Brock Lesner vs Frank Mir
Tomorrow night Brock Lesner fights former champ Frank Mir at UFC 81. It should be an entertaining fight. I’m leaning towards Mir because of experience, but Lesner is the real deal as an amateur wrestler. He’s also a beast.
Raf, please weigh in.
I’m really looking forward to this one too! I think Mir is gonna take it but Lesner is one strong mutha’! A lot of Lesner haters out there that I wouldn’t mind seeing eat crow. I guess I’m mixed…!
Frank Mir hasn’t been as consistent since a serious motorcycle accident in 2004. This is a make or break fight for him. His weakness has been against fighters with fast hands, strong submission defense and who end up cutting Mir badly. Brock’s strength and power won’t intimidate Mir because he has fought some of the bigger men in the UFC. Prior to his accident he broke Sylvia’s arm and submitted Tank Abbott. Mir’s submissions are applied very quickly, at his best Mir applies hold after hold very smoothly, so Brock better have his counters on point. The wrestling factor won’t be much of an edge with Brock because Mir was a State wrestling champ in his youth as well. It all depends on Mir’s conditioning at this point, this fight could show if he should step down from competition. Brock is being tested tonight, if he defeats Mir impressively and shows off some excellent submission defense, that means he’s ready for the higher level of competition.
Dan – I’m feeling mixed about it too. On one hand, I don’t think that the UFC would have wanted to make the fight if they didn’t think that Brock was ready. On the other, if Mir wins it sends a strong message that the UFC is the real deal.
Raf – I appreciate your comments!
Mir by kneebar, as I predicted… Lesnar had to get his submission defense up to snuff. Mir submitted Abott with a lower leg submission as well, knowing that trying to contest the upper body strength of these types of guys is dangerous, but their lower leg defenses may be suspect. Mir didn’t do much against Brock’s takedown attempt. Mir takes the strong guys out of their comfort zones with quick setups from one hold to another. Lesnar was doing everything correctly, he had the faster hands which is Mir’s vulnerability, Brock just didn’t have all the submission defenses down after the armbar escape. Mir of old may be back, but he still shows the same weaknesses that higher level fighters will capitalize on!
Raf prediction was right on the money and I was leaning the right way as well!