K-1 Champ Williams Signs With Strikeforce

By Michael Afromowitz

Former K-1 USA tournament champion, Carter Williams, became the latest addition to the growing roster of mixed martial arts mega-promotion, Strikeforce. The 26-year-old heavyweight knockout artist will make his debut during Strikeforce's upcoming card that will be headlined by the long-awaited showdown between former UFC middleweight champion, Frank Shamrock, and Pride slugger, "The New York Badass" Phil Baroni.

Williams, who fights out of Modesto, California, became an overnight star when, as an 18 to 1 underdog, he defeated three straight opponents to capture the K-1 North America tournament championship on May 2, 2003. His upset victory over defending champion Michael "The Black Sniper" McDonald, which Williams earned by way of a majority judges decision, paved the way for the young Muay Thai stylist to defeat Yusuke Fujimoto and six-time world kickboxing champion, Rick "The Jet" Roufus, respectively.

In addition to his Thai boxing background, Williams holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is a seasoned western boxer. Last spring, he re-enforced his dominance as a stand-up fighter by reaching the championship round of the eight-man K-1 North America tournamnet on April 29, 2006. A leg injury that he had sustained en route to his win over semifinal opponent, Chalid Arrab, however, prevented the American star from entering the ring for the final tournament bout.

A former troubled teen with a knack for street fighting, Williams was discovered and taken under the wing of martial arts trainer and high school gang officer, Gene Fields, who helped the youngster redirect his energy towards success in martial arts prize fighting.

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