Frank Mir will be the first to tell you his main event bout against Mark Hunt this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 85 in Australia is exactly the type of matchup he can get excited for.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Mark Hunt even back in 2003 when he was in the K-1 World Grand Prix,” Mir told Sportsnet. “He’s a phenomenal kickboxer and great personality. I like how he’s very similar to how I think where he’s a warrior. He wants to fight for the sake for fighting. Getting paid is a bonus, but it’s not his primary reason for why he’s getting out of bed every morning.”
This wasn’t the case in Mir’s last matchup against Andrei Arlovski at UFC 191. He wasn’t happy about facing a former training partner. Whether that played a role in the outcome of the fight or not, the result was a lacklustre unanimous decision loss to “The Pitbull” which snapped Mir’s two-fight win streak.
Mir (18-10) has been in the UFC since 2001 with 26 of his 28 professional bouts taking place inside the Octagon. Mir almost exclusively competes in the United States but he has competed once in England, once in Canada and once in Brazil. This weekend, Mir will get to add another stamp to his passport when he competes in the Land Down Under for the first time in his career.
“Australia has always been on the bucket list,” Mir explained. “It’s a beautiful continent. It’s an area that I’ve always wanted to be a part of. The fans are phenomenal. It very much reminds me of the Canadian fans, very passionate and knowledgeable about the sport. Actually after this fight I plan on staying here a week, because I have my kids and my wife with me.”
Hunt (11-10-1) will be competing in Australia for the fifth time in his career. The New Zealand-born heavyweight is coming off an impressive first-round knockout victory over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC 193, which snapped a two-fight losing streak. Like Mir, the American Top Team product is one of the oldest members on the UFC roster at 41 years of age. Typically in MMA age is never kind to a fighter’s career but Mir is still aware of the danger Hunt possesses in his striking. One fighter Mir previously fought that has a similar style and build to Hunt was Roy Nelson. Mir ended up winning a unanimous decision over Nelson at UFC 130 back in 2011 and he sees some similarities.
“I think that obviously [Hunt] is more faceted in stand-up. He’s more balanced, where Roy just has the overhand right,” Mir said. “Mark has much more to his striking arsenal then just overhand rights. His left hook is phenomenal, his right hand, shot uppercuts, he has some great strikes. People also forget he can kick you in the head. I think he’s probably just as good as Roy as stopping the takedown and avoiding the ground. Hunt is a phenomenal stand-up guy, but at the same time he’s very good at nullifying the ground. It really brings out the chess player in me on how I can figure out a way to get him into a situation where I can put on a submission.”
Ahead of this matchup, Mir admitted he was planning to go back to his grappling roots for this training camp.
“I’m still training with Rickey Luddell,” explained the accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. “Angelo Reyes is my boxing coach and we’re doing a lot more karate type footwork and kicks now. My main training partner and one of my best friends, James Horn, is also a black belt in jiu-jitsu and is [helping me] work my ground skills. I’ve gone back to my roots. I feel like I’ve concentrated so much time on my boxing and wrestling, that I haven’t spent that much time training jiu-jitsu. Now, three nights a week I go down to Robert Drysdale’s for jiu-jitsu. On Mondays I even put the gi on at the end and try to get back into my jiu-jitsu skills being at a high level.”
While the 36-year-old hasn’t earned a submission victory since he broke Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira humerus at UFC 140 in Toronto, Mir feels if the opportunity presents itself he’ll take advantage of it.
“People thinking maybe I’m looking for the knockout. But that’s why I’m trying to keep the fight standing because that’s where the takedown will occur. From there I’ll really be able to showcase the ground skills.”
Whether he gets the win over Hunt or not on March 20, the former UFC heavyweight champion is looking ahead to the future. One of the avenues Mir has taken recently is radio, appearing on the “Phone Booth Fighting” weekly podcast with host Richard Hunter.
“Everything’s been great. My partner Richard is phenomenal, he organizes everything about it and is the glow of the show. The only thing that’s been challenging for me is I suck at interviews. I’m good at being the interviewee, but those times when we have people call in like Chael Sonnen, if there is an opportunity to jump in I will try, but I leave that to my co-host.”
Many fans and pundits will remember Mir for his commentary work with the WEC back in 2009, which to this day the father of three still gets praise for. No immediate plans have been made for Mir to return to the broadcast booth but he does mention that he’s on the UFC’s radar.
“I’d really like to get back in there. I’ve had meetings with Dana and Lorenzo being like, ‘Hey get me back in the rotation.’ With Brian Stann and Kenny Florian, the UFC give them first crack at it because they’re no longer fighting because it’s more of an incoming thing. I think once I retire then I can be on the same level of them, and I can get that opportunity and conquer it. Honestly, I love commenting, I like talking about fighting and teaching people about it. To have that opportunity, to be back out there and giving back to the sport I can’t wait till I’m able to do that more often. Once I’m no longer competing as a professional martial artist at a high level I think the next best thing would be commentating.”
Mir has no plans on retiring anytime soon but at the end of the day that decision won’t be up to him.
“Until the family tells me [I have to retire] that’s when I’ll call it quits.”
