Strikeforce: Daniel Cormier opens as big favorite over Frank Mir

Had Tim Sylvia signed on the dotted line and actually been awarded a fight against Daniel Cormier like he so desired, there's no telling what the betting line would have looked like. It's probably safe to say "The Maine-iac" would have been one of the biggest betting underdogs of the year.

Instead, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir made the decision to move over to Strikeforce to test Cormier's skils. But despite his credentials, Mir is a big underdog too.

According to the MMA Oddsbreaker show, he comes in at +225 for the Showtime bout, scheduled to take place sometime later this year at a date and venue to be announced.

Perhaps that's because Cormier, a -285 favorite, has looked all but unstoppable lately. As the competition has improved so have his performances inside the cage. He showed off an improved striking game against Jeff Monson in a smooth unanimous decision win before knocking Antonio Silva's head off and rag-dolling Josh Barnett to win the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.

The stakes are much higher this time out -- a victory could potentially earn him a crack at the UFC heavyweight title upon his entry into the promotion -- but if Cormier holds true to form, he'll prove the oddsmakers right once again.

Anyone think there's some money to be made here? Mir's a veteran with some of the best submissions in the heavyweight division. Willing to lay some cheddar on him?

For more on the Strikeforce: "Cormier vs. Mir" event click here.