Melendez, Barnett to host Web Chats May 17 and 18

WHO:
                 
STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez

                               
Former Heavyweight Champ & Grand Prix Finalist Josh Barnett 

WHEN: Melendez: Thursday, May 17, at
1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT

Barnett: Friday,
May 18, at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m.
PT                   

ACCESS #:           
Fans can submit questions via Twitter using the hashtag #StrikeforceChat, via
the Strikeforce Facebook page www.facebook.com/StrikeforceMixedMartialArts
or via Ustream at www.Ustream.TV/SHOSports.

WHAT:                
Melendez and Barnett will participate in the SHOWTIME Live Web Chats found
at http://sports.sho.com/chat
as the countdown continues to the mega-STRIKEFORCE event this Saturday, May
19, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West
Coast) and SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT) from HP
Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The main event will feature
Barnett against Daniel Cormier in the Final of STRIKEFORCE:
World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament. In the co-feature, Melendez will
defend his STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Championship against Josh Thomson.

In other
fights on SHOWTIME: Rafael Feijao vs. Mike Kyle, light
heavyweights; and Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris Spang, welterweights.

Preliminary
fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME: Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante vs. Isaac
Vallie-Flagg, lightweights; Virgil Zwicker vs. Carlos
Inocente, light heavyweights; Gian Villante vs. Derrick Mehmen,
light heavyweights; and Quinn Mulhern vs. Yuri Villefort,
welterweights.