>\n

Kyle fights for the first time since suffering a\u00a033-second loss to Rafael Cavalcante in May. However, “Feijao” failed\u00a0his post-fight drug test and the fight result was overturned to a no-contest. Prior to that bout, Kyle\u00a0had gone\u00a05-1 in his past six fights, with his lone\u00a0loss coming against heavyweight contender Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Mousasi\u00a0fights for the first time in\u00a0over a year due to an ACL injury. Most recently, the former Strikeforce\u00a0champion earned a decision victory over Ovince St. Preux. Since losing his Strikeforce belt to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in 2010, Gegard has gone 4-0-1 in his past 5 bouts.<\/p>\n

Ryan Couture, the son of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, most recently fought at the “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy” event, where he earned a decision win over\u00a0Joe Duarte. Ryan is now 5-1 under the Strikeforce banner and hoping to move into title contention with a victory over Noons.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Noons looks to get back in the win column following a decision loss to former lightweight champ Josh Thomson at the “Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey” event.\u00a0Prior to the Thomson loss, Noons had earned an impressive decision victory\u00a0over Billy Evangelista. The former EliteXC champ, Noons,\u00a0has gone 1-2 since having his 6-fight win streak snapped by Nick Diaz in October of 2010.<\/p>\n

“Strikeforce: Champions” takes place January 12 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The main card fights\u00a0will\u00a0be live on Showtime, following the prelims\u00a0which are set to air on\u00a0Showtime Extreme.<\/p>\n

The latest “Strikeforce: Champions” card includes:<\/p>\n