Tag: Frank Mir

Report: Frank Mir Signs With Bellator MMA

Frank Mir is headed to Bellator MMA It’s an end of an era in the UFC’s heavyweight division as the former UFC heavyweight champion asked for his release from the UFC last month. He has been put on the sidelines when he was given a PED suspension from USADA a while back. Mir has agreed […]

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Frank Mir is headed to Bellator MMA

It’s an end of an era in the UFC’s heavyweight division as the former UFC heavyweight champion asked for his release from the UFC last month. He has been put on the sidelines when he was given a PED suspension from USADA a while back.

Mir has agreed to terms with the promotion, according to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. Bellator is expected to officially announce his signing in the coming days.

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion had a historic tenure while competing in the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion in the world. However, his time has come to an end.

Mir, who holds a pro-MMA record of 18-11, had been with the organization for 16 years and won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2004. He also won an interim title in 2008. Mir had a rough stretch as of late in his career as he was just 2-6 in his last eight bouts dating back to 2012 and lasted competed in March of 2016 when he lost to Mark Hunt. As of a result of a failed drug test for that fight, he was issued a two-year suspension by USADA after testing positive for turinabol.

The former UFC champion holds numerous heavyweight records including most fights (27), wins (16), stoppages (13) and submissions (eight). It was expected at the time of his departure from the UFC that the most likely place that Mir would sign was with Bellator as they are the #2 promotion in the world. Several former UFC fighters have signed with the Viacom-owned promotion including Roy Nelson, Benson Henderson, and Ryan Bader.

Bellator MMA and Scott Coker are slowly but surely putting together a roster that has a mixture of key fighters to their roster that features not only fighters who have risen through the ranks in Bellator but also fighters who have potential or has a name that was built in the UFC. With that mix, Coker’s vision of what Bellator could be is being shown and the future no doubt looks bright.

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Quote: Miocic & Overeem Would Provide ‘Hard’ Fights For Jon Jones

After once again winning the UFC light heavyweight title with a brilliant third round TKO victory over Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214, Jon Jones called out former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and teased a potential jump up in weight. While Jones called out Lesnar, he has showed less interest in facing off with […]

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After once again winning the UFC light heavyweight title with a brilliant third round TKO victory over Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214, Jon Jones called out former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and teased a potential jump up in weight.

Gary A. Vasquez for USA TODAY Sports

While Jones called out Lesnar, he has showed less interest in facing off with current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, which is a sentiment that ex-titleholder and former Jones training partner Frank Mir agrees with:

“The only fight immediately that would make me nervous for Jon would be Stipe,” Mir told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“I think any other heavyweight I can see [Jones] beating,” Mir said. “Stipe is a hard one. And I think Alistair, too, might be a hard one.”

Jones is certainly a large light heavyweight, and if he were to move up in weight, he’d likely still possess a height and reach advantage over most of his opponents, but Mir worries that “Bones” may lack power against some of the larger heavyweights, although he isn’t counting out the 205-pound king:

“I think he’s a dangerous fighter and I would never, ever put him out,” Mir said of Jones. “His upper body is definitely in that world, that realm that he could compete at heavyweight, but it’s his lower body. Heavyweights are still big and pushing around and carrying that weight. I don’t know.”

“Could he do it?” Mir said. “Would I put it past Jon? No. Not at all. I’ve trained with him. I know how good he is. He’s not giving up reach and distance. It would just be that horsepower. Could he eliminate it through his technical wrestling and his angles? He very well may could.”

Jones’ next move is still unclear, but it’s obvious that he’s looking for lucrative fights, which is why Miocic hasn’t appealed to him as a potential opponent. Jones doesn’t necessarily feel as if Miocic is a major draw, and Mir agrees:

“Stipe is a phenomenal champ as far as like he’s a good guy, if you want to point your kids in the right direction, ‘Hey, look at this guy, he’s a good person,’” Mir said. “Family guy, down to Earth, still works a regular job as a firefighter. He’s an asset to the community. But as far as a blockbuster [in] ticket sales, he’s no Conor McGregor. Stipe still, he doesn’t break into that realm of ticket sales and pay-per-view buys that some other heavyweights in the past have that are not as talented as he is. He has everything except for he’s just not that marketing machine that some other people have been.”

Who would you like to see Jones face next?

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Quote: Miocic & Overeem Would Provide ‘Hard’ Fights For Jon Jones

After once again winning the UFC light heavyweight title with a brilliant third round TKO victory over Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214, Jon Jones called out former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and teased a potential jump up in weight. While Jones called out Lesnar, he has showed less interest in facing off with […]

The post Quote: Miocic & Overeem Would Provide ‘Hard’ Fights For Jon Jones appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

After once again winning the UFC light heavyweight title with a brilliant third round TKO victory over Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214, Jon Jones called out former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and teased a potential jump up in weight.

Gary A. Vasquez for USA TODAY Sports

While Jones called out Lesnar, he has showed less interest in facing off with current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, which is a sentiment that ex-titleholder and former Jones training partner Frank Mir agrees with:

“The only fight immediately that would make me nervous for Jon would be Stipe,” Mir told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“I think any other heavyweight I can see [Jones] beating,” Mir said. “Stipe is a hard one. And I think Alistair, too, might be a hard one.”

