Daniel Cormier with the Strikeforce Grand Prix title – Photo via Strikeforce.com
Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion Daniel ‘DC’ Cormier (10-0) has his next fight and will appear opposite opponent Dion Staring in the very final Strikeforce event on January 12 in Oklahoma.
Regardless of how Cormier does, the current undefeated heavyweight is expected to fight inside the Octagon for his next fight.
Cormier had been scheduled to face former UFC champ Frank Mir last fall till an injury forced Mir to back out, the former World Championship wrestler is still hoping for that fight to happen and would like to face Mir on Fox television.
Cormier spoke to FightHubTV.com about that matchup as well as some thoughts on his teammate Cain Velasquez’ recent win over Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title.
“I would love for it to be on the FOX show here in San Jose. April 20th, fight Frank Mir, on FOX, have it be a free broadcast and that will help expose me and get more fans behind me who may not know me. That is what I want right now. That is the fight I have trained for, and would be excited to train for it again; Mir wants the fight, I think it would be a great fight. It’s like we are doing Joe Silva’s job for him.”
“I watched the Mir – Dos Santos fight as a fan in the crowd, so live, I did not see it that good. When I came home and watched it, he didn’t do that bad really. I think JDS beat him where he was supposed to and maybe if Mir had pressured a little more he could have done better. The thing about Mir is, there are no secrets in his game, and I think he is very good all around. I respect Frank a ton for what he has done and what he has come back from over his career.”
Cormier faces Staring in the co-main event of the Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine event scheduled for Jan. 12, 2013. The match will appear on Showtime along with a welterweight title bout between defending champ Nate Marquardt and challenger Tarec Saffiedine.