Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir is currently out of the octagon, serving a suspension for a failed drug test after a fight with Mark Hunt in 2016. When Mir does return though, he has a rubber match in mind... with another opponent on suspension due to drug testing issues.
“Oh absolutely (on fighting Brock Lesnar again),” Mir said to Submission Radio. “But I mean at this point, I just want to go out there and still compete and perform. So fighting Brock, obviously that would be a good money payday cause of his name recognition and the amount of people that would watch and the story behind it. So it makes a lot more sense than some other fights. But at this point, I just want to get back in there and compete.”
Mir has been doing color commentary and other things while serving his suspension, but his need to fight again has been building.
“No. Actually, if anything it just makes you want to compete more,” Mir said. “Especially cause like taking the last ten months off, my body – I think hard training and we really don’t understand how to do it yet in MMA, I don’t think. I think that’s why you see so many guys hurt and taken off of cards, because we train at a different intensity than we would at just normal training to learn or to be in shape, and I think it causes a lot injuries. So when you train for fights, I think it’s accumulative damage. So now, you know, I’m still 37, I’m able to work out and just kind of look and still being so exposed to martial arts. I sit there now cageside, watching fights, calling them, doing analytical work, breaking them down. Richard (Hunter) and I are watching fights and breaking them down on the Phonebooth Fighting podcast, I get to see things. I’m like, wow, why did I do it this way if this is the easier way to do it? And I’ve obviously probably become more of my own head coach of recently, from like, well you know what, you need coaches to help you out, but really, like I don’t need to really re-invent the wheel, I kind of know what I’m doing. And having guys on the side as advisors is a great thing, but me trying to be humble and just empty my cup, I think I’m past that now. And so there’s things that I want to try. So now I’ve been in the gym, just training just to be healthy and move around. And it’s like, oh if I’m able to move and my brain and body can follow what my brain knows what to do, I’m pretty dangerous. It’s just that connection. And obviously in a few years that’s going to just take it’s course to where we’re seeing now where athletes can still perform as fighters in their early 40’s. Mark Hunt’s doing really well in his early 40’s. For all practical purposes I think Dan Henderson should probably be the middleweight champion right now. And so, but eventually, I mean let’s be realistic, saying you’re 50 and fighting at a high level probably is still kind of a stretch for human physiology.”
Mir will next be heard as a part of the broadcast team for Absolute Championship Berkut 53, which will be taking place on Saturday, February 18.
