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[Cat--Smasher]

Mir: ‘He’s one of the most dangerous strikers I’ve ever fought’

Were you surprised to be chosen as the next contender at Junior’s title replacing Overeem?



To be hones, I wasn’t surprised at all. Obviously I heard Dana’s version and in my mind I don’t think they’d put another person instead of me to fight Junior dos Santos. However, I thought that, maybe, Cigano wanted to wait until the trial to understand if Overeem would be able to fight and, putting it all together, I thought there would be a great chance I wouldn’t fight for the title, but it never happened and here I am.



Were were getting prepared to fight Cain Velasquez and now will have at chance at the title. How does it change your prep and game plan?



It does change things a little, but not everything. I don’t think I have to worry about Cain’s punches, because like he knows Boxing I know takedowns and I can submitt opponents on the floor. Junior dos Santos is always submitting people on their feet and he’s a better boxer, but that’s all he brings to this scenario. He may be good at Jiu-Jitsu, he can be a great wrestler, but his strongest point is Boxing, so his game plan is not to be on his punching zone so he won’t find me. To me Velasquez was more deceiving because he might try to knock you down like he did with Nogueira or he would be able to take you down and submit you like a striker, like he’s done with other fighters before.



Do you think Junior dos Santos will try to revenge Nogueira’s defeat when fighting you?



I guess he’s only fighting me because I’m trying to take that belt off him. I guess it means much more than trying to revenge Nogueira’s loss to me. I know it would be nice for him if he could win this fight and come back having revenged his friend’s loss, but in the end of the say he will be more focused on fighting me for his own reasons, afterall, he wants to remain as the champion.



Do you believe it’s the toughest fight in your career?



It’s hard to say because I only started studying Dos Santos a week ago. But I guess so. It’s our first fight and I guess he’s one of the most dangerous strikers I’ve ever fought.



You are a black belt gradutated by Sergio Penha. How did you guys meet?



He’s a great friend of mine and was the first guy to ever teach me Jiu-Jitsu. I looked for his gym to try to learn the sport and he was living in Las Vegas for a while.



After becoming UFC champion you had to take a break due to a bike accident. Even though you turned it around and started fighting again. Do you remember that time?



I remember trying to come back and overcome the injury and all a fighter does is trying to deal with everyday’s obstacles. I remember how I got my leg broken, it was a pretty ugly accident, and I could only think about my healing process. Hard moments. There were many fights on which I couldn’t really punch the guys and I end up losing – if I was healthy I could have a better performance. Most times I felt like if I had been hit in the face, but I had the support and the guts to keep on going. Now I’m going for my second title shot even after I had my leg broken.



Have you considered stop fighting for good?



Yeah. When I returned to the octagon, the first fights I felt very stressed out, especially because my family was going there and watching me trying to get back in my feet – and it seems I was able to keep on going because I was healed from the injuries. To me it’s very important the father-husband role and it comes first. So, since I was dedicating my life to fighting and I didn’t have so much time to perform m other roles I really focused on fighting. And I would’ve stopped if it wasn’t my wife and my family backing me up.



Many fans say you seem arrogant, mainly Brazilians. What do you think about that?



I guess they say it because I’m so self-confident. Sometimes I think people rather see a fighter saying ‘oh Jesus, I’m so glad, I can’t believe I won, I’ve never been that good, I’m not that good’. I never had that kinda thought, especially because I was always so focused in getting into the octagon and compete. I fought many guys who think like that and due to my self-confidence I get to their nerves. But those who are arrogant can’t understand themselves, they think their qualities are bigger than they really are. I, on the other hand, am only confident about what I know I can really do.

