After 16 years and 27 fights, Frank Mir’s UFC career has ended. The 38-year-old former two-time heavyweight champion has been granted his release by the promotion following months of pleading and negotiations following Mir’s positive drug test. Mir has been asking for his release so he can continue fighting outside of USADA’s umbrella of authority and could be looking at a run in Japan, or maybe Bellator (that’s a big maybe).
Even if Mir never comes back to the UFC, and despite going 2-6 in his last 8 fights, he’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Fame fighter. Mir holds a massive amount of records such as the most fights, wins, and submissions in heavyweight division history, as well as the fastest submission in heavyweight division history, and the most first round finishes in UFC history with ten.
I have been granted my release from #UFC -I just posted this episode of my @phoneboothfight podcast talking details: https://t.co/5LwBmNwypx
— Frank Mir (@thefrankmir) July 8, 2017
Mir’s most impressive win was the 2008 Comeback of the Year against Brock Lesnar, which led to the only toe hold finish in UFC history and one of the best feuds of the UFC’s second decade.
Where he goes to here, it’s hard to say. Rizin? ONE FC? He’s said before he wants to get paid while he still can, but would the UFC really let a big draw like Mir go to Bellator?
Mir is under suspension until April, 2018. So he could put 2-3 fights together in that time. Especially if it’s in one night in a Rizin tournament. I’d be into watching that. If he does go to Bellator, maybe he could take on Fedor?
For now, let’s look back on the good ol’ days:
(Via MMA Junkie)
