Britt-Sayers, Cooper-Ricehouse Added to Strikeforce Challengers 20

Antwain Britt will make his first appearance of 2011 at Strikeforce Challengers 20. | Photo: Dave Mandel

Undefeated lightweights will clash at the Nov. 18 event, as Matt Ricehouse locks horns with Bill Cooper. Additionally, light heavyweights Antwain Britt and Lumumba Sayers will also throw down from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The aforementioned matchups will join a pair of previously revealed bouts, making four fights now announced for the event. Olympic judo bronze medalist Ronda Rousey will meet hard-hitting Julia Budd, while Russian middleweight prospect Adlan Amagov squares off against 23-year-old Anthony Smith. Strikeforce Challengers 20 airs at 11 p.m. ET on Showtime, delayed on the west coast.

Ricehouse recently made headlines when he took home a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over fellow undefeated prospect Ryan Couture at Strikeforce Challengers 16 on June 24. The 24-year-old is already a three-time Strikeforce veteran, earning wins over both Greg Wilson and Tom Aaron in 2010.

Also only 24, Cooper holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. “The Grill” made his professional debut in February, choking out Sam Rodriguez with a guillotine choke in just 23 seconds. Cooper followed that win with another victory, submitting Maka Watson in his Strikeforce debut in July.

Britt, 33, has lost three of his last four, and “The Juggernaut” has yet to compete in 2011. His competition was stiff last year, however, as the Virginian was knocked out by former Strikeforce champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante before losing a unanimous decision to Ovince St. Preux in November.

Sayers has submitted all four of his conquered foes through nearly two years as a professional. The Grappler’s Edge export faces Britt coming off only the second loss of his career, as he was submitted by Derek Brunson in his July 30 Strikeforce debut.