The UFC to Strikeforce exodus has begun.
Okay, okay, that may not be the case but in a time where some of its’ biggest stars have migrated towards the octagon, one longtime UFC fighter is willingly going the other way
It was announced late last night that former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir would be headed to Strikeforce to face recent grand prix winner Daniel Cormier in what should amount to one last marquee heavyweight fight in the organization.
Looking at a Strikeforce heavyweight division that’s been left practically dissolved with former top contenders Antonio Silva, Alistair Overeem, and Fabricio Werdum all moving over to the UFC and another top guy in Josh Barnett already having been soundly beaten by the former Cormier, there really weren’t many other interesting options left for him to fulfill his +1 obligation to the organization.
Even guys like Emelianenko Fedor and Brett Rodgers are gone. And they’re not interesting (read: top) opponents anyways.
Rumors like bringing in others from outside the organization like another former UFC champ Tim Sylvia have proved to be both baseless and comical.
Enter Frank Mir to do the company a favor while taking a shot at fast-tracking himself back up the heavyweight rankings by taking on the unbeaten Olympian.
“There has been a lot of speculation as to who Cormier would fight next, and this is the fight that makes the most sense,” said UFC president Dana White to USA Today. “The reality is, Cormier is one of the best heavyweights in the world…He needs to fight opponents of that caliber, and Frank Mir is that guy.”
No matter who wins this heavyweight matchup, both their next fights will be back in the UFC with this being Cormier’s final fight obligation to the organization and Frank merely being out on loan to the UFC’s sister company.
Mir will go into the bout looking to resume his winning ways after a TKO loss to champion Junior dos Santos in his last bout.
Cormier will face Mir as his latest test after having beaten Josh Barnett, Antonio Silva, and Jeff Monson in his last three.
The match is presumed to be taking place at a yet-to-be announced Strikeforce event set to air on Showtime on September 29th and also scheduled to feature Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez taking on his latest would-be challenger in Pat Healy.