The current relevance of Frank Mir in the UFC
In any sport, injuries can derail plans of the athletes, the franchise, or even the organization itself.
In the case of the UFC, injuries can dictate possible match-ups and storylines. UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Joe Silva mull over these things because they want to give the most relevant fights without sacrificing profitability.
The Antonio Rodriguo Nogueira-FrankMir rematch was a set plan. Even though Big Nog lost the first fight by a convincing knockout, the rematch was considered valid by many because of the fact that the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter was not 100 per cent in that fight. Leading to that match, Nogueira had suffered from staph infection and was not able to recuperate from the condition.
Mir did an outstanding job of out-striking the boxing-trained Nogueira that night at UFC 92. The knockout loss of Nogueira was unprecedented. It was a stain on the Brazilian’s reputation of toughness and ability to take punishment. Not taking away from Mir’s win, Big Nog could’ve given a more competitive fight if he was at full force that night.
Positioning: Frank Mir’s career development
Mir had a rollercoaster career since the Nogueira fight. The win earned him the right to challenge the powerhouse, Brock Lesnar, for the UFC heavyweight championship. Mir lost that fight with the realization that he needed more bulk and strength in order to beat the behemoths of the division, after Lesnar roundly dominated him.
The former champ devoted himself to improve his strength and size and it was pretty obvious in his next fight against Cheick Kongo. Frank looked like a new beast. Bigger and stronger, he hit Kongo flush, knocking the Frenchman down and ended the fight with a guillotine choke. He looked strong and impressive once again, perhaps good enough for another title shot but not without one final test.
As a part of UFC’s tradition of sifting contenders, Mir would have to face an opponent considered as the closest clone of Lesnar, the one-punch wonder named Shane Carwin. The presupposition was clear: for Mir to get another title shot, he needed to prove that he can compete against massive fighters. Carwin, apart from Lesnar, was the perfect barometer. Unfortunately for Mir, he fell victim to Carwin's strength and powerful knockout punch.
These developments in Mir’s career put him farther away from getting a championship. Like many ex-champions, he is put in a position where he can become a gatekeeper or a fighter that will be subject to interesting matches such as, catchweights and battle-of-legends type of stuff. The rematch between him and Nogueira would have had little significance in terms of ranking. It is more about settling the score, a providing fans with a match with plenty of intrigue.
Sadly, Nogueira pulled out due to another injury. The Brazilian already confirmed that he will undergo hip and knee surgery. Therefore a quick replacement was later announced. The kickboxing legend, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, will be Mir’s next opponent in place of Nogueira.
Many are saddened by the failed rematch, especially the Nogueira fans who want nothing more than see their idol redeem his loss against Mir. But on the other hand, the Mir-Cro Cop fight is more of a pleasant development. Thinking aloud, the two fighters actually need each other and it is an interesting match-up of a striker versus a grappler. For the both of them, a win could mean a step, albeit small, towards a title shot. After all, for Mir, a win over a fighting legend like Cro Cop is another feather in his cap.
Whether on a winning streak or on the losing end, Mir has always been great when it comes to selling fights. He is not your typical trash-talker. His intelligence and cockiness is a great mix and often provide fans insights to his upcoming matches. Mir may never get to the top of the heavyweight division again but there are still many fighters for him to breakdown.
For right now though, a win over Cro Cop, a fading legend who will be a sizeable underdog against Mir come fight time, won't do much for Mir's chances of earning a title shot. On the other hand a loss would greatly hurt Mir's standing and ranking in the division. How he performs in the next several fights will determine whether he can remain a relevant top heavyweight, or simply become a big-name fighter who'll never earn the heavyweight gold.
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