Frank Mir, who fights Mark Hunt in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 85 event in Brisbane, Australia, recently shared his thoughts on the old feeling from the MMA community that PRIDE always had better heavyweight fighters than the UFC.
Mir appeared as a guest on MMAJunkie.com Radio and shared his belief that the PRIDE fighters being better than UFC fighters debate was nothing more than a myth.
“I was told constantly if these three guys came over to the UFC, they’re going to clean house. It’s going to be the PRIDE show in the UFC. The three big names from the PRIDE heavyweights that I had to hear about in the early 2000s were obviously Fedor (and) Nogueira – and I heard Nogueira directed specifically toward me because I’m the American version and he’s the better version. I’m the cheap version of Nogueira. I’m the knock-off. Then you have Mirko ‘Cro-Cop.'”
Mir went on to explain that despite never competing in the UFC, Fedor’s talent didn’t translate well when he fought on the American circuit as well.
“Everyone came over but Fedor. Fedor came over to an American show, but just not the UFC. He didn’t fare any better. He lost to (Antonio) ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, who smashed him. I have a win over ‘Bigfoot.’ I think that kind of settles that argument of what he would have done in the heavyweight division here in the UFC.”
UFC Fight Night 85: Mir vs. Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 from Brisbane, Australia.
Frank Mir, who fights Mark Hunt in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 85 event in Brisbane, Australia, recently shared his thoughts on the old feeling from the MMA community that PRIDE always had better heavyweight fighters than the UFC.
Mir appeared as a guest on MMAJunkie.com Radio and shared his belief that the PRIDE fighters being better than UFC fighters debate was nothing more than a myth.
“I was told constantly if these three guys came over to the UFC, they’re going to clean house. It’s going to be the PRIDE show in the UFC. The three big names from the PRIDE heavyweights that I had to hear about in the early 2000s were obviously Fedor (and) Nogueira – and I heard Nogueira directed specifically toward me because I’m the American version and he’s the better version. I’m the cheap version of Nogueira. I’m the knock-off. Then you have Mirko ‘Cro-Cop.'”
Mir went on to explain that despite never competing in the UFC, Fedor’s talent didn’t translate well when he fought on the American circuit as well.
“Everyone came over but Fedor. Fedor came over to an American show, but just not the UFC. He didn’t fare any better. He lost to (Antonio) ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, who smashed him. I have a win over ‘Bigfoot.’ I think that kind of settles that argument of what he would have done in the heavyweight division here in the UFC.”
UFC Fight Night 85: Mir vs. Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 from Brisbane, Australia.
Frank Mir, who fights Mark Hunt in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 85 event in Brisbane, Australia, recently shared his thoughts on the old feeling from the MMA community that PRIDE always had better heavyweight fighters than the UFC.
Mir appeared as a guest on MMAJunkie.com Radio and shared his belief that the PRIDE fighters being better than UFC fighters debate was nothing more than a myth.
“I was told constantly if these three guys came over to the UFC, they’re going to clean house. It’s going to be the PRIDE show in the UFC. The three big names from the PRIDE heavyweights that I had to hear about in the early 2000s were obviously Fedor (and) Nogueira – and I heard Nogueira directed specifically toward me because I’m the American version and he’s the better version. I’m the cheap version of Nogueira. I’m the knock-off. Then you have Mirko ‘Cro-Cop.'”
Mir went on to explain that despite never competing in the UFC, Fedor’s talent didn’t translate well when he fought on the American circuit as well.
“Everyone came over but Fedor. Fedor came over to an American show, but just not the UFC. He didn’t fare any better. He lost to (Antonio) ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, who smashed him. I have a win over ‘Bigfoot.’ I think that kind of settles that argument of what he would have done in the heavyweight division here in the UFC.”
UFC Fight Night 85: Mir vs. Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 from Brisbane, Australia.
Frank Mir, who fights Mark Hunt in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 85 event in Brisbane, Australia, recently shared his thoughts on the old feeling from the MMA community that PRIDE always had better heavyweight fighters than the UFC.
