Tag: Frank Mir

Frank Mir Doesn’t Believe Nogeuira’s Staph Infection Determined Their First Bout

Frank Mir will be entering his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira with nothing to prove. The Las Vegas native last faced the Brazilian at UFC 92, where Mir dominated and was able to out-strike Nogueira on the feet, which lead to a second-round TKO…

Frank Mir will be entering his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira with nothing to prove. 

The Las Vegas native last faced the Brazilian at UFC 92, where Mir dominated and was able to out-strike Nogueira on the feet, which lead to a second-round TKO stoppage. The victory was arguably the biggest achievement of Mir’s career. 

In anticipation of UFC 140 next weekend, Mir is featured as a special guest blogger on Sportsnet.ca, where he recalled his performance against “Minotauro” and said he was the superior fighter. 

Rumours surfaced of a possible staph infection that had affected Nogueira’s performance on that night, but Mir downplays that idea. 

“I won the last fight, which took place three years ago in Las Vegas, because I was the better fighter on the night,” Mir wrote. “Me punching him in the chin repeatedly had nothing to do with a staph infection, believe me. I could be sick as hell going into a fight, but I still remember and can perform the necessary techniques to get me out of trouble.

“Nogueira lost that fight because my striking technique was better than his and that could be the reason he loses this rematch, too,” he added. 

The win earned Mir a title shot the following year. However, he came up short in his chances of reclaiming the heavyweight crown. Since then, Mir has remained consistent in his attempt to receive another title opportunity, going 3-2 in his past five bouts. 

Mir’s title aspirations will come full circle against the same opponent he beat to earn the opportunity just three years ago. Despite already holding a victory over Nogueira, Mir doesn’t see himself having to prove anything.

“I am already a two-time UFC champion but what drives me at this stage in my career is the need to achieve all I can achieve before my career is up,” he wrote. “I know that I am capable of becoming even better than I am right now, and that excites me on a daily basis.”

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Frank Mir Doesn’t Want to Hear Excuses from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Filed under: UFC, NewsThree years ago, Frank Mir defeated Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 in a one-sided beating that many of Nogueira’s supporters blamed on a staph infection that had plagued Nogueira during his training camp.

After three years of…

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Three years ago, Frank Mir defeated Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 in a one-sided beating that many of Nogueira’s supporters blamed on a staph infection that had plagued Nogueira during his training camp.

After three years of hearing people suggest that he only beat Nogueira because of that staph infection, Mir has heard enough.

In comments to the media Thursday during a promotional call for his UFC 140 rematch with Nogueira, Mir said he thinks fighters who blame a sluggish performance on illnesses or injuries are doing a disservice to their opponents, and that he’s tired of all the talk that the staph infection had something to do with Mir’s second-round technical knockout victory in December of 2008.

“There were a lot of words, circumstances surrounding the last victory how legitimate it could possibly be because of the illness of Nogueira,” Mir said of what he’s heard about his victory over Nogueira.

Mir then added, “No excuses afterward.”

Although Mir said he realizes that health problems can affect a fighter, he thinks that if you agree to take a fight, it’s disrespectful to your opponent to bring up those health issues after the fact.

“As fighters, any time you say you lost because of injury, that’s a strike against your opponent,” Mir said. “No, the guy in front of you beat you.”

In his last two fights, Mir beat Roy Nelson and Mirko Cro Cop, and he said he believes he’s getting close to heavyweight title contention if he makes it three in a row against Nogueira. But Mir said he’s expecting to see an even better version of Nogueira at UFC 140, considering how impressive Nogueira looked in his victory over Brendan Schaub in August.

“His confidence has to be up higher,” Mir said. “You see it in all sports, when people’s confidence is high that can be the difference between them being successful and not.”

And if he is able to beat a Nogueira who’s riding high after beating Schaub, Mir won’t want to hear any excuses.

 

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UFC 140: Frank Mir, Tito Ortiz, and 6 Guys Who Make It Hard to Like Them

There are some guys in the UFC that you want to like, but they just make it so hard. Maybe they’ve been around a long time and represent and era gone by, or sometimes offer up nuggets of wisdom in interviews that you appreciate, and it makes you …

There are some guys in the UFC that you want to like, but they just make it so hard. Maybe they’ve been around a long time and represent and era gone by, or sometimes offer up nuggets of wisdom in interviews that you appreciate, and it makes you like them.

But then other times they’re out there making excuses, offering backhanded compliments to opponents who thrash them, or speaking with such delusion that it leaves you flabbergasted. As a result, you reconsider anything that you like about them, and you’re left with indifference. Or worse.

It’s a fine line to walk to be a fan favourite who speaks his mind or a guy that people just don’t like.

Here are some of the dudes on the UFC roster that are trying to walk that line at the moment.

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UFC: 8 Ultimate Ideas for an Ultimate UFC Restaurant

Whether or not the UFC is going to make a restaurant one day, it’s fun to speculate about ideas—be they realistic or absurd—that could be implemented.A UFC restaurant would not likely be successful as most sports-themed restaurants aren’t (…

Whether or not the UFC is going to make a restaurant one day, it’s fun to speculate about ideas—be they realistic or absurd—that could be implemented.

