UFC heavyweight contender Frank Mir may be in line for a title shot in his next bout. The former champion came back from the brink of defeat in his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and broke Nogueira’s arm in what is sure to be one of the top UFC videos on YouTube this year.
Another way Mir could be put in front of fans’ eyes is by doing some commentating during his off time for the UFC.
I know there’s a strong anti-Mir group of fans, but if you’ve taken five minutes to listen to the guy talk about the sport, it’s very clear he knows what he’s talking about.
Sure he’s likely to ruffle some feathers along the way, given his arrogant ways at times, but that would be a positive for him as well.
Anyone can read a book about jiu-jitsu or take some boxing classes at the local YMCA and tell you useless facts about what you’re watching. It takes something very special to deliver informative information and entertain your audience at the same time.
In the journalism world, the word “info-tainment” was created in an effort to get journalists to realize they couldn’t simply present facts, but they had to entertain their audiences as well.
Mir has already done some work for the WEC as a commentator, and it’s clear that he can speak in an articulate manner about the sport. He knows how to combine the intricacies that few people can see into common language that any MMA fan can pick up on.
Besides showing an ability to speak about the sport, Mir also provides first-hand knowledge due to him fighting in the Octagon.
As much as we love to hear Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg talk about what it means to fight in the UFC, neither man can give an accurate depiction of what it’s like to be in the cage and against the opponents Mir has faced.
And he’s faced quite a lot of opponents. Most people forget just how long Mir has been in the UFC. The horrific motorcycle accident took years off his career, but Mir’s been in the game for a while now.
But being a mainstay in the UFC doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a fan or company favorite.
It’s pretty clear Mir isn’t too high on Dana White’s “In the Mix” list and he will likely have to go through another opponent before he sees a title shot. If he doesn’t want to call it a career just yet, providing some solid commentary would probably get him out of White’s doghouse a little.
Perhaps he could even find his true calling as an announcer and sway public opinion back into his favor. We saw Tito Ortiz go from being an arrogant, hated fighter into “The People’s Champion” following his coaching stints on The Ultimate Fighter.
If Mir does lose in his next bout, the UFC should begin warming up a seat next to Rogan in the booth because another loss would likely end any title aspirations Mir has.
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