by Joshua Grass
Last weekend, it was announced that Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion Daniel Cormier, will have his final Strikeforce fight against the former, two time UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir. It came off as a bit of a surprise but having this fight is a great idea; Mir just lost to Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146 and although Cormier is on an impressive winning streak, he still needs that signature win to put him in a potential title eliminator or even a title shot when he transitions to the UFC. With this announcement, there is a great chance of even more UFC fighters going to their sister organization for potential super fights. Let’s look at some future fights that not only make sense for the fighters but for Strikeforce as well.
Clay Guida vs. Gilbert Melendez: This is a fight that should happen instead of Melendez vs. Pat Healy. First part is the fact that it is a rematch. The two fought back in the early days of Strikeforce when Guida was their lightweight champion. They have both come a long way and Guida is not in the good graces with the UFC after his last fight with Gray Maynard. He fought a very cautious and simple game plan that was not the most exciting for the fight fans, especially when you think of his past performances like classic bouts with: Diego Sanchez, Tyson Griffin, and Benson Henderson. This will give him a chance to show his exciting style again and let’s face it, Guida won’t be fighting for the UFC title anytime soon and Melendez needs some exciting competition in Strikeforce. Win-Win.
Dan Hardy/ Josh Koscheck vs. Nate Marquardt: This fight makes sense for plenty of reasons. Both Koscheck and Hardy have a pretty die hard fan base, regardless of where you love them or hate them, you will more than likely watch them fight. They each have battled for the UFC welterweight strap and both will not be meeting either GSP or Condit anytime soon. There are not a lot of opportunities for Marquardt in Strikeforce as his division is slim pickings as it is. Ultimately, it gives Hardy and Koscheck a chance to be a champion. It may not be the title they wanted but a championship nonetheless.
Tim Boetsch vs. Luke Rockhold: After “The Barbarian’s” performance against Hector Lombard at UFC 149, we can safely say that he is not ready for a title shot. Although, he is moving in the right direction in hopes to get this eventually. The king atop the mountain of middleweights is very picky when selecting or allowing someone to challenge him for the belt, so this puts Boetsch in the backseat for a little while at least. Luke Rockhold wants this fight and he needs a viable challenger; Boetsch taking this fight is still a step in the right direction. Make it Happen!
Little Nog vs. Gegard Mousasi: Strikeforce’s whole light heavyweight division is in limbo. After Dan Henderson packed his bags to the UFC upon destroying Fedor, then we saw what happened with former champs King Mo and Rafael Cavalcante being suspended after possible steroid usage, the promotion is weal in 205lb fighters. If they are planning on keeping this division relevant, they need someone with some big name value. Little Nog is not in a position to fight for a title in the UFC, but he is still a household name and people consider him a legend. Considering all of the battles in Pride and the UFC, this would be a fun fight and a fight people would watch.
Stemming from the announcement of Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier, this could be a push in a great direction and something we have thought Strikeforce could be for a long time: a home for up and comers to build their name, and the middle league guys, including former champs go down and still face relevant, tough fights – which always prove entertaining and everybody wins!
