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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Mixed Martial Arts (MMA/UFC) => Topic started by: SinCitysmallGUY on January 02, 2009, 05:53:35 AM
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Before his upset of UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira this past weekend at UFC 92, Frank Mir had been the focus of rash of rumors.
If you asked enough people in and around his camp, you would have heard about an injured back, refusals to train and even claims Mir was desperately looking for a way out of the Dec. 27 fight.
Just a few days after a shocking TKO of Nogueira and the unveiling of his new and effective stand-up game, Mir admits that the rumors were out there -- largely because he was the one issuing the false reports.
Mir, no stranger to Sun Tzu's definitive military-strategy classic The Art of War, discussed the pre-fight strategy and the importance of misinformation this week on TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
"Every fighter gets injured a lot during training camps," Mir said. "One thing I've learned not to do is – I don't really give any validity to my injuries. Some of my injuries are fake. I've faked a few injuries in the past but not to pull out of fights or anything. It's just there a lot of rumors out there, and when I hear them, I help people out. ... 'Go tell people and put it on the Internet.'
"That way when a real, legitimate injury goes through, people question whether I'm really hurt or not."
Since Mir's comeback from a devastating motorcycle accident in 2004 – one that caused a year-long layoff that forced the UFC to strip him of the heavyweight belt – fans never seemed to know what to expect out of the 29-year-old fighter.
Would they get the svelte version that weighed in at UFC 57 in his comeback fight, or the bloated version that quickly gassed five months later at UFC 61?
Those who heard the pre-UFC 92 gossip braced for the worst at the event weigh-ins. But many of the rumors were \enveloped with a heavy shadow of doubt when Mir disrobed, appeared in solid shape and tipped the scales at just 251 pounds.
"On the 27th (of December), I don't think I could have been better prepared," Mir said.
While it was obvious Mir had trained and was, in fact, in fighting shape, no one could have predicted his remarkable transformation from a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to a feared heavyweight striker.
He dropped Nogueira early in the co-main-event fight on multiple occasions, and though he was confident he could go the full five rounds, he wanted to end it early with a dangerous opponent. After all, Nogueira, who had previously never been knocked out, made a career of come-from-behind wins just when it seemed he was on the brink of defeat.
"A lot of people have gotten up on Nogueira in the past," Mir said. "The problem is that they never shut the door. I wasn't going to let that happen."
Mir also discussed how he and coach Ken Hahn developed his striking game, why his cockiness was part of the game plan to get Nogueira to engage, his thoughts on an upcoming rematch with UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar, and why he thinks the current champ has made little to no progress during his short time in the UFC.
To hear the full interview, download Wednesday's episode of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio archives.
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Lesnar is going to rip Mir apart, no way Mir will catch him with a sub like in their first encounter.
I predict 2 rounds of pain for Mir.
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Lesnar is going to rip Mir apart, no way Mir will catch him with a sub like in their first encounter.
I predict 2 rounds of pain for Mir.
just like almost everyone said no way mir beats nog huh.
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I honestly dont know what to make of this fight-- Lesnar has a lot to prove and will certainly be motivated. Mir should be at an advantage in everything except size. For everyone who thinks Mir gets killed, who actually thought he'd beat Noguerra? Hes made a believer out of me. As long as he doesnt take Lesnar lightly, I think its his fight to lose.