Devela’s start in the cage will be his first since June 19, 2009, when he tapped out to a rear naked choke applied by one of MMA’s fastest rising stars, Luke Rockhold, in the first round (:30) of their meeting at a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash.

“I took care of her and went through the surgery and the chemo (therapy),” Devela said.  “She’s all better now so it’s my turn to fight.  It was just one of those things where you have to put family before everything else.  I just wanted to take care of her before I take care of myself.”

The contest will also be Devela’s first at 170 pounds, where he expects to be a much stronger, faster and a more dangerous contender.

“I think I’ll be at an advantage when I fight Bobby,” Devela said.  “He’s been fighting at 170 and I’ve been fighting at 185 so I’m used to guys that are a lot bigger.  I think I’m going to be a lot stronger, leaner and I’ll fly a lot better. I’m re-energized.

“At 185, I can eat whatever I want, but I’m a lot more sluggish and slow, I don’t hit my submissions as fast and nothing is as clean and crisp.  At 170, I feel like I’m eating right, so everything just flows so much better and easier. ”

Devela notched his best victory to date before a home crowd when he scored a first round (1:22) TKO over former UFC star Joe “Diesel” Riggs in the first round of their STRIKEFORCE matchup at Tacoma, Washington’s Tacoma Dome on February 28, 2008.  Devela slammed Riggs to the canvas, incapacitating and forcing Riggs to tap out.

After earning a unanimous decision over his next opponent, Dan Molina, however, Devela suffered a setback when power puncher Terry Martin dealt Devela a crushing overhand right that KO’d Devela in the third round (2:08) of their STRIKEFORCE matchup at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California on September 20, 2008.

With his girlfriend healthy again, Devela is focused on a new weight class and a reenergized submission game.

“I’ve worked a lot on my submissions. I used to try to stand and punch people and it hasn’t worked out for me.  I would rather work my grappling and ground-and-pound than anything else.”

As for Voelker, Devela has a plan for the rugged brawler.

“If he comes with an overhand right I’m just going to spear him and beat the hell out of him.”

Voelker is a 30-year-old American Jiu-Jitsu stylist and native of Kansas City, Kansas. A tireless and driven worker, he has become an inspiration while maintaining a 50-plus hour per week job as a vinyl siding salesman and installer and, at the same time, continuing his dedication to the sport of MMA.

“I’ve had a great camp,” Voelker said. “I’m really putting a lot into it.  I know I have to fight strong, fight with a lot of heart, a lot of wits and get that victory.”

Before a hometown crowd at Kansas City’s Memorial Hall on Nov. 20, 2009, Voelker staged an incredible comeback in his STRIKEFORCE debut against Erik “Bad Apple” after taking punishment from Apple in the early going of their live SHOWTIME televised matchup.  After turning the tides, Voelker unloaded an onslaught of punches to score a TKO on Apple in the second round (1:23) of action.

Voelker doesn’t feel that Devela will have an advantage in cutting to 170 from 185 pounds.

“I don’t think his size will be an issue for me,” Voelker said.  “I’m a big 170 – I should be fighting 185.   I think it’s a good matchup. I know he’s a little bit taller but other than that I’m not worried about this fight.

“I’ve fought guys who are 185 pounders before who cut down to 170 for the fight just like Cory is doing.”

While Voelker will have his hands full against a naturally-larger opponent, he’ll also have to deal with the pro-Devela crowd in Everett, just one hour north of Bonney Lake.

“Fighting in his hometown doesn’t bother me,” Voelker said.  “I always want to go for the knockout, that’s just the way I like to do things. Whether I go in there and everyone is cheering for me or everyone is booing for me it doesn’t really matter.  I don’t hear the crowd until after the fight is over.”

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale and can be purchased at the Comcast Arena box office (866-332-8499) as well as online at ComcastArenaEverett.com and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

In the main event, undefeated heavyweight prospect Shane Del Rosario (9-0) will attempt to extend his unblemished streak when he faces fellow heavy hitter Lolohea Mahe (4-1-1).

