Woodley, Saffiedine Hit Marks for Strikeforce Challengers 13

Tyron Woodley (left) and Tarec Saffiedine | Esther Lin/Strikeforce

Headliners Tyron Woodley (170.2) and Tarec Saffiedine (170.2) both made the cutoff for the welterweight main event of the Showtime-televised card. A standout wrestler from University of Missouri, Woodley has gone 7-0 since transitioning to MMA in February 2007. The Team Quest-trained “Sponge” Saffiedine, meanwhile, will look to soak up some of Woodley’s hype and extend his own win streak to four.

Co-main eventers Daniel Cormier (249) and Devin Cole (239.2) each came in under the 265-pound limit for their heavyweight showdown. One of the sport’s most talked-about heavyweight prospects, the former U.S. Olympic wrestler Cormier is 6-0 in MMA, having stopped each of his opponents. Cole, a 27-fight veteran, is Cormier’s most experienced foe to date and has won seven of his last 10 bouts.

Elsewhere, undercard, surging light heavyweight Ovince St. Preux (204.8) will seek to follow up on a perfect 6-0 year in 2010 when he meets “Iron Ring” tournament winner Ron Humphrey (205.4). Kickboxing convert Julia Budd (144.2) -- best known as the only woman to defeat Gina Carano under muay Thai rules -- will go up against hard-nosed Brazilian Amanda Nunes (143.2), the winner of five straight. Rounding out the evening’s televised undercard, John Richard (206) will take on Rhadi Ferguson (205), a former U.S. Olympic judoka and cousin of Kimbo Slice.

E. Lin/Strikeforce

Devin Cole (left) and Daniel Cormier

Main card:
Tyron Woodley (170.2) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170.2)
Ovince St. Preux (204.8) vs. Ron Humphrey (205.4)
Daniel Cormier (249) vs. Devin Cole (239.2)
Julia Budd (144.2) vs. Amanda Nunes (143.2)
Rhadi Ferguson (205) vs. John Richard (206)

Undercard:
Thomas Campbell (135.8) vs. Jeremy Wallace (TBA)
John Salter (185.6) vs. Casey Huffman (186)
Dustin Ortiz (125) vs. Matt Horning (TBA)
Dustin West (183.6) vs. Daniel Schmitt (184.8)
Charles McTorry (185) vs. Krishaun Gilmore (185.6)
Chris Barnhizer (175) vs. Karl Willis (170.2)
Jeremy Boczulak (173.8) vs. Jason Blackford (169.2)
Luke Sanders (145.4) vs. Josh Jarvis (144.2)
Gerric Hayes (169.2) vs. Stoney Hale (171)