Bazzinator
11-15-2010, 04:44 AM
During a special fan Q&A preceding UFC 122 today, UFC President Dana White revealed that Frank Mir is a likely next opponent for recently unseated heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar. However, during an appearance on HDNet's Inside MMA, Mir explained why he is currently not so interested in a third go-around with the fellow former champion.
"I think I was under the same thought process as everybody else: I'd probably fight the loser of the next title fight," Mir said when asked of his future fight plans. "Especially being Brock, set up the rubber match and what not. The only problem with it was his performance in the fight. If he would've done very well I don't think anybody would've looked at the Shane Carwin fight as anything but, 'Yeah, it was close and he just had a bad round.' But I think after the Cain Velasquez fight, especially with him--I wasn't there live, but from Dana [White] to everybody else saying he verbally tapped. ...I think that hurt him a little bit."
Mir, who has fought Lesnar twice and walked away with a submission win and a TKO loss, assessed Lesnar's striking as being in need of some serious work. Acknowledging his athletic potential, Mir told the Inside MMA hosts that Lesnar needs to spend many hours in the gym getting acquainted with taking shots to the face.
"I still think that he has a lot of potential to be a great fighter. I think he has a great wrestling base," Mir said. "I think, as my boxing coach said, he needs to just spar a lot. Like a thousand rounds to get over whatever fear he has of getting punched in the face. Not that any of us clock into work that day and hope that we eat a few shots but at the same time we're not pulling 'Dancing with the Stars' moves to get away."
What do you think of Mir's assessment of Lesnar and how do you think a rubber match between the two would go? Sound off in the comments section below.
"I think I was under the same thought process as everybody else: I'd probably fight the loser of the next title fight," Mir said when asked of his future fight plans. "Especially being Brock, set up the rubber match and what not. The only problem with it was his performance in the fight. If he would've done very well I don't think anybody would've looked at the Shane Carwin fight as anything but, 'Yeah, it was close and he just had a bad round.' But I think after the Cain Velasquez fight, especially with him--I wasn't there live, but from Dana [White] to everybody else saying he verbally tapped. ...I think that hurt him a little bit."
Mir, who has fought Lesnar twice and walked away with a submission win and a TKO loss, assessed Lesnar's striking as being in need of some serious work. Acknowledging his athletic potential, Mir told the Inside MMA hosts that Lesnar needs to spend many hours in the gym getting acquainted with taking shots to the face.
"I still think that he has a lot of potential to be a great fighter. I think he has a great wrestling base," Mir said. "I think, as my boxing coach said, he needs to just spar a lot. Like a thousand rounds to get over whatever fear he has of getting punched in the face. Not that any of us clock into work that day and hope that we eat a few shots but at the same time we're not pulling 'Dancing with the Stars' moves to get away."
What do you think of Mir's assessment of Lesnar and how do you think a rubber match between the two would go? Sound off in the comments section below.