Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir has unfinished business with Brock Lesnar.
The pair were pivotal to the sport’s boom period highlighted by UFC 100 in 2009. With Lesnar’s help, Mir believes he can recapture some of that momentum despite riding an 0-4 skid since 2012.
“I think that [Lesnar’s] come back would be good for MMA,” Mir told Combate (via Bloody Elbow). “He’s still popular, people know who he is and he brings attention. We are tied with one win each. I would enjoy a rubber match. I would like to welcome him back to the UFC.”
Prior to losing the unified heavyweight title to Lesnar at UFC 100, Mir caught the WWE star with a ‘Submission of the Year’ kneebar at UFC 81 in 2008. Claiming the award again three years later against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mir has said he wouldn’t be adverse to facing the PRIDE legend for a third time.
“Nogueira and I are very competitive but I have nothing against him outside the Octagon,” said Mir. “I like him as a person, so, sometimes, it’s hard [for] the fans to understand. However, when we face each other, I always want to win. People think that you always have to talk about your rival. It’s the case with Lesnar because I don’t like him as a person.”
Mir earned the interim title with a second-round TKO of Nogueira at UFC 92, but it was his submission over the Brazilian at UFC 140 that remains a lasting image with fans. Even years later, Mir says it’s uncomfortable to watch film of himself forcing Nogueira to tap for the first time in his career.
“I started to pressure and he was very flexible. I started to look in the referee’s direction waiting for him to stop the fight, so I wouldn’t need to keep pressure. I don’t think that I was slow enough but his arm was strange. At the moment, I thought that I had dislocated his arm, not broken.
“When I arrived at my home, my wife’s friends had recorded the fight and we watched together. I stopped when Nogueira’s arm popped, I couldn’t watch. They asked me why and I answered, ‘I remember it differently. He was punching my face at that time. Watching it from my couch isn’t nice.'”
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MEDIA STEW
UFC 178: Fight Motion.
One half of Bellator’s 168-pound women’s catchweight fight tonight.
Luke Rockhold won’t be satisfied just to submit Michael Bisping.
UFC Full Blast: Phil Davis on Teixeira vs. TeHuna.
TTTHS.
Take 13 minutes to appreciate the life and times of Arianny Celeste. Probably NSFW.
Long watches.
MMA Tete A Tete Chael vs Anderson on steroids, Rousey on pay, 80s punk rock
…
#FighterAndTheKid: Matt Mitrione
TWEETS
Whoops.
Hey @sqor Did you accounting department loose my address?
— chael sonnen (@sonnench) October 17, 2014
A damn hero.
Wow just went through a crazy experience. I’ll tell yah when I get some time on my fb later. Life is nuts.
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) October 16, 2014
Betrayal.
Nice 2 find out who truly are loyal.More motivation to destroy!The circle gets smaller. http://t.co/aeFP8qUJpW #Sad excuse that r called men
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) October 16, 2014
Welp.
Ah.. another fighter doing their best to avoid @Sara_McMann after committing
— Hector Castro (@HectorCastroESM) October 16, 2014
Get well soon.
Surgery time but first let’s take a #selfie #knee #ill #be #back http://t.co/QoWTuNZz9G
— Efrain Escudero (@effyescudero) October 16, 2014
Positive.
“@RianMac: @DustinPoirier Do you think McGregor got lucky or do you think the decision was a good call?” Good call.. no luck in there.
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) October 16, 2014
I wanna thank @ufc @danawhite @seanshelby for everything, I will be back in the ufc soon im still not done yet
— Steven Siler (@Stevesiler) October 16, 2014
Keep an eye out.
Been offered 6fighters, I picked the highest ranked guy, good tough fight which I’m looking forward to.
— STORMIN NORMAN PARKE (@norman_parke) October 16, 2014
Coming soon.
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Scorpio King 4 coming soon check out the trailer. http://redcarpetcrash.com/scorpion-king-quest-power-trailer/ @realroyce @roynelsonufc
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Oct. 16 2014)
Jared Cannonier vs. Shawn Jordan at UFC 182
Dan Miller vs. Daniel Sarafian at UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway
Thiago Alves vs. Jordan Mein at UFC 183
Jake Collier vs. Vitor Miranda at UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway
Clay Collard vs. Alex White at UFC 181
Andy Enz vs. Thiago Santos at UFC 183
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.