Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir Official for Interim Heavyweight Title at UFC 111

The previously rumored interim heavyweight title fight between Shane Carwin and Frank Mir has been confirmed by the UFC.

Zuffa plans on holding the interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 111 in Newark, New Jersey on March 26th. UFC 111 will also feature a welterweight title fight between Champion Georges St. Pierre and Dan Hardy.

 Perhaps the UFC is trying to make up for Jersey's last UFC event, the lackluster UFC 78. It is more likely that this will be a blockbuster card to showcase the UFC product to New Jersey's northern neighbor, as New York will once again take up MMA legalization in 2010. 

Shane Carwin (11-0) was scheduled to fight current UFC champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 106 but the UFC champion became sick as he contracted diverticulitis. Lesnar is currently expected to make a July return to fighting though Dana White has indicated in recent days that he is still waiting for health updates from Lesnar in order to see what his long-term future is. 

Frank Mir (13-4) was Brock Lesnar's last opponent as he lost to the champion at UFC 100. Mir rebounded from that lost by gaining over fifteen pounds of weight and crushing French kick-boxer, Cheick Kongo, at UFC 107. 

In the aftermath of UFC 107 Mir targeted Carwin with several post-fight comments and Carwin reciprocated the desire to meet inside the cage.