Unbeaten STRIKEFORCE Women’s World Welterweight (135 pounds) Champion and former ballet dancer Sarah Kaufman (11-0) will put her perfect record as well as her crown on the line against international star Roxanne Modafferi (15-5).

In other featured action, Abongo Humphrey (7-1) will take on Mike “Mak” Kyle (16-7-1) at light heavyweight (205 pounds).

The first STRIKEFORCE Challengers preliminary card bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

About  STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.  In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

A welterweight (170 pounds) battle between undefeated rising star “Relentless” Roger Bowling (7-0) of Columbus, Ohio, who’ll be making his STRIKEFORCE debut, and hard-hitting brawler “Vicious” Bobby Voelker (21-7) of Kansas City, Kan., has been added to the card.

In previously announced matchups, promising, unbeaten welterweight Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley (6-0) of St. Louis will face local favorite Nathan Coy (8-2) of Portland while Kerry Vera (2-0), of San Diego, Calif., and Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Pena (2-0) of Spokane, Wash., will collide in a battle of 135-pound female prospects.

Tickets are on sale at the Rose Garden Box Office, all participating Safeway/TicketsWest outlets, or by calling (877) 789-ROSE (7673). They also can be purchased online at www.ComcastTIX.com and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Casey, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert schooled by famed master Rickson Gracie, won his first start in 13 months with a dominant, first round (1:41) submission (rear-naked choke) of Chad Vance at STRIKEFORCE: Challengers last Nov. 20 in Kansas City.

The multi-talented Casey is also a hip-hop artist as well as a friend and business partner of MTV reality series superstar and Beverly Hills socialite, Spencer Pratt. Casey recently recorded the single, “No Surrender.”

Lindland captured the silver medal in Greco Roman wrestling while representing The United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics. A former All-American wrestler for University of Nebraska and the 1993 NCAA Big Eight conference champion, the 39-year-old will look to return to his winning ways after suffering two consecutive defeats.

The six-foot Lindland lost his last outing on a first- round submission (arm triangle choke) to superstar Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at STRIKEFORCE: Evolution on Dec. 19, 2009. During a stellar 13-year MMA career, Lindland has fought the best, including the famed Fedor Emelianenko, and has triumphed over a number of all-time greats, among them former UFC champions Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton.

Two years ago, Lindland entered the world of politics, winning the Oregon Republican Party’s nomination for the House of Representatives before being defeated in the general election.

Nothing short of a wrecking machine, Bowling has been rolling since making his MMA debut in June 2007. The five-foot-nine, 28-year-old registered six consecutive first-round victories at the outset of his career before he had to settle for a 0:14, second-round TKO (punches) over Jerrod Appenzeller in his last start last Feb. 10.

The six-foot-one Voelker, who specializes in American Jiu-Jitsu, has won four of his last five fights, including a dramatic, come-from-behind second-round TKO (punches) over Erik Apple at the STRIKEFORCE: Challengers event last Nov. 20 in Kansas City.

A pro since February 2006, Voelker was rocked and dropped early in the opening round. But the momentum began to change by midway through the five-minute session.

Near the conclusion of the round, Voelker had assumed control, dropped Apple with an overhand right early in the second, pounced on his crumpled opponent and brought about a stoppage at the 1:23 mark of the round.

Rose Garden Arena doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 5:15 p.m. The first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.

The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

Kerry Vera’s (2-0) Muay Thai skills led her to a brutal first round (3:35) TKO on Kim “Sugar Free” Couture (1-2) in the featured women’s 135 pound match-up. Early in the first round, Bears, of Kansas City, Missouri was able to fight off the 27-year-old Woodley, a two-time All American wrestler for University of Missouri.  But while the two were in the clinch Woodley scooped up and slammed Bears to the canvas.

