SAN DIEGO — Few fighters have been counted out more often than former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
And yet, improbably, at 36, the Las Vegas native seems to have found yet another fresh start.
Mir knocked Todd Duffee cold with a thunderous left hand to the jaw Wednesday night in the main event of UFC Fight Night 71. The time of the finish with 1:13 of the opening round.
With the win, Mir (18-9), who many though was through after a four-fight losing streak, has now scored back-to-back first round knockouts, on the heels of a similar performance against Antonio Silva in February.
“I fought a little emotional tonight,” Mir said, after recording his 14th career stoppage. “I don’t usually do that.”
Duffee (9-3), a go-for-broke fighter who has had all his career fights, win or lose, end in knockout, lived up to his reputation, as the two swung bombs as soon as the fight started.
Duffee charged forward and missed with a couple wild swings, giving Mir the opening to drop Duffee with his huge left hand. Duffee was out for what seemed like several minutes before he finally responded to the paramedics, and left the cage under his own power.
“A knock on my career is that I’ve always started slow,” said Mir. “I fought hard with a young bull, but I’m still the matador.”