Frank Mir is a bad, bad man and if you disagree with that claim, then you may need to re-think your status as an MMA fan. The guy has made a phenomenal impact on the Heavyweight division over the course of his time in the sport and more specifically the UFC, with many praising him for his influence in the company in years gone by.
However, as with any fighter winding down their career, he's come under some scrutiny in recent times due to his poor performances inside the Octagon. Mir has six losses in his last eight fights and at the age of 37, it could soon be time for the legend to consider hanging up his gloves once and for all.
Or maybe, perhaps, a trip to Bellator is on the horizon.
But putting that to one side for a moment, let's talk about Brock Lesnar. The current WWE Superstar had some absolute wars with Frank Mir over the years, with their rivalry being one of the highlights of the Heavyweight division.
Over time they've gone down different paths, and it's a shame that the only thing people tend to remember is Lesnar's trash talk following his victory. With that being said, let's take a look at five things you didn't know about Lesnar's bitter UFC rival Frank Mir.
#1 Motorcycle injury
As with many UFC fighters over the years, Frank Mir has experienced his fair share of disappointing moments. One such moment came during his tenure as UFC Heavyweight Champion when he was involved in a motorcycle accident that led to him being stripped of the Championship. That's a double whammy if we've ever seen one.
Mir was knocked off of his motorcycle by a car which led to two breaks in his femur, and he also tore all of the ligaments in his knee. Bizarrely enough he actually went on to say that he was grateful for the injury, but we can't say that we'd echo the same statements if we were put in the same situation. If you didn't think Frank was a tough dude before, you should now.
Onto an alternative career path that the former champ has briefly explored.
#2 Commentator
Yup - good old Frank Mir was actually a commentator at one stage of his career. Despite being most well known for bashing heads on a regular basis, it was at the commentary booth that Mir gained a lot of plaudits for his consistently good work with World Extreme Cagefighting. It just goes to show you that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
Mir was present in the role until WEC 47, at which point he was replaced by Stephan Bonnar. Mir claimed that he'd like to follow up on doing some commentary after retiring from fighting, and with rumours continually circulating about the future of Joe Rogan, he may well get his opportunity in the not-so-distant future.
Now to a record that not too many people will know that he holds.
#3 UFC record
You may not believe it, but Frank Mir actually holds quite a few records in Ultimate Fighting Championship. Many of them are submission-based unsurprisingly, but there's one in particular that sets him apart from almost everyone else that has competed in the company. We say almost because he shares it with two of the most well-known fighters in history.
The record in question is having the most bouts ever, with 27 fights to his name inside the Octagon. He shares that prestigious record with none other than Michael Bisping and Tito Ortiz and given the fact that he's still active, it's possible that he'll extend that record alongside the Middleweight Champion. Either way, it'll be nice to overtake good old Tito.
Did someone say black belt?
#4 Jiu-jitsu specialist
That's right - Frank Mir is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. That sound you're hearing is every keyboard warrior who's ever doubted him frantically deleting any offensive tweets they may have sent to the former Champion. His skill and technical ability go way beyond just being able to knock guys out, which is the painful stereotype associated with most heavyweights.
Mir is in a league of his own when it comes to dedication to his craft, and his phenomenal training under Ricardo Pires is a huge sign of that. If he can amalgamate all of his experience and everything he's learned over the years, there's a very likely possibility that he could go on one last strong run in the UFC.
It's not a guarantee, but you should never say never in the fight game. We conclude with a fact that Frank may not want to be repeated.
Poor start to career
Mir has always been a dangerous fighter during his tenure with the UFC, but what about before that? What are his credentials stemming back all the way to his days as a youngster in high school? Well, we're here to tell you that the Las Vegas born Mir had a few troubles whilst getting started in the world of wrestling. If you don't believe us, then you may want to believe his former coach.
It turns out that Frank joined the Bonanza High School wrestling team in his junior year, and it's fair to say that he would've received nothing more than a participation award for his performances during the first few months. Mir lost his first nine matches at the school before finding his rhythm, which is odd when you look at what an outstanding career he's had since then.