Mir appeared as a guest on MMAJunkie.com Radio and shared his belief that the PRIDE fighters being better than UFC fighters debate was nothing more than a myth.
“I was told constantly if these three guys came over to the UFC, they’re going to clean house. It’s going to be the PRIDE show in the UFC. The three big names from the PRIDE heavyweights that I had to hear about in the early 2000s were obviously Fedor (and) Nogueira – and I heard Nogueira directed specifically toward me because I’m the American version and he’s the better version. I’m the cheap version of Nogueira. I’m the knock-off. Then you have Mirko ‘Cro-Cop.'”
Mir went on to explain that despite never competing in the UFC, Fedor’s talent didn’t translate well when he fought on the American circuit as well.
“Everyone came over but Fedor. Fedor came over to an American show, but just not the UFC. He didn’t fare any better. He lost to (Antonio) ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, who smashed him. I have a win over ‘Bigfoot.’ I think that kind of settles that argument of what he would have done in the heavyweight division here in the UFC.”
UFC Fight Night 85: Mir vs. Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 from Brisbane, Australia.
They say lightning never strikes twice, but it looks like new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate is determined to put that theory to the test.
Tate revealed during her recent appearance on Submission Radio that much like her recent opponent and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, she wants to take another fight instead of waiting for a guaranteed big money showdown with Ronda Rousey.
As seen at UFC 196, Holm rolled the dice and it cost her — big time — however Tate seems determined to take a similar approach. She told Submission Radio the following this week:
“I think it’s a long time to wait [for Ronda Rousey]. Ideally, I think I’d like to fight one more time before [her return]. I know that there’s a lot of really top contenders, a lot of girls in the division, that are really chomping at the bit. I think I’ve been called out by probably everybody in the top six, if not potentially the top 10. So they’re all gunning for me, and they’re all dangerous, and they all have their different attributes to bring to the table, so I think my job as the champ is just to stay ready for whoever. I’m just going to stay in the gym, and I have to be able to beat every single one of them.”
https://youtu.be/OpuByQAy36k
They say lightning never strikes twice, but it looks like new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate is determined to put that theory to the test.
Tate revealed during her recent appearance on Submission Radio that much like her recent opponent and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, she wants to take another fight instead of waiting for a guaranteed big money showdown with Ronda Rousey.
As seen at UFC 196, Holm rolled the dice and it cost her — big time — however Tate seems determined to take a similar approach. She told Submission Radio the following this week:
“I think it’s a long time to wait [for Ronda Rousey]. Ideally, I think I’d like to fight one more time before [her return]. I know that there’s a lot of really top contenders, a lot of girls in the division, that are really chomping at the bit. I think I’ve been called out by probably everybody in the top six, if not potentially the top 10. So they’re all gunning for me, and they’re all dangerous, and they all have their different attributes to bring to the table, so I think my job as the champ is just to stay ready for whoever. I’m just going to stay in the gym, and I have to be able to beat every single one of them.”
While fans are still waiting for some confirmed main events for the highly anticipated UFC 200 landmark event scheduled for July, some fights for the undercard are starting to take shape.
FOX Sports was the first to report the news that Gegard Mousa…
While fans are still waiting for some confirmed main events for the highly anticipated UFC 200 landmark event scheduled for July, some fights for the undercard are starting to take shape.
FOX Sports was the first to report the news that Gegard Mousasi will likely meet Derek Brunson in an undercard bout on the July 9th event in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UFC 200 is scheduled for Saturday, July 9, 2016 and will be the first-ever event to be held in the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The brash Irishman – with a penchant for the finer things in life – has never shied away from his intentions in this sport. He’s here to take over and make a lot of money doing it.
So what makes Conor McGregor so successful?
McGregor is generally a likable guy with the swagger to match. He walks the walk and talks the talk. He loves his fashion, his fast cars and the celebrity status that comes with it.
