For anyone getting their hopes up that Mir fighting Cormier in Strikeforce will open up opportunities to see other UFC fighters give Strikeforce's best fighters a challenge,Lorenzo has squashed those idea's.
A promotional crossover fight between longtime UFC heavyweight Frank Mir and Strikeforce Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier is a "one-time situation," not a sign of things to come, according to UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta.
Mir, a former champion, will meet Cormier under the Strikeforce banner on Showtime in October. It marks the first time a major draw for the UFC will cross over since Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, acquired Strikeforce in March 2011.
In an interview with ESPN.com, Fertitta stated that fans shouldn't expect that to happen.
"You're not going to see more of it," Fertitta said. "This is a one-time situation."
The unique state of the Strikeforce heavyweight division stands as the major reason the crossover fight was booked.
"It was a situation where Cormier had to fight one more time for Showtime," Fertitta said. "All the Strikeforce heavyweights had come to the UFC and that didn't leave us with a stable of guys. We wanted to put on a very relevant fight that is credible.
"We had to talk to Fox about it and because Cormier is coming to the UFC after this last fight, we could go ahead and give him that fight."
In regards to the matchup itself, Fertitta expressed his excitement on the bout.
"Cormier is the real deal and he's going to be fighting a guy with incredible pedigree," Fertitta said. "If Frank Mir wins, he's all of a sudden back in the mix. From his perspective it was a good thing, otherwise he had to get in the back of the line."
A promotional crossover fight between longtime UFC heavyweight Frank Mir and Strikeforce Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier is a "one-time situation," not a sign of things to come, according to UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta.
Mir, a former champion, will meet Cormier under the Strikeforce banner on Showtime in October. It marks the first time a major draw for the UFC will cross over since Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, acquired Strikeforce in March 2011.
In an interview with ESPN.com, Fertitta stated that fans shouldn't expect that to happen.
"You're not going to see more of it," Fertitta said. "This is a one-time situation."
The unique state of the Strikeforce heavyweight division stands as the major reason the crossover fight was booked.
"It was a situation where Cormier had to fight one more time for Showtime," Fertitta said. "All the Strikeforce heavyweights had come to the UFC and that didn't leave us with a stable of guys. We wanted to put on a very relevant fight that is credible.
"We had to talk to Fox about it and because Cormier is coming to the UFC after this last fight, we could go ahead and give him that fight."
In regards to the matchup itself, Fertitta expressed his excitement on the bout.
"Cormier is the real deal and he's going to be fighting a guy with incredible pedigree," Fertitta said. "If Frank Mir wins, he's all of a sudden back in the mix. From his perspective it was a good thing, otherwise he had to get in the back of the line."