NBC has partnered with Strikeforce to air a weekly fight series called "Strikeforce on NBC," the network announced Thursday.

The show will premiere April 12 from 2-2:30 a.m. ET/PT, following "Poker After Dark."

"Mixed martial arts has exploded onto the sports scene," said NBC Universal Television Executive Vice President Jerry Petry in a news release. "Its athletes are tremendous competitors, and the sport is one of the fastest growing in the world. As a leader in this arena, Strikeforce will be able to deliver some of the finest and most intense action ever seen on broadcast TV."

Kevin Cusick of KC Productions will produce the series in conjunction with Carr-Hughes Productions. Each episode will feature fights from Strikeforce, highlights and fighter profiles. The premiere will include a June 2006 bout between Cung Le (Pictures) and Brian Warren (Pictures), Duane Ludwig (Pictures)'s December 2006 match against Tony Fryklund (Pictures) and a profile of Le.

"It's truly an honor to have the opportunity to bring the Strikeforce mixed martial arts product to one of the longest-standing and most well-respected national television platforms," said Strikeforce Chief Executive Officer Scott Coker. "NBC has a history of popular late Saturday TV, and in the ‘80s NBC's ‘Saturday Night's Main Event' show helped catapult the popularity of professional wrestling. Strikeforce is looking to follow in suit and establish a legacy of its own on the network."