Jones is certainly a large light heavyweight, and if he were to move up in weight, he’d likely still possess a height and reach advantage over most of his opponents, but Mir worries that “Bones” may lack power against some of the larger heavyweights, although he isn’t counting out the 205-pound king:

“I think he’s a dangerous fighter and I would never, ever put him out,” Mir said of Jones. “His upper body is definitely in that world, that realm that he could compete at heavyweight, but it’s his lower body. Heavyweights are still big and pushing around and carrying that weight. I don’t know.”

“Could he do it?” Mir said. “Would I put it past Jon? No. Not at all. I’ve trained with him. I know how good he is. He’s not giving up reach and distance. It would just be that horsepower. Could he eliminate it through his technical wrestling and his angles? He very well may could.”

Jones’ next move is still unclear, but it’s obvious that he’s looking for lucrative fights, which is why Miocic hasn’t appealed to him as a potential opponent. Jones doesn’t necessarily feel as if Miocic is a major draw, and Mir agrees:

“Stipe is a phenomenal champ as far as like he’s a good guy, if you want to point your kids in the right direction, ‘Hey, look at this guy, he’s a good person,’” Mir said. “Family guy, down to Earth, still works a regular job as a firefighter. He’s an asset to the community. But as far as a blockbuster [in] ticket sales, he’s no Conor McGregor. Stipe still, he doesn’t break into that realm of ticket sales and pay-per-view buys that some other heavyweights in the past have that are not as talented as he is. He has everything except for he’s just not that marketing machine that some other people have been.”

Who would you like to see Jones face next?

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Free Agent Frank Mir Reveals Talks With Bellator & ACB

Frank Mir is currently in negotiations with Bellator and Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB). Mir was recently granted his release from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). One stipulation in the agreement is that Mir can’t compete until April 2018. This was done to ensure the former UFC heavyweight champion completes his suspension handed out by the U.S. […]

Frank Mir is currently in negotiations with Bellator and Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB). Mir was recently granted his release from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). One stipulation in the agreement is that Mir can’t compete until April 2018. This was done to ensure the former UFC heavyweight champion completes his suspension handed out by the U.S. […]

Frank Mir Discusses Cormier’s Emotional Post-Fight Interview at UFC 214

Frank Mir has thrown in his two cents on Daniel Cormier’s emotions following his UFC 214 loss. This past Saturday night (July 29), UFC 214 took place inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In the main event, Cormier defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title against Jon Jones. Following two competitive rounds, […]

Frank Mir has thrown in his two cents on Daniel Cormier’s emotions following his UFC 214 loss. This past Saturday night (July 29), UFC 214 took place inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In the main event, Cormier defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title against Jon Jones. Following two competitive rounds, […]

Frank Mir Calls Out Fedor Emelianenko For Post-UFC Career

Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir recently revealed that he had been released from his UFC contract, which gives him the freedom to now take on various roles with different organizations and companies. Mir recently discussed the situation with Helen Yee of NBC Sports Radio and admitted that the release was a ‘mutal’ one. The […]

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Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir recently revealed that he had been released from his UFC contract, which gives him the freedom to now take on various roles with different organizations and companies.

Mir recently discussed the situation with Helen Yee of NBC Sports Radio and admitted that the release was a ‘mutal’ one. The 36-year-old also expressed his interest in continuing his fighting career, discussing Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko as possible opponents:

“We had to come to terms on the situation and the end result was a mutual release. Right now I’m trying to weigh all my options. We talked about who could possibly be opponents out there, so I’m thinking, more or less, what show offers who to fight. Fedor would be an awesome fight. I think we talked about maybe even Brock. So there’s different ideas out there and really there’s just endless possibilities.”

Lesnar hasn’t competed since UFC 200 last July, and he went back into retirement after the bout. Emelianenko, on the other hand, is still competing, although he was most recently knocked out by Matt Mitrione in the co-main event of Bellator: NYC last month.

Despite the loss, Emelianenko would still serve as a more enticing opponent for Mir than Mitrione would:

“It wouldn’t be my first choice, to be honest with you. I think Matt Mitrione is a super tough guy, very athletic but I think that I’d probably get more pay-per-view buys if I fought Fedor. Mitrione would probably elevate my status more, a victory over him at this point, towards moving up the rankings but I’m kinda past that part of my career. I’d rather fight named fighters and Fedor’s somebody I’ve always wanted to fight and I think that it would be nice to be able to complete that kind of Who’s Who of my resume.”

At the end of the day, Mir is simply looking for ‘big fights’:

“I enjoy fighting. I want to fight for as long as possible. I don’t think I can fight at the same capacity that I fought in the past. The days of fighting three times in a year is probably over with. Once is probably gonna be more or less [the goal], or almost twice or three times in two years. Just enjoy martial arts, enjoy the lifestyle, and fight big fights. . .

“Hopefully until I’m told I can’t do it anymore. I’m thinking maybe 45. If you just handle it smart, I think you can do it.”

At this stage of his career, Mir seems like a perfect fit for Bellator’s growing heavyweight division.

Would you like to see him continue his fighting career?

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