Sobral Eyes Strikeforce Middleweight Ranks, Won't Fight Lawal

Renato "Babalu" Sobral's 195-pound catch-weight bout with Robbie Lawler begins the 34-year-old veteran's wade down to Strikeforce's middleweight division.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt meets the Iowan banger at Strikeforce "Live" on June 16 in Los Angeles. Sobral, who lost the promotion's 205-pound title to Gegard Mousasi in August 2009, is friends and training partners with Strikeforce's current light heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and won't fight him.

Sobral breaks down his upcoming tilt with Lawler, and declares that he's up for "big name" bouts between middleweight to heavyweight from here on out.