The UFC Officially Announces Lesnar vs. Mir 2 for UFC 98
UFC Fight Night 18
PRESS RELEASE; Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Long considered the most prestigious title in mixed martial arts, the UFC Heavyweight Championship currently rests in the hands of two men – Champion Brock Lesnar and interim belt holder Frank Mir. On Saturday, May 23rd, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lesnar and Mir will meet to not only determine an Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion, but to settle some very personal business they began in this same city over a year ago.
“Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir put on one of the most intense one round fights I’ve ever seen at UFC 81,” said UFC President Dana White, referring to Mir’s submission victory over Lesnar in February of 2008. “But when it was over, both guys saw things very differently. Lesnar blamed his loss on inexperience and being too aggressive, while Mir saw his win as a triumph of his technique, something he says will happen every time they fight. On May 23rd, each fighter has his chance to prove his point, and while a lot has happened for these two since that first fight, I know the rematch is going to be just as intense as the first one, especially considering that the winner walks away as the UFC Heavyweight Champion.”
Tickets for UFC 98: LESNAR VS. MIR 2 priced at $800, $600, $400, $250, $125 and $75, not including applicable service charges, go on sale Saturday, March 7 at 10 a.m. at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ufc.com, www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, March 5 at 10 a.m. PT via the website ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, March 6 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com.
UFC 98: LESNAR vs. MIR 2 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
A gifted athlete with the size, speed, and power to impose his will on any opponent, 6-3 ½, 265 pound Brock Lesnar (3-1) made an immediate impact in the UFC when he debuted in February of 2008. A four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion, and 2000 NCAA Division I National Champion in wrestling, Lesnar made a name for himself internationally after college as a professional wrestler, but he soon found his calling in mixed martial arts in 2006. After a 69 second win in his pro debut a year later, Lesnar entered the UFC in 2008 and was seconds away from victory against former heavyweight champ before a stoppage in the action for a point deduction allowed Mir to come back and submit the newcomer moments afterwards. But at UFC 87 in August of 2008, Lesnar showed why he was a force to be reckoned with by dominating Heath Herring, and by November 15, the ever improving Minnesotan shocked the world when he TKOd one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Randy “The Natural” Couture. Now firmly entrenched on the top of the heavyweight division, Lesnar wants to even the score with Mir.
“I’m delighted to have a rematch against Frank Mir,” said Lesnar. “I can’t wait to get my revenge and finish this fight on the ground the way it should have been finished last time.”
Many believe that 29-year old Las Vegan Frank Mir (12-3) was destined for stardom the moment he stepped in the UFC Octagon, and he lived up to all expectations when he submitted Tim Sylvia in 50 seconds in 2004 to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately, Mir’s career ground to a halt when a serious motorcycle accident later that year forced him to the sidelines for almost two years. His eagerness to return forced him into some spotty performances when he stepped back into the Octagon in 2006, but at UFC 74 in August of 2007, Mir was back in top notch form as he submitted Antoni Hardonk in just 77 seconds. He followed that pivotal win with a come-from-behind victory over Brock Lesnar at UFC 81 in February of 2008, but it wasn’t until UFC 92 on December 27, 2008 that Mir came all the way back, as he became the first man to stop the legendary Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira at UFC 92, en route to regaining the interim portion of the championship he never lost in the Octagon. On May 23rd, the 6-3, 240 pound Mir has the opportunity to once again reign as the undisputed title holder.
“Brock Lesnar has been calling for a rematch with me ever since I beat him the first time,” said Mir. “All I can say to Brock is be careful what you wish for because I’m a better, smarter, stronger, and faster fighter than I was the last time. He won’t be able to push me around like he’s done smaller opponents, and I’m looking forward to becoming undisputed champion again.”
For more information on the rumored card for this event, please visit the UFC 98 Rumors Page in our Rumors section.
Tags: Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir
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“He won’t be able to push me around like he’s done smaller opponents, and I’m looking forward to becoming undisputed champion again.”
mir you are still the smaller opponent… and he didnt push anyone around before, he just hits them and they fly away like when a kid lets go of a balloon…. mir’s only chance is if he goes for the sub…
lesnar is gonna train wreck him
Lesnar has the size and strength advantage. And with the far superior wrestling Mir won’t be able to take him down. So this fight will take place where Lesnar wants it to. I think Lesnar’s strategy should be to use the entire first round to clinch with Mir and push him up against the fence. Make Mir carry his weight. Throw in some punches and elbows to keep it active. Mir’s gas tank is suspect and I bet after 5 minutes of this he’ll come into round 2 tired. Do the same thing in round 2, maybe disengage to throw some haymakers and then re-clinch. Eventually Mir will wear out and Brock can go in for the kill. The last thing Lesnar should do is take this fight to the ground. In the standing position all Mir has is a standing guillotine to try… I don’t see it happening. And I don’t see Mir preventing Lesnar from going in to initiate the clinch either.
If Lesnar takes this to the ground too early Mir has a good shot at pulling out a submission win.
Yeah, because Mir could never knock anyone out on his feet. He’s so one dimensional that he could never out-strike and ultimately stop Nogueira there.
