By FCF Staff
Despite UFC President Dana White’s repeated warnings that significant hurdles would have to be overcome in order to sign a bout between its welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (pictured) and his Strikeforce counterpart Nick Diaz, the promotion has announced today that the two will indeed fight on October 29th.
The historic bout will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Today’s announcement did not include any information as to whether the match-up would be a title unification bout.
St. Pierre (22-2) is coming off a unanimous decision win over Diaz training partner and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields in April. The Canadian fighter and pound-for-pound contender has won nine straight fights since his defeat to Matt Serra in April, 2007.
Diaz (25-7), who reportedly was entertaining taking a boxing bout provided a fight with GSP didn’t materialize, stopped Paul Daley in his last outing on April 9th. The American has won ten straight fights since his TKO loss to KJ Noons in November, 2007.
The upcoming fight will be the first to pit a reigning Strikeforce champion versus a current UFC title holder since Strikeforce was purchased by Zuffa.
No other bouts have been announced for the UFC 137 card.