Mir: ‘He’s one of the most dangerous strikers I’ve ever fought’ :: TATAME

[lwbrewer]

I've looked at most of Mir's talk as a realisic view. When you do something that your good at you don't acknowedge it as a big deal, when some else see's it as a major deal. I feel he treats his fight talk the ways he anounces fights. This should be one of Mirs toughest technical fights. Hopefully he doesn't try to stand with JDS, as I hate a fighter who has a strong base to leave it to show they can do a different technic such as striking. Mir's TD to me will fall short and leave the fight in JDS's area and end up a bad night for him. JDS is a excellent role model as champ so far, and even my like of Mir have no problem acepting a loss to him. I'll just injoy the fight.

[Sniggles]

And the new Heavyweight Champion of the World..... Frank Mir!!!

[0mega1]

Originally Posted by Sniggles

And the new Heavyweight Champion of the World..... Frank Mir!!!

"Your crazy, man. I like you, but you're crazy."

How you calling it? Submission victory? What round and what submission? TKO victory? Or, decision victory?

I got JDS KO rd 1.

[Sniggles]

Originally Posted by 0mega1

I got JDS KO rd 1.

So does everyone else who thinks this is the JDS era via the hype machine.

I am not a Diviner of the Gods. Mir has the experience, grappling and strength advantage---JDS has the cardio, striking and speed. The chips will fall where they may.

[rivethead]

I've actually got JDS by UD.

I think he'll look to pick Frankie apart at range. Mir's TDs aren't outstanding, and I don't know that he'll be able to bring the fight to the ground.

I honestly think that Mir's best option is to pull a Werdum...feign being stunned when a shot hit's him hard enough to drop him, and hope that JDS dives into his guard while he's still facile enough to pull off a submission. Frank has shown great presence of mind during a beating more than once: he did it against lesnar in the first bout, and did it against Nogs in the second.

If I were in JDS's camp I'd tell him to stay off of the ground: I don't care how much you bloody him up, how far his eyes roll back in his head, don't follow him down...unless his camp has an untold uberdimension of JDS's grappling that I haven't witnessed yet.

rh

[Kimbo> Rampage]

No, JDS is "THE" most dangerous striker Mir has fought. (maybe besides prime sylvia)

The idea of Mir playing possum trying to goad JDS into going to the ground with him is not a bad idea, but i dont see JDS biting. Mir has better standup technique than some that JDS didnt finish, but he doesnt have the chin to hold up to that like Big Nelson and Carwin did.

[Dr. MMA]

Originally Posted by rivethead

I honestly think that Mir's best option is to pull a Werdum...feign being stunned when a shot hit's him hard enough to drop him, and hope that JDS dives into his guard while he's still facile enough to pull off a submission. Frank has shown great presence of mind during a beating more than once: he did it against lesnar in the first bout, and did it against Nogs in the second.

I personally think that Mir eventually folds once you knock him down like he did against Vera (sure that was a long time ago), but also against Lesnar and Carwin. The reason he escaped the first Lesnar bout was because Lesnar was sloppy and got stood up for it, and Nog could have finished him if he didn't decide to go for the sub. JDS is going to be neither sloppy or go for a sub.

[MickeyKnox]

Originally Posted by Sniggles

So does everyone else who thinks this is the JDS era via the hype machine.

I am not a Diviner of the Gods. Mir has the experience, grappling and strength advantage---JDS has the cardio, striking and speed. The chips will fall where they may.

I don't think so. I think the fact he's been beating the living shit out of everyone he has come across speaks for the hype. He brings a fire into that cage. I am not saying that he is unbeatable but I don't see Mir finding success in keeping Junior's fists from clobbering his skull.

Anything could happen though, however, Mir's a dead man in my book.

[The_Icon]

Mir has a genuine shot at beating JDS if he can get him to the ground. I've heard a whole lot about how great Junior is off his back but the fact is no one has really ever seen it outside of his camp and I can assure you Frank Mir is not the guy he wants to debut it against. However Frank has a tendency to try and strike with proven strikers and it never really works out very well. I see this ending up much like Mir vs Carwin, JDS catches Frank with a couple well placed uppercuts near the fence and Mir turtles his way to a TKO loss.