In the Cage – 6.22.11

Each day, The MMA Corner will provide a recap of event announcements, fight matchups, and injuries/cancellations from throughout the world of MMA.

Today, the UFC applied for permission to host an event on Oct. 29.  It is expected that this event, UFC 137, will be headlined by the highly-anticipated fight between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and top title contender Nick Diaz. NSAC officials will vote on the request during their meetings next month.

Strikeforce officials reported today that they have booked the Pearl at the Palms Hotel and Casino.  NSAC officials did confirm that Zuffa, the parent company for Strikeforce and the UFC, did apply for a promoter’s license for the event and they will vote on this at their meetings next month.   The card is to be headlined by Jorge Gurgel against Joe Duarte.

The scheduled fight between TJ Grant and Charlie Brenneman at this weekend’s UFC on Versus 4 has been scrapped.  Grant has been forced to withdraw from the fight due to an undisclosed illness.  Once informed about the illness, UFC officials scrambled to find Brenneman a replacement, but were unable to do so.  At that point in time, the UFC announced the fight cancellation via Twitter.

These two were set to fight at “Diaz vs. Daley” in April before Kyle was forced to pull out of the fight due to injury.  Kyle was replaced by Keith Jardine, who Mousasi defeated by decision.  Now the fight is rumored to be back on and expected for September.  Contracts are expected to be signed in the near future.

On the same day that Strikeforce officials announced that they have booked the Pearl at the Palms Casino for Strikeforce Challengers 18 on Aug. 12, they also announced that the card will be headlined by Jorge Gurgel and Joe Duarte.  Contracts have not yet been signed, but sources reported that both fighters have verbally agreed to the bout.