One of the most anticipated heavyweight matchups of 2012 is apparently set for this November. Former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir makes the crossover to Strikeforce to fight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier in Cormier’s backyard of Oklahoma. MMA Fighting has the details:
The heavyweight battle with former UFC champion Frank Mir (16-6) facing Strikeforce Grand Prix tournament winner Daniel Cormier (10-0) will take place Nov. 3 in Oklahoma, according to a Showtime source and sources in the Cormier camp.
It’s the biggest fight in Cormier’s career, especially with this being his last fight with Strikeforce before an expected jump to the UFC. If Daniel wins and his teammate Cain Velasquez isn’t UFC champion heading into 2013, we could very well see a potential Cormier vs. JDS title fight next year, or even Cormier vs. Alistair Overeem depending on the UFC’s handling of Overeem over the next few months. He’ll have the crowd behind him having wrestled collegiately at Oklahoma State and is already the early betting favorite.
Mir’s last fight was a non-competitive starching against Junior at UFC 146, The former champ was originally scheduled to fight Cain Velasquez before Overeem was removed from the card. Before that he defeated Mirko Cro-Cop, Roy Nelson, and dramatically submitted Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in December 2011.
Interestingly enough this will be a three-rounder instead of a five-rounder, so this is either not the main event or they’re just deciding to keep it three-rounds given SF has never held a five-round non-title or non-GP main event. It should also be noted that this card could also be going against World Series of Fighting on NBC Sports.
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