Strikeforce Challengers: Wilcox vs. Damm 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 fifteenth Challengers episode took place on April 1, 2011 at the Stockton Arena

Stockton Arena

Stockton Arena is an indoor arena in Stockton, California. It opened in December 2005 and seats approximately 10,000 fans. The arena, at maximum capacity, can seat 11,800 people.It is primarily used for ice hockey, indoor soccer and arena football....

 in Stockton, California

Stockton, California

Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...

.

Background

This was the first Strikeforce event run under Zuffa management. Consequently, it was also the first Strikeforce event to be contested under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, allowing Strikeforce events to feature elbow strikes on the ground going forward.

On March 21, Conor Heun

Conor Heun

Conor Heun is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Lightweight division.-Mixed martial arts career:...

 was forced out of his fight with James Terry

James Terry (fighter)

James Terry is an American mixed martial artist from San Jose, California.. James has an extension college wrestling background. He moved to Northern California in 2005 when he began to sharpen his kickboxing under the guidance of Cung Le. James now trains in MMA and work as an instructor and...

 due to injury. Josh Thornburg replaced Heun.

On March 28, it was reported that Satoshi Ishii

Satoshi Ishii

is a Japanese judoka and mixed martial artist noted for winning a gold medal in Olympic Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games and two All-Japan Judo Championships...

 was unable to secure a visa to leave the country, leaving him unable to fight. Lorenz Larkin stepped in to fight Scott Lighty

Scott Lighty

Scott Lighty is an American super heavyweight kickboxer and light heavyweight mixed martial artist, from San Luis Obispo, California. He currently trains at The Pit alongside UFC veterans, Chuck Liddell and Glover Teixeira...

.

The Antolin/Ronald Carillo bout was the first flyweight

Flyweight (MMA)

The flyweight division in mixed martial arts – as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission combat sports doctrine – groups together all competitors 125 lb and below...

 bout held by Zuffa.

The event drew an estimated 214,000 viewers on Showtime.

Televised bouts

• Lightweight bout:   Justin Wilcox
  Justin Wilcox
  .Justin Wilcox is an American mixed martial artist from San Jose, California.He is a former professional bodybuilder and a former NCAA Division I wrestler who first began competing as a welterweight...
  
   vs.   Rodrigo Damm
  Rodrigo Damm
  Rodrigo Damm is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who has competed for World Victory Road, Strikeforce, Jungle Fight, bodogFIGHT, and Shooto promotions. Rodrigo's sister Carina Damm is also a mixed martial artist. Damm made his US debut at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs...
  
  

Wilcox defeated Damm via TKO (strikes) at the end of round 1.

• Lightweight bout:   David Douglas
  David Douglas (fighter)
  David Douglas is an American professional mixed martial artist. He competes in the lightweight division and is currently signed with Strikeforce.-MMA Career:...
  
   vs.   Caros Fodor
  Caros Fodor
  Caros Fodor is an American professional mixed martial artist. He competes in the lightweight division and is currently signed with Strikeforce. He is trained by Matt Hume at AMC Pankration.-MMA career:...
  
  

Fodor defeated Douglas via TKO (strikes) at 2:12 of round 3.

• Light Heavyweight bout:   Lorenz Larkin
  Lorenz Larkin
  Lorenz Larkin is an American mixed martial artist, who competes in the light heavyweight division for the Strikeforce promotion.-Early life:...
  
   vs.   Scott Lighty
  Scott Lighty
  Scott Lighty is an American super heavyweight kickboxer and light heavyweight mixed martial artist, from San Luis Obispo, California. He currently trains at The Pit alongside UFC veterans, Chuck Liddell and Glover Teixeira...
  
  

Larkin defeated Lighty via TKO (punches) at 3:15 of round 2.

• Catchweight (165lbs.) bout:   James Terry
  James Terry (fighter)
  James Terry is an American mixed martial artist from San Jose, California.. James has an extension college wrestling background. He moved to Northern California in 2005 when he began to sharpen his kickboxing under the guidance of Cung Le. James now trains in MMA and work as an instructor and...
  
   vs.   Josh Thornburg

Terry defeated Thornburg via KO (punch) at 4:38 of round 1.

• Welterweight bout:   Damian Douglas vs.   Wayne Phillips

Douglas defeated Phillips via Split Decision (30–27, 28–29, 29–28).

Preliminary bouts

• Lightweight bout:   Rafael Rios
  Rafael Ríos
  Rafael Ríos is an undefeated Mexican professional boxer in the Middleweight division.-Amateur career:Rafael had an amateur record of 92-14...
  
   vs.   Anthony Avila

Avila defeated Rios via Unanimous Decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

• Bantamweight bout:   Robert Escalante vs.   Raul Sandoval

Escalante defeated Sandoval via Submission (armbar) at 4:10 of round 1.

• Lightweight bout:   Tristan Arenal vs.   Tom Peterson

Arenal defeated Peterson via Submission (armbar) at 1:58 of round 1.

• Flyweight bout:   Adam Antolin vs.   Ronald Carillo

Carillo defeated Antolin via Submission (rear naked choke) at 1:48 of round 1.

Ratings

Strikeforce Challengers 15, the promotion's first event after the Zuffa acquisition, drew a TV rating of 214,000 viewers for Showtime. This number is right in line with the series average of 221,000 to this point.

Reported payout

The following is the reported payout to the fighters.

Televised Bouts

• Justin Wilcox, $8,000 + $8,000 (win bonus) = $16,000 def. Rodrigo Damm, $15,000
• Caros Fodor, $5,000 + $5,000 (win bonus) = $10,000 def. David Douglas, $2,500
• Lorenz Larkin, $2,000 + $2,000 (win bonus) = $4,000 def. Scott Lighty, $2,000
• James Terry, $3,000 + $3,000 (win bonus) = $6,000 def. Josh Thornburg, $2,000
• Damion Douglas, $1,000 + $1,000 (win bonus) = $2,000 def. Wayne Phillips, $1,000

Preliminary Bouts

• Anthony Avila, $1,000 (no win bonus) def. Rafael Rios, $1,000
• Robert Escalante, $1,000 (no win bonus) def. Raul Sandoval, $1,000
• Tristan Arenal, $1,000 (no win bonus) def. Tom Peterson, $1,000
• Ronald Carillo, $1,000 (no win bonus) def. Adam Antolin, $1,000