Well, this is a surprise. After the UFC tried and failed to book Tim Sylvia against Daniel Cormier in his farewell Strikeforce fight, people were wondering who the heck they could throw in there against the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner. Surely, it wouldn’t be anyone from the UFC. Would it? Well, your answer comes via USA Today, and I think you’re going to like it:
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Frank Mir (16-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) is temporarily leaving the octagon in favor of a Strikeforce cage.
USA TODAY Sports confirmed with UFC and Strikeforce officials that Mir has agreed to meet Strikeforce grand prix winner and former two-time Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier (10-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) in the co-main event of September’s Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy fight card, on Sept. 29 at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, and airs on Showtime.
“There has been a lot of speculation as to who Cormier would fight next, and this is the fight that makes the most sense,” UFC president Dana White said. “The reality is, Cormier is one of the best heavyweights in the world. He just won the grand prix and beat Josh Barnett. He needs to fight opponents of that caliber, and Frank Mir is that guy.”
It seems pretty clear that both men will be returning to the UFC after the bout, so it seems like a good idea for Mir to take a bout like this coming off a loss to UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
People have been asking for a UFC crossover ever since the Zuffa purchase. Now they have one.
Update: MMA Junkie’s John Morgan tweets that the bout will now take place on a yet-unannounced card in October or November, and not in Sacramento.
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