Please… lets not get in to that. Mir only looked good because Nog looked horrible.
Mir looks good striking in 1 fight
Look at Mir’s striking against Vera, Sylvia, Dan Christiansen, Marcio Cruz, Brock Lesnar! (remember he got dropped by a straight left from a wrestler)
I know Mir has been “working on his boxing”. But you do not go from sub-par or even below average to knock out artist in 1 year.
brock just has to be patient and he will win. mir is talented on the ground but thats his only advantage. brock by tko in the 3rd.
Mazzagati took away a point AND stood them up WAYY to early in their first fight in my opinion. Lesnar was unintentionally kind of landing shots on the back of the head, but nothing we don’t see mostly EVERY time someone is getting pounded. Not taking anything away from MIR, just saying the fight could have been easily stopped, and this time Brock will make sure to finish MIR is he gets him in that position. I’m rooting for Brock cuz that dude is the poster boy for HW champ, plus he always comes out ready to kill someone.
yeah I kept looking at other fights and those shots to he “back of the head” seem to happen quite often and just recently in the latest UFC fight night live….
maybe brocks ham hocks are cause for more consideration – I’d like to see the Couture fight again to see if Randy got popped often in the back head area
mirs improved stand up could make this fight more interesting although it seems like everytime lesnar hits some one they just drop(to be expected) but if he can strike like he did with nog, it could be a descent fight. Lesnar needs to keep this on the feet and in the clinch to gas mir out, and frank should look to frustrate brock on the feet and make him go for a take down early and look for a sub before sweat and fatigue sets in.
What happened to all the Brock haters?
Brock has shown improvement in his few fights. Mir cought a novice Lesnar in their first fight, I think he will find a more game opponent this go round.
Brock seems intelligent and disciplined and is willing to learn. He usues his size to his advantage but he is still new to the sport. If he continues to learn, he will be difficult to unseat from HWC.
I fear the hurting he will put on his first submission victim. He will wreck someone.
Lesnar will start throwing windmill punches, then Mir will come off the top turnbuckle Macho Man style ooOOOOHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEUUUUHHHHHH.
Ya what happen to all the Brock haters? Its funny how everyone changes their opinion about a fighter once he starts to win fights. I hate that some people are so quick to talk trash and then decide they like the fighter just because he is winning.
I belive that Brock has lots of learning to do still and if Mir can weather the storm and come into the fight well conditioned his experience will prevail victorious again. Take Randy for example the guy actually looked good in the fight with Brock, It was like a pinto bean pushing around a Potato for the first couple of rounds untill he got hit. That is proof that experience and skill could be the key to victory against Brock.
Did you ever consider that the “haters” more hated that he came in at half a million a fight while entirely unproven? He wasn’t tested, he wasn’t a known quantity. Now he’s kinda proven he can get it done so people’s opinions have changed. It isn’t just because he is winning, it’s because he is showing improvement every time he steps in there.
It’s a sad person who bashes someone for changing their mind as more information comes available.
I just kept an open mind about the guy. Im by no means a fan yet, but if he shows submission skills, takes a few tough shots, and doesnt act like a moron in interviews, I might take a liking to him. He definitly has to prove to me time and time again that the WWE is his PAST. I gave the UFC the benefit of the doubt that they were buying a FIGHTER and not a WWF sideshow gimmick.
I (and you I think, and others) have complained about how weak the HW division was…. Maybe it will cost some money to get some tallent in that division because guys that big have more occupational options than the smaller fighters. Just throwing that out there, its not based on fact or anything…
He did get a little WWE on us after the first fight. I dont remember the specifics but I remember thinking “Yup, this dude is WWE”. Since then though, he has been a little more humble and as little less of a tool.
Anyway…Im still on the fence. His best bet to win me as a fan will be two fold. Demonstrate MMA skills (win or lose), and be humble.
When people change their opinion when their opinion is proven wrong… that’s called being smart. When people don’t change their opinion when it is proven wrong (IE a fighter they said sucks keeps winning fights and getting better) that’s called being stubborn.
i can honestly say when i first hear about brock coming into mma i just laughed but man he has proven me wron g definitly, theres no one that i can think of that i would say can beat lesnar with no problems or without it being close….i like mir and think he did great against nog but his best performance cam to late……I believe brock will keep this one on the feet this time and tko mir eventually….brock is going to swarm him in this fight i feel and i cant see brock getting kneebared again
mir to submit him in the first round.
This card is looking great and I’m rather happy because I’am very close to setting my schedule to be in Vegas for this event hmmm hmmmmm I mean business meetings, sooo ofcourse as I usually state when I’m going to an event I just want to see a night of good fights, which is true but the HW championship fight should be a good one… I think Mir recovered his “stature” with the fans when he beat Nog and was very humble in doing so (after a bad season on TUF where a lot of fans thought of him a cocky and arrogant) and Lesnar is just well begining his possible (MMA) superstardom.. Its going to excellent. I’m attempting to get more than 8 tickets more like 10 but hey if I can only have 8 soo be it I cant wait
I agree about the brock haters where the heck are they? brock should have won the first fight, lesser name fighters have had fights stopped for less punches to the head, guess since mir was a former champ the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt. Brock got caught in the kneebar and smartly tapped before mir tore his knee and put him out for at least a year. hopefully mir doesnt start running his mouth before the fight (I doubt it though). mir said he was gonna snap nog’s arm and put it on his mantle next to timmy’s arm… didnt happen. I really would like brock to toy with mir and drag the fight out to the 3rd or 4th round and then GnP the crap out of mir.
