Benson

The UFC has announced on Twitter today two huge match-ups to the upcoming UFC on Fox 7 card on April 20, 2013 in San Jose, California.

The first is a thrilling unification match for the UFC and Strikeforce Lightweight championships between the UFC’s champion Benson Henderson (18-2) and the newly incoming Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez (21-2). Bendo is currently the #1 ranked LW in the world with Gilbert Melendez ranked #2 as Frankie Edgar (14-3-1) departs the division to face Jose Aldo (21-1) at Featherweight. Even more enticing is that both fighters are ranked on the P4P list, as well. Benson is ranked #5 and Melendez is #8.

Joining them on this card is the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner and former Olympic wrestler, Daniel Cormier (11-0), facing off against former UFC Champion and submission specialist Frank Mir (16-6). Daniel Cormier is one of the fastest rising stars in mixed martial arts after crushing Josh Barnett in the grand prix finale and cruising past Dion Staring (28-8) last weekend.

He’s already made plans after Mir, asking the UFC on Twitter for a championship match with Jon Jones (17-1) at Light Heavyweight. Despite his success at HW, Cormier plans on dropping down a weight class to avoid an inevitable collision with American Kickboxing Academy training partner and friend, current HW champion Cain Velasquez (11-1). The drop to LHW should be an easy one for Cormier as he weighed in at only 230 pounds in his last fight.

Mir, by the time of the UFC on Fox 7 fight, will have been out of competition for nearly a year after suffering an injury setback kept him on the sidelines in preparation for a Strikeforce cross-over event to face Cormier back in November. Mir’s last fight was a loss against then current UFC champion Junior Dos Santos (15-2) in UFC 146.

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