Just days before Alistair Overeem’s scheduled meeting with the Nevada Athletic Commission, UFC President Dana White has announced that Frank Mir will be the one challenging for the UFC heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos at UFC 146. The event takes place on May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, fills in for Overeem after Overeem tested positive for elevated testosterone levels after a press conference for UFC 146 in March. He was scheduled to meet with the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday to request a license for the fight next month. He was granted a temporary license for his fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in December. Due to the license expiring after that fight, along with passing drug tests both before and after the bout, the win over Lesnar will officially remain a victory.
However, the drug test results did immediately put his status as title challenger at UFC 146 in question. Mir was the first to volunteer as a replacement, stating “I would be excited if given the opportunity to compete for the UFC’s heavyweight title at UFC 146″. Now he is being given that opportunity.
This comes just days after White posted on Twitter that “Mir vs. Cain will happen”.
Mir enters the fight on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Mirko Cro Cop, Roy Nelson, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his last three matchups.
White did not announce the status of Mir’s now former opponent at the event, fellow former champion Cain Velasquez. He is expected to remain on the card.
Latest
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
^^I kno right!! Can’t wait to see Mir get smashed out either….;)
Werdum or Russow would make a good opponent for Velasquez. Moreso Werdum, by I’d be happy seeing either of them in there.
I called it forever ago…along with a million other people. Too bad, cuz now my Mir/Cain bet I made in Vegas is nullified! I wish I could get back to switch it too Mir over junior, cuz its going town!!
Hey Dana, How about everytime from now on when you say something on twitter and then change your mind two days later. the price on the next pay-per view drops 5 bucks?.
Oh sorry, I stopped paying for pay per view for a while now and it feels so great. What a waste….50 bucks for a fight card,What a joke. And speaking of jokes, Dana you are quickly becoming one. Too late.
where do u watch ur fights cuz the website i used got shutdown?
ima go out ona limb here and say don’t post your website because piracy is obviously illegal and I’m sure the mods/owners don’t want that.
Wow Dana changed his mind after he said Mir Cain was still going to happen. I’m floored that he went back on what he said. I’m sure Condit, Fitch and others are as equally surprised. At least frank won’t have to worry about working on his cardio. The fight will be over in the first unless he has made some major advancement in his stand up.
I think it is funny that everyone is counting Mir out…You do realize that JDS is probably no more a threat than Nog was, or Silva back in his day, or a few others that Mir has tapped, snapped or napped. I am by no means saying that he will win, because we never know, in a case such as this. You have two of the best fighters in the world, either of them can knock the other out, and Mir is known for subbing. In reality, if JDS can keep this standing, he is definitely putting the fight in his own favor, but, on the other hand, if Mir just happens to connect, it’s a game changer. If it hits the canvas, it should definitely favor Mir, but, JDS should be well versed on the ground. We will not know until tonight. Personally, I would like to see Mir with the strap one more time. Then there’s the side of me that like JDS, and likes the work he has put in, during his short, but great UFC career. Reguardless of who connects first, or who grabs something first, let’s just hope for an amazing fight, that will hopefully outlast the previous title fight. Great card tonight, wish all the fans well, please don’t drink and drive.
NO! The last thing we need is yet another undeserved title shot for the heavyweight divisions perennial gatekeeper!
undeserved? he is on a 3 fight streak and not alot of HWs are. Against solid although not necessarily top 5 guys but still solid fighters. Name another fighter besides Hunt that should step in.
First of all @fightguy. How can you say that Mir is undeserving of this title shot? He totally deserves it. Winning his last three fights against top contenders!! For sure he deserves it.
Second, I can’t understand why people are counting Mir out. Is his stand up as good as Junior’s? No. However, its FRANK FREAKIN MIR!!!! He has been champion. He has beat a list of who’s who. Frank Mir is one of the best heavyweights to ever grace this amazing sport of combat.
Personally, I would have liked to see Mir vs. Werdum, which I think would be a much more interesting fight than Mir vs. Dos Santos. I have no interest in seeing Mir lose yet another shot at the title… or win, for that matter. Yes, Mir is on a 3-fight winning streak… against 3 guys who are so battle-worn that I’m surprised they still know how to tie their shoes… but we’ve all seen what a heavy-handed, physically dominant opponent can do to his face (Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin) and I don’t see why this will be any different. If this is the same cocky summamabitch who typically does not respect his opponents strengths and thinks he’s the best thing for MMA since the protective cup, he’s gonna try to prove a point of showing his “evolved” stand-up game against a man who has literally punched his way to the top of the division. A smart Frank Mir would grab any dangling limb and hold on until he hears a snap, crackle or pop… Let’s see which one shows up to the fight.
