Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy Gains New Bouts

Strikeforce officials on Thursday added two more bouts to its Sept. 29 event, Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy, slated for the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, Calif.

The two new bouts include lightweights Jorge Gurgel and Mizuto Hirota squaring off, as well as a welterweight showdown between Nah-Shon Burrell and Yuri Villefort.

Gurgel (14-8) has spent the past three years under the Strikeforce banner, but hasn’t set foot in the cage for more than a year. He returns from a loss to Joe Duarte in August of 2011 to try and get back on track. Gurgel has had a rough ride through his promotional tenure, amassing a record of 2-3 in the Strikeforce cage.

Hirota (14-5-1) is making his second start for the promotion, having lost to No. 1 lightweight contender Pat Healy when debuting in July of this year.

Burrell (8-2) and Villefort (6-1) are also both coming off of losses in their most recent bouts. Burrell had a six-fight winning streak halted by Chris Spang, while Villefort suffered the first loss of his career, dropping a split decision to Quinn Mulhern.

Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez faces Pat Healy in the night’s main event.

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