Report: ‘JZ’-Wilcox Slated for June 18 Strikeforce Card

Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante will reportedly return June 18. | Photo: Taro Irei/Sherdog.com

According to a Friday report from MMAWeekly.com, the bout is being targeted for Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum,” which takes place June 18 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The fight has not yet been announced by the promotion.

The Showtime-televised card will feature the second half of Strikeforce’s 2011 heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals, wherein Alistair Overeem will rematch Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett will meet Brett Rogers.

Cavalcante, 27, recently split from his longtime home of American Top Team and has not competed since October, when he dropped a narrow unanimous decision to former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson. The Rio de Janeiro native is 1-3 in his last four outings, having lost decisions to Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri while outpointing Katsunori Kikuno, all under the banner of Japan’s Dream promotion. Cavalcante’s professional record of 15-4-1 (with one no-contest) includes wins over Caol Uno, Nam Phan, Michihiro Omigawa, Bart Palaszewski and current Dream featherweight champ Hiroyuki Takaya.

Once a wrestler at NCAA Div. 1 Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, Wilcox turned to professional bodybuilding after his collegiate career and subsequently transitioned to MMA in 2006. Since then, the California-based “Silverback” has run up an 11-3 ledger, with eight wins by way of decision. Since being armbarred by Japanese veteran Mitsuhiro Ishida in September 2008, Wilcox has bested six consecutive foes, including Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, Daisuke Nakamura and, most recently, Rodrigo Damm.