Though no bouts have yet been confirmed for the card, a previously-reported women’s matchup between Kim Couture and Kerry Vera is expected to be featured and undefeated heavyweight Roger Gracie is also expected to make his Strikeforce debut on the card.

In other Strikeforce news, heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum has been added to the lineup for the promotion’s November 7 CBS-televised event headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers, but his opponent has not yet been announced.

For the latest Strikeforce news and Strikeforce rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Pictured: Fabricio Werdum

• The MMAFrenzy.com rumors section has been completely updated. [MMAFrenzy.com/rumors]
• UFC fighters Rousimar Palhares and Thiago Tavares are likely to return in the fall from injuries. [MMAjunkie]
• With just one fight remaining on his current contract, Rich Franklin is ready to renegotiate with the UFC before his next fight. [MMAjunkie]
• Roger Gracie will make his Strikeforce debut against an opponent to-be-named at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on August 15.
• Featherweight contender Wagnney Fabiano will fight at WEC 43 on September 2 in Youngstown, Ohio. An opponent has not yet been set. [MMAjunkie]
• Bobby Lashley will next fight in September. [MMA Fanhouse]
• Gilbert Yvel vs. Paul Buentello has officially been added to the fight card for Affliction: Trilogy.
• Heavyweight veteran Jeff Monson has signed with Ohio-based NAAFS and will debut against Tony Sylvester at Rock N Rumble III at the Nautica Pavilion in Cleveland.
• A timetable for UFC heavyweight Heath Herring’s return has not yet been set. [MMAjunkie]
• Middleweight Rob Kimmons has signed a new four-fight contract with the UFC. [MMAjunkie]
• Mark Hominick vs. Deividas Taurosevicius and LC Davis vs. Javier Vazquez have been booked for the HDNet-televised “Affliction: Trilogy” preliminary card
• Weigh-ins for UFC 100 will take place on Friday, July 10 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, the same venue which will host the July 11 pay-per-view event. (Note: MMAFrenzy.com will be providing a live stream of the weigh-ins)
• WEC lightweight contender and former champion Rob McCullough is likely to return in the “late fall” [MMAjunkie]
• Diego Sanchez will get the next lightweight title shot against the winner of the August 8 matchup between BJ Penn and Kenny Florian. [Yahoo! Sports]
• Ticket sales for UFC 101 on August 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia have surpassed 14,000 for a Pennsylviania record-breaking $3+ million live gate. [MMAjunkie]
• Strikeforce will hold a press conference for the promotion’s August 15 matchup between Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos on July 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
• Luiz Cane wants to fight Rich Franklin. [MMAjunkie]
• UFC heavyweight Antoni Hardonk thwarts a robbery in LA. [Yahoo! Sports]

[Pictured: Rich Franklin]

Note: Items without bracketed-links ([]) have either been officially announced or confirmed by MMAFrenzy.com

On Sept. 8, Gracie was sparring when he took a hard kick to the ribs. After being examined by renowned physiotherapist Dr. Kevin Lidlow, who has previously worked with the British Olympic team, Gracie was diagnosed with an intermuscular tear to the intercostal muscle between the sixth and seventh left ribs.

Gracie is currently undergoing physiotherapy, and Lidlow has advised the grappling kingpin that he should not train for at least four weeks, at which point he will be reassessed with the possibility of resuming light, controlled training.

For more on Sengoku 5 check out the MMAFrenzy.com MMA rumors section.

Sengoku 5 takes place at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan on September 28th and includes the opening round of the promotion’s 2008 middleweight grand prix as well as former IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz taking on Jorge Masvidal.

The now-complete fight card features:

• Roger Gracie vs. Travis Wiuff
• Xande Ribeiro vs. Takashi Sugiura
• Kiuma Kunioku vs. A Sol Kwon
• Jorge Masvidal vs. Ryan Schultz
• Paul Cahoon vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Logan Clark vs. Jorge Santiago
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Yuki Kondo vs. Yuki Sasaki
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round

The opening round of the promotion’s middleweight grand prix is now set as UFC and PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura will meet Paul Cahoon in the first round and Jorge Santiago will take on Logan Clark. Previously announced for the tournament were Yuki Kondo vs. Yuki Sasaki and Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos vs. Siyar Bahadurzada.

World Victory Road also announced that Jiu-Jitsu world champion Xande Ribeiro will make his mixed martial arts debut against professional wrestler Takashi Sugiura at Sengoku 5.

IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz faces Jorge Masvidal at the September 28th event and Roger Gracie will also be in action against an opponent to-be-determined.

The current fight card features:

• Takashi Sugiura vs Xande Ribeiro
• Ryan Schultz vs Jorge Masvidal
• Roger Gracie vs. TBD
• Kazuhiro Nakamura vs Paul Cahoon
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Jorge Santiago vs Logan Clark
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Yuki Kondo vs Yuki Sasaki
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Evangelista Cyborg vs Siyar Bahadurzada
  Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round

Sengoku 4 features a main event lightweight bout between former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi and Bang Seung Hwan. The opening round of the promotion’s 2008 lightweight grand prix is also slated for the event.

The complete fight card features:

• Takanori Gomi vs. Bang Seung Hwan
• Makoto Takimoto vs. Frank Trigg
• Satoru Kitaoka vs. Clay French
  Lightweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Rodrigo Damm
  Lightweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Kazunori Yokota vs. Bojan Kosednar
  Lightweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Mizuto Hirota vs. Ryan Schultz
  Lightweight GP Series 2008 1st Round
• Pawel Nastula vs. Yang Dong Yi
• Peter Graham vs. Moise Rimbon
• Kazuo Takahashi vs. Valentijn Overeem

*****

World Victory Road also announced on Tuesday that Xande Ribeiro, Roger Gracie, and Jorge Masvidal will be in action in separate bouts at Sengoku 5 and also announced the addition of Yuki Sasaki to the promotion’s middleweight tournament field.

Sengoku 5 now includes:

• Xande Ribeiro vs. TBD
• Roger Gracie vs. TBD
• Jorge Masvidal vs. TBD
• Lightweight GP Series 2008 1st Round participants:
  • Yuki Sasaki
  • Kazuhiro Nakamura
  • Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos
  • Siyar Bahadurzada
  • Jorge Santiago