SAN JOSE, California — Former Pride Fighting Championship Grand Prix winner Kazuo “Grabaka Hitman” Misaki (22-8-1) will take on Joe “Diesel” Riggs (28-10) when Strikeforce returns to the Playboy Mansion September 20 in Beverly Hills, California.
 

"I am looking forward to making my debut for Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion, an incredible venue that is well-known throughout the world,” said Misaki, the winner of Pride’s 2006 welterweight Grand Prix elimination playoff.  

The 25-year-old Riggs of Phoenix, Arizona, is coming off a second-round submission of Matt Dempsey on July 26th.

To help him prepare for what is arguably his toughest challenge in nearly two years, Riggs is bringing in to his camp a host of heavy hitters, including MMA legend Ken Shamrock, as well as former UFC middleweight champion, Rich Franklin; Jeremy Horn; and Edwin Dewees.

Riggs insists that this will be his final fight at 185 pounds.

“I’m dropping to 170 lbs,” he proclaimed, “and gonna jump into the top 10 in that division.”