With their respective victories last night (Sept. 10, 2011) at Strikeforce in Cincinnati, Josh Barnett, who submitted Sergei Kharitonov, and Daniel Cormier, who knocked out Antonio Silva, advanced to the finals of the heavyweight grand prix tournament, which will likely take place sometime early next year.

Both men impressed, needing less than a round to finish their fights against game competition. The clash of styles when they do meet should be something to behold. A catch-as-catch-can wrestling expert with solid submissions against an Olympic level wrestler with ever improving striking and obvious power and athletic ability.

Cormier on the match-up:

"Josh presents a lot of different challenges ... this guy's a great heavyweight. I'm going to have to be on my game. There's going to be a lot of standing unless I take him down."

Barnett gives his thoughts:

"I think he's going to come feeling strong, feeling great about his stand-up, feeling great about everything and feeling very confident. You know, it's just like Cormier said, I've been winning all my life, what's going to change now? Same deal."

Who wins when these two butt heads inside the hexagon? Barnett or Cormier?