FanHouse Kim Couture

LAS VEGAS -- Kim Couture says that if you are expecting to see the same kind of fighter who fought Lina Kvokov in November 2008 in her Strikeforce Challengers fight against Kerry Vera on Friday night, you're in for a big surprise.

FanHouse spoke to Couture, the ex-wife of UFC legend Randy Couture, on Monday night before she left to Kansas City, Mo. She talked about proving her doubters wrong, her difficult year outside the gym, the proximity of this fight to the UFC 105 version of Couture vs. Vera, and her recent appearance on a TNA Wrestling show. The video interview is below.

On Nov. 14, Brandon Vera will get another opportunity to prove he is an elite light heavyweight fighter when he faces Randy Couture in the main event at UFC 105.

FanHouse spoke to "The Truth" about what he needs to do to defeat Couture, fighting on the same day as his fellow Filipino fighter, Manny Pacquaio, and his thoughts on his wife, Kerry Vera, facing Couture's ex-wife, Kim Couture, six days later. Check out the video interview below.

The latest chapter in the Kim Couture-Lisa Marie Varon feud took a bizarre turn on Sunday night when the two got into an impromptu shoving match at a TNA Wrestling pay-per-view.

Yes, both are insisting that their mini melee was not part of any kind of script.

"She turned around and came at me. I'm not just going to stand there and look dumb. I didn't know what she was going to do. So I kind of grabbed a hold of her, and it seems like as soon as we put our hands on each other security broke us up," Couture told FanHouse on Monday.

Strikeforce has put the finishing touches on the televised portion of their Nov. 20 Challengers show, and it features a solid mix of up-and-coming stars.

Welterweight prospect Tyron Woodley (4-0), who defeated Zach Light at last month's Challengers event in Oklahoma, will face Strikeforce newcomer Rudy Bears in the main event. Bears (10-3) has won his last six fights in a row.

Kim Couture will compete in the co-main event spot on the Nov. 20 Strikeforce Challengers show in Kansas City, Mo., 364 days after her last MMA fight.

Her opponent will be Kerry Vera, the wife of UFC light heavyweight fighter Brandon Vera, and the bout will be contested six days after Brandon Vera faces Couture's ex-husband, Randy Couture, in the main event of UFC 105.

"I think it was a brilliant idea on Strikeforce's part," Kim Couture recently told FanHouse.

Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley have already proven that pro wrestlers, or at least a select few, can hang in mixed martial arts. Now Lisa Marie Varon, known as "Victoria" during her nine-year run in World Wrestling Entertainment, is poised to prove that WWE Divas can compete with the best female mixed martial artists as well.

Varon, who currently works for Total Nonstop Action wrestling as "Tara," recently announced her intention to make her MMA debut in the near future. And while she has not set a date, the 38-year-old told FanHouse that she would love to fight before the end of the year.

Capitalizing on the enormous promotional resources that the UFC will pour into its November fight between Randy Couture and Brandon Vera, Strikeforce is poised to offer a November Couture vs. Vera fight of its own: Kim Couture vs. Kerry Vera.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Kim Couture won't be in Gina Carano's corner on Saturday night, but she'll be in attendance at the HP Pavilion cheering on her friend.

FanHouse spoke to Couture about what this fight means for women's MMA and what Carano needs to do to defeat Cris Cyborg. She also spoke about her own MMA career and life after being married to Randy Couture. Check out the full video interview below.

Miesha Tate (5-1) went from training for a fight against a well-known, less experienced opponent in Kim Couture (1-1), to a lesser-known, more experienced opponent in Sarah Kaufman (8-0). It was a bitter pill to swallow for the up-and-coming female MMA star, but one that she ultimately realized could benefit her career even more in the long run.

A win over Couture would have been a nice addition to Tate's resume, but it also would have done little to prove that she is a top-level fighter. Defeating the undefeated Kaufman in the co-main event of tonight's inaugural Strikeforce Challengers event on Showtime, would go a long way in terms of establishing Tate as one of the best 135-pound female fighters in the world.

FanHouse spoke to Tate about gearing up for a new opponent on short notice and trying to be recognized for more than just her looks. The full interview is after the jump.

Miesha Tate and Sarah Kaufman have a mandate, and that's proving to the world that women's MMA goes deeper than just Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg.

The pair gets the opportunity to do so on May 15's Strikeforce Challengers event in Fresno, Calif., broadcast on Showtime.

Tate was originally booked to fight Kim Couture on the event, but after the latter dropped out due to personal reasons, she was replaced by Kaufman, who openly campaigned for the fight and got her wish granted when Strikeforce president Scott Coker moved her from a June 19 match with Shayna Baszler. Barring injury, the winner of the Tate-Kaufman bout will face Baszler.