Jenna Castillo vs Charlene Gellner Added To January 29th StrikeforceA second women’s bout has been added to the undercard of Strikeforce: “Diaz vs Cyborg” on January 29th in San Jose, California. Muay Thai and San Shou standout Jenna Castillo will make her MMA debut against fellow Californian Charlene “Princess” Gellner, who went 3-0 as an amateur.

Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz confirmed the bout with MMARising.com today. Castillo, who holds a reported 30-1 combined record in Muay Thai and San Shou, has won titles in both disciplines. The Fairtex Gym prospect will now transition to MMA on the January card.

The Castillo-Gellner matchup joins a previously reported women’s bout between Muay Thai phenom Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie and Stephanie Webber on the “Diaz vs Cyborg” undercard. Like the other women’s contest, Castillo will face Gellner in a striker versus grappler matchup, as she brings her impressive striking pedigree into MMA against Gellner’s submission game. However, Gellner has diligently trained her boxing and a stoppage of the highly-touted Castillo would be a significant victory.

Both fighters have previously fought at weights below the 125-pound mark; a women’s weight class that Strikeforce has yet to commit to outside of one-off fights featuring local fighters. Castillo, who trains in San Jose, will likely enter the fight as the fan favourite, while Gellner travels south from the nearby city of Hayward. An impressive win could earn the victor a second fight in Strikeforce, but MMARising.com has confirmed with sources close to the promotion that the primary focus remains on developing the 135- and 145-pound women’s weight classes for now.

Strikeforce: “Diaz vs Cyborg” takes place on January 29th at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The event will be headlined by a Strikeforce Welterweight Championship bout between Nick Diaz and Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, and airs live on Showtime and Super Channel.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Vincit Magazine)