Woodley quickly passed guard, and as Bears attempted to turn over, Woodley attempted an armbar.  Bears escaped and brought the fight back to stand up position. Shortly thereafter, Woodley secured a double leg takedown and passed Bears’ guard to gain side control before slapping on an arm triangle choke that forced Bears to tap out at the 2:52 mark of the opening round.

In the first round of the female bout, Couture ate several punches.  While in the clinch against the fence her opponent unloaded two straight knee strikes to her Couture’s mid-section. After Couture backed up, Vera swung away with her hands and connected with a flurry of lefts and rights, battering Couture until the referee jumped in and stopped the fight.  Vera was declared the winner by way of TKO at the 3:35 mark of the first round.

Local star Bobby Voelker (21-7) turned the tides on Huntington Beach, California’s Erik “Bad” Apple (10-2), who came out of the gates swinging in the first round of their welterweight (170 pounds) match-up. The remarkably resilient Voelker weathered an early storm, scrambling to his feet after Apple dropped him with an overhand right.  After absorbing a one-two punch combination, Voelker fired back with his own hands that backed up Apple.

Voelker tripped Apple to the ground and attempted to finish Apple with a flurry of punches from inside Apple’s half guard before the closing bell sounded. In the second stanza, a left hook from Voelker stunned his opponent.  Apple attempted to counter, but was caught with another left to the chin. Voelker took Apple down again.  After Apple stood up, Voelker dropped him with a hard right hand.  Voelker pounced on his downed opponent, unloading a series of right and left hands. As Voelker continued to punish him and Apple turtled up, the referee stepped in and stopped the action at the 1:23 mark of the second round.

In his first appearance since suffering an upset defeat at the hands of Mike “Mak” Kyle, Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (8-2) spent much of the first round of his matchup with Aaron Rosa (12-3) trying to control Rosa against the fence. Cavalcante changed his tempo in the second round, taking Rosa down.  The referee stood the fighters up, however, and issued Cavalcante a warning for striking his opponent with elbows to the head from inside Rosa’s guard. (Striking a down opponent to the head with elbows is illegal).

After the action resumed, Cavalcante lunged at Rosa and tagged him with a knee strike to the head that put Rosa on his back.  Cavalcante quickly pounced on Rosa and hammered him with punches until the referee stopped the contest at the 3:25 mark of the second round.

“King” Kevin Casey (3-1) of Los Angeles, California made quick work of Iowa’s Chad Vance (7-4), taking Vance down in the early going of the first round.  Vance gave up his back and Casey used the opportunity to unleash several punches before sinking in a rear naked choke from which Vance tapped out at the 1:41 mark of the first round.

Spencer Pratt, star of MTV’s smash hit reality series “The Hills,” was on hand to support Casey, his friend and business partner, from cageside.

Complete STRIKEFORCE Challengers Results:

Main Card:

Kevin Casey def.  Chad Vance – Submission (rear naked choke) – 1st Round (1:41)

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Aaron Rosa – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (3:25)

Bobby Voelker def. Erik Apple – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (1:23)

Kerry Vera def. Kim Couture – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (3:35)

Tyron Woodley def. Rudy Bears – Submission (arm triangle choke) – 1st Round (2:52)

Preliminary Card:

Lucas Lopes def. Dominic Brown – TKO (strikes) – 2nd Round (:45)

Mike Chandler def. Rich Bouphanouvong – TKO – 3rd Round (2:07)

Darryl Cobb def. Gary Tapasua – Split Decision (3 Rounds) (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Nick Nolte def. Andrew Waters – Submission (Triangle Choke) – 1st Round (3:45)

Brian Davidson def. Russel Patrick – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (:29)

Lee Gibson def. Joe Wilk – TKO (strikes) – 1st Round (4:39)

The Super Six World Boxing Classic returns for the third fight in Group Stage 1 as Mikkel Kessler looks to defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight title November 21,  live at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(tm), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Photo: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE

Source: Mike Afromowitz, STRIKEFORCE