It sounds like Frank Mir is already planning out his post-UFC future. Recently, Mir announced that his request to be released by the UFC has been granted. The former heavyweight champion had been with the promotion since 2001. Only two of Mir’s professional mixed martial arts bout have been outside the UFC. Talking to Helen […]
It sounds like Frank Mir is already planning out his post-UFC future. Recently, Mir announced that his request to be released by the UFC has been granted. The former heavyweight champion had been with the promotion since 2001. Only two of Mir’s professional mixed martial arts bout have been outside the UFC. Talking to Helen […]
It sounds like Frank Mir is already planning out his post-UFC future. Recently, Mir announced that his request to be released by the UFC has been granted. The former heavyweight champion had been with the promotion since 2001. Only two of Mir’s professional mixed martial arts bout have been outside the UFC. Talking to Helen […]
It sounds like Frank Mir is already planning out his post-UFC future. Recently, Mir announced that his request to be released by the UFC has been granted. The former heavyweight champion had been with the promotion since 2001. Only two of Mir’s professional mixed martial arts bout have been outside the UFC. Talking to Helen […]
It’s an end of an era in the UFC’s heavyweight division. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir had been put on the sidelines when he was given a PED suspension from USADA a while back. Since then, he had been asking for his release from the UFC. After a year of asking for it, the […]
It’s an end of an era in the UFC’s heavyweight division. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir had been put on the sidelines when he was given a PED suspension from USADA a while back. Since then, he had been asking for his release from the UFC.
After a year of asking for it, the UFC finally granted his wish and gave him his release. Mir announced the news on his Twitter account and explained what happened on his Phone Booth Fighting podcast (transcript courtesy of Bloody Elbow).
He mentioned that he had to give in a little bit though as he won’t be able to fight until his USADA suspension is officially over, which is April of 2018.
“Now officially I’m no longer apart of the UFC. I finally have my release, it’s official. They put a couple of little contingencies in there. Basically, because USADA is not able to regulate or has no ability to do anything outside of the authority of the UFC, they knew that once I was released technically, I could go do whatever I want.”
“So part of me not having to drag this battle out was I made a concession that I would wait until April, which is when the suspension would’ve ended anyway, to start fighting. Basically not to give a big f—k you to USADA I guess.”
Mir admitted that he already has a “foot in the door” for doing color commentary for the ACB promotion in Russia. However, he made it clear that he hadn’t come to terms with any promotion to fight as of yet.
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.
It will be very interesting to see which promotion he signs with next. Time will tell.
Former heavyweight champion Frank Mir announced Saturday that he has been granted his release from UFC.
Mir was in the midst of serving a two-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance in April. He has denied any wrongdoing since recei…
Mir was in the midst of serving a two-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance in April. He has denied any wrongdoing since receiving news of the failed test.
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
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Frank Mir sees changes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and he isn’t a fan of them. Mir, who is a former UFC heavyweight title holder, is on the sidelines until April 2018 for violating the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) policy. Mir tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT). During a recent appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” […]
Frank Mir sees changes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and he isn’t a fan of them. Mir, who is a former UFC heavyweight title holder, is on the sidelines until April 2018 for violating the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) policy. Mir tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT). During a recent appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” […]
Frank Mir’s relationship with the UFC and it’s President, Dana White, seems to have taken a massive hit as of late. Mir is currently serving a suspension for an alleged United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation. The former UFC heavyweight champ joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour yesterday (Mon. April 24, 2017) to discuss
Frank Mir’s relationship with the UFC and it’s President, Dana White, seems to have taken a massive hit as of late.
Mir is currently serving a suspension for an alleged United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation. The former UFC heavyweight champ joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour yesterday (Mon. April 24, 2017) to discuss the whole ordeal, and his dwindling relationship with Dana White.
The submission specialist says that he’s reached out to White on multiple occasions, first seeking council on his ongoing trials with USADA, as well as asking if the UFC boss would be involved with his induction into the Nevada Sports Hall of Fame last year. Mir says he’s yet to hear back from White, and he’s very disappointed (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“I thought maybe this was another situation like that, but I guess not,” Mir said. “I don’t know.”
“I’ve tried to just make things work as well as possible,” Mir said. “But I don’t even know if I’m allowed to discuss things with other organizations and find out if I can fight for them or not. I’m kind of in this limbo.”
Mir also eluded to the fact that UFC ownership has changed recently, and wonders if his relationship with the company would be where it is now had the Ferttitas remained in the front office:
“My feelings have been hurt, yes,” Mir said. “If that’s what you’re asking. I don’t feel the same about the company as I felt years ago. And I’m seeing that even with some of the ways they’re handling things the way they handle them now. There’s been several times where I’m like, ‘Wow, if Lorenzo was still there at the office, if Dana was still in full control and not just a minority shareholder, would that have ever happened?’ I don’t know about that.
“I don’t know if this is the same company that I started with 15 years ago.”
At this point of his career, Mir is left wondering if he should utilize the hard earned money he’s accumulated over his career to fight his ongoing struggles with USADA, or simply ride out his suspension. He knows, however, if a fighter of lesser caliber is falsely accused of violating USADA’s terms, they won’t be as fortunate.
Mir wants answers, not just for him, but for his family:
“Now do I spend x amount of money more going after the supplements I took three years ago now … or do I just ride out the rest of the suspension?” Mir said. “I don’t know. It just doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Thankfully, I’ve had a successful enough career that I have a little bit of money to try to fight this,” Mir said. “What about the guys who don’t? What if a prelim guy gets falsely accused or takes something from a supplement company he wasn’t aware of. Where does he get the money to try and battle this?”
“For me and my family, I want to know what happened and how it happened,” Mir said. “That’s for me.”
At this point of his career, Mir is left wondering if he should utilize the hard earned money he’s accumulated over his career to fight his ongoing struggles with USADA, or simply ride out his suspension. He knows, however, if a fighter of lesser caliber is falsely accused of violating USADA’s terms, they won’t be as fortunate.