Frank Mir: I need a third championship belt
Posted on May 24, 2012, 12:20 AM by Mike SearsonHeavyweight contender, Frank Mir (17-5) was on hand for today's UFC 146 Open Workout. Although he took his time warming up, he went through a rigorous sparring session, followed by grappling with Ricky Lundell. The ever affable Mir stated in an interview with Karyn Bryant of MMA Heat: "I've got three small kids at home and two championship belts, so I need a third one now."
When asked about facing Champion Junior Dos Santos: "All he can do is still stay above water, he defends the belt and he's still the champthere's no new accolades. He has everything to lose now and nothing to gain."
On training, Mir had this to say: "I don't spar as much as I used to, I started looking like a boxer who takes the first round and kind of warms up into it. I've given up the slow starter mentality, which is bad for our sport. I have Dan Hardy in my camp and we run a lot. We spar twice a week but we're more intense and focussed."
On being an underdog going into this bout against Junior Dos Santos, Mir said: "I was told I was a heavy underdog with no chance of winning. People bet more on emotions and intuition in our sport. They don't break down that I've fought strikers in the past and I've beaten all of them. People focus on the last fight."
That may be the case and despite being one of the more analytical fighters in the UFC, Mir seems to have forgotten at least one striker whom he did not defeat: Shane Carwin at UFC 111. Carwin, too, faced Dos Santos at UFC 131, which Carwin lost by decision. Mir's confidence and skills have never been called into question, the only question now is: Will he come home with that third championship belt?
Comments
"I've fought strikers in the past and I've beaten all of them".
Haha! Check your record.
He doesn't spar as much as he used to... probably not a good idea when you're facing a striker like Dos Santos.
"I have Dan Hardy in my camp and we run a lot. We spar twice a week but we're more intense and focussed."
Sick sparring partner. He has had a good run lately.
Dan Hardy is a good technical striker though. Considering that JDS' biggest advantages in the standup are his sheer speed and technique, I think sparring a skilled WELTERWEIGHT is probably good practice. If Mir gets to the point where he can reliably defend against Dan Hardy in sparring, there'll be very few heavyweights that can touch him.
"I've fought strikers in the past and I've beaten all of them."
What about Carwin?
Definitelly not a striker, Carwin is a wrestler.
how can you say "definitelly not a striker"? Fine, he has a wrestling backround, but what is he known for? Yep he is known for knocking people out left and right.
Why is it that someone with a wrestling background as their core fighting experience suddenly becomes a "striker" when they learn to punch hard? I've always thought the term "power-punching wrestler" was much more applicable for people like Dan Henderson, Josh Koscheck, and Shane Carwin. The ability to knock someone out with a punch does not a striker make.
Carwin is a Wrestler in Mir's mind. : )
It's funny that you find that funny, let us know what is Carwin in your mind?
That's probably because Carwin is a wrestler in reality as well. Tell me, how interested was Carwin in participating in striking exchanges with Mir before pressing him up against the cage and looking for the takedown/dirty boxing?
I don't understand that too. Ok, he was very ****y when he was young, but for the past years he has always been respectfull, well spoken and he always gives a good analysis of the fight or opponent...on the other hand Rampage has always been a prick and fans loved him...well, lately it seems that people have realized that he is a spoiled child in a man's body.
Frank is also big on playing mind games. Him saying that he doesnt spar that much when he's up against the best boxer in the division could very well be a ploy to lull Jr into a false sense of confidence.