When Tyler Combs pulled out of his fight with Jorge Gurgel just five days before they were scheduled to meet at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson, the promotion was left in a bit of a bind. But stepping in will be Columbus, Ohio-based fighter Billy Vaughan (9-6) to replace Combs on short notice. Strikeforce officials confirmed the new booking with MMA Fighting on Wednesday.
Vaughan has kicked around Ohio-based promotions for more than five years. He recently had a three-fight winning streak snapped with a submission loss to Donny Walker at a North American Allied Fight Series show in Cleveland. All 15 of Vaughan's pro fights have been finishes.
Gurgel (13-7, 1-2 Strikeforce) looks to snap a two-fight skid that includes a knockout loss to KJ Noons at Strikeforce: Houston in August. That fight was notable for a left hook by Noons after the first-round bell that dropped Gurgel. Though he was able to continue the fight, Noons finished him quickly in the second – and included a knee to the head that looked to be illegal, as well, as the ref was stopping the fight.
Gurgel, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has lived in Ohio for years and trains many pro fighters in jiu-jitsu, is also a veteran of seven UFC fights.
Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson takes place Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio's capital city, and will be the promotion's debut in the state. The main card, headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and former Pride champion Dan Henderson, airs live on Showtime.
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