Roy Nelson always strives to stay relevant and compete against some of the top fighters.
It just so happens, he’ll face off against Frank Mir at UFC 130. Mir is considered by many to be one the best heavyweights in mixed martial arts, holding victories over former champions Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brock Lesnar.
Nelson told MMAJunkie.com he is content to square off against Mir, but he expects a title shot in return.
“I’ll fight anybody, and I want to fight everybody, but whatever is going to get me to the top fastest,” Nelson said.
Nelson has made an impact since arriving in the UFC three years ago, completing a sweep of The Ultimate Fighter en route to eventually winning a UFC contract. He has picked up victories over heavyweight prospects Brendan Schaub and Stefan Struve.
Nelson also shares some history with the former UFC heavyweight champion, as both competitors competed in a grappling match that saw Nelson earn the victory in 2003.
Both men have become completely different fighters since then, and according to Nelson, beating Mir shouldn’t be much different this time around.
“You’re a little bit older and wiser,” he said. “In my case, I’d be a bit stronger, bigger and faster.”
Since his loss to Nelson, Mir has gone through some ups and downs throughout his career. He was on the receiving end of a knockout loss from Shane Carwin at UFC 111, then he recently rebounded with a win over Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 119.
Despite the recent setbacks, Nelson said he respects Mir and considers him to be one fight away from a title shot. And given his own track record, Nelson doesn’t see himself too far out of reach either.
“I’m fighting a two-time champion, the longest reigning heavyweight employed by current Zuffa,” Nelson said.
“He’s basically a legend of the heavyweight division. I think whoever wins this fight is going to get the next title shot.”
And while being nothing short of confident, Nelson said he believes he is a contender.
“I became a champion in other organizations. Now, I just want to make a run at this. Pretty much any organization I get into I become champion. So this is my run in the UFC,” he said.
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