Strikeforce
Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley official for Strikeforce Welterweight Championship bout on July 14 in Portland
May 19, 2012 - 9:40:43 PM Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley official for Strikeforce Welterweight Championship bout on July 14 in Portland

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Nate Marquardt will officially make his Strikeforce debut on July 14, and it will be for the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Championship. Marquardt appeared with his title opponent Tyron Woodley on Saturday's Showtime broadcast of Strikeforce "Barnett vs. Cormier" to announce the fight, which has been expected for some time.

The July 14 event will come to the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, and will also feature a Middleweight Championship bout between Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy.

Marquardt will fight for the first time since his decision win over Dan Miller last March at UFC 128. The former UFC Middleweight Title contender was set to make his welterweight debut last June, but he wound up getting released from the UFC after his testosterone levels weren't within acceptable limits by weigh-ins for his TRT treatment, leading to him being pulled from a main event bout.

Woodley will fight for the ninth time under the Strikeforce banner, and will put his 10-0 record on the line against the most experienced opponent he's faced in his career. It will be his second fight of the year, as well, after notching a decision over Jordan Mein in January.

Penick's Analysis: This is the best fight possible in the welterweight division for Strikeforce, and it's going to be a huge test for Woodley's undefeated record. Despite several losses in recent years, Marquardt remains one of the more well-rounded an entertaining fighters in the sport, and it's going to be immensely interesting to see how Marquardt not only handles the cut to 170 lbs., but how he performs there as well. It's a great 170 lb. matchup, and will provide by far the biggest and most experienced opponent Woodley's ever faced.