With Rockhold out, Jacare steps in to face Lorenz Larkin

Instead of calling the final Strikeforce card on January 12 “Champions,” maybe they can call it “Former Champions” since all of the current champs are going down from injuries and a former champ will step in.

After Luke Rockhold had to withdraw (or, in his words, never signed on) from a fight against Lorenz Larkin, former champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has agreed to take on Larkin. Jacare, who held the Strikeforce middleweight title from 2010-2011 before losing a unanimous decision to Rockhold, has scored back to back wins as he seeks to earn his third straight ‘W.’ Jacare’s last victim was Derek Brunson, who was knocked out in 41 seconds back in August. He’ll look to do the same against Larkin who is 13-0 (even though he was knocked out viciously against Muhammed Lawal but had it turned to a no-contest after a positive steroid test). Larkin won in his middleweight debut against Robbie Lawler back in July.

With the addition of this, Josh Barnett vs. Nando Guelmino and Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith, it appears that he final Strikeforce card isn’t in any danger of cancellation.