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'Strikeforce: Overeem Vs. Werdum' Featuring Gina Carano At American Airlines Center Now Official For June 18

The quarterfinals of Strikeforce's Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament are now official for the American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 18.

STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) squares off against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) in the highly-anticipated main event, while former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett (29-5) will battle heavy-handed knockout artist Brett "The Grim" Rogers (11-2). 

The main event between 30-year-old Alistair Overeem (fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and the 33-year-old Fabricio Werdum (fighting out of Porto Alegre, Brazil) pits the two superstars against one another nearly five years after Werdum submitted Overeem on a PRIDE® Fighting Championship card at Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan on May 5, 2006.

Since their initial encounter, the 6-foot-5, 260 pound Overeem has become the first fighter in history to simultaneously hold both a major mixed martial arts (STRIKEFORCE) title and a K-1 Heavyweight Grand Prix championship. Meanwhile, Werdum has wreaked havoc on the heavyweight division, including his submission over Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko in June, which was considered 2010 Upset of the Year.

Also on the card will be two non-tournament matches. In a matchup of undefeateds, Daniel Cormier will face Shane Del Rosario, and Alistair's big brother Valentijn Overeem will take on Chad Griggs

Gina Carano will also be on the card and will take on an opponent to be determined. She last fought in Strikeforce's Women's Championship in 2009. 

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10:00 a.m. CT. The event will be aired live on Showtime. 

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.