This week the mixed martial arts world was hit with an announcement that we had been waiting quite some time to hear. Since Zuffa made the move to purchase Strikeforce back in 2011, fans and experts alike have patiently waited to see which stars would move back and forth between the Octagon and Strikeforce’s hexagon. While we’ve seen many individuals move from Strikeforce to the UFC, we have now gotten word of who will be the first UFC star to take a step into the world of Strikeforce.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will make the move to face Strikeforce competitor Daniel Cormier. This is going to be the co-main event for the September 29th show this is scheduled to be headlined by Gilbert Melendez defending his lightweight title against Pat Healy.
Mir is coming off of a less than stellar performance against current UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146. Mir has experienced a string of up and down performances as of late, but has remained one of the top names in the division. Consistently ranked in the top ten, currently at number 9 within MMA Ratings, Mir poses an interesting test for Cormier, and although it will be taking place in Strikeforce, this fight should be considered the Olympian’s introduction to the main stage of the sport.
According to the USA Today report, this will serve as Cormier’s last appearance in Strikeforce, and he will become a part of the UFC’s heavyweight roster immediately after. Cormier, who won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix earlier this year, is expected to be an immediate force in the division and will soon face off against the best heavyweight fighters that the sport has to offer.
What makes this announcement appealing is that it finally gives an indication that the potential of crossover is available. While he doesn’t always look his best in the cage, Mir is one of the top heavyweight fighters that the UFC could offer for this bout. Former champion Tim Sylvia was supposed to take this position, as he was announced as Cormier’s opponent last week, but it has been apparent for some time that UFC President Dana White has not been the biggest fan of Sylvia since his release from the promotion, and he likely nixed the fight behind the scenes.
With champions Luke Rockhold, Nate Marquardt and Melendez looking at a lack of true contenders to their titles, this announcement is important because it has given them hope that they can fight some of the talented fighters that the UFC has to offer if those fighters are brought over to Strikeforce. These champions are locked into contracts that keep them on Showtime for the time being, but just like any other professional athlete, they want to continue battling the best competition available. Since Strikeforce is not capable of providing them with the toughest tests, the UFC’s decision to move Mir over to face Cormier is a step in the right direction for everyone.
With this announcement, speculation is going to run rampant as to who will be the next contenders to move from the UFC to Strikeforce. Names of fighters that have received title shots but were unsuccessful within the UFC include Chael Sonnen, Gray Maynard, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch. Each of these opponents would provide great matchups for Rockhold, Melendez and Marquardt respectively. If the bout between Mir and Cormier gets a successful response from the MMA community, it would be interesting to see if the UFC makes similar moves in the following months.
