Thursday, July 29, 2010 | 8:58 a.m.
Strikeforce officials announced Thursday morning the signing of Las Vegas resident Ryan Couture, son of MMA legend Randy Couture, to a multi-fight deal.
Couture, who has an amateur record of 5-1-1, will make his professional debut against Lucas Stark (2-4) Aug. 13 at the Strikeforce Challengers 10 event in Phoenix.
In his last amateur fight in March, Couture fought to a draw against Sean Bollinger for the vacant Tuff-N-Uff lightweight title. Even before that fight, Couture had announced it would be his final test before turning pro.
"My goal was to make it as a pro, so I've been trying to gauge where I am with each passing fight," Couture told the Las Vegas Sun on March 24. "After the last couple, I've felt like I was at that level."
Couture moved to Las Vegas to work at his father's gym, Xtreme Couture, in 2008 after earning a degree in mathematics from Western Washington University in 2004.
All six of Stark's professional fights came in 2009 under the Rage in the Cage banner. Of his four losses, three of them came by way of submission.
That should sit well with Couture, as all five of his amateur wins were by submission.
Strikeforce Challengers 10 will air on the Showtime Network. The event is headlined by catchweight bout between Joe Riggs and Louis Taylor.
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at LVSunFighting
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