Frank Mir on Mark Hunt, future in UFC commentating
Frank Mir will be the first to tell you his main event bout against Mark Hunt this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 85 in Australia is exactly the type of matchup he can get excited for.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Mark Hunt even back in 2003 when he was in the K-1 World Grand Prix,” Mir told Sportsnet. “He’s a phenomenal kickboxer and great personality. I like how he’s very similar to how I think where he’s a warrior. He wants to fight for the sake for fighting. Getting paid is a bonus, but it’s not his primary reason for why he’s getting out of bed every morning.”
This wasn’t the case in Mir’s last matchup against Andrei Arlovski at UFC 191. He wasn’t happy about facing a former training partner. Whether that played a role in the outcome of the fight or not, the result was a lacklustre unanimous decision loss to “The Pitbull” which snapped Mir’s two-fight win streak.
Mir (18-10) has been in the UFC since 2001 with 26 of his 28 professional bouts taking place inside the Octagon. Mir almost exclusively competes in the United States but he has competed once in England, once in Canada and once in Brazil. This weekend, Mir will get to add another stamp to his passport when he competes in the Land Down Under for the first time in his career.
“Australia has always been on the bucket list,” Mir explained. “It’s a beautiful continent. It’s an area that I’ve always wanted to be a part of. The fans are phenomenal. It very much reminds me of the Canadian fans, very passionate and knowledgeable about the sport. Actually after this fight I plan on staying here a week, because I have my kids and my wife with me.”
Hunt (11-10-1) will be competing in Australia for the fifth time in his career. The New Zealand-born heavyweight is coming off an impressive first-round knockout victory over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC 193, which snapped a two-fight losing streak. Like Mir, the American Top Team product is one of the oldest members on the UFC roster at 41 years of age. Typically in MMA age is never kind to a fighter’s career but Mir is still aware of the danger Hunt possesses in his striking. One fighter Mir previously fought that has a similar style and build to Hunt was Roy Nelson. Mir ended up winning a unanimous decision over Nelson at UFC 130 back in 2011 and he sees some similarities.
“I think that obviously [Hunt] is more faceted in stand-up. He’s more balanced, where Roy just has the overhand right,” Mir said. “Mark has much more to his striking arsenal then just overhand rights. His left hook is phenomenal, his right hand, shot uppercuts, he has some great strikes. People also forget he can kick you in the head. I think he’s probably just as good as Roy as stopping the takedown and avoiding the ground. Hunt is a phenomenal stand-up guy, but at the same time he’s very good at nullifying the ground. It really brings out the chess player in me on how I can figure out a way to get him into a situation where I can put on a submission.”
Ahead of this matchup, Mir admitted he was planning to go back to his grappling roots for this training camp.
“I’m still training with Rickey Luddell,” explained the accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. “Angelo Reyes is my boxing coach and we’re doing a lot more karate type footwork and kicks now. My main training partner and one of my best friends, James Horn, is also a black belt in jiu-jitsu and is [helping me] work my ground skills. I’ve gone back to my roots. I feel like I’ve concentrated so much time on my boxing and wrestling, that I haven’t spent that much time training jiu-jitsu. Now, three nights a week I go down to Robert Drysdale’s for jiu-jitsu. On Mondays I even put the gi on at the end and try to get back into my jiu-jitsu skills being at a high level.”
While the 36-year-old hasn’t earned a submission victory since he broke Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira humerus at UFC 140 in Toronto, Mir feels if the opportunity presents itself he’ll take advantage of it.
“People thinking maybe I’m looking for the knockout. But that’s why I’m trying to keep the fight standing because that’s where the takedown will occur. From there I’ll really be able to showcase the ground skills.”
Whether he gets the win over Hunt or not on March 20, the former UFC heavyweight champion is looking ahead to the future. One of the avenues Mir has taken recently is radio, appearing on the “Phone Booth Fighting” weekly podcast with host Richard Hunter.
“Everything’s been great. My partner Richard is phenomenal, he organizes everything about it and is the glow of the show. The only thing that’s been challenging for me is I suck at interviews. I’m good at being the interviewee, but those times when we have people call in like Chael Sonnen, if there is an opportunity to jump in I will try, but I leave that to my co-host.”
Many fans and pundits will remember Mir for his commentary work with the WEC back in 2009, which to this day the father of three still gets praise for. No immediate plans have been made for Mir to return to the broadcast booth but he does mention that he’s on the UFC’s radar.
“I’d really like to get back in there. I’ve had meetings with Dana and Lorenzo being like, ‘Hey get me back in the rotation.’ With Brian Stann and Kenny Florian, the UFC give them first crack at it because they’re no longer fighting because it’s more of an incoming thing. I think once I retire then I can be on the same level of them, and I can get that opportunity and conquer it. Honestly, I love commenting, I like talking about fighting and teaching people about it. To have that opportunity, to be back out there and giving back to the sport I can’t wait till I’m able to do that more often. Once I’m no longer competing as a professional martial artist at a high level I think the next best thing would be commentating.”
Mir has no plans on retiring anytime soon but at the end of the day that decision won’t be up to him.
“Until the family tells me [I have to retire] that’s when I’ll call it quits.”
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