Josh Barnett Gets a Fight at "Strikeforce: Champions"

JOSH BARNETT VS. NANDOR GUELMINO ADDED TO 'STRIKEFORCE: CHAMPIONS'
BY STEVEN MARROCCO ON NOV 29, 2012 AT 5:15 PM ET

Strikeforce's final event will serve as Josh Barnett's final obligation to the promotion.

Sources close to the fighters today told MMAjunkie.com that Barnett (31-6 MMA, 2-1 SF) is targeted to meet fellow heavyweight Nandor Guelmino (11-3-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) on the Showtime-televised main card of "Strikeforce: Champions."

The event, which features prelims on Showtime Extreme, takes place Jan. 12 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

It's expected to be Strikeforce's final event.

Barnett, 35, makes his return after a unanimous-decision setback to Daniel Cormier in the finals of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, which took place in May.

The ex-UFC champ broke his hand in the first round of the five-round fight and was benched for several months as he recovered. Prior to meeting Cormier, he hadn't lost in six years over eight bouts.

Guelmino, 36, recently extended his current win streak to seven with a decision victory over Emil Zahariev at a fight card in Slovenia. The Austrian fighter has earned six of his 11 career wins by submission and three by knockout. Notably, he suffered a first-round TKO loss to ProElite vet Andreas Kraniotakes in 2009.

The latest "Strikeforce: Champions" card now includes:

Champ Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine - for welterweight title
Daniel Cormier vs. Dion Staring
Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle
Josh Barnett vs. Nandor Guelmino*
Ryan Couture vs. K.J. Noons
Pat Healy vs. Jorge Masvidal*

* - Not officially announced