The man known as ‘The Notorious’, has undeniable talent, no one doubts that. He’s an aggressive, exciting fighter with power and finesse which resonates well with the fans. What really makes him stand out is his showmanship and psychological warfare he delivers before fights. He thrives on exploiting his opponent’s mental fragility to evoke a reaction, effectively distracting and draining his enemy before the fight. The fact McGregor is a world class fighter is a bonus. His ability to render opponents virtually ineffective is much more fascinating.
Fighters only have a small window to make money in this business. It’s extremely hard to make it as a professional and even then, it doesn’t necessarily equate to wealth. The chances of sustaining a serious career ending injury are generally higher than other sports considering the brutal nature of MMA.
In my opinion, McGregor deserves a lot of credit with how quickly he’s dominated the sport and the type of money he can demand for his fights. He’s brought a renewed interest to MMA and the UFC with his unorthodox approach. Many fighters have attempted this mental warfare with varying levels of success.
Past opponents of McGregor’s like Diego Brandao, Denis Siver and Dustin Poirier were all steam rolled by the Irishman. What was unusual is how out of depth they were in the octagon with him. They looked depleted and lacked confidence. It was not necessarily a gulf in their skill sets, but an effect of the psychological warfare they endured before the fight.
The best example of this was the fight with Jose Aldo. Aldo is undeniably one of the greatest fighters in the MMA world today. He was scheduled to fight McGregor on July 11, 2015. Both fighters featured in a long, drawn out world tour to promote the event. While it was a success for the UFC, it seemed to have completely drained Aldo. It allowed McGregor to get inside his head and unleash a barrage of mental warfare on him. Aldo subsequently pulled out of the fight and it was rescheduled. The damage had already been done.
When the fight eventually materialized on December 12, 2015, UFC commentator Joe Rogan questioned Aldo’s physique, suggesting he looked “soft”. While Aldo’s camp kept things fairly secretive before the fight, it was quite clear he got sucked into the mind games from McGregor, which ultimately cost him the belt.
McGregor was then scheduled to fight Rafael Dos Anjos (RDS) for the Lightweight belt. In the pre-fight war-of-words with RDS, McGregor used his “defection” to the USA as an attempt to bait him, hoping to turn the Brazilian fans against him. RDS eventually pulled out with a broken foot and the fight never materialized.
Finally, we come to the fight with Nate Diaz (don’t worry, I didn’t forget!). The product of Stockton was given a call less than two weeks out from UFC 196 and accepted the fight at 170 pounds.
In the press conference, McGregor stated that he respected Diaz. He then proceeded to tease him by stating “he makes gun signs with the right hand and makes animal balloons with the left hand.” This was an attempt to belittle him. The mind games didn’t seem to bother Diaz. In fact, he took the insults in his stride.
For the first time in his UFC career, McGregor faced an opponent that didn’t break mentally. The fight took place and McGregor lost due to a rear naked choke.
McGregor is now rumored to be facing Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 for the Featherweight belt. It will be very interesting to see if McGregor changes his approach after the loss to Diaz. Will we see the same outspoken Irishman oozing with confidence? Or will we see a much calmer respectful McGregor? Only time will tell.
The brash Irishman – with a penchant for the finer things in life – has never shied away from his intentions in this sport. He’s here to take over and make a lot of money doing it.
So what makes Conor McGregor so successful?
McGregor is generally a likable guy with the swagger to match. He walks the walk and talks the talk. He loves his fashion, his fast cars and the celebrity status that comes with it.
The man known as ‘The Notorious’, has undeniable talent, no one doubts that. He’s an aggressive, exciting fighter with power and finesse which resonates well with the fans. What really makes him stand out is his showmanship and psychological warfare he delivers before fights. He thrives on exploiting his opponent’s mental fragility to evoke a reaction, effectively distracting and draining his enemy before the fight. The fact McGregor is a world class fighter is a bonus. His ability to render opponents virtually ineffective is much more fascinating.
