Melvin Manhoef Fighting at Strikeforce in Miami against Robbie Lawler (Updated)

Barely a week has passed since Melvin Manhoef defeated Kazuo Misaki at Dynamite!! 2009 but Manhoef has agreed to fight on Strikeforce in Miami according to a new report by FiveOuncesofPain.

While Manhoef's opponent hasn't be named many will assume that Strikeforce will try to pair him up against Robbie Lawler. When Strikeforce initially signed Melvin there were rumors Scott Coker and company were considering matching the Dutch striker against Robbie Lawler for Strikeforce: Evolution, as Lawler was without an opponent at the time. That match-up fell never materialized as Lawler was set-up to fight Trevor Prangley but Prangley withdrew a week before the fight with an injury. Strikeforce was unable to find an opponent for Lawler on such short notice and he was moved back to Strikeforce's January card.

Many observers assumed that Manhoef would fight Lawler in Miami but when it was announced that Manhoef would fight in Japan on New Year's Eve, the prospect of fighting thirty days later seemed an unrealistic possibility. But Melvin won at Dynamite!! 2009 knocking out his opponent in under two minutes. That opened the door for Manhoef to fight at the end of January and in the post-fight press conference he expressed his desire to fight Robbie Lawler.

Update: Middle Easy says that Manhoef and Lawler will fight at Strikeforce in Miami.

SBN coverage of Strikeforce in Miami

Rumored card after the jump.

• Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis (for vacant welterweight title)
• Champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Marloes Coenen (for women's featherweight title)
• Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
• Robbie Lawler vs. Mevlin Manhoef
• Bobby Lashley vs. TBA
• Herschel Walker vs. TBA