Strikeforce inks Melvin Manhoef to exclusive multi-year U.S. deal
Longtime K-1 kickboxer and veteran MMA fighter Melvin Manhoef has signed a multi-year deal with Strikeforce that's exclusive to the U.S.
Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz today confirmed the signing with MMAjunkie.com, though exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.
And though Afromowitz said the organization plans to have Manhoef make his promotional debut sooner rather than later, he couldn't confirm AOL Fanhouse's report that the newcomer could fight Robbie Lawler at the Dec. 19 "Strikeforce: Evolution" event.
"We just signed him," Afromowitz said. "We just got it done."
The 33-year-old Manhoef, who owns a 23-6-1 MMA record and 37-8 kickboxing record, has recently competed for the Japanese-based DREAM organization, which has an alliance with Strikeforce. Manhoef posted a five-fight win streak in MMA from 2007 to mid-2008, but he's gone just 1-2 since then with submission losses to Gegard Mousasi and Paulo Filho and an 18-second KO win over Mark Hunt.
In fact, of Manhoef's 23 career wins, a staggering 22 have come via knockout. Only European fighter Bob Schreiber took Manhoef to a decision (at a June 2005 event in the Netherlands).
The signing adds depth to Strikeforce's still-growing 205-pound division, which was previously ruled by Renato "Babalu" Sobral. However, Mousasi recently topped the UFC veteran for the organization's light heavyweight title. Today's signing could set up an eventual rematch.
Manhoef, who's also competed as a middleweight and heavyweight, made his pro MMA debut nearly 14 years ago. The Dutch fighter began his pro kickboxing career just a few months later.
Source: http://mmajunkie.com/news/17050/strikef ... s-deal.mma