Fighters only have a small window to make money in this business. It’s extremely hard to make it as a professional and even then, it doesn’t necessarily equate to wealth. The chances of sustaining a serious career ending injury are generally higher than other sports considering the brutal nature of MMA.
In my opinion, McGregor deserves a lot of credit with how quickly he’s dominated the sport and the type of money he can demand for his fights. He’s brought a renewed interest to MMA and the UFC with his unorthodox approach. Many fighters have attempted this mental warfare with varying levels of success.
Past opponents of McGregor’s like Diego Brandao, Denis Siver and Dustin Poirier were all steam rolled by the Irishman. What was unusual is how out of depth they were in the octagon with him. They looked depleted and lacked confidence. It was not necessarily a gulf in their skill sets, but an effect of the psychological warfare they endured before the fight.
The best example of this was the fight with Jose Aldo. Aldo is undeniably one of the greatest fighters in the MMA world today. He was scheduled to fight McGregor on July 11, 2015. Both fighters featured in a long, drawn out world tour to promote the event. While it was a success for the UFC, it seemed to have completely drained Aldo. It allowed McGregor to get inside his head and unleash a barrage of mental warfare on him. Aldo subsequently pulled out of the fight and it was rescheduled. The damage had already been done.
When the fight eventually materialized on December 12, 2015, UFC commentator Joe Rogan questioned Aldo’s physique, suggesting he looked “soft”. While Aldo’s camp kept things fairly secretive before the fight, it was quite clear he got sucked into the mind games from McGregor, which ultimately cost him the belt.
McGregor was then scheduled to fight Rafael Dos Anjos (RDS) for the Lightweight belt. In the pre-fight war-of-words with RDS, McGregor used his “defection” to the USA as an attempt to bait him, hoping to turn the Brazilian fans against him. RDS eventually pulled out with a broken foot and the fight never materialized.
Finally, we come to the fight with Nate Diaz (don’t worry, I didn’t forget!). The product of Stockton was given a call less than two weeks out from UFC 196 and accepted the fight at 170 pounds.
In the press conference, McGregor stated that he respected Diaz. He then proceeded to tease him by stating “he makes gun signs with the right hand and makes animal balloons with the left hand.” This was an attempt to belittle him. The mind games didn’t seem to bother Diaz. In fact, he took the insults in his stride.
For the first time in his UFC career, McGregor faced an opponent that didn’t break mentally. The fight took place and McGregor lost due to a rear naked choke.
McGregor is now rumored to be facing Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 for the Featherweight belt. It will be very interesting to see if McGregor changes his approach after the loss to Diaz. Will we see the same outspoken Irishman oozing with confidence? Or will we see a much calmer respectful McGregor? Only time will tell.
During his recent appearance on Submission Radio, former UFC title contender and current ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen explained why Conor McGregor’s loss against Nate Diaz at UFC 196 may not necessarily ruin his ability to …
https://youtu.be/v9MkIqreHlY
During his recent appearance on Submission Radio, former UFC title contender and current ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen explained why Conor McGregor’s loss against Nate Diaz at UFC 196 may not necessarily ruin his ability to draw a high-level of viewers when he fights again in the future.
According to Sonnen, McGregor’s “aura of invincibility” might have been affected by the loss to Diaz, but his drawing power probably was not.
“Being invincible isn’t a tremendous drawing point, good competition is, somebody that’s exciting. So he’s going to do fine, but to say that he’s not going to take a dip, yeah I think he’ll take a little bit of a dip. But even with a dip he’ll still be the biggest star the company’s got right now.”
Sonnen also claimed that McGregor was already the biggest star in the UFC and proved that he was a bigger draw than Ronda Rousey.
“He’s always been, he’s always been. That’s never been true [that Ronda was a bigger star]. She’s a good friend, I don’t mean this negative, not even a tiny bit, but that’s never been true. I never understood why they have constantly said it. God bless them, it’s just simply not true. But Conor holds the gate records and he holds the pay-per-view records and she hasn’t touched him. And that’s the truth, regardless of what you might read in the media.”