A UFC restaurant would not likely be successful as most sports-themed restaurants aren’t (read: poor food, and lame memorabilia on the walls) but perhaps with these ideas the UFC Restaurant could become the exception to the rule of sports restaurants being terrible.

So what specific ideas could be fun in a UFC restaurant? Read and find out!

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‘UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida’ Extended Video Trailer

(Props: mmapain)

Once in a while, a singular talent will arise and utterly dominate this sport. He comes out of nowhere, immediately starts whipping top-ranked fighters with years’ more experience, and leaves both fans and his opponents in awe of his abilities. Jon Jones is that guy right now. And nobody knows how fleeting that moment is better than Lyoto Machida, whose invincible aura (and “era“) went up in smoke as quickly as it arrived.

That’s what gives Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida such a great storyline for their meeting on December 10th in Toronto. Besides Machida’s unorthodox style, which could be an effective counter to Bones’s own funky attacks, the Dragon stands as a living reminder that nobody is invincible — seriously, not even Jon Jones — and defeat is simply a matter of running into the wrong guy on the wrong night.


(Props: mmapain)

Once in a while, a singular talent will arise and utterly dominate this sport. He comes out of nowhere, immediately starts whipping top-ranked fighters with years’ more experience, and leaves both fans and his opponents in awe of his abilities. Jon Jones is that guy right now. And nobody knows how fleeting that moment is better than Lyoto Machida, whose invincible aura (and “era“) went up in smoke as quickly as it arrived.

That’s what gives Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida such a great storyline for their meeting on December 10th in Toronto. Besides Machida’s unorthodox style, which could be an effective counter to Bones’s own funky attacks, the Dragon stands as a living reminder that nobody is invincible — seriously, not even Jon Jones — and defeat is simply a matter of running into the wrong guy on the wrong night.

Supporting the light-heavyweight title fight at UFC 140 are two matches featuring former UFC champions from America (Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz) trying to hold the line against a pair of battle-weathered Brazilian twins who made their names halfway around the world. It’ll be the second meeting between Mir and Minotauro, and aside from the struggling Lil’ Nog, the other three fighters have shown brief flashes in recent fights that their glory days might not be over yet. So who will add another highlight to their legendary resumes, and who will continue to fade back into history?

Semi-related, below: Jon Jones gets in some cross-gender sparring with Team Jackson camp-mate Holly Holm, the prettier half of the third toughest couple in MMA.


(Props: LowBlow505)

UFC Heavyweight Title Curse Strikes Sixth Victim in Three Years; Dos Santos Sidelined With Torn Meniscus


(The only less popular piece of gold in MMA is Kimbo’s licensed signature fist necklace.)

Considering that every one of the six men who has worn it since this day three years ago has fallen to illness or injury, the UFC heavyweight belt could soon become the least desired trophy in sports.

The latest victim of the ill-fated gilded strap is Junior dos Santos, who went into his UFC on Fox heavyweight title bout with Cain Velasquez with a torn meniscus which will probably require surgery and an extended recovery time, making his first title defense unlikely until the second half of 2012. Somebody needs to bring the belt to a priest and have him perform an exorcism on it. Otherwise, we may only see one heavyweight title bout per year.

Check out the breakdown of the unlucky timeline of the cursed hunk of leather and gold after the jump.


(The only less popular piece of gold in MMA is Kimbo’s licensed signature fist necklace.)

Considering that every one of the six men who has worn it since this day three years ago has fallen to illness or injury, the UFC heavyweight belt could soon become the least desired trophy in sports.

The latest victim of the ill-fated gilded strap is Junior dos Santos, who went into his UFC on Fox heavyweight title bout with Cain Velasquez with a torn meniscus which will probably require surgery and an extended recovery time, making his first title defense unlikely until the second half of 2012. Somebody needs to bring the belt to a priest and have him perform an exorcism on it. Otherwise, we may only see one heavyweight title bout per year.

Here’s the breakdown of the unlucky timeline of the cursed hunk of leather and gold for those of you who aren’t buying what we’re selling:

• Brock Lesnar beat Randy Couture at UFC 91 on November 15, 2008 via second-round TKO and was to defend his belt against recently-crowned interim champ Frank Mir at UFC 98, but the fight had to be pushed to UFC 100 after Mir suffered a knee injury in training.

• Mir won the interim belt from former title holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 in December 2008 and it was later revealed that “Big Nog” fought with a severe staph infection.

•  Minotauro has since pulled out of a UFC 108 bout against Cain Velasquez due to another bout of staph and a Mir rematch at UFC 119 because he underwent double knee surgery.

• Shortly after successfully defending his strap for the first time against Mir in July 2009, Lesnar was diagnosed with diverticulitis and was put on the DL for nearly a year.

• Shane Carwin took the vacant interim title against Mir in March 2010 at UFC 111 and has been sidelined with a back injury since his UFC 131 decision loss to Junior dos Santos.

• Cain Velasquez made short work of Lesnar in Brock’s third title defense in his two-year championship reign at UFC 121 in October 2010 and was unable to defend his title for 13 months.

• Junior dos Santos spoiled Velasquez’s first title defense in just over one minute. Following the bout he revealed that he fought with a torn meniscus and will likely require surgery, likely forcing him out of action for anywhere between five to eight months.