[Cat--Smasher]

Strikeforce's Coker uncertain if Tarec Saffiedine will get next welterweight title shot

"It's something we just haven't sat down to talk about," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said at Saturday's post-event news conference, a refrain that is common with the promotion with Coker preferring to sit down with matchmaker Sean Shelby in the days and weeks following events to get a handle on what fights to make next.

There are, of course, exceptions to that rule. And one was made on Saturday when Coker said former champ Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza was likely set for a title shot rematch against Luke Rockhold, who took the belt from him in September 2011.

Souza beat Derek Brunson with a devastating first-round knockout in Saturday's co-main event. Coker had been fairly certain going into the fight that an impressive win by Souza would lead to the rematch.

"Luke Rockhold, our champion, has made it very clear he'd like to fight Jacare," Coker told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) following Thursday's pre-event press conference. "Last time, he won the fight, but he didn't do it in the style and the manner he wanted to do it. This is a tough fight for Jacare, and if he can get through Brunson, that's a fight we would probably would like to make happen."

Coker was not as sure about the Saffiedine-Bowling winner getting a shot at new 170-pound champ Nate Marquardt – though before the fight he conceded it would be a possibility.

"That's a little bit early," Coker said. "What I like to do is sit back and look at how they perform. They could get injured. They could have a really bad performance, but win. These two guys, I really want to see something special out of them on Saturday night to show us that they want the title shot."

Strikeforce's Coker uncertain if Tarec Saffiedine will get next welterweight title shot | MMAjunkie.com