Mike Kyle Announces Jan. 12 Strikeforce Booking against Gegard Mousasi

Kyle announced the news in a YouTube video on Thursday. Mousasi and Kyle have been slated to meet on three occasions in the past, but injuries have always prevented the two from actually crossing paths.

Strikeforce’s upcoming show takes place Jan. 12 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and airs live on Showtime, delayed on the West Coast. The evening’s preliminary draw will be broadcast immediately prior on sister network Showtime Extreme.

Kyle, 32, has won five of his last seven fights. The American Kickboxing Academy representative was last seen on May 19, when he was knocked out by former Strikeforce light heavyweight king Rafael Cavalcante in just 33 seconds. However, that defeat was changed to a no contest by the California State Athletic Commission after “Feijao” failed his post-fight drug test. A UFC and WEC veteran, Kyle owns 12 of his 19 career wins by knockout and has gone the distance just four times in his 11 years as a pro.

Mousasi, 27, has held both the Strikeforce and Dream light heavyweight titles, winning the latter belt in 2009 but losing it to Muhammed Lawal in just his first defense. The Iranian-born Dutchman then captured Dream’s championship in 2010 and defended it successfully against Hiroshi Izumi last year. Most recently, “The Dreamcatcher” squared off with rising talent Ovince St. Preux this past December, taking a unanimous decision from the former University of Tennessee linebacker at “Melendez vs. Masvidal.”