And am I the only one who wants to see Cain get another shot at the belt? I’m sure this time around he’ll remember to duck when Dos Santos swings, instead of blocking punches with his head.
Werdum vs Velasquez as the new No. 1 contenders bout.
Well, as long as Jr. doesn’t decide to follow Big Nog’s strategy of “I’m killing him him in the stand-up, so I’ll take it to the ground…” this should be a good fight. Personally, I would have like to see Cain/Mir, anad moved Werdum to replace Overeem.
As stated: Dana is the biggest flip flopper of all times! He’s such a lush sometimes….seriously.
MARK MY WORDS NEW MOUTH BUBBLING MMA FANS: Mir will be the new champ!
I mean this in all seriousness… the only way Mir wins is if JDS drops him with a push that doesn’t cause too much damage and then follows him down to the mat. Frank’s stand-up had improved so much over the past few years, but he just isn’t in Junior’s class when it comes to boxing, footwork, or especially speed. Mir is not quick enough to get a standard takedown (and Dos Santos’ takedown defense is too good) so I don’t know if he will end up on top if it goes to the ground. I guess Mir could try and push the action agains the cage, where Junior’s speed is negated, but even in close quarters JDS has the advantage IMO.
I think Mir is the logical choice to be the replacement, but I just don’t think he’s got the cards to win this hand. Then again, who knows if he would have fared any better against Cain’s wrestling, so at least this way he gets a crack at the title.
@kevsmith Exactly.
Carwin couldn’t get jds to the ground and his take downs are better than Mir’s. Frank gets this fight by default since only mark hunt has the same win streak. I think a stand up battle with hunt would be entertaining and hunt is one of the few HW (not juicing) that could do that.
Junior is a one trick pony. He’s never been given his standard ufc ground test (with Cain failing even an attempt), and so Mir will be it. I love how a fighter.gets a quick ko and we pretend that if he even pets someone they will knock out. You can’t say junior won’t end up being great, but he hasn’t been tested yet, and I think Mir is the guy to do that. Mir is on his game and this is exactly what I’d call a trap fight for junior.
Mir unconscious in 1st round
Yes, I agree with Mikemac … Mir will knock dos Santos out unconscious in the 1st round
I don’t think that’s what he meant, Mir will be unconscious in the first.
I appreciate you guys who are Frank Mir fans standing by your man, but frank KOn jds!? C’mon man. I’ll admit Mir has a good chance if Junior jumps down into his guard, a la fedor vs werdum. Beyond that scenario Mir is in for a short night.
@ devin: im sorry but no can’t agree with you on him not bein ground tested, Cigano got tested when he fought Carwin. not even Shane could take him down and he most definitley has the credentials with him being a bjj purple belt & former NCAA div.II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion in 99. JDS has some of the best takedown defense in the game thats why most of his fights end in ko cuz if you can’t get him down you might as well go pick up your jaw in the lost and found. and altho i feel you that we jump all over a fighter when they get a quick ko, but, JDS damn near ko’s everybody! one thing i do totally agree with you on is that Mir is very hungry, & very determined, so, yes this is most def a trap fight if JDS is not on his p’s & q’s.
I’m a huge Frank Mir fan and I’m excited about this fight cause Mir’s stand up is way more better than what it used to be and hes stronger he could present JDS with some challenges especially if the fight happens to go to the ground cause thats where he is at his best…I thinks it going to be good fight..I’m interested now to see who Cain is going to fight
Mir by submission round 2. All junior droolers look to internet to find out what they should think next. Mir is declared best fighter in history of fighters, man, world, and universe. Then Mir loses next fight.
Heard Cain is fighting big foot, but werdum would make most sense imo…if werdum is ready and willing to take 35 day notice.
Nelson just said on his Facebook page that he accepted a #1 contender fight against Cain. I can understand him being a passable late replacement, but he’s certainly not anywhere near deserving a shot any time soon.
Proof positive that you take anything Dana White says with a grain of salt…I like Mir, but I believe Dos Santos makes short work of him.
As far as Nelson—heh, same for him in regards to Cain…
Come on guys Mir is chinny, and he will be belly up in the first 2 min, gotta swallow your pride guys, he will stuff mirs shot like nothing!