Brock was very patient in the randy fight and he needs to be the same way in this fight, as long as he does that he should be able to control this fight. hopefully he keeps it a standup fight and pick apart mir. mir’s standup looked good against a declining nog, no offense to nog or his fans he has been through a lot of wars and they seem to have caught up to him. he never has looked that crappy in a fight before. I stand by my prediction of brock by tko in the 3rd.
I Don’t think it’ll take even 4 minutes for Brock to find himself, patient or not, in a position to end the fight.
Look no matter what Frank Mir says about his commitment to the sport, or his improved cardio, or his new found hunger, the fact of the matter is this. Frank trains at a gym where he is the best guy there. Frank is able to tell his trainers when he is tired and does not need to be pushed any further. Frank also jogs on a treadmill for conditioning, with an occasional outdoors run, and when Frank feels that the training is becoming monotonous and it is cramping his desire to work hard, he goes home, kisses his wife, plays with his kids and enjoys life. I’m not trying to say he is a bad guy, those are great desires. But Frank cannot make it to the second round of a fight with someone who can push him like Lesnar. Of his own admittance he doesn’t train to see round 2. If frank cannot finish you in 5 minutes he is usually spent. Brock is the polar opposite. He lives in a cabin in the woods by choice. He is all the heart of Rocky with the size and speed of Drago (Not Pete Sell). I want to make it very clear that I think Brock is a 1 trick pony. Don’t like him. And I think he is under developed. But he is so freakishly big, and his wrestling is so great, and he’s so fast and athletic that he will retain that belt for a long, long time.
Rant over.
So wait a minute… Brock can strike.. and he can wrestle.. isn’t that two tricks?
I’ll agree, he needs some BJJ thrown in there, but so far he’s got 2 of the 3 legs necessary to make him a true force.
I like what you said muaythai4life and I agree. brock is a 1 trick pony… so far. he hasnt neede to develop other skills i.e. bjj, ground game from the bottom. because his combonation of size speed and strength are so dominating. he is the best hw in the ufc by far and will prove it against the cocky mir. if brock can develop some sort of bjj like i said before, learn how to get a traingle, arm-bar, and a knee bar he will be unbeatable. even agianst fedor. fedor likely wont come to the ufc anytime soon, and if and when he does he will be on the downhill of his career and brock will be in the prime of his. brock hasnt even begun to reach his potential. thats what scary, there are some dangerous hw; gonzaga, kongo, vera but brock should be able to handle those. the guy isnt overly cocky like mir is, i despise that, and he trains his ass off. for being such a big guy I have yet to see brock look gassed. mir looks like that after 3 or 4 minutes.
I cannot WAIT for this card. Just throwing that out there…
…and as for Brock being a one-trick-pony…an somebody name that one trick please?? Is it those “bowling-ball-hands” that literaly can’t be blocked?…is it how he uses his size to his advatage?…is it his superior wrestling skill?…is it his FREAKISH strength?…is it his ability to make a champion/hall of famer look completely out-classed in front of millions of people?…it is that awesome sword tatoo?…this guy doesn’t even have a TV. All he does is wake up, train, make a few Marc Mero jokes and goes to bed. He’s spent how many years now on his BJJ?? 2? I say 2 years of Brock Lesnar training BJJ is like a normal human being speing twice as much. I love Brock Lesnar. And Sable got old looking.
I have not seen any evidence that Brock is super human in learning any part of the sport. I agree though that wrestlers in general should be able to transition from wrestling to BJJ better than a boxer or Muay Thai fighter because of the ground game experience. But wrestlers tend to have a very hard time giving up dominant position to go for a submission win. If/when brock secures side control on any opponent, I don’t see him ever going to transition from there to an armbar, he will simply choose to rain down hammer fists. Which is fine, I think he’ll train for submission defense more so that any type of offense. RnC will be his submission of choice in the coming years I think. But there is no other evidence that he is going to be some elite learner of any part of the fight game. I think everyone in the UFC has proven to be excellent learners and athletes, minus those 1 time visitors to the octagon who fill the undercard events for Fight Night cards.
where are the brock haters?
i still hate brock. he did improve from losing to Mir, to decision over Herring, to TKO of Randy…still doesnt make him any less of a douche. Tank Abbot could knock people out and talk sht too. we’ll see if brock can be better than a gigantic in-shape tank abbot (that is less funny in the sht talking dept.)
Lesnar is very big n strong.
I think he has a chance. but then, Mir is pretty strong too.
I see it as a great fight!!!
I dont know why ppl call Mir a bigshot?
I agree that Lesnar would give Fedor a run for his rubels!!!
my dream- Lesnar vs Kimbo
I hope that Lesnar v. Kimbo comment was a joke.