Strikeforce Challengers: Voelker vs. Bowling III was a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 event held by Strikeforce

Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

. The seventeenth Challengers episode took place on July 22, 2011 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

.

Background

Brazilian fighter Carlos Augusto Inocente Filho was supposed to debut on this card against Lionel Lanham. However, he withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Strikeforce newcomer T.J. Cook.

Lavar Johnson

Lavar Johnson

Lavar Johnson is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Heavyweight. None of his career fights have ever gone to a decision. He currently competes in Strikeforce.-WEC:...

 was originally scheduled to face Devin Cole

Devin Cole

Devin Cole is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to Strikeforce. He is a veteran of the Portland Wolfpack in the International Fight League.-Biography:...

, but pulled out of the bout due to an injury on July 20, 2011. Cole instead faced Strikeforce newcomer Shawn Jordan.

Televised card

• Welterweight bout:   Roger Bowling
  Roger Bowling (fighter)
  Roger Bowling is an American mixed martial artist. Currently, Bowling trains with Team Vision based in Ohio.-Mixed martial arts career:...
  
   vs.   Bobby Voelker
  Bobby Voelker
  Bobby Voelker is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is currently signed with Strikeforce and competes in the welterweight division.-Early career:Voelker made his professional MMA debut in 2006...
  
  

Voelker defeated Bowling via TKO (knee and punches) at 2:16 of round 2.

• Heavyweight bout:   Devin Cole
  Devin Cole
  Devin Cole is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to Strikeforce. He is a veteran of the Portland Wolfpack in the International Fight League.-Biography:...
  
   vs.   Shawn Jordan

Cole defeated Jordan via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Joe Cason vs.   Ovince St. Preux
  Ovince St. Preux
  Ovince St. Preux is a Haitian-American mixed martial artist, who competes in the light heavyweight division for Strikeforce.- Early life :...
  
  

St. Preux defeated Cason via submission (punches) at 1:12 of round 1.

• Women's (135 lbs) bout:   Liz Carmouche
  Liz Carmouche
  Liz Carmouche is an American mixed martial arts fighter. Carmouche currently competes for Strikeforce in the women's welterweight division....
  
   vs.   Sarah Kaufman

Kaufman defeated Carmouche via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)

• Middleweight bout:   Ronald Stallings vs.   Adlan Amagov
  Adlan Amagov
  Adlan Amagov is a Chechen mixed martial artist who competes in the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight division.-MMA career:Amagov made his professional MMA debut in November 2007 in his native Russia...
  
  

Amagov defeated Stallings via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28).

Preliminary card

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Lionel Lanham vs.   T.J. Cook

Cook defeated Lanham via TKO (punches) at 4:59 of round 1.

• Middleweight bout:   Anthony Smith vs.   Ben Lagman
  Ben Lagman
  "Bad News" Ben Lagman is a mixed martial arts fighter who currently competes in the middleweight division in the King of the Cage promotion out of Rancho Cucamonga, California...
  
  

Smith defeated Lagman via KO (punch) at 0:33 in round 2.

• Lightweight bout:   Maka Watson vs.   Bill Cooper
  Bill Cooper (grappler)
  Bill "The Grill" Cooper is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes for Strikeforce in the Lightweight division.-Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:...
  
  

Cooper defeated Watson via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:39 in round 2.

• Middleweight bout:   Sterling Ford vs.   Brian McLaughlin

Ford defeated McLaughlin via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 30–27).