StrikeForce has announced that Ryan Couture, son of MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, has signed a multi-fight deal with the San Jose based organization. Couture will be making his debut on The StrikeForce Challengers card on Friday, Aug. 13 at Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. His fight along with the card will be shown on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
The 27-year-old Couture first bout with StrikeForce will be against Lucas Stark of Chandler, Ariz. in a three-round lightweight (155 pounds) bout.
This will be Couture’s first big time fight as he compiled an amateur record of 5-1-1 competing as a lightweight with five wins coming by way of submission. Couture began his MMA training in 2006, working diligently to mature into a well-rounded fighter, adding Muay Thai and a dangerous submission game to his repertoire. In January 2008, he moved to Las Vegas to train with his father.
In his final amateur bout on March 26, Couture fought to a draw against Sean Bollinger for the Tuff-N-UFF 155-pound title fight at The Orleans in Las Vegas.
In the main event, Phoenix native and MMA star Joe “Diesel” Riggs will take on knockout artist Louis Taylor at a catch weight of 182 pounds.
The event will also showcase a four-woman, single-elimination 135-pound tournament featuring STRIKEFORCE Women’s welterweight prospects Miesha “Takedown” Tate, Carina “Beauty But The Beast” Damm, Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano and Maiju Kujala.
Dodge Theatre doors will open at 5:15 p